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154 BLACK SHEEP.tents with a still more darkly frowning face. Jim,at the corner of the window furthest from him,watched him so closely that he suspended theprocess of polishing;but Routh did not notice thecessation. Presently he came upon the paperswhich he hacl looked for, and was putting theminto the breast-pocket of his coat, when he struckthe drawer with his elbow, and knocked it off thedesk. It fell on the floor, and its contents werescattered over the carpet. Among them yvas anobject which rolled -away into the window, andimmediately caught the attention of Jim Swain.Theboy looked at it, through the glass, with eyesin yvhich amazement and fear contended. Routhpicked up the contents of the drawer, allbut thisoneobject, and looked impatiently about in searchof it. Then Jim, desperately anxious to see thisthing nearer, took aresolution. He tapped at thewindow, ancl signed to Routh to open it and lethimin. Routh, surprised, did so."Here it is, sir," said Jim, not entering theroom, but sprawling over the yvindow-sill, anclgroping yvith his long hands along the border ofarug whichsheltered the object ofRouth's search