to say to him in a hoarse whisper:

"Look out, young man, look out, you may get hit with a club made three thousand years ago."

There was a perplexed look upon the young man's face for a moment, and then his bright, clear eyes wandered around and he too fell to a discovery, as he believed.

The professor meantime had become exceedingly nervous and he said:

"I believe I will adjourn the lecture for to-day."

As the professor spoke, there came a voice from the mummy case saying:

"Yes, you had better adjourn it forever, for you don't know what you are talking about."

The professor advanced close to the mummy case to gaze directly at the lips of the three-thousand-year corpse. He was determined to solve the mystery, but as he bent over the venerable object there came an unearthly yell that froze the blood in his veins. He leaped back, the young ladies ran screaming away and there would have been a great scene were it not that at the time there were no other persons in that particular department of the museum.

The professor led the way down to the office to tell his wondrous tale, while the young man who had first started the joke approached and gazed intently on the face of our hero, the great Nimble Ike. The latter returned the gaze and for a few moments it was a duel of stare; neither appeared disposed to open the conversation, while in the mind of each there dawned a suspicion, and finally the young stranger mustered up sufficient courage to ask:

"Say, young fellow, who are you?"

CHAPTER II.

A MUTUAL RECOGNITION FOLLOWS BETWEEN TWO WONDERFUL VENTRILOQUISTS AND AT ONCE THEY COMMENCE TOGETHER THEIR EXTRAORDINARY PRANKS.

Ike did not conclude to reveal his identity at once, and met the question with a similar one:

"Say, young fellow, who are you?"

"I asked first."

"Did you?"

"I did."

"Well?"

"It's your place to answer."

"Do you want an answer?"

"I do."

"I'll tell you something: you asked the wrong person. Go and ask that stuffed owl who I am."

The young man stared.

"You want an answer to your question?"

"Oh, come off," said the young stranger.

"That settles it," said Ike.

There came a smile upon the face of the youth and he caused a voice to come like a halloo from away down the other end of the room, inquiring:

"Say, owl, who is this young chap?"

Ike was amazed, but the owl uttered its peculiar hoot and answered seemingly: "He's the devil himself."

The halloo came again.

"I thought so, for he is not square; he don't keep his promises."

"Why not?" asked the owl.

"He promised you should tell who he was."

There came a hoot and an owlish sort of laugh, with the statement:

"His name is Isaac Andro."

"Nimble Ike?" came the halloo.

"Yes;" and the owl added: "Now it's your turn to keep your promise."

The halloo came in answer:

"I am Jack the Juggler."

Ike at once advanced, offering his hand and saying:

"Shake, old fellow, I am glad to meet you. I've heard about you."

"And I've heard about you. I am delighted to meet you."

"And I am delighted to meet you," answered Ike.

"We must be friends."

"Sure."

"We can have a heap of fun."

"We can."

"We are against the deck."

"We are."

"Will you visit me at my home?" said Ike. "Go with me now."

"I will be delighted."

"Do you live in the city?"

"I did live here, but I've broken up my home."

The two wonderful lads wandered off together—Ike the ventriloquist, and Jack the juggler, also a ventriloquist and hypnotist.

The two soon arrived at Ike's house and the latter showed his guest all through his place, exhibiting his contrivances. Ike ordered a meal sent in and the two remarkable geniuses sat down in a very social conversation.

Ike told his strange, weird story, all about the old necromancer and the mysterious box. And Jack told all about himself, and finally Ike said:

"See here, we are two of a kind."

"We are."

"Let's become partners."

"I am agreed."

"Take up your abode with me."

"On one condition."

"Name your condition."

"I am to share the expense of living in this house."

"Agreed, as it don't cost much to live."

Neither of the lads had told their romance. They had only told the simple story of their lives, and when the meal was over they commenced by mutual consent to practice together, and so several days passed. Ike with his unusual brightness invented a signal code so they could converse with each other and no one else understand their talk. One evening the two lads were playing a game of billiards together in a well-known billiard room, when a very handsome young fellow entered, whom Ike at once introduced to Jack as his friend, Henry Du Flore. Ike and Du Flore held a few moments talk and then Du Flore departed. The moment he was gone the ventriloquist said to his new comrade:

"That young man is a detective."

"He don't look like one."

"He is a splendid officer, brave, shrewd and persistent. I have several detective friends, but I've taken quite a fancy to this young fellow and I am aiding him all I can."

"Is he a Frenchman?" asked Jack.

"No, he is an American born. His father was an engineer on an ocean steamer. He was drowned when Henry was quite a lad. Henry was left an orphan at an early age, compelled to knock around and pick up a living as best he could. He got appointed on the police force, won promotion and is now a regular detective. I want him to make a great success, and I am aiding him all I can."

"I took a fancy to him at the first glance," said Jack.

"I am glad of that."

"Yes, I am in with you and when we can do him a good turn we will."

"I am much obliged to you, and we can aid him right now. He has been assigned to run down some burglars who are infesting a section of country over in Jersey. The gang has become very daring. They are very expert and the losses of the people have been heavy; they have raised a fund which is offered as a reward for the capture of the thieves. The chief in New York is anxious to aid the officials across the river and has detailed my friend Henry on the case. It will be a big thing for the young officer if he can run down those thieves."

"We will secure the big thing for him," said Jack. "I've had a little experience in detective work."

"So I've heard."

"When does he start in?"

"I am to hear from him later."

The two ventriloquists finished their game and walked over to a table where two experts were playing a great game in presence of quite a crowd of witnesses. Ike and Jack were both very fond of the game, although neither of them could play an expert game, with all their talents; their genius did not run in this direction. It is remarkable that a great many men who are expert in one direction are singularly deficient in others. There was a party of young smart Alecs watching the game. They were very boisterous and demonstrative—really interfered with the players—and they were very unmannerly in several ways, pushing forward and crowding quieter people in a very rude manner. Ike and Jack fixed their eyes on the dudes and then exchanged glances; and that exchange of glances meant a little fun for the tricksters and discomfiture for the boisterous dudes, the sons of rich men who because of their social position were permitted to cut up their capers where better youths would have been kicked out