worth o' property layin' around jest sufferin' to be scooped in?--and all good, salable stuff, too.” The duke he grumbled; said the bag of gold was enough, and he didn't want to go no deeper--didn't want to rob a lot of orphans of _everything_ they had. “Why, how you talk!” says the king. “We sha'n't rob 'em of nothing at all but jest this money.  The people that _buys_ the property is the suff'rers; because as soon 's it's found out 'at we didn't own it--which won't be long after we've slid--the sale won't be valid, and it 'll all go back to the estate.  These yer orphans 'll git their house back agin, and that's enough for _them_; they're young and spry, and k'n easy earn a livin'.  _they_ ain't a-goin to suffer.  Why, jest think--there's thous'n's and thous'n's that ain't nigh so well off.  Bless you, _they_ ain't got noth'n' to complain of.” Well, the king he talked him blind; so at last he give in, and said all right, but said he believed it was blamed foolishness to stay, and that doctor hanging over them.  But the king says: “Cuss the doctor!  What do we k'yer for _him_?  Hain't we got all the fools in town on our side?  And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?” So they got ready to go down stairs again.  The duke says: “I don't think we put that money in a good place.” That cheered me up.  I'd begun to think I warn't going to get a hint of no kind to help me.  The king says: “Why?” “Because Mary Jane 'll be in mourning from this out; and first you know the nigger that does up the rooms will get an order to box these duds up and put 'em away; and do you reckon a nigger can run across money and not borrow some of it?” “Your head's level agin, duke,” says the king; and he comes a-fumbling under the curtain two or three foot from where I was.  I stuck tight to the wall and kept mighty still, though quivery; and I wondered what them fellows would say to me if they catched me; and I tried to think what I'd better do if they did catch me.  But