into the space about the house that was building. He was not long
examining it, and he went right through it out into the street on
which the house would face when it was finished. He looked up and
down it, and began to retrace his footsteps.

"I've seen all I want to see out here. We may as well go back to the
house," he said to the Duke.

"I hope you've seen what you expected to see," said the Duke.

"Exactly what I expected to see--exactly," said Guerchard.

"That's as it should be," said the Duke.

They went back to the house and found M. Formery in the drawing-
room, still engaged in the process of reconstruction.

"The thing to do now is to hunt the neighbourhood for witnesses of
the departure of the burglars with their booty. Loaded as they were
with such bulky objects, they must have had a big conveyance.
Somebody must have noticed it. They must have wondered why it was
standing in front of a half-built house. Somebody may have actually
seen the burglars loading it, though it was so early in the morning.
Bonavent had better inquire at every house in the street on which
that half-built house faces. Did you happen to notice the name of
it?" said M. Formery.

"It's Sureau Street," said Guerchard. "But Dieusy has been hunting
the neighbourhood for some one who saw the burglars loading their
conveyance, or saw it waiting to be loaded, for the last hour."