″IwishCentralBankwouldberobbed,″GeorgePickenssaidtohimself.Hehadbeenmakingthiswishdailyfromthetimehehadstartedworkasatelleratthebank.

　　Alloverthecountrybankswerebeingrobbed,Georgethoughtsourly.Whynotthisbank?Wererobbersscornfulofitsfour－million－dollarcapital?WeretheyafraidofMr.Ackerman,theoldbankguard,whohadn＇tpulledouthisgunintwenty－twoyears?

　　　Ofcourse,Georgehadareasonforwantingthebanktoberobbed.Afterall,hecouldn＇tsimplytakethethickbundlesofbillsthatwereunderhishandsalldaylong.Sohehadthoughtofanotherwaytogetthem.Hisplanwassimple.Itwentlikethis：

　　IfBankRobberAholdsupBankTellerB…

　　AndifBankTellerBgivesBankRobberAacertainamountofmoney…

　　WhatistopreventBankTellerBfromkeepingallthemoneyleftandclaimingthatitwasstolenbyBankRobberA?Therewasonlyoneproblem.WherewasBankRobberA?

　　OnemorningGeorgeenteredthebankfeelingsomethingwasabouttohappen.″Goodmorning,Mr.Burrows.″hesaidcheerfully.Thebankpresidentmutteredsomethingandwentintohisoffice.

　　Attwoo＇clockBankRobberAwalkedin.Georgeknewhewasabankrobber.Foronething,heslunkin.Foranotherthing,heworeamask.

　　″Thisisaholdup.″themansaidroughly.Hetookapistolfromhispocket.Theguardmadeasmallsound.″You,″thebankrobbersaid,″liedownonthefloor.″Mr.Ackermanlaydown.TherobbersteppedovertoGeorge＇scage.

　　″Allright.″hesaid.″Handitover.″″Yes,sir.″saidGeorge.″Wouldyoulikeitinten－or－twenty－dollarbills?″

　　″Justhanditover!″

　　Georgereachedintohiscashboxandtookallthebillsfromthetopsection,closetosixthousanddollars.Hepassedthemthroughthewindow.Therobbersnatchedthem,stuffedthemintohispocket,andturnedtoleave.

　　Then,whileeveryonewatchedBankRobberA,BankTellerBcalmlyliftedoffthetopsectionofthecashboxandslippedbillsfromthebottomsectionintohispockets.

　　Thebankrobberwasgone.Georgefainted.Whenhewokehesmiledupattheworriedfaceslookingdownathim.″I＇mallright.″hesaidbravely.

　　″Perhapsyoushouldgohome,George.″Mr.Bell,thechiefauditor,said.

　　Assoonashewassafelybehindhisbedroomdoor,Georgetookthemoneyfromhispocketsandcountedit.Hehadseventhousanddollars.Hewasveryhappy.

　　ThenextmorningwhenGeorgearrivedatthebank,itwasnotopenforbusiness.Buteveryonewasthere,helpingtoexaminethebank＇srecordsforthespecialauditMr.Bellwastaking.

　　GeorgewascalledintoMr.Burrows＇soffice.Thebankpresidentseemedstrangelycheerful.″George,″hesaid,″IwantyoutomeetMr.Carruthers,whousedtobepresidentofourbank.″

　　″Goodmorning,George.″saidMr.Carruthers.″Iwassorrytohearyoufaintedyesterday.Areyouallrightnow?″

　　″Yes,sir.Justfine,thanks.″

　　″I＇mgladtohearit.Thatwasquiteanadventure.Itjustgoestoshowhoweasyitistorobourbank.″

　　″Sir?″saidGeorge,confused.″

　　George,Iwassorrytogiveyouahardtimeyesterday,butwithallthebanksbeingrobbedthesedaysIthoughtitwouldbeagoodideatoprovethatourlittlebankcanberobbedtoo.Ihaveretired,butIhaven＇tstoppedthinking.That＇swhyIplayedmylittlegameyesterday,justtokeepeverybodyonhistoes.″

　　″Idon＇tunderstand.