-known form passed by.

"Dick Ferris!" cried Hal to himself. "What can he be doing here?"

There could be but one answer to that question. Ferris must have come to
see Hardwick.

He kept his eye on the tall boy, and as soon as Ferris was a short
distance ahead Hal left the door-way and followed him.

Ferris walked along for the space of two blocks. Then he came to an
elegant brown-stone front mansion, the parlor of which was brilliantly
illuminated.

Ascending the steps, he rang the bell, and the door was opened almost
immediately.

Hal, who stood near the area-way below, heard him ask for Hardwick.

"Yes, sir, he just came in."

"May I see him?"

"Yes, sir. Please step into the parlor."

Ferris stepped inside, and the door was immediately closed.

Hal drew a deep breath. If only he could find out Ferris' mission. He
felt certain the meeting between the book-keeper and the former
office-boy was to be an important one.

He looked at the windows. Every one of them were tightly closed.

"Too bad it isn't summer time," muttered Hal to himself.

On either side of the mansion were others, so there was no way to get to
the rear, excepting through the door below, and this was tightly barred.

"I would like to know what a detective would do in a case of this kind,"
thought Hal. "I suppose he would find some way to effect an entrance."

He was just about to give up trying to form some plan, when the door
opened and Hardwick and Ferris came out. Hal crouched near the foot of
the steps, and the pair passed within three feet of him.

"It isn't safe to talk over private matters in a house like that,"
remarked Hardwick. "I know a place where we will be far more at liberty
to discuss the thing I have in mind."

"Where is it?" asked Ferris.

"A private club-room just up the avenue."

"That will just suit me," replied Ferris.

The two passed on. Hal raised himself from his cramped position, and
made after them.

Once around the corner of Sixth Avenue, Hardwick led the way into an
open hall-way, lit up with a single gas-jet. The pair commenced to
ascend the stairs, which had several sharp turns. Hal was not far
behind.

"I'll find out what they are up to, if I die for it," he said, and
clenched his hands.

Several sentences were spoken which the youth did not catch, and then
came a cry from Hardwick.

"What is that you say?" he demanded. "You saw this Carson just before
you left your aunt's house?"

"Yes