the office?"

"To-morrow noon, if you will meet me at the corner of Wall and Nassau."

"I'll be on hand. It made me sick the way my aunt stuck up for Carson.
Of course, I wouldn't go into the thing, only I know the tramp's a bad
egg," returned Ferris, trying to excuse his willingness to enter into
such an outrageous plot.

"Of course he is a bad egg, and it is our duty to get him out of the
way," replied Hardwick. "You will be on hand sure to-morrow?"

"Yes."

"And when will you put the things in his room?"

"Sometime during the afternoon. That will bring matters to a head as
soon as Saunders and the others get home."

"You must expose Carson while he is in his room, if possible."

"Oh, he'll be home with the rest."

"Then that's all right. Of course, there is no necessity to caution you
to be careful."

"Wasn't I careful before?"

"Hush!"

"Then don't talk that way. Say, do you know these cigars are mighty
strong?"

Hardwick laughed.

"That's because you are not used to them, Dick. Now, I generally smoke
them twice as strong."

Just at this instant, the two heard Churchley jump to his feet.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"What's the matter with Churchley?" said Hardwick.

"He's talking to somebody," replied Ferris.

"Hullo! the door's locked," they heard Churchley continue.

"What's up, Churchley?" called out Hardwick, walking toward the other
room.

"There is somebody in this closet," was the startling reply. "I heard a
noise half a dozen times."

CHAPTER X.

HAL IS ACCUSED.

When Hal Carson locked himself into the closet of the club-room, he
realized that he was in a perilous position.

Supposing somebody undertook to open the door? They might suppose it
very strange to find the door locked, and think it necessary to open it,
in which case he would be discovered in short order.

He remained perfectly quiet for a long while and heard Churchley
admitted, and heard the man seat himself at the center table, and rustle
the paper he was perusing.

Of the conversation carried on by Ferris and Hardwick, he heard nothing
further, and he was, consequently, totally in the dark concerning the
nefarious plot that had been formed to get him into serious trouble.

Ten minutes passed, and the youth began to wonder how long he would have
to remain a self-made prisoner.

Then all became quiet in the room beyond, and he wondered if Churchley
had not joined the two in the adjoining apartmen