e is after all but one
New York and no other city is like it."

The boys walked slowly as far as Union Square and then sat down on one
of the park benches to rest. Nearly all the benches were filled with
people and in idle curiosity Dick began to scan the various types of
men present, from bright, brisk clerks to fat and unshaved bummers, too
lazy to work.

"Hullo!"

Dick uttered the exclamation so abruptly that Sam and Tom were
startled.

"What do you see?" queried both.

"Look there!"

They gazed in the direction Dick pointed out and on a distant bench saw
a youth of about Tom's age, but heavier-set, talking to a man who wore
a rusty suit of brown and a peculiarly-shaped slouch hat.

"Why, that's Tad Sobber!" cried Tom.

"So it is," added Sam. "Who is that fellow with him?"

"I don't know, although his figure looks somewhat familiar to me,"
answered Dick.

"What can Tad be doing in New York?" questioned Tom. "Do you suppose he
is down here with Sid Merrick?"

"Perhaps."

"Let's go over and see what he has to say for himself," suggested Sam.
"Maybe he'll run away when he sees us."

All of the boys were curious to know what the former bully of Putnam
Hall might have to say for himself and they strode over to the bench
upon which Sobber and the man in brown were sitting. They came up
behind the pair.

"I can't give you any money, Cuffer," they heard Tad Sobber say.
"You'll have to wait till my Uncle Sid gets here."

"When will he get to New York?"

"To-morrow."

"That fellow is Cuffer, the man who ran away from us at the old mill!"
cried Dick.

"Let us catch him and hand him over to the police," returned Tom.

In his excitement he talked rather loudly and this attracted the
attention of Cuffer and Tad Sobber.

"The Rovers!" cried Sobber, leaping to his feet in consternation. "How
did they get down to New York?"

"Who did you say?" questioned Cuffer, and then looking at the three
youths his face blanched. "We must get away from here, and be quick
about it!"

He started to run and Dick and Sam went after him. The chase led to the
lower end of the little park, and then Cuffer crossed Fourteenth
street, and amid the crowd bound homeward for the day, pushed his way
in the direction of the Third Avenue elevated railroad station.

In the meantime Tad Sobber started to run in another direction. But
before he had taken a dozen steps Tom was on him and had him by the
arm.

"Stop, Sobber," he sai