Mr. Jackson had described, and knocked on the
door. There was a sound from within, as though some one had arisen
from a chair. Then a voice asked:

"Who's there?"

"Does Mah Retto live here?" asked Larry, determining on a bold plan.

Hardly had he spoken the words when the door was quickly opened.

CHAPTER XIX

GRACE ON THE TRAIL

Larry saw, standing before him, framed in the doorway from which
streamed the glare from a big reading lamp, the man of mystery--the
fellow who had escaped from the tumble-down tenement--the man he and
Bailey had pulled ashore on the life-raft.

"Are you Mah Retto?" asked Larry again, rather at a loss for
something to say, when he saw the strange man confronting him.

The mysterious one looked at Larry for several seconds. He seemed
much excited, and in doubt as to what to do. Then, seeming to arrive
at a sudden decision, he quickly closed the door, and Larry heard
the key turned in the lock.

"Not much satisfaction in that," muttered the young reporter. "That
was him, though. I wonder what I had better do?"

Larry stood in the hallway, undecided. He wanted another opportunity
to see and speak to the man he believed was Mah Retto, but he
considered it would not be wise to knock again on the door. The
occupant of the room either would not answer or would order him
away.

"I'll have to come again," Larry said to himself. "I've learned one
thing, anyhow, and that is where he lives."

The young reporter went to the office of the _Leader_ early the next
morning. He found Mr. Emberg on hand, and told the city editor the
plans for the day; that of making a tour of the steamship piers. Mr.
Emberg thought this was a good idea, and complimented Larry on his
work thus far.

"I ran across my old friend, the East Indian, last night," Larry
said, as he was leaving. "I'm going to work him up for a story when
I get through with this Potter case."

"Don't do it until then," advised Mr. Emberg. "I want you to devote
all your attention to the missing millionaire. The East Indian story
will not amount to much or I'd put another man on it. You may get a
yarn for the Saturday supplement out of it, but even that's
doubtful."

Larry thought differently, but he did not say so. Nor did he mention
that he was going to take Grace Potter with him on his tour of the
docks. He had an idea that the city editor might object, or laugh at
him, and Larry did not care to have that happen. He felt he