that it required all his strength to hold it on one arm.

Jet was on the point of handing this odd acting fellow the slip of
paper that it might be signed according to the rules of the office, but
before he could so much as take it from his pocket the man had
disappeared among the throng.

"I suppose it's all right," he said in a tone of perplexity, "but I
wish people would let a fellow do as the boss insists upon."

There was no time for delay if he intended to return within the ten
minutes as had been promised, and he hurried away, arriving at the
saloon only to be told by the bartender that the gentlemen had left
some time previous.

"What am I to do with this?" and Jet held up the paper parcel.

"They said you was to go to this number on the Bowery. I reckon it's
one of them cheap lodging houses."

Jet took the card which was held toward him, and, stopping only long
enough to read the written words and number, hurried off once more.

This last address was, as the barkeeper had suggested, a small hotel,
and on ascending the stairs to the tiny apartment called by courtesy
"the office," found the tall man awaiting his arrival.

"I thought you was a boy who didn't do any loafing," the gentleman said
gruffly.

"I haven't stopped a minute."

"Who did you hang around chinning with?"

"Nobody."

"Haven't you been talking to that other messenger?"

"Which one?"

"The fellow you met."

"I haven't spoken to anybody except the red-haired man, and he didn't
give me a chance to do much talking."

"What is your fee?"

"Twenty-five cents."

"Here's half a dollar. If anybody asks where you have been say that it
was to the Stock Exchange. I don't care to have a lot of people
talking about my business, and a quarter should be enough to make you
hold your tongue."

"Will you sign this slip, sir? the manager wants the distance and time
on there."

"Do it yourself, and put it down as I tell you."

Jet obeyed, writing as the stranger dictated, and when he presented
himself at the station once more the manager had no reason to believe
he had been anywhere except to the Exchange.

CHAPTER II

TROUBLE

Jet was not just certain, when he seated himself on the bench to wait
for another summons, whether he had done right in obeying the tall man
so implicitly, but yet he could not understand how it would make any
difference to the manager, since he brought back the amount of money
which was the lawful c