rd over this fellow, and shoot him as you would a dog if he
so much as makes the least motion to get up," the detective shouted to
Jet. Then he sprang back to the ladder. "They have given us the slip.
Get into the yard while I search the other rooms."

The Albany detectives had not yet had time to ascend, and they obeyed
at once, while Harvey ran quickly through the other rooms.

A search of five minutes was sufficient to show that the building had
no other occupant than the prisoner whom Jet was guarding, and Harvey
returned to the front room.

"When did your pals leave?" he asked as he slipped a pair of handcuffs
on the fellow's wrists.

"They went away this morning. What right have you to break into
innocent men's houses?"

"We will explain that matter later. Tell me where the others went."

"Don't you wish you may find out?"

"It will be better for you to give all the information possible if you
want to save your own skin."

"I've heard roosters like you before, so there's no use in crowing to
me."

"Can you find a light, Jet? I want to see what the scoundrel looks
like."

"You'll see enough of me before this thing is ended," the man said with
a growl, and Harvey looked around suspiciously, so confident was the
fellow's tone.

Jet soon found a candle on the rude affair which answered as a table,
but its light revealed nothing of importance.

The room had no other furniture than a cot bed on which were a pile of
coarse blankets, two stools and a sort of shelf that served as a table.

By this time the detectives had come in from the yard with the report
that nothing could be found to show when the others left.

The stable was empty, and had evidently been so for several hours.

"One of you stand guard over this fellow, and we will search the house.
Come on, Jet, and show me where you were imprisoned," Harvey said as he
took up the candle and left the room.

The boy obeyed and a thorough search was made of the premises.

To the surprise of all nothing of importance was found.

If the men had had machinery for making counterfeit money, everything
had been taken away.

The building contained nothing more than might have been found in any
honest dwelling, and Harvey said in a tone of disappointment:

"They must have worked like beavers from the time it was learned the
boy had made his escape, and that fellow in the other room was pretty
near right when he made his threats, for we have broken