that
little cell all day."

"I can fancy not; but if you had come to New York a great deal of time
would have been wasted, and as it is we can start in search of those
fellows at once."

"But you an' I can't handle the crowd if they show fight."

"We don't intend to try. When we leave this town our party will be
large enough."

"How many men do you want?" the chief asked the detective.

"Two, providing they are ready at once."

"I suppose you will go a certain portion of the way on the train?"

"Certainly."

"On that road the next one leaves in about an hour. I will have the
best men I know of waiting at the depot. Is there anything else to be
done?"

"Not now. Jet and I will go for dinner, and meet you at the station.
Can you lend the boy a revolver; one more weapon may come in handy in
case of a fight, and unless those fellows have already made a change of
base I reckon we shall have a lively time."

The chief gave Jet a weapon and plenty of cartridges, and District
Messenger No. 48 felt exceedingly proud as he walked out of the station
with the revolver in the inside pocket of his coat.

Harvey was no niggard so far as caring for the comfort of his small
assistant was concerned.

A dinner at the Delavan House such as Jet had never set down to before
was indulged in, and when the messenger arose from the table it was
with the sensation of being full almost to bursting.

To the boy's relief Harvey informed him that the inspector never for a
moment believed he had run away; but attributed his absence to exactly
the true cause, and all which had been done toward finding him was with
this view of the case.

"It will be a mighty big thing for you if we succeed to-night," the
detective added, "for the rewards which have been offered, both for the
counterfeiters and the murderers, amount to no small sum, a portion of
which will, of course, belong to you."

"I'm satisfied if I make wages out of the thing; but it's too bad that
money I found wasn't good, for I allowed to put the most of it away
so's to pay my board till I got another job."

"You needn't hunt very far for work if this thing turns, out all right.
I'll take care of that part of it."

Since Jet was to be the guide on the expedition his advice was asked
for when the tickets were purchased, and in order to be certain of his
bearings he thought best to return to the town where he boarded the
cars during his flight.

Two officers, dressed