they dropped down behind the stoop of the second tenement.
"One of those men was Buddy Girk!" ejaculated Tom, when the pair had passed up the alley-way.
"And don't you know who the other was?" demanded Sam. "It was Dan Baxter's father!"
"Impossible, Sam. Arnold Baxter is in the hospital, and—"
"It was Dan Baxter's father, as true as I'm born, Tom. No wonder he walked with a cane! Am I not right, Frank?"
"I don't know, I'm sure—I don't remember Dan's father. But that was Buddy Girk, beyond a doubt."
All of the boys were considerably excited and wondered if it would be best to follow up the vanishing pair.
"I'd do it if I was certain Dick was safe!" cried Tom. "I'm going to hunt for him," he added, and before the others could stop him he entered the tenement. He stumbled around the lower hallway for several minutes and then called out softly:
"Dick! Dick! Where are you?"
No answer came back, and he continued his search. Then, lighting a match, he mounted the rickety stairs and called out again.
