ged heavily, but at last it was time to close up. Mr.
Sumner hardly spoke to either when they bade him good-evening.

Hardwick walked up Wall Street, and then turned into Nassau, instead of
continuing to Broadway.

Suddenly an idea entered Hal's head to follow Hardwick.

Despite all the evidence pointing in other directions, the youth thought
Hardwick either guilty of the robbery or else that the book-keeper knew
much concerning it.

Hardwick continued up Nassau Street until he reached Park Row.

Hal kept out of sight behind the man, and presently Hardwick continued
up Park Row until he came to one of the side streets just beyond the
entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge.

He turned into this street, piled high on either side with dirty snow,
and then entered one of the worst thoroughfares in New York City.

By this time it was quite dark, and Hal had to keep close, for fear of
losing sight of his man. He was now thoroughly interested, for he knew
Hardwick boarded somewhere uptown, and it must be some special business
that would bring the book-keeper to this part of the city on such a
disagreeable evening.

At length Hardwick paused and glanced behind him. As soon as he saw the
movement the boy stepped behind a bill-board out of sight.

Presently Hardwick continued on his way, walking faster than ever. The
youth increased his speed.

"Hi! look sharp there!"

Hal was just about to cross a street when he almost ran into a heavy
truck. He stepped back, and allowed the truck to pass. When he reached
the opposite curb Hardwick had disappeared.

"He must have gone on straight ahead," thought the youth. "I will soon
catch up to him again."

But though he continued onward for more than a block, he saw nothing of
the book-keeper.

He looked up and down the side streets, and tried to peep into the
curtained windows of several saloons that were close at hand.

"He must have gone in somewhere, that's certain," said Hal to himself.
"I wonder if he discovered that I was following him?"

This last thought disturbed the youth not a little. His experience with
Hardwick in the office had convinced him that the book-keeper was an
evil man when aroused.

Slowly he retraced his steps, not certain if he could find his way back
to Park Row, a spot he had got to know fairly well since his coming to
the metropolis.

He was just passing a place where a new building was in the course of
construction when a peculiar noise to one s