."

"Impossible!"

"Why should it be!" asked Ferris.

Hardwick did not reply.

"I was right," thought Hal, with a shudder. "He threw those bricks on
me, and thought I was either dead or next door to it. He is a thorough
villain, and no mistake."

"Why shouldn't I see Carson at the house?" went on Ferris.

"Why--I thought he wasn't going home till late," stammered Hardwick.

"Did he say so?"

"I believe he said something about it. I didn't pay much attention."
Hardwick was beginning to recover from his shock. "So you saw him?"

"Yes."

"You two don't get along very well, do you?"

"I'd like to thrash him," growled Ferris.

"Why?"

Hal did not hear the reply. The two passed into a room on the third
floor, and the door was closed behind them.

For an instant the youth hesitated. Then he mounted to the door and
applied his eye to the key-hole.

There was a brilliant light inside, but no one appeared to be present.

Having satisfied himself on this point, Hal tried the knob of the door.

It turned, and he pushed the door open cautiously. He knew he was
treading on dangerous ground and was running a great risk. Yet a strange
courage seemed to have come over him, and he was not one bit nervous.

Once inside the room, he saw that it was a club apartment. Papers were
scattered over the table, and cards and other games rested on a side
stand.

To the left was another door, having a curtain strung over it.

From beyond the curtain came the voices of Hardwick and Ferris, and Hal
knew they had seated themselves and were taking it easy.

Approaching the outer door he locked it.

"Now I cannot be surprised in that direction," he thought. "And if
Hardwick or Ferris try to leave I can hide in the closet."

Having made these preparations against being discovered, Hal approached
the curtain to listen to whatever might be said.

"You say you wish you could fix Carson?" he heard Hardwick say.

"I do," returned Ferris. "I hate him, and I would do almost anything to
get square."

"Then I'll tell you of a little plan that you can work, Dick. I don't
like the fellow myself, and it will delight me to see you get the best
of him."

"How does the beggar do the office work?"

"I must say first class."

"Humph! It didn't suit me, Hardwick. If there hadn't been other
money----"

"Hush!" cried the book-keeper, in alarm. "That matter must remain a
secret, never to be mentioned."

CHAPTER IX.

THE PLOT A