ng to teach him a
thing or two."

Anxious to obey the command of the man who held him completely under his
thumb, Casey ran forward. Seeing him coming, Jerry fled behind a large
screen. Here rested a heavy cane, and he picked it up and brandished it
over his head.

"Keep back! Advance at your peril."

"I'm afraid to go near the young fool," said Casey.

"I'll fix him. Stand aside. I never yet saw the boy that could get the
best of me," muttered Alexander Slocum.

"He may kill you, Mr. Slocum."

"I'll risk it."

Running around the desk, the real estate dealer came for the young
oarsman. As he approached, the boy pushed the screen against him and he
went down, with the heavy object on top of him.

"You--you villain!" he spluttered.

To this Jerry made no answer. Taking advantage of the time afforded him,
he looked around for some means of escaping his enemies. To remain a
moment longer in the office he felt would be perilous in the extreme.

Near the corner to which Jerry had retreated was an open window. Glancing
out of it he saw that the roof of the next building was but six or eight
feet below the window sill.

Without stopping to think twice, our hero leaped out of the window and on
to the roof below.

"Stop! stop!"

Both Slocum and his assistant called after Jerry, but he paid no
attention. Leaving the vicinity of the window, he ran along the roof to
the rear. Here there was an addition to a tin-shop underneath, and he
dropped down and found himself within twelve feet of a narrow alleyway.

"Are you coming back?" bawled Alexander Slocum; and then, as Jerry let
himself down over the edge of the roof, he suddenly disappeared from the
window.

Guessing he was coming down to head him off, the youth lost no time in
dropping to the ground.

Once down, it was an easy matter to gain the street. As he came out on the
pavement, Slocum came running up all out of breath.

"You're a fine boy!" he cried. "Come back to the office, and let us talk
matters over."

"Not to-day," answered Jerry. "I've had enough of a dose for the
present."

"You are making a mistake."

"I don't intend to put my head into the lion's mouth."

While the two were speaking Casey came up, and, as the two appeared as if
they wanted to drag Jerry back into the building just left, the youth
retreated.

Alexander Slocum followed for a block, and then gave up the chase. Seeing
this, Jerry walked on more leisurely.

Our hero's visi