and with his knife quickly freeing the
two prisoners, "there was class to it, but it was _second_.

"Our young friend here takes '_first_.'"

[Illustration: "HOW DID YOU DO IT, SMARTY?" SNAPPED THE SHORTER MAN.]

The robbers turned upon Alex with furiously flashing eyes. "How did you
do it, smarty?" snapped the shorter man.

Alex laughed, kicked one foot beneath the table, and the instrument
responded with a click. "A little First of April trick. What do you think
of it?"

Whatever the two renegades might have said through their gritting teeth,
there was no doubt as to what the sheriff and the others thought. Nor the
bank officials at Zeisler, when, a day later, there came to Alex a highly
commendatory letter and a check for two hundred dollars.

But better even than this, in Alex's estimation, a few mornings after the
chief despatcher called him to the wire and announced his appointment as
night operator at Foothills, a small town on the western division.

IX

JACK PLAYS REPORTER, WITH UNEXPECTED RESULTS

Not long after Alex left Bixton to take up his duties at Foothills, Jack,
at Hammerton, also received an advancement. In itself it was not of
particular note, beyond an encouraging increase in salary, and a transfer
from the day to the night force; but indirectly it resulted in an
experience more thrilling than any Jack's genius for tackling adventurous
difficulties had yet brought him.

Wheeling by the office of the "Daily Star" one afternoon, he heard his
name called, and turned his head to discover West, the reporter with whom
he had made the memorable Oakton trip, hastening after him.

"Just the man I was looking for, Jack," declared West, as the young
operator wheeled to the curb. "I have a job for you.

"How would you like to tackle a bit of Black Hand investigation?"

Jack laughed. "You don't mean it."

"I certainly do. It's this way," went on the reporter, lowering his
voice. "A Black Hand letter demanding money was received last week by
Tommy Spanelli, of the Italian restaurant. It was mailed here; and we
have the tip that last evening two foreigners were seen stealing across
the old quarry turnpike, and into the woods, as though not wishing to be
seen. Of course they may not be connected with this at all, but again
they may; and I was put on the job to find out. The difficulty is that I
am too well known. If they caught sight of me, they would be suspicious
immediately.

"But they