or is not in use, I take it."

"No," broke in another voice--the voice of Mr. Coddington himself. "We
never have had occasion to use this floor, although we probably shall do
so when we require more room for supplies. What are those packing-cases
doing here, Tyler? They look as though they were empty."

"I hardly think empty cases would be left on this floor, sir. They
shouldn't be."

Mr. Tyler was evidently annoyed.

"Empty or full, they've no business in this room," said Mr. Coddington,
sharply. "They might cause fire."

Simultaneously the three men stepped forward to investigate.

Mr. Tyler kicked the back of the nearest case with his foot, but Mr.
Coddington, who never stopped until he had got at the bottom of things,
grasped the edge of one of the great boxes and tried to turn it over.

Now it happened that the boys, struggling to remain unseen, had huddled
into this very box.

"The case is heavy, Tyler. I can't stir it. Just see what is in it."

Mr. Tyler, alert to obey, dragged forth the case with the assistance of
the insurance agent and when it was tipped up and Peter and Nat tumbled
out on the floor three more astonished men never were seen.

[Illustration: THE THREE MEN STEPPED FORWARD]

"How did you two boys get here?" questioned Mr. Tyler severely. "What
are you doing?"

Nat, thoroughly terrified, looked helplessly at Peter. He couldn't have
answered had he tried. Peter himself was a good deal taken aback. He
glanced at his father for some hint as to how to proceed, but Mr.
Coddington's face was a study in conflicting emotions and furnished no
clue. Therefore, after waiting a moment and receiving no aid in his
dilemma, Peter replied simply:

"We are eating our luncheon."

"Eating your lunch! And who told you you might come here for such a
purpose?"

"Nobody. It just was a big, empty place with lots of sunshine and it
seemed nicer than eating down-stairs," gasped Peter.

"Are you sure they were eating their lunch and not starting a fire?"
suggested the insurance inspector in an undertone.

"Of course we weren't setting a fire!" Peter cried indignantly, hearing
the whispered words of the inspector. "We just came up here to get where
it was clean and quiet. When it is too cold to go out there isn't any
place to eat except right in the factory."

"Well, that is no excuse for your coming here. It is against the
rule for any of the employees to come above the fourth floor without
permission