the little circle of light cast from the glass bullseye,
Larry saw, running down the stairs, the smooth-shaven man he had
helped pull from the angry sea on the life-raft.

"There he goes! Catch him!" cried Storg, as he clattered down the
stairs after the fugitive.

CHAPTER XV

LARRY'S SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT

"Hold on! Stop!" yelled Higgins, running from the room. "Halt, or
I'll shoot!"

It would have done little good had he done so, for by this time the
mysterious man was in the second hallway, and out of reach of any
possible bullets.

"You stay here and look after things, I'll catch him!" called Storg,
as he raced down the stairs, his light making erratic circles as he
advanced.

"I guess that's good advice," commented Higgins to Larry, who had
remained in the upper corridor. "I'm too fat to run. Let's see what
he left behind."

Back into the room, where the candle was burning, went Larry and the
policeman. A quick survey showed nothing unusual. There were some
old chairs and a table, left probably by the departed tenants.

"He must have had the run of several rooms," Higgins went on. "He
came out of some apartment farther down the hall, and that's how he
fooled us. He was on the watch, and that shows there must be
something queer about him."

"Let's take a look through the other rooms," suggested Larry.

Showing his light Higgins led the way. They went through several
other bare and deserted chambers, but saw no indications that the
stranger had been in them. Presently they came to what had been a
bathroom, though most of the plumbing had been torn out by thieves,
for the value of the lead pipes and the faucets.

"He's been here!" cried Larry, as he pointed to a faint spark in one
corner of the room.

The policeman flashed his electric on it. It proved to be a candle
that had burned down into the socket, the remainder of a wick
smouldering and glowing.

"Yes, and he shaved himself here," the officer added, as he pointed
to a razor, some soap, and pieces of paper on which were
unmistakable evidences that the mysterious man had been acting as
his own barber. "I'd like to catch him," the bluecoat went on. "I'm
sure there's something crooked about him."

"It looks so," agreed Larry. "Maybe Storg will get him."

"I hope so," and Higgins began to make a more thorough search of the
apartment.

There was nothing, however, which shed any further light on the
mysterious man. It was evident, though,