they
had become firm friends. Larry and his mother since then had moved
to other quarters, and had, for some time back, lost trace of their
acquaintances.

"I didn't know you lived here," said Larry when he had recovered
somewhat from his surprise at seeing Mr. Jackson.

"We haven't lived here long. I got a better position in this part of
the city, and as I like to be near my work I moved here. We like it
quite well, but it's rather crowded. However, almost any place is in
New York. But you must come in to supper. Mrs. Jackson will be
anxious to hear all about your folks. I can see her making signs to
me to hurry up. I suppose the potatoes are all cooked and the tea
made."

Larry did not require much urging to accept the kind invitation. He
wanted to see his friends again, and he thought they might be able
to give him some information concerning the people of the
neighborhood.

"Because it's the best place in the world to hide in. If I wanted to
drop out of sight I'd go about two blocks away from here and keep
quiet. No one would ever think of looking for me so near my home."

"I hope you don't contemplate anything like that," said Larry with a
laugh.

"No, indeed. But New York is the best hiding place, and you can
depend on it, Mr. Potter is here."

"You haven't seen him in the neighborhood, have you?" asked the
reporter, glad of the opportunity which gave him a chance for that
question.

"No, I can't say that I have. If they'd offer a reward I might take
time to hunt for him," and Mr. Jackson laughed. "I can't afford to
turn detective as it is now," he added. "It's too hard to get a
living."

Larry spent the evening with his friends, keeping the talk as much
as possible, without exciting suspicion, on the Potter case. In this
way he learned considerable about the persons living in the
immediate vicinity of the Jacksons, for Mrs. Jackson was fond of
making new acquaintances.

But in all this there was no clue such as Larry sought. There were
any number of men, concerning whom there seemed to be some mystery,
but none answered the description of Mr. Potter.

"There are a queer lot of people in this tenement," said Mr.
Jackson, during the course of the talking. "All of 'em have some
story hidden away, I guess. Especially one man."

"Who is he?"

"Nobody knows," replied Mr. Jackson. "He came here one night, and
seemed quite excited. Let's see, it was Thursday night, I remember
now. He acted as though