, when suddenly three figures
emerged from the house. Their hats were pulled over their eyes and they
glanced about suspiciously.

"It's the two Judsons and Jarrow," exclaimed Billy.

As he spoke a big touring car came down the street and stopped at the
mouth of the alley-way. The three persons who had just emerged from the
tenement house began to hasten to it, but Billy intercepted them.

"What have you done with Jack?" he demanded.

"Yes, where is he?" cried Ned.

"Out of our way," said Jarrow, giving Billy a shove.

"We don't know any Jack," growled Judson.

Before the boys could stop them they had reached the car and sprung in.

"Drive off at full speed," Judson ordered the chauffeur, and, leaving
the boys standing rooted to the spot, the car dashed off with a roar.
Borne back to them they could hear the mocking laughter of its
occupants.

"Those rascals have played some trick on Jack and they've got away
scot-free," groaned Billy.

"We must hunt for him at once," exclaimed Ned.

The two boys set out for the tenement. It was pitch dark in the hallway.
Ned struck a match.

"Jack! Jack! where are you?" he called softly.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE SEARCH FOR JACK.

The two boys, with their hearts heavy as lead, ascended the stairs
calling for Jack. On the second floor, as they reached it, a door was
suddenly flung open.

"Be jabers, stop that racket. Can't yez be lettin' a dacent family slape
in pace?"

Another door flew open and a black, woolly head was poked out.

"What fo' you alls come makin' such a cumsturbance at dis yar hour ob de
night?"

"We're looking for a boy who we think has been trapped in this building.
Have you seen anything of him?" asked Ned.

"Sure and I haven't. This is a dacent house and dacent folks. Go along
wid yer now and let us slape."

"By gollys we don't kidsnap no boys," came from the negro.

Another door was opened and the Italian who had caught Jack in the hall
came out.

"Whatsa da mat'?" he asked.

"We're looking for a boy, our chum. He came into this house two hours
ago. We're afraid he----" burst out Billy desperately.

"I see-a da boy in deesa hall," said the Italian. "I teenka heem sneaka
teef. I catcha heem but two men and a boy in data rooma dere dey taka
heem. Dey say dat he robba heem and they getta even."

"Did they take him into the room?" burst out Ned.

The Italian nodded.

"Yes, dey takea heem in. I geeva heem to them," said the man