they were passing, when they came to the
head of an alley-way. Just as they reached it the girl let go of Eph's
arm, uttering a little scream as she darted away. Eph didn't follow her.
He found himself face to face with the thick set young man, Tom. Just
of that worthy were two other sturdy-looking young hoodlums.

"Now, you an' me have got something to settle, younker," glared Tom.

"All right," retorted Eph, undauntedly. "But fair play--one at a time."

Eph's fists were up, and he sailed in, fighting manfully, sailor-fashion.
Then the other two closed in behind young Somers. He was struck on the
back of the head, and darkness came over him and he fell insensible to
the ground.

When luckless Eph came to his senses he found himself lying, bound hand
and foot, on a pile of rags. The darkness around him was complete.

"Well, this is a puzzle to unravel!" muttered the astounded submarine
boy.

Yet, think and ponder as he would, it never occurred to him to see, in
his misfortune, the guiding hand of Fred Radwin!

CHAPTER VIII

ONE, TWO, THREE--A FULL BAG!

At the hot soda place even Jack Benson, fond as he was of such
decoctions, at last had his fill.

"Funny Eph hasn't brought the others here," muttered Jack.

"Pardon me, a moment," urged Radwin, rising. "I'll be back directly."

Radwin slipped out to the sidewalk, for he had seen a hovering figure at
the curb. However, Radwin kept on down the street, turning in at the
third doorway beyond. Now, the hovering figure sauntered past.

"We got the cub," whispered the prowler.

"Good!" whispered Radwin. "Then you're ready for the rest?"

"Huh! It'll be like sleeping on a haymow, if the other two are as easy
as that one was."

"All right, then! Be off, and see that you do your work well!"

With that Radwin walked briskly back and into the hot soda place.

"I'm ashamed to tell you what took me out," he laughed, easily. "Boys,
after writing that letter in the drug-store, I forgot to mail it, and
just felt it in my coat pocket. Well, it's safe in the mail-box, at
last."

"We were just saying," Hal announced, "that it's funny the others haven't
come along. We better go back and get Eph, anyway?"

"It will be a good idea," nodded Radwin.

Of course, when they reached the corner at which they had left young
Somers, he was not there.

"I wonder if he has gone back and joined the party at the hotel?"
queried Hal.

"We can soon find o