“That settles it; they have gotten away,” thought the youth.
“Well?” queried the janitor.
“You just missed them,” said Bob. “They got out on the fire-escape. I’m going to run them down if I can.”
“You must be mistaken,” said the janitor. “There don’t seem to be anything disturbed.”
But Bob did not hear him. He was already on his way down-stairs, three steps at a time.
Reaching the sidewalk he hurried around to the alley-way. It appeared to be deserted.
Bob looked around. On the curbstone sat a bootblack eating a banana.
“Shine, boss?”
“No. Did you see three men come out of the alley a moment ago?”
“I did.”