Ferris laughed and stuffed the letter Hardwick handed him into his pocket. Then the two separated.
Hal pondered for a moment, and then concluded to follow Dick Ferris. Hardwick was going home, "I wish I knew what was in that letter," thought Hal, as he shadowed Ferris up Broadway to Park Row. "It may be something that has to do with the missing tin box."
Ferris passed the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge, and then turned into a side street.
"I'll wager he's going to the same place Hardwick visited the other night," exclaimed Hal to himself.
With increased interest he followed Ferris, until the latter came to a narrow and dirty alley-way, piled high on one side with empty boxes and barrels.
Here a number of children were playing, some making snow-men and others coasting on home-made "bread-shovel" sleds.
Ferris tried to walk between them, and in doing so got directly in the way of a small sled upon which was seated a ragged girl not over ten years of age.
The sled brushed against Ferris' leg and angered him.
"What do you mean by doing that, you dirty thing?" he exclaimed. "Take that, and learn better manners."
He hauled off and struck the girl in the face. It was a heavy blow, and it caused her nose to bleed and her cheek to swell.