"He must have gone in somewhere, that's certain," said Hal to himself. "I wonder if he discovered that I was following him?"
This last thought disturbed the youth not a little. His experience with Hardwick in the office had convinced him that the book-keeper was an evil man when aroused.
Slowly he retraced his steps, not certain if he could find his way back to Park Row, a spot he had got to know fairly well since his coming to the metropolis.
He was just passing a place where a new building was in the course of construction when a peculiar noise to one side of him attracted his attention. By instinct he jumped toward the gutter. The next instant a mass of bricks came tumbling down. One struck him on the head, and this knocked him insensible.
CHAPTER VII.
HAL DETERMINES TO INVESTIGATE.
When Hal came to his senses he found himself in the arms of a boy slightly taller than himself, who was doing all in his power to restore consciousness by the application of snow to Hal's forehead.
"What—what——" he began.
"Good! yer come around at last, have yer?" cried the boy. "Blessed if I didn't think yer was a goner."