"I want to have that fellow arrested—that is why he ran away from me."
"Oh, that's a different thing. Go find him, if you can."
The superintendent stepped aside and Tom entered the building. But the delay had cost him dear, for in the meanwhile Tad Sobber had made good his escape by running back to the next street. Tom looked around for over quarter of an hour and then gave up the chase.
"It's too bad, but it can't be helped," he mused. "I may as well go back to the park and wait for Dick and Sam. I hope they caught that Cuffer."
While Tom was talking to Sobber the other Rover boys had followed Cuffer to the elevated railroad station. A train was just coming in and Cuffer bounded up the steps two at a time, with the boys not far behind.
"Stop that man!" cried Dick, to the crowd coming from the train. But before anybody would or could act, Cuffer had slipped past the man at the ticket box and was trying to board one of the cars. Dick essayed to follow, but the ticket box guard stopped him.
"Not to fast, young fellow. Where's your ticket?"
"I must catch that man—he is wanted by the police," answered Dick.
"That's an old dodge, but it don't work with me, see? You go back and get a ticket," said the gateman, firmly.
"But he'll get away from me," pleaded the eldest Rover.