There was a Mr. Benson on that floor with an office in the rear. Without saying another word to Nappy or Slugger, the Rover boys marched to the door of the Benson place, knocked, and went in.
“Say, that was a neat trick, all right enough,” whispered Jack to Randy. “But now you’ve got us into it, you’ll have to get us out.”
“Humph! that’s easy enough,” was the ready reply. “Just leave it to me.”
A clerk came up, looking inquiringly at the boys.
“Excuse me, but did my father come up here?” questioned Randy innocently. And then, as the clerk looked puzzled, he added: “I am Randy Rover. My father is Thomas Rover of The Rover Company.”
“Oh, I see!” and the clerk smiled. “No, I don’t think your father came up here, but I’ll ask Mr. Benson.” The clerk disappeared into an inner office, to reappear a moment later. “Sorry, but your father hasn’t been up here to-day.”
“Thank you,” returned Randy; and then he and the others backed themselves out.
The stairway was close at hand, and a few seconds later the four Rover boys were on the fourth floor. Here they waited for the elevator, and soon found themselves on the ground floor, and from that walked to the street.
“Let’s hang around and see if that fellow really goes away,” advised Fred.
This they did, and in a few minutes saw the two German-looking men come from the building. They seemed to be in a great hurry, and lost no time in disappearing up Wall Street in the direction of Broadway.