"No? what is it then? It's a pretty good imitation. Looks like an underground river that has gone dry."
"Why, this is the subway."
"The subway?"
"Sure. It goes right under the streets, all the way along New York."
Then Roy understood. Mortimer De Royster had told him something of this underground railroad, through the heart of New York, but thinking of other things had put it out of Roy's mind. A little later he alighted and walked to his hotel.
Meanwhile Caleb Annister and Mr. Baker had been plotting together. They discussed many schemes, and at last hit on one they thought would answer.
"I think we'll let Tupper do the trick," said Baker. "Young Bradner saw less of him than he did of the rest of us, and if Tupper shaves off his moustache, and changes his voice a bit, as he can do, the boy will never recognize him," for Baker had told Mr. Annister of the encounter of himself and his cronies with the boy from the ranch.
"Anything so as to get him away for two weeks," said the agent. "Don't tell him too much about it, and then—if anything happens, you understand—I can't be called to testify."
"Oh, nothing will happen, in the way you mean. We'll be careful. Now where is he stopping?"
Mr. Annister mentioned the name of the hotel, which Roy had written on the card he had left with the agent.