CHAPTER III.–The Thief in the Stock Exchange.
When the two boys arrived at the Astor House corner, they failed to find the man there. While looking around for him he came up to Fred, laid a hand on his shoulder and said:
"It was a neat little game you played on me. Where does the laugh come in?"
Fred laughed and asked:
"Where were you born?"
"Right here in New York."
"Must have got lost then. What do you want of me?"
"I am a detective and have been on the tracks of a band of forgers for months. I see in the papers that you helped bag one of them to-day. You gave warning to the bank. That's what I want to see you about. There is a big reward up for the arrest of the gang. If you can give me any information that may lead to the arrest of any of them you can have one half the reward."
"Not much I won't," Fred replied, shaking his head. "I can arrest the whole gang myself and get all the reward."