The man meditated a moment and then went toward the door. As he did so he beheld a nimble little form dart from behind a column and dash away. He started in pursuit, but the trickster was too nimble for him and got away.
The watchman went out to the street and peered around for some time, but saw no more of the dog-maker as he called him.
In the meantime, Ike returned to his home, and it was after one o’clock when he arrived. Mrs. Pell was waiting for him. She had been worried, and Ike said:
“You must never be worried about me. I may sometimes be gone two or three days at a time. Here’s a quarter to get a meal to-morrow, and I am happy to say that I think I am in the way to make quite a big stake. I can’t tell, but it looks that way now.”
On the morning following the incidents we have recorded, Ike was out bright and early, and he went over to the hotel to which he had traced the man the preceding night.
It was late when he saw the man come forth, and he at once fell to his trail, and followed the man down town. He saw him enter an office over which was a sign, Fellman & Co., Bankers.
“I wonder if that is Fellman or the Co.?” muttered Ike as he walked past the office, and took a close survey as far as he could from the outside.
He was still gazing when he saw a fine-looking young man, evidently not more than five or six-and-twenty, enter the building, and a moment later he saw him enter the office into which the man he had been trailing had proceeded. Our hero could see into the office from the street. He saw the young man greet the elder one and he remarked:
“Well, that young fellow has a fine face. He is not a rogue, but I cannot say as much about the older man. If I didn’t know he was up to an underhand scheme, I should set him down as a mean sneak. He carries a map of mean town on his face. I reckon I’ll find out which is which, and who’s who, and then I can lay out my course.”
A little later and a lad whom Ike had seen flitting around the office came forth. Our hero followed him and when a chance offered went up and addressed him, saying: