For reply Jim looked him over contemptuously, and tightened his grasp until the other winced. Then he suddenly loosened his hold, stepped back, and calling, “Catch him, boys!” kicked McNally with a mighty swing.
Harvey laughed hysterically as the flying figure sailed down the stairway, then he heard Jim say to the brakemen,—
“Take him to Mallory, and tell him to put him with the others.”
“Well,” said Harvey, nervously, “I guess that's settled.”
“No,” said Jim, “it's only just begun. He'll be on deck again before night.” The next sentence was lost in the mopping handkerchief, but as he turned into the office, he added, “We'll have to lose the books to-night, West.”
CHAPTER X. — SOMEBODY LOSES THE BOOKS
When Harvey went to dinner in the evening he left a force of ten detectives guarding the offices. Jim, who had spent the afternoon with Harvey, superintended the placing of the men. Mallory, the lieutenant in charge, was ensconced in the Superintendent's office, and six of his assistants were with him, privileged to doze until called. One man stood in the hall, in a position to watch the stairway and the windows at each end; one patrolled the waiting room; and the ninth man strolled about in front of the building, loitering in the shadows and watching the street with trained eye. Before leaving the station Jim had a short talk with Mallory.
“Watch it awful close,” he said. “There's no telling what these people will do.”