“Well, I fancied I saw two fellows who looked a good deal like some men we saw at the New Idea the other night dodge into a doorway back of us. They’ve disappeared, though. Say, do you suppose they were following us?”
“If they were,” replied Pep, “I’ll fool them. Quick, now!” as they turned a sharp corner.
Out of view of any possible pursuers, Pep made a dive through a narrow space between two buildings and Vic followed him. In three minutes’ time they had reached the next street.
CHAPTER XXII
A FEARFUL LOSS
Randy proceeded on his way, chirp and chipper and whistling a careless tune. There was so much to feel proud and happy over as to present and future prospects, that all of life seemed to him to be gilded with sunshine.
Randy had been to the studio of Mr. Randall once before. He knew the location generally and had no difficulty in finding the house where the professor’s agent lived. Its lower part was occupied by a woman who rented out the rooms above. She was scrubbing out the little front hall as Randy appeared.
Randy stepped past the woman and ascended the stairs. If he had chanced to look behind him as he left the street, he might have made out two men dodging after him. They were the twain who had just recently attracted the attention of Vic and aroused the suspicions of Pep.
All unconscious of being followed, Randy proceeded to the second story of the old house. The rear room of that floor was a large glass-roofed apartment. It had been once used as a photograph gallery. It was now being utilized not only as a living room by Mr. Randall, but also to develop and perfect the films he had brought back with him from over a year’s travel and adventure.
Randy knocked at the door of the room, but no attention was paid to the summons. He waited a minute or two and knocked again. There was still no invitation to enter. Randy held his ear close to the door.
“There’s surely someone in there, for I can hear hard breathing,” he declared. “Maybe Mr. Randall is asleep.”