"Anything else that you remember?"

"He had two of his front teeth filled with gold. I noticed it when he
yawned under the electric lights."

"Two front teeth filled with gold!" cried Dick, in amazement. "And
tall and thin! Can it be possible!"

"Do you know him after all?" asked the man who had given the
information.

"Perhaps I do. Tell me some more about him. How was he dressed and how
did he talk?"

As well as he was able the taxicab man described the individual who
had gotten away. As he proceeded Dick became more and more convinced
that he was on the right trail.

"Here is a dollar for what you have told me," said he, to the driver.
"If you spot that rascal, have him arrested, and call up the Outlook
Hotel," he added.

"All right, I'll remember that," was the ready answer.

"I'll go back to the hotel," said the youth, to his own driver. He
knew that Sam and Tom would be wondering what had become of him.

It took but a short while to reach the Outlook Hotel, and there Dick
found not only Sam and Tom, but also a clerk and several others
awaiting his return. He settled with the driver, and dismissed him.

"Do you know anything about the man who got away?" asked Dick, of the
clerk.

"Not much. He came here several days ago and registered under the name
of Peter Smith, of Pittsburgh. All he had was a small valise, and that
is still in his room."

"Anything in it?"

"I don't know. We can go up and take a look."

"It's a pity you didn't catch the rascal, whoever he is," was Tom's
comment.

"Wait," whispered Dick, to his brothers. "I've got something to tell
you."

All passed upstairs in an elevator, and the clerk led the way to the
room which the patron calling himself Peter Smith had occupied. All
the apartment contained was a rusty-looking valise.

"Must have picked that up at some second-hand store," was Sam's
comment.

The valise was unlocked and the clerk opened it. It contained nothing
but a comb and brush and some magazines.

"Humph! A dead beat!" muttered the clerk. "He put the magazines inside
to make the valise feel as if it was filled with clothing. It's an old
game. Be intended to leave without paying his bill. I wish you had
collared him!"

"I wish I had," answered Dick; and then he and his brothers returned
to their own rooms.

"What have you got to tell?" demanded Tom, when they were alone.

"I've found out who that man was," answered Dick.

"Who?" questioned Sam.

"Josiah Crabtree."

  CHAPTER XV

 AT THE BROKERS' OFFICE

Sam and Tom gazed at their brother in amazement.

"Josiah Crabtree!" exclaimed the youngest Rover.

"How did you find that out?" questioned Tom.

"I suspected Crabtree as soon as I saw the man jump into the taxicab,"
answered Dick. "There was something about his form, and in the way he
ran, that looked familiar. Then the taxi driver told me he had two
front teeth filled with gold. That put me on the trail, and from what
the man told me I am sure the fellow was old Crabtree."

"But if it was Crabtree, what has he to do with dad's visit to New
York?" asked Sam.

"That remains to be found out. But one thing is sure. Crabtree knows
that father is missing,-- and he had that extra key made to get into
the room during father's absence."

"But where is dad? Do you imagine Crabtree had anything to do with his
disappearance?" came from Tom.

"I certainly do. Maybe Crabtree is holding him a prisoner."

"Then Pelter, Japson & Company haven't anything to do with it?"

"I wouldn't say that, Tom. The whole crowd may be working together."

"You think Crabtree knows those other men?"

"It may be so-- I am not sure. But I am sure of one thing," went on
Dick, decidedly. "Dad didn't meet with any accident. His disappearance
is due to Crabtree, and, likely, to some of his other enemies."

"Well, that clears up one corner of the mystery," said Sam. "But it
doesn't get us any nearer to finding dad."

"I think it does, Sam. If we can locate Crabtree, I think we can
locate father."

"But how are we going to locate Crabtree?"

"I don't know. But if we keep our eyes and ears open we may learn
something. In the morning some of us can call on those brokers and see
what they have to say," continued the big brother.

"Some of us? I thought we were all going?" remarked Tom.

"I've got a new plan, Tom; I'll tell you about it in the morning. Now,
as there is no use of watching that room any longer, let us try to get
a little sleep."

"It will be very little," murmured Sam, consulting his watch. "It is
nearly five o'clock already!"

"We'll sleep until eight o'clock. Those brokers don't get to business
until nearly ten."

Once more the boys retired, and, after much turning, all dropped into
slumber. Dick had made up his mind to awaken at eight o'clock and
promptly at that hour he opened his eyes. His brothers were still
asleep and he allowed them half an hour longer, for he knew they
needed it.

"Now then, Dick, what's your programme?" asked Tom, while he was
dressing.

"My programme is this," answered the big brother. "Instead of the
three of us calling on Pelter, Japson & Company I think one is
enough-- and that ought to be me, for I have already met Mr. Pelter,
once, when I came to New York with dad."

"But what do you want to leave us out for?" grumbled Sam.

"I don't want to leave you out-- I want you to be doing something
else, for we have no time to lose in this matter. I want you, Sam, to
come with me, and when I go into the offices, I want you to hang
around outside and watch for old Crabtree. If he is in league with the
brokers he may be looking for a chance to interview them, but he will
be on his guard, knowing that we are here."

"What am I to do?" asked Tom.

"I think you had better go up to Central Park, Tom, and see if you can
find out anything there about Crabtree. Maybe some of the night
prowlers around there saw him last night. Anyway, I don't want you to
be seen at the offices with me-- for I've got another plan in my
head-- if this one fails," went on Dick.

"All right, Dick, we'll do what you say," was Tom's reply.

The boys went below and obtained breakfast in the hotel restaurant.
Then they went to the desk, to ask for letters, and then to the
telegraph office, to send a brief message to the farm.

"Have you discovered anything?" questioned the hotel manager, as he
came up to them.

"Not a great deal," answered Dick. "But we hope to get on the track of
something to-day."

"Hope you do. What about those two rooms?"

"We'll keep them for the present, Mr. Garley."

"All right."

"And I want you to watch out, so that no outsider gets into them,"
went on Dick.

"Leave that to me, Mr. Rover. My men have their instructions. We can't
afford to leave our guests go unprotected."

"Good! If anybody tries to get into our rooms I want you to have him
arrested and held."

"He'll be held, don't worry about that," answered the hotel manager,
grimly.

A little later the three Rover boys separated, Tom walking over to
Fifth Avenue, to take an auto bus going uptown, as that would land him
close to the Park entrance.

"We might as well take a Broadway car down to Wall street," said Dick,
to Sam. "We have plenty of time, and I don't like the air in the
subway."

"I like the street cars better anyway," responded the younger brother.
"A fellow can see more."

As was to be expected, the car was crowded, and the boys had to take
"strap seats," as Sam called them-- standing up in the aisle, holding
on to a strap to keep from falling or sitting down suddenly into
somebody's lap when the car made a turn. They swept down past Union
Square and block after block of tall business buildings.

"My, what a big place New York is!" remarked Sam. "It's a regular bee
hive and no mistake."

"We are coming down to the Post Office," said Dick, a little later.

"Gracious! See the building opposite!" gasped Sam. "It's higher than a
church steeple! Wonder how many stories it is?"

"Fifty stories," answered a young man standing beside him.

Soon the car was in lower Broadway, and the boys watched out for Wall
street, that narrow but famous thoroughfare opposite Trinity church.
It was soon reached, and, in company with several men and boys, they
left the car.

Dick had the address of the brokers in his pocket and the place was
easily found. The offices were located in an old building-- one of the
oldest on the street, and also one of the shabbiest. But it was five
stories in height and boasted of two elevators, and was, from
appearances, filled with prosperous tenants. In Wall street rents are
so high that many a person doing business there is willing to take
whatever quarters he can get.

"Now you hang around in the street here until I come back," said Dick
to Sam. "Keep out of sight all you can, so that if Crabtree comes
along he won't see you. I'll go up and see what Pelter, Japson &
Company have to say."

"How long will you be gone, Dick?"

"Not more than half an hour at the most-- and maybe not half that,"
responded the big brother.

Sam dropped behind and Dick entered the dingy office building. From
the directory on the wall the oldest Rover boy learned that the
brokers were located on the fourth floor, rooms 408 to 412,-- the
numerals really meaning offices 8 to 12 on floor 4. He got into one of
the narrow elevators and soon reached the fourth floor.

The offices of Pelter, Japson & Company were located in the rear,
overlooking the roof of a restaurant on the street beyond. Dick
entered a tiny waiting room and an office boy came to ask what he
wanted.

"I wish to see Mr. Pelter," said Dick.

"Not in yet."

"When do you expect him?."

"Ought to be here now."

"Then I'll wait," and Dick dropped on a chair. He had hardly done so
when the door opened and a burly individual hurried in. He gave Dick
an inquiring look.

"Wants to see you, Mr. Pelter," said the office boy. "Just came in."

"Want to see me? What is it?" and the head of the brokerage firm
stepped up to Dick.

"You are Mr. Pelter?"

"Yes."

"I am Richard Rover-- Anderson Rover's son."

"Ah! indeed!" cried Jesse Pelter, and gave a slight start. "Glad to
meet you, Mr. Rover," and he held out his hand. "Will you-- er-- step
into my office?"

He led the way through two offices to one in the extreme rear. This
was well furnished, with a desk, a table, several chairs and a
bookcase filled with legal-looking volumes. In one corner was a
telephone booth, and a telephone connection also rested on the desk.

"I came to see about my father," said Dick, as he sat down in a chair
to which the broker motioned.

"You mean, about your father's business, I suppose."

"No, about my father. Do you know where he is, Mr. Pelter ?"

"Know where he is? What do you mean? Isn't he in New York?" The broker
pretended to arrange some papers on his desk as he spoke and did not
look at Dick.

"He has disappeared and I thought you might know something about it."

Dick looked the man full in the face. He saw the broker start and then
try to control himself.

"Well that-- er-- accounts for it," said Jesse Pelter, slowly, as if
trying to make up his mind what to say.

"Accounts for what?"

"Why, he didn't come back here as he said he would."

"He has been here then?"

"Yes, a number of days ago. We had quite some important business to
transact. He said he would come back the next day and sign some
papers, and fix up some other matters. But he didn't come."

"Did he say he would be here sure?"

"He did. So he has disappeared? That is strange. Perhaps some accident
happened to him."

"I hope not. I knew he came to New York to see you and your partners.
I thought you could tell me something about him."

"I don't know any more than that he called here one day and said he
would come in again the next, Mr. Rover. If he is-- er-- missing you
had better notify the police,-- unless you have some idea where he
went to," continued the broker.

"I have no idea further than that he came to New York to see you-- and
that he came here from his hotel."

"See here! Do you mean to insinuate that we-- er-- may know where he
is-- why he is missing?" demanded Jesse Pelter, sharply.

"I insinuate nothing, Mr. Pelter. But if you expected him the next day
after he was here, and he didn't come, why didn't you telephone to
him?"

"I-- er-- I didn't know where he was stopping. If I had known, I might
have telephoned to him. Although he had a right to stay away from here
if he wanted to."

"He is transacting quite some business with you, isn't he?"

"We have done quite some business together in the past, yes," answered
the broker, coldly.

"And matters were not going very well, were they?" questioned Dick,
sharply.

"They were going as well as could be expected."

"You owed my father a great deal of money, didn't you? "

"We did owe him something. But we don't owe him anything now. We
settled up with him in full," was the reply, which filled Dick with
new astonishment.

  CHAPTER XVI

 MORE DISCOVERIES

"You settled up with him in full?" gasped Rick.

"Yes-- some time ago."

"Not for that stock in the Sunset Irrigation Company."

"I was not talking about the Irrigation Company. That is another
affair. Your father was to see us about that on the morning when he--
er-- when he failed to come here. I-- er-- I thought he had gone back
home to get certain documents which he stated he did not have with
him."

"And you haven't seen or heard of him since?"

"Not a word, Mr. Rover-- I give you my word."

"Did he leave any of his papers with you when he was here last?"

"No." Jesse Pelter took up the telephone on his desk. "Give me 2345
River!" he said to Central. He turned to Dick. "You will have to
excuse me, Mr. Rover, I have some important business to transact."

"It isn't as important as finding my father,". answered Dick, bluntly.

"I do not know how I can aid you."

"Perhaps you don't care to try," returned Dick, pointedly, as he
arose.

"What do you mean?" demanded the broker, and hanging up the telephone
receiver, he, too, arose.

"Never mind what I mean, Mr. Pelter. If you will give me no aid, I'll
find my father alone," and having thus spoken, Dick marched from the
offices, leaving the broker staring after him curiously.

"Hum! Looks like a smart young man!" murmured Jesse Pelter, to
himself. "And I thought Anderson Rover's boys were all school kids!
This lad has grown up fast. I wonder what he'll do next? I guess I had
better keep my eye on him."

When Dick reached the street he saw nothing of Sam. He looked up and
down, and then walked slowly in the direction of Broadway. On the
corner he came to a halt.

"He must be somewhere around," he mused. "Perhaps I'd better go back
and wait for him."

"Dick!" The cry came from Sam, as he arrived on a run. "Did you learn
anything?"

"Not much. But you look excited, Sam. What's up?"

"I think I saw Crabtree!"

"You did! Where? Why didn't you collar him?"

"I didn't get the chance," returned the youngest Rover, answering the
last question first. "It was on the corner below here. I was standing
in a doorway, watching up and down, when I saw a tall man come along
slowly. He halted at the corner and presently another man came out of
the side street and touched him on the arm. The second man wore a
heavy beard and a slouch hat and colored eyeglasses, but I am almost
sure it was Josiah Crabtree."

"Why didn't you go up and make sure? You could have pulled the beard
from his face-- if it was false."

"Just what I thought. But I decided that first I would listen to what
the two men had to say. When I got closer to the pair I made another
discovery.

"What was that."

"The first man had a pointed chin and the heaviest pair of eyebrows I
ever saw."

"What!" ejaculated Dick, and his mind ran back to the jail at
Plankville, and to what had been said about the man who had visited
Josiah Crabtree. And then he thought of the mysterious automobile and
its driver.

"Yes, I know what you think, Dick-- and I think the same-- that that
man was the one who aided Crabtree to escape from jail," said Sam.

"What did the men say, Sam?"

"I didn't get a chance to listen. As I was coming up I saw the first
man give the second man some money. Then the second man looked up and
saw me, and shoving the money into his pocket, he dove across the
street and into the crowd. That made me feel sure it was Crabtree, and
I ran after him pell-mell. I followed him for about half a block. But
the crowd was too much for me, and he got away. I was going to tell a
policeman, but then I thought he couldn't do any more than I could,
and I made up my mind I'd wait for you."

"What became of the other fellow-- the man with the pointed chin?"

"I don't know. He went off somewhere while I was after Crabtree-- if
it was Crabtree," answered Sam.

"Show me which way Crabtree went," said Dick, and the brothers walked
in the direction the fugitive had taken. But, though they spent over
an hour in looking for the man, not a trace of him could be found.

"Well, this proves one thing anyway," said Dick, as he and Sam started
on the return to the hotel. "Crabtree is in league with Pelter, Japson
& Company. If he wasn't, he wouldn't show himself so close to their
offices."

"Just what I think," returned his brother. "And another thing, Dick; I
think that man with the pointed chin is in with the brokers, too."

"More than likely. For all we know he may be one of the firm!" went on
Dick suddenly. "Wait, I've got an idea. I think I'll go back to those
offices."

"And see if the man with the pointed chin is there?"

"Yes."

"All right. Want me to go back, too?"

"You might hang around as you did before. I don't know of anything
else to do."

The boys walked back, and while Sam stationed himself in the street
Dick walked into the office building which he had before visited. He
was just in time to see a boy come from the elevator, some letters in
his hand.

"Their office boy," he thought. "Maybe I can get something out of
him."

He walked up to the youth and nodded pleasantly.

"You're the boy from Pelter, Japson & Company, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yep," was the laconic reply.

"I want to find a man connected with your concern-- I don't know his
name," continued Dick. "He has a pointed chin and very heavy
eyebrows."

"Oh, you mean Mr. Japson," said the boy, quickly.

"Is that Mr. Japson?" repeated Dick, scarcely able to suppress his
astonishment.

"Sure it is. He's got a very long chin, and his eyebrows is so heavy
they come right down over his eyes. I don't see why he don't cut 'em
off some-- I would quick enough," went on the office boy.

"Is Mr. Japson in the offices now?"

"No."

"Are you sure of that? He was coming down."

"I know it. But he just telephoned to Mr. Pelter that he couldn't
come-- something important,"

"How long ago was this?"

"Oh, just a couple of minutes ago."

"Is Mr. Pelter there yet?"

"No, he went out as soon as he got the message. Nobody there but a
clerk."

"When will Mr. Pelter be back?"

"I dunno-- maybe not till late-- or maybe not till to-morrow,"
answered the office boy, and hurried away.

In a thoughtful mood Dick rejoined Sam, and the pair this time hurried
to the subway, to get a train uptown.

"I've found out who the second man was," said the oldest Rover boy.
"It was Japson, of Pelter, Japson & Company. Sam, I begin to think
this is some deep game. This fellow Japson aided Crabtree to escape
from the Plankville jail and in return Crabtree is aiding these
brokers in their efforts to get the best of father!"

"If we can prove that, we ought to have the brokers arrested."

"But we can't prove it, absolutely. But I am convinced that I am
right. The office boy told me that Japson telephoned to Pelter that he
could not come in. More than likely Japson was afraid you would be on
guard and spot him. As soon as Japson telephoned in Pelter went out--
most likely to meet his partner."

"And maybe to hunt up Crabtree, Dick."

"Perhaps."

"But what of father?" went on the youngest Rover, anxiously.

"I can't answer that question, Sam. But it is going to be answered
sooner or later-- if I have to have all those men arrested. I am
certain in my own mind that they are responsible for dad's
disappearance. They got him out of the way so that they could get the
best of him in that Sunset Irrigation Company scheme."

"I think we ought to watch the men and see where they go."

"So do I. But, now they know we are on guard, they will be very
careful."

"Do you think they had father abducted?"

"That is just what I do think. If you'll remember, that is one of
Crabtree's favorite tricks. He would not dare to put father out of the
way-- take his life, I mean-- and that would be the only other thing
he could do."

"Where could they take him to, in such a city as this?"

"Oh, there are a dozen places-- empty stores and basements, vacant
flats and apartments. And then they may have taken him away from New
York, in an automobile, or on some vessel in one of the rivers."

"I'd give a good deal to know where he is now!" cried Sam, bitterly.

"So would I, Sam. Well, we'll do what we can," added Dick, with
determination.

It did not take the boys long to return to the Outlook Hotel. They
looked around for Tom, but he was not in sight. However, he arrived a
few minutes later. His face showed that his quest had been an
unsuccessful one.

"I talked to everybody around that end of Central Park," he said. "One
man saw Crabtree, but he couldn't tell where the rascal went to. Did
you learn anything?"

"We did," answered Dick. "Come on to dinner and we'll tell you."

While the three ate a hasty midday meal, Dick and Sam told of their
discoveries. Tom listened with interest.

"I think you are right!" he cried. "Crabtree is in with the brokers,
and the whole bunch is a bad one. I think they are holding dad a
prisoner somewhere. The question is, Where? And how can we get to him
and rescue him?"

"We might watch those offices," suggested Sam. "But those fellows will
be on guard, and we may not learn anything for days and days."

"We could have them arrested," suggested Tom. "But it won't do any
good without positive evidence."

"There is something about this whole affair that I can't understand,"
said Dick. "That man Pelter claims that he settled up with father for
everything excepting this Irrigation Company project. Father never
told me that he settled up-- and I think he would have said something
if it was so."

The three boys talked the affair over from every possible standpoint,
but could arrive at no satisfactory conclusion. All were sorry that
they had not captured Josiah Crabtree.

"Let me get my hands on him and I'll make him tell what has become of
dad," said Dick.

The meal concluded, they went up to their rooms, to talk the matter
over further.

"I suppose Aunt Martha and Uncle Randolph are as anxious, almost, as
we are," said Sam. "Hang the luck! I wish old Crabtree was back in
jail, and Pelter, Japson & Company were with him!"

There was a knock on the door and a boy appeared with a telegram. It
was addressed to Dick.

"Maybe it's from dad!" cried Sam and Tom, in a breath.

Dick tore open the envelope and read the message rapidly. His brow
darkened and he shook his head slowly.

"What does it say?" asked Sam.

"Who it is from?" added Tom.

"It is from Uncle Randolph," answered Dick. Listen!" And he read as
follows:

  "Important news. Your father's signature demanded on important
  documents inside of three days, or great financial loss and
  dishonor to all of us.

                                                    "Randolph Rover."

  CHAPTER XVII

 AN IMPORTANT TELEPHONE MESSAGE

"There's the answer!" cried Tom.

"It's as plain as day!" added Sam.

"You are right," came from Dick. "I see it all now." He signed for the
telegram and dismissed the boy, closing the door after him. "They are
keeping father a prisoner somewhere, so that he cannot sign those
documents."

"And it means a big financial loss and dishonor to all of us," went on
Tom. "That must mean Uncle Randolph as well as dad."

"I wish Uncle Randolph had sent some particulars," sighed Sam.

"They may come in by mail-- most likely they will," answered Dick. "It
would be just like him to send a letter and then telegraph
afterwards."

"Well, one thing is clear," remarked Tom. "We have got to find dad,
and do it pretty quickly, too. We know-- or, at least, we are pretty
sure of it-- that he is in the power of Crabtree and Pelter, Japson &
Company. Now the question is, What are we going to do about it?"

"I said this morning I had an idea, Tom," answered his big brother. "I
don't know whether it will work out or not, or if you'll care to try
it. You know I told you to go to Central Park while Sam and I went
down to those offices. I did that so that those brokers wouldn't see
you. They don't know you, and you can go down and interview them as a
stranger. Do you catch the idea?"

"I do!" cried Tom, eagerly. "And I'll do it! But what shall I say?" he
asked, suddenly sobering.

"You might state that you had heard of the Sunset Irrigation Company
and thought of investing, or something like that. Maybe they might
give you some information that would be valuable for us. And, while
there, you may hear something about Crabtree, or something about where
father may be."

"I'll go this afternoon," cried Tom. The idea of playing the spy
pleased him greatly.

"But you want to be careful," warned his older brother. "If cornered,
those brokers may prove to be desperate men."

"I'll be on my guard, Dick."

"Sam and I can go down part of the way with you, and when you go in,
we can hang around outside, one at the upper and one at the lower
street corner. Perhaps by doing that, we'll catch another sight of
Crabtree, although I think, for the present, he'll keep away from Wall
street and meet those brokers somewhere else, or telephone to them."

It was not long after this when the three Rover boys set out for the
lower part of the great metropolis. They took the subway, that being
the quickest way to get there. Dick gave Tom directions how to find
the brokers' offices, and then the brothers separated as agreed.

Tom had fixed himself up for the occasion, wearing a slouch hat and a
flowing tie, in the manner of a young man from the West or South. He
carried a pocket full of timetables and another pocket full of
legal-looking documents. He also carried half a dozen visiting cards,
with the name and address:

                            Roy A. Putnam
Denver, Colo.

With eyes on the alert for the possible appearance of somebody who
might know him, Tom walked into the office building where Pelter,
Japson & Company did business and entered the elevator. He was the
only passenger, and arriving at the fourth floor, he found himself
alone in the corridor leading to the brokers' offices.

"Guess I'll listen a bit and see if I can hear anything," he told
himself, and tiptoed his way to one of the doors.

He listened intently, but the only sound that broke the stillness was
the click of a typewriter and the occasional shifting of some papers.
Then he tiptoed his way to the next door, that marked Private.

Straining his ears, Tom caught the scratching of a pen and then a deep
sigh, as if somebody had just completed an important bit of work. Then
he heard the footsteps of a man, walking from the inner to the outer
office.

"If he comes out, I'll have to show myself," thought the youth. But
the man did not appear, instead Tom presently heard him return to the
inner office. Then the telephone rang and the man answered it.

"Yes," Tom heard him say. "All right. Wait a second," And then the man
kicked shut a door between the offices, to assure himself of privacy.

There followed a long wait, during which time the man in the office
was probably receiving some message.

"To-morrow morning?" Tom heard him ask "What time? Ten o'clock. That
is rather early, but I can go there directly from my home." There came
another pause. "Leave that to me," cried the man. "I'll make him do
it!" He paused again. "I am not afraid of those boys," he added. "I'll
be there, sure." Another pause. "Yes, the boat is the best place.
Nobody can disturb us there. Good-bye." And then the man hung up the
telephone receiver.

Tom had taken in every word that the man said. If it was Pelter he
must be talking to Japson, or Crabtree, or somebody else in the
affair. And Tom did not doubt but what by "those boys" the man had
meant himself and his brothers.

"And when he said, 'I'll make him do it,' he must have been speaking
of father," he reasoned. "And he mentioned a boat. Maybe they have dad
on a boat."

Tom waited for some time longer in the corridor, but nothing of
importance occurred. Then he stepped loudly to the main door of the
offices and entered.

The same boy Dick had met was there and asked him what he wanted.

"I want to see about some shares in the Sunset Irrigation Company,"
answered Tom. "Anybody in I can talk to?" And he handed out one of the
cards he had fixed up.

"I'll see," answered the office boy, and disappeared into the inner
office with the card.

A moment later Jesse Pelter appeared, holding the card in his hand. He
smiled pleasantly.

"Glad to meet you, Mr. Putnam," he said, bowing. "I am Mr. Pelter.
I'll be glad to let you know all about our Irrigation Company and its
prospects."

He ushered Tom into his private office and offered him a chair.

"Want to make an investment for yourself?" he said, suggestively.

"If it's a good one," returned Tom, with an assumed grin. "A fellow
who comes into a fat legacy has got to do something, hasn't he?"

"Surest thing you know," responded Jesse Pelter. "And this Irrigation
Company of ours is the best thing in the world for rapid money
making," he continued. "Just come on from Denver, Mr. Putnam?"

"I've been in New York a couple of days," answered Tom. "I want to
look around a bit before I invest anything. I heard something of this
company before I reached here."

"No doubt! No doubt! It is a big thing, and our rivals are all
watching and envying us. Did you get our printed prospectus?"

"No, but I saw one somewhere, some time ago."

"Here you have it, with a map of the property. The shares are now
selling at sixty-five, but next week I think we'll have to advance
them to seventy or seventy-five, owing to the demand."

"Could a fellow buy five thousand dollars' worth at sixty-five?" asked
Tom, trying to show an interest.

"You could, if you were quick about it."

"Well, I want to know something more about this property first,"
continued Tom. "I don't want to throw any money away."

"Quite right. I see you are a level-headed young man and that is the
kind I like to deal with. We'll go over this matter carefully." And
then Jesse Pelter plunged into the details of the irrigation scheme,
showing up its many good points, and how, in the near future, it was
bound to make a lot of money for all who invested in it.

"And you have the shares to sell?" asked Tom.

"Oh, yes."

"Do you own the property, Mr. Pelter?"

"Our company owns it-- that is, we have a controlling interest in it."

"There are no other big stockholders?"

"None at all. We have invested heavily,-- buying out the old company
and reorganizing it. All of the other stockholders are small ones. You
see, we have such faith in this scheme that we don't want to let too
much stock get away from us."

Tom did not see, but he did not say so. Not a word had been said about
Mr. Rover and his interest-- Mr. Pelter ignored Tom's father entirely.
And yet the youth knew that his parent had fifty thousand dollars or
more tied up in that very company!

"I'd like to know some of the people who have invested in this stock,"
said Tom, after the matter had been talked over for nearly an hour.

"I will give you some names," was the broker's reply, and he wrote
them down. "They are the principal stockholders outside of ourselves."

Tom took the list and glanced at it. His father's name did not appear,
nor did the names of two other men he knew were interested in the
concern.

"Thank you," said the youth, rising. "I will look into this. It might
be a good investment for me."

"Finest in the world," returned Jesse Pelter. "Better let me put you
down for five thousand dollars' worth of shares to-day."

"No, I want to think it over first."

"Supposing I hold the shares for you until to-morrow?" went on the
broker, persuasively.

"You can do that, if you wish," answered Tom.

"Do you want to leave a deposit on them?"

"I didn't bring any money with me-- that is, not enough."

"You might write out a check, Mr. Putnam."

"No, I'll think it over first."

"Then I'll hold the shares and look for you to-morrow," returned Jesse
Pelter, somewhat disappointedly. He loved to get his hands on
another's money at the first interview. "Please come in after lunch,"
he added. "I have an important engagement for the morning."

With the map and prospectus and list of names in his pocket, Tom left
the offices. He saw that the man with the pointed chin and heavy
eyebrows was not present. The force consisted of Mr. Pelter, the
office boy, a girl at a typewriter, and a very old man who was at the
books.

"Japson must be keeping out of the way," mused Tom, as he descended to
the street. "I wonder if it was he or old Crabtree who talked to
Pelter over the 'phone?"

Tom soon rejoined his brothers and all three walked away from the
vicinity of Wall street. The youth told of his interview with the
broker, and of the talk he had overheard while Jesse Pelter was at the
telephone.

"They must have been talking about father!" cried Dick, eagerly.

"Maybe they have him a prisoner on a boat!" added Sam.

"It looks that way to me," said Tom. "And I know what I think we ought
to do," he continued.

"So do I," answered Dick, quickly. "Watch this Pelter to-morrow, when
he leaves his home, and see where he goes to."

"Right you are."

"Where does he live?" questioned Sam.

"I don't know, but we can easily find out."

The boys presently passed an office building in which there was a
large telephone station, and there they hunted up Jesse Pelter's home
address.

"He lives up in the Bronx," said Dick, taking down the street and
number. "We can find out up at the hotel how to reach the place. Let
us go back to the Outlook and see if there is any letter from home.
Maybe we'll get more news about that financial loss mentioned in that
telegram."

  CHAPTER XVIII

 ON THE HUDSON RIVER

When the boys returned to the Outlook Hotel they found several letters
awaiting them. There was one each from the girls and also a
communication from Songbird, written partly in verse, and telling of
matters at Brill.

But the letter that interested them most just then was one from their
Uncle Randolph, in which he explained something of the financial
matters mentioned in the telegram. Their uncle was not a good business
man, and often got his statements mixed, but from the communication
the boys learned the truth.

There were two matters of importance-- the irrigation scheme and the
purchase of a large tract of land which would be benefited by the flow
of water, when the irrigation plant was put into operation. In both of
the schemes the Rovers held large interests-- that is, they held what
were called options, for which Anderson Rover had put up large sums of
money, and he had likewise induced some friends to let him put up
money for them. In order to clinch their hold on the two business
propositions Anderson Rover must sign certain papers and have them
delivered to the right parties inside of the next three days. Should
he fail to do this, then his options on the property would terminate,
and Pelter, Japson & Company would be able to step in and gain
control. The brokers had at first tried to gain control by getting
Anderson Rover to assign his interest in the options, but this the
boys' father had refused to do.

"And now that father wouldn't turn the control over to them, they have
had him kidnapped, so that he can't sign those papers and serve them,"
said Dick. "The case is as plain as day."

"And they got old Crabtree to manage the kidnapping," put in Tom.

"But how did they know about Crabtree?" asked Sam.

"Most likely he has been mixed up in some of their shady transactions
of the past," replied Dick. "When he got in jail, he sent for Japson
and made him fix it up so he could escape. That fire helped the
rascals. Then both came down to New York, and all hands hatched the
plot to put dad out of the way."

"Poor dad! If only we knew he was safe!" murmured Tom.

"That's just it-- he may be suffering terribly!" added Sam.

"I think we'll find out something definite to-morrow-- when we follow
Pelter," said Dick. He, too, was greatly worried.

The evening proved a long one to the boys, even though they spent some
time in penning letters to the girls and to the folks at home. Dick
had received a most sympathetic letter from Dora, in which the girl
stated that she wished she was with him to help him.

"Dear Dora!" he murmured, as he placed the letter in his pocket. "I
wish all this trouble was over, and we could be married and go off on
our honeymoon!"

The boys had found out from the hotel clerk how to reach the address
in the Bronx, as the upper portion of New York city is locally called.
They could take a subway train to within two blocks of Pelter's home.

They were up bright and early, and after a hasty breakfast went out to
a nearby store, where all purchased variously-colored caps of the
automobile variety, and also some automobile goggles.

"We'll pass for chauffeurs in a crowd," said Dick. "The goggles will
change our appearance, even if we only wear 'em on our foreheads."

They were soon on a subway train and being whirled northward. The
train was an express, making but few stops, and almost before they
knew it, the guard called out their station.

Dick had consulted a street map at the hotel, so he knew exactly how
to turn. They easily located the apartment house in which Jesse Pelter
resided, and then stopped at a nearby corner to await his appearance.

"We have got to be very careful how we follow him," said Dick. "If he
spots us, it will be all up with us. I think Sam had better go first.
I will follow, and Tom, you can bring up the rear. And let us all act
as if we were perfect strangers to each other."

Then came a wait of nearly half an hour. At last they saw the front
door of the apartment open and several men came out. Two of the men
turned in one direction and the other man hurried off alone.

"There he is-- there's Pelter!" cried Dick, in a low voice. "Now, Sam,
see to it that he doesn't get out of your sight."

"I'll do my best," answered the youngest Rover, and walked off after
the broker.

As Jesse Pelter hurried along he consulted his watch. Then he hastened
his steps, making his way to the nearest railroad station. He boarded
a train, and the boys followed, Sam getting in the same car with the
broker and Dick and Tom entering the next car, but keeping in sight of
their brother.

A number of stations were passed and then the broker left the train
and the boys did likewise. On the street Jesse Pelter called a cab
that was handy and entered it.

"Say, this looks as if we might lose him!" cried Dick, in alarm. Then
he chanced to see another cab, and hurried to it, waving for Tom and
Sam to do the same. He ordered the driver to keep the first turnout in
sight, but not to get too close.

"I can do that with ease," said the driver, with a broad grin. "It's
Jerry Dillon's cab, and Jerry's horse is no good at all."

The two cabs rolled on for several blocks, and then the first turned
in the direction of the Hudson River. It halted near the railroad, and
Jesse Pelter sprang to the ground. He paid the driver of the cab and
dismissed him. Then he hurried along the railroad on foot.

"I guess he is going up to the dock yonder," Said Tom, while the boys
got out.

"Looks like it," answered Dick.

All left the cab and hurried after Jesse Pelter, who was now all but
out of sight. He passed between two buildings and the boys followed
him slowly.

"Wait!" cried Dick presently. "Look!"

"Why, it's Crabtree!" exclaimed Sam, as another figure came into
view-- that of a heavily-bearded man with a slouch hat.

"Exactly," returned Dick. "Now keep back, or we may spoil everything,"
he continued, cautiously.

The three boys saw Pelter and Josiah Crabtree converse earnestly for
several minutes. The man who had escaped from jail pointed to a big
bundle he carried and Pelter nodded. Then both walked slowly across
the railroad tracks to a dock jutting out into the Hudson.

At the dock lay a rowboat, with a man who looked like a sailor at the
oars. Pelter and Crabtree climbed down into the boat, which was
quickly shoved away. Then the sailor took up the oars and commenced to
row out into the broad river.

"Now we are stumped!" murmured Tom, as he and his brothers watched the
departure of the rowboat from behind a shed at the inner end of the
dock.

"Let us watch that rowboat as far as we can," returned Dick. "I don't
believe they intend to row very far."

"Maybe they are going to one of the vessels anchored out yonder,"
remarked Sam.

"More than likely."

The sailor was pulling up the stream, close to the shore, and the
brothers could watch him with ease. The tide was running out and the
oarsman had all he could do to make any headway.

"If he is going to keep to the shore, we might follow him on foot,"
suggested Tom, after several minutes had passed, and while the rowboat
was still clearly in view.

"He is turning out now!" cried Dick. "See, I think he is making for
yonder two-masted schooner."

The rowboat had turned out and in a few minutes more the boys felt
certain it was headed for the schooner.

"Oh, if we only had a rowboat!" groaned Tom.

Dick did not reply. He was watching a steam tug that had come up the
river. A line had been thrown from the tug to the schooner and made
fast.

"The steam tug is going to tow her down the river!" exclaimed Sam.
"Oh, Dick, what shall we do?"

"Dad may be on that schooner!" supplemented Tom.

Dick gazed up and down the stream. A rowboat was coming along, manned
by two boys. Dick gave the lads a hail.

"Hi! want to earn a dollar quick?" he asked.

"How?" questioned both lads, in a breath.

"See that schooner? We want to get on board of her as quickly as
possible."

"All right-- but let us see the dollar first," answered one of the
lads, shrewdly.

The rowboat came to the dock and the three Rovers leaped on board.
Dick produced a dollar bill, and the boys commenced to row with all
the power at their command.

In the meantime the first rowboat had reached the schooner's side and
the men and the sailor had gone on hoard. The boat was tied fast to
the stern and orders were given to the captain of the tug to go ahead.

"Stop! stop! You rascals!" cried Tom, as the schooner commenced to
move down the Hudson. And in his anger he shook his fist at those on
the vessel.

At first the actions of the boys attracted no attention. Then there
was a stir on the rear deck of the craft.

"Somebody in a rowboat, calling to you," remarked the captain of the
schooner, to Josiah Crabtree.

"To me?" exclaimed the former teacher, in surprise. "I will see about
this."

He hurried to the stern of the schooner. The rowboat with the Rovers
had now come quite close. Josiah Crabtree gave a start.

"Can it be possible?" he gasped.

"What is it?" asked Jesse Pelter, who had stepped up.

"Those young men in yonder boat! Unless I am mistaken they are
Anderson Rover's sons!"

"Is it possible!" ejaculated the broker. "Oh, there must be some
mistake."

"No, no! I know them well! And see, they are motioning to us! They
want us to stop!"

"They must have seen and followed us!" said the broker, and his manner
showed his sudden fear.

"Want to take those fellows on board?" questioned the captain of the
schooner.

"No! no!" cried Josiah Crabtree. "Tell the captain of the tug to hurry
up! That we er-- that we must make better time!"

"I will, sir," said the captain of the schooner, and hurried forward
to give the necessary order.

A big steamboat was passing up the river and the wash from this sent
the rowboat containing the Rover boys dancing up and down. The lads at
the oars headed the craft to meet the rollers, and the schooner passed
further and further away.

"They are leaving us!" groaned Sam. "Oh, what luck!"

"Mr. Rover!" yelled Dick, at the top of his lungs. "Are you on board?
Rover! Anderson Rover! It's Dick! Dick!"

For fully a minute no answer came back. Then there was a commotion on
the deck of the schooner and a man appeared, clad in a torn suit of
clothing and hatless.

"Dick! Where are you?" was the exclamation, and the man rushed to the
stern of the craft. "Dick! And Tom and Sam! Help me!"

"It's father!" yelled Dick. "Stop that schooner! Stop her, I say!"

"Get back there!" exclaimed Josiah Crabtree, catching Mr. Rover by the
arm. "Get back, I say! Help me, somebody! This man is crazy!"

He and Jesse Pelter hustled Anderson Rover back, and then the boys saw
their father disappear from view. Swiftly the tug and the schooner
gathered headway. The boys shouted in vain. They looked around for
some other boat to come to their aid, but none was in sight. Then the
schooner passed down the Hudson River and the Rover boys were left in
the rowboat, gazing at each other in dismay.

  CHAPTER XIX

 THE SEARCH FOR THE SCHOONER

"Anyway, we have got the name of the schooner," remarked Sam, after a
moment of silence. "She's the Ellen Rodney."

"And we ought to be able to follow her somehow," added Tom.

"We must!" cried Dick. "Let us get to shore and see what we can do."

"Don't we get that dollar?" queried one of the boys who rowed the
boat.

"Yes," answered Dick, and handed the money over. "Now get us to shore
as quickly as possible."

"If you want to catch that schooner, why don't you go downtown after
her?" asked the second boy of the rowboat.

"Just what I was thinking of doing," answered Dick. "I think we can
get down there ahead of them. The only question is, Can we get anybody
down there to go out after the schooner?"

"You can get a boat at the Battery, if you're willing to pay for it.
Plenty of tug captains down there looking for jobs."

"Then we'll get to the Battery as fast as possible," said Tom.

The boys who had been rowing the boat were tired, so Tom and Dick took
the oars, and thus the little craft was speedily brought back to the
dock from which it had started.

"You can get an elevated train over there," said one of the boys,
pointing with his hand. "It will take you right to the Battery."

The Rover boys lost no time in leaving the dock and crossing the
railroad tracks. Then they fairly ran to the nearest station of the
elevated railroad. Dick purchased the tickets and dropped them in the
box. Then came a wait of several minutes on the platform.

"Train for South Ferry!" called out the guard, as a rumble was heard.

"Does that go to the Battery?" questioned Dick.

"Sure."

The boys piled on board and away swept the line of cars, on the way
downtown. But it was a local train, making all the stops, so their
progress was not as fast as they wished.

Here and there, through the cross streets, they caught sight of the
glistening river, with its numerous craft. Once Tom thought he saw the
Ellen Rodney, but at that distance he could not he sure.

At last the train swept around a curve into the Battery, as the little
park at the extreme lower point of the great metropolis is called.
Here were located several ferries and also some shipping offices, as
well as the Aquarium. Dick almost ran to the nearest shipping office.

"I want to stop a schooner that is coming down the Hudson River," he
said, to the clerk in charge. "Can I hire a boat around here to take
me out?"

"Anything wrong?" asked the clerk, curiously.

"Yes, very much wrong."

"In that case, why don't you put the harbor police on the job?"

"Can I get them handy?"

"Yes, the office is up there," and the man pointed it out.

"Thanks," returned Dick, and headed for the place in question, with
Tom and Sam at his heels.

An officer was in charge of the office of the harbor police and he
listened with interest to what the boys had to tell.

"This is certainly a serious matter," he said, when they had finished.
"Those men are actually kidnapping your father-- in fact, they have
already kidnapped him. We'll have to get after them."

"You have a boat handy?"

"Yes, several of 'em."

The officer touched a bell and another man in uniform appeared. He was
given some instructions, and then the second man told the Rover boys
to follow him. He led the way to a dock where a steam tug lay, the
smoke pouring from the funnel.

"Quick work here, Andy!" he cried, to an officer on board. "We've got
to catch a schooner coming down the river-- the Ellen Rodney. Do you
know her?"

"I've seen her," was the answer, from the tug officer.

"The fellows on board the schooner are kidnapping the father of these
boys. I reckon it's a serious case-- a money affair," he added, in a
lower tone.

"Who is the man?"

"Anderson Rover is his name. If you find him, and the boys make a
charge, place all hands under arrest."

"I will."

The steam tug was fully manned, carrying a crew and several police
officers. The Rover boys were told to get aboard, and the tug was
headed out into the Hudson, or, as here called, the North, River.

"You don't suppose they have passed here. do you?" questioned the
captain of the tug.

"I don't think so-- unless that towing tug was an extra fast one,"
answered Dick.

"They wouldn't dare to run too fast, with so many ferryboats crossing
the river. It would be too dangerous."

The police tug swept out into the bay and then started slowly up the
river, moving from one shore to the other. The police officer in
charge had a pair of glasses and he used these on the various craft
that came into view, and also allowed the boys to use them.