"Poor Amos!" groaned the tall man. "The poor fellow may have
set fire to the place to destroy himself! Ripley, I can't wait
here, inactive, another second. We must start! Can I get a cab
here?"

"I think I can get an automobile for you inside of five minutes,"
replied the lawyer, hurriedly leading the way to the front office.

"Five minutes?" groaned the stranger. "Why not wait a year?"

"An automobile will save you much more than five minutes' time
on the way," returned the lawyer, snatching up his desk telephone.
"Central, give me 163-J in a hurry!"

A few minutes later the automobile was at the door. The tall
stranger and two other men who had been in the lawyer's office
were now on the sidewalk.

"Crowd on all the speed you can, my man," appealed the tall stranger.
"If you get into any trouble with the authorities I'll pay all
the fines you incur. This is a matter of life and death."

The speaker and his two men crowded into the car.

"You come, too," called the tall one to Dick.

"Is there room for one other boy?" asked Dick.

"Yes; we can squeeze him in."