"Evidently a hard crowd."

"You are right -- and they ought all of them to be in prison,"
observed Tom. "By the way, have they heard anything of those
robbers?"

"The detectives are following up one or two clues. One report was
that this Baxter and Girk had gone to some place on Staten
Island. But I don't think they know for certain."





CHAPTER XVII

IN WHICH DORA IS CARRIED OFF


Perhaps it will be as well to go back a bit and learn how poor
Dora was enticed into leaving home so unexpectedly, to the sorrow
of her mother and the anxiety of Dick and her other friends.

Dora was hard at work sweeping out the parlor of the Stanhope
cottage when she saw from the window a boy walking up the garden
path. The youth was a stranger to her and carried a letter in
his hand.

"Is this Mrs. Stanhope's place?" he questioned, as Dora
appeared.