"He shan"t catch me," he muttered to himself, and ran to the rear of the building, amid piles of bricks and concrete blocks. A number of workmen were present, but n.o.body noticed him.
Reaching the building Tom peered inside, but saw nothing of the bully.
He was about to go in when a warning cry reached him from overhead.
"Get back there, unless you want to be hurt!"
Tom looked up and saw a workman in the act of throwing down a ma.s.s of rubbish, broken bricks, sticks and old mortar. He leaped back and the stuff descended in front of him and raised a cloud of dust.
"What do you want here, young man?" demanded the superintendent of the building as he came forward.
"I am after a boy who just ran in here."
"n.o.body here that I saw."
"He just came in."
"We don"t allow skylarking around here. You make yourself scarce," and the superintendent waved Tom away.
"I want to have that fellow arrested--that is why he ran away from me."
"Oh, that"s a different thing. Go find him, if you can."
The superintendent stepped aside and Tom entered the building. But the delay had cost him dear, for in the meanwhile Tad Sobber had made good his escape by running back to the next street. Tom looked around for over quarter of an hour and then gave up the chase.
"It"s too bad, but it can"t be helped," he mused. "I may as well go back to the park and wait for d.i.c.k and Sam. I hope they caught that Cuffer."
While Tom was talking to Sobber the other Rover boys had followed Cuffer to the elevated railroad station. A train was just coming in and Cuffer bounded up the steps two at a time, with the boys not far behind.
"Stop that man!" cried d.i.c.k, to the crowd coming from the train. But before anybody would or could act, Cuffer had slipped past the man at the ticket box and was trying to board one of the cars. d.i.c.k essayed to follow, but the ticket box guard stopped him.
"Not to fast, young fellow. Where"s your ticket?"
"I must catch that man--he is wanted by the police," answered d.i.c.k.
"That"s an old dodge, but it don"t work with me, see? You go back and get a ticket," said the gateman, firmly.
"But he"ll get away from me," pleaded the eldest Rover.
"If he does, it"s not my fault. You can"t pa.s.s here without a ticket."
By this time the train was almost ready to start. But Sam had procured tickets and he rushed up.
"There are two tickets!" he cried. "Come on, d.i.c.k!" and he sprinted for the train.
The guard was closing the platform gate, but they managed to squeeze through. The train was crowded with people going home from their day"s work and in the jam they could see nothing of Cuffer.
"But he is on board," said d.i.c.k.
"I know it," returned his brother, "and we must find him. Quick, you go to the front and I"ll go to the rear. If you locate him, tell the trainman you want him arrested at the next station."
Without another word the brothers separated and each tried to work his way to an end of the train, which was composed of five cars. This was by no means easy, for the crowd was in no humor to be jostled or have its toes stepped upon.
"Look where you are going!" cried one stout man to Sam. "Stop pushing me!" And then as the youngest Rover dodged out of his way he ran his ear into the big feather on a young lady clerk"s immense hat. The girl glared at him and murmured something under her breath, which was far from complimentary. By the time he had reached the front end of the car half a dozen pa.s.sengers were his enemies.
d.i.c.k had gone to the rear and as he entered the last car he saw Cuffer crouching down in a seat near the door. The train was stopping at another station, and quick as a flash the fellow arose in the seat, shot between d.i.c.k and a man with several bundles, and forced his way out on the platform. d.i.c.k tried to follow, but was caught fast by several men.
"Here, don"t be acting in such a rowdy fashion!" cried one man, in great irritation.
"You knocked my bundle from my hand!" added another. "It"s a shame the way some roughs act on these trains. The authorities ought to have them arrested," he went on in a loud voice.
"What"s the trouble in there?" demanded a policeman, who was on the station platform in the crowd.
"This young fellow is too fresh," explained the man who had dropped his bundle.
"I want to get off, that"s all," said d.i.c.k.
"Well, you behave yourself," growled the guardian of the peace, and d.i.c.k was glad enough to get away with this reprimand. He saw Cuffer running for the stairs and made after him as rapidly as the density of the crowd permitted.
When d.i.c.k gained the street once more the train bearing Sam was again on its way downtown. Cuffer was about a block away, running past Cooper Inst.i.tute in the direction of the Bowery.
"I may as well keep up the chase and try to run him down," thought d.i.c.k, but he wished his brother was with him.
At this time of day the Bowery, always a busy thoroughfare, was swarming with people, and the numerous "barkers" for the clothing stores, photograph establishments, and the like, were doing their best to make trade come to them. As d.i.c.k hurried past one clothing establishment a short, stocky Jew stepped in front of him.
"Von"t you step inside, young chentleman? I sell you some gloding cheap as dirt."
"I don"t want any clothing," answered d.i.c.k, briefly.
"I vos mof next veek, und I sell you a suit for next to nodding,"
persisted the clothing dealer.
"I don"t want to buy anything," said d.i.c.k, and tried to push past the man. The fellow caught him by the arm.
"If you vill only look at dose peautiful suits vot I haf for twelf dollar----"
The Jew got no further, for with a strong push d.i.c.k sent him staggering among the dummies in front of his store. He tried to recover his balance, but could not, and over he went, bringing down two of the dummies on top of him.
"Serves you right," flung back d.i.c.k, as he ran on. "The next time you"ll know enough to leave me alone."
"Isaac! Moses! Sthop dot young mans!" bawled the clothing dealer, as he scrambled to his feet. "He has ruined two peautiful dummies, mit fine suits on! Sthop him!"
"Not to-day!" muttered d.i.c.k, and dodged into the crowd. Then, seeing that Cuffer had crossed the street, he did the same, and continued the pursuit on that side.
But to follow anybody long in a crowd on the Bowery is not easy, and after six blocks had been pa.s.sed d.i.c.k came to a halt on a corner in bewilderment. He had seen Cuffer last on that corner, but where the rascal had gone was a question.
"Want a paper?" asked an urchin close by. "Evening papers!"
"Say, kid, did you see a man run past here just now?" asked d.i.c.k.