“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.