“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.