“Belright?”

“That’s it, sah; Belright Fogg.”

“Just as I thought,” murmured Dick “They didn’t go out, did they?”

“I don’t think they did.  I didn’t see ’em, and I don’t think they would go downstairs without using the elevator, although they could use the stairs.”

“Which apartment is it?”

“On the fourth floor—­ the apartment in front, on the right,” answered the elevator man.

“I’ll go up,” said Dick.  He motioned Baxter to one side.  “Dan, will you go out and get a policeman or two, just as quickly as you can?” he whispered.

“I will,” returned the young traveling salesman, and hurried out on the street again.

Dick stepped into the elevator and in a few seconds was deposited on the fourth floor of the apartment house.  He walked to the front and to the right, and stopped in front of one of the doors.  From the room beyond came a murmur of voices.  He listened intently.  The voices were those of Pelter, Japson and Fogg.

CHAPTER XXVIII

 The capture

With bated breath Dick knelt at the door and applied his ear to the keyhole.  At first he could hear only indistinctly, but gradually he caught the drift of the conversation between the rascally brokers and the former railroad lawyer.

“Then you want me to date those papers a week back?” he heard Belright Fogg ask.

“That’s it,” answered Pelter.

“And remember, we signed them just before we went to the West,” added Japson.

“And remember also that you saw us take a train at the Grand Central Depot,” went on Pelter.

“Oh, I’ll remember that,” returned the lawyer, with a sly chuckle.  “And I’ll remember also that I got two telegrams from you—­ one from Chicago and one from Detroit.”  And he laughed again.

“That alibi ought to fix us up,” remarked Japson.  “Anyway, it will set the authorities to guessing.”

“It will help, provided that fellow, Crabtree, doesn’t squeel,” said Pelter.  “He gave his word, when we were in the garret, that he would keep mum, no matter what happened.  But if he was badly hurt he may have told everything.”

“Fogg, you must try to see him in the hospital,” said Japson.  “Tell him it will do no good for him to tell anything, and that, if he keeps mum, we will remain his friends and do all we possibly can for him.”

“You are piling a lot of work on my shoulders,” grumbled the lawyer.  “And shady work, too.  What do I get out of this?”

“You know what I promised you,” answered Jesse Pelter.

“A thousand isn’t enough.  Just look at the risk I am running.”

“Well, if you help us to clear ourselves, we’ll make it two thousand dollars,” cried Japson.  He paused a moment.  “Quite a swell apartment, Fogg.”

“It’s good enough.”

“Why can’t we stay here for a day or two?” questioned Japson.