Part 3 (2/2)
”Nothing, only that's why I threw back.”
The stranger stared at Hal for a moment.
”Who are you?” he asked, abruptly.
”My name is Hal Carson. What's yours?”
”Jack McCabe.”
Hal held out his hand.
”I'm glad to know you. I just came to New York, and I only know one person here.”
”Git out! is dat so?” Jack McCabe shook hands rather gingerly. ”Den yer ain't one o' der boys, is yer?”
”What boys?”
”Der fellers around town.”
”Hardly.”
”Got work here?”
”I expect to get work from a man in Wall Street.”
”Goin' ter be a broker, hey?” grinned Jack.
”Here, get to work there, you lazy dog!” shouted a man from the inside of a near-by store, and Jack dropped his conversation and began to clean off the sidewalk with vigor.
Hal walked on. He did not know under what exciting circ.u.mstances he was to meet Jack McCabe again.
Promptly at ten o'clock Hal presented himself at the number given him on Wall Street. The sign over the door read Sumner, Allen & Co., Brokers.
He opened the door and entered. There was a small place in the front part.i.tioned from the rear office by a counter and a bra.s.s grating.
A man sat writing at a desk in the rear. He glanced at Hal, and seeing it was only a boy, went on with his work.
Five minutes pa.s.sed. Then the man swung around leisurely, got down from his stool, and came forward.
As soon as Hal caught sight of the man's face he was astonished.
It was Hardwick, the fellow whose conversation he had overheard on the ferry boat the evening before.
CHAPTER III.
A SERIOUS CHARGE.
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