It did not take long for these two bright-minded people to fit in the two stories into a complete whole. “It’s all straight as a whistle, chief,” said Patsy. “Lannigan threw Spike down. Spike, from what he had learned from me, made up his mind that he would rob Lannigan of that case. To get on a track of him and know what he was doing and when he was out of his room, was what he was laying on the corner of Forty-second Street and Third Avenue for. Just as soon as he saw Lannigan with your men, the two of them scampered off to Avenue A.” Here Nick stopped Patsy to make sure by inquiry that there was no mistake as to the locality that both had tracked their people to on Avenue A. That being settled to the satisfaction of both as being the same, Patsy went on: “Between the time I saw them go into the house where I had that row, and when I saw them coming down in such a hurry, they had got into Lannigan’s apartments and swiped those papers. I’ll bet my stockings, chief, that all those things are in Spike’s rooms now, down here in Rivington Street.” “I think that is about the size of it,” said Nick. “But that is a good job that you have put up to send Spike with the things to Mrs. Pemberton. Mrs. Pemberton has recently got some sense, and believes that Elwell is trying to do her. Ida is in a position to get close to her, and I think, after all, that is the best way to handle it.” “Yet we might get them quicker by making a raid on Spike’s rooms,” said Patsy. “And we might lose them all, too. The first thing we’ve got to do, Patsy, is to take care of Spike, for if Lannigan meets him there will be trouble to pay, if there is not a dead Spike.” “Then,” said Patsy, “I’d better hunt up Spike and warn him to keep out of Lannigan’s way, although I think that’s what he’s doing now.” He turned to cross the Bowery, but, in doing so, saw both Spike and Bally Morris crossing diagonally toward the drinking saloon which was Spike’s hang-out. Without saying a word to Nick, he darted off to intercept Spike, while Nick hurried along toward the corner. As Nick approached the corner he saw Lannigan rush across the sidewalk in the direction from which Spike Thomas and Bally Morris were approaching. Chick was in close pursuit, and Lannigan seemed to be pulling at his pocket as if trying to draw a revolver. Nick also sprang in pursuit, and so it was that as Spike and Bally approached, all unconscious of the danger they were in, three from different points were approaching to their rescue. It was no part of Nick’s plans to have Spike put out of the way at a time when he could be most useful to him. As Lannigan left the sidewalk, reaching the roadway, he brought his revolver out, being then not more than twenty feet from Spike. But, as he lifted his revolver to fire, Chick sprang on his back, and at the same instant Nick was beside Lannigan, seizing his revolver arm.