He pursued his inquiries up the Bowery as far as the old armory, and there, seeing that the marks still tended to the north, returned to Rivington Street to meet the chief. Arriving on that corner, he found Nick awaiting him. It did not take the two long to exchange the additional information that had been gained by each since they had parted. “You have been right from the beginning in this matter, Patsy,” said Nick. “The two men who stole those papers from Lannigan’s room were Spike Thomas and Bally Morris. They carried them to Spike’s rooms and hid them away there. Still, I yet think we followed the proper course.” “But the question now is,” said Patsy, “who has got the papers now, and who were the third thieves?” “Who does Spike think were the thieves?” asked Nick. “He thinks they are two young toughs who live in the same house, and who saw them stowing away these things.” “Do you believe that?” said Nick. “Not hardly,” said Patsy, emphatically. “Neither do I,” replied Nick, quietly. “But our business now is to find Chick and learn what he has been doing all night.” Patsy laughed as he looked up at Nick, saying: “I think that’s the straight road to the papers.” The two now hurried up the Bowery to its end to pick up the trail Chick had left behind him. Arriving at the last mark Patsy had observed, they soon discovered that the next one led them up Third Avenue, and, following them, which grew plainer as they proceeded, they were carried to Thirty-fourth Street, where the marks indicated that Chick had passed to the east. But as they turned to go down that street, Patsy dashed across the street to look at something tied to the rail of the steps leading to the elevated railroad station. It was a string of yellow cotton cloth. Carefully examining the pavement, he ran up and down a short distance, like a dog getting the scent, and then, stepping to the curbstone, vigorously beckoned to Nick to come to him. “Chick has been down Thirty-fourth Street,” he said, “and back again to go up Third Avenue. A sign on the elevated railroad station rail gives us the tip.” Nick nodded, and the two hurried up Third Avenue. “This trail will lead us to Forty-second Street, chief,” said Patsy, as they hurried along. But he had hardly gotten the words out of his mouth when they struck a mark on the sidewalk that sent them down the side street to the east. It was a change of direction for which neither was prepared. They did not expect to see any other mark until they reached the corner below, but in the center of the block they came on another which indicated a stop, and a little farther on another sign showing that the chase had been continued. Looking about, they found that they were directly in front of a livery stable.