“Oh,” replied Chick, “they’ve got enough for a roll, and I think the best place to look for Lannigan is among the music halls.” “It’s a little early,” said Patsy, “to take up that hunt.” “Yes,” said Chick, “but that will give us a chance to get something to eat, and I’ve had nothing since breakfast.” “I’m with you,” said Patsy. Accordingly, they turned into a rather well-known eating saloon in Broadway, not far from Thirtieth Street. They had not been seated at their table long, before they saw a man enter who was a prominent member of the police detective force. His name was Merton, and the two, Chick and Patsy, were on good terms with him. Attracting his attention, they called him to their table, asking him to dine with them. When he was seated, they asked him if he was on any special business. “A very easy lay,” replied Morton. “A young fellow, from an Eastern city, who has got more money than brains, is down here on a high-pressure spree. His folks, who can’t switch him, have appealed to the department to put him under watch so that nothing bad will happen to him. That’s my lay. The chief says it’s a kind of a vacation for me.” “Merton, did you folks have an eye to the Sanborn wedding this morning?” “In a way,” said Merton. “When the papers put up the story about there being so much value in the presents that were given to the bride, the chief had a look over the crooks working in that line to see if they were going to do anything about it.” “And they were not?” asked Patsy. “No; the lads believed there was no use of trying it, because the presents would be too closely watched and they came to know that the chief was looking after them, so they steered clear away.” “Then,” said Chick, “if any one did make the attempt, it was not local lags.” “That’s dead certain,” said Merton. “If any one did, they were outsiders. But did any one try it on?” “We think they did,” said Chick, cautiously. “Well, if any one knows anything about it,” said Merton, “you ought to. You were on guard there.” “Oh,” said Chick. “You know that, then.” “Yes,” replied Merton. “The chief was certain that Sanborn would call Nick Carter in, for he always does that when he has got any work to be done. That’s why the chief didn’t send anybody there.” “Well,” said Chick, “Sanborn did not call on the chief. But the chief got a tip that an effort was going to be made to nip some of those presents and warned Sanborn only this morning. That’s how we happened to be there.” “Say,” asked Merton, suddenly, “what’s that story about the bridegroom, Ellison, disappearing? Is there anything in it?” Chick was a little puzzled to know how to meet this direct question. It had been the hope of Nick and the Sanborn family as well, that the dismissal of the guests would be attributed to the sudden illness of the bride, and that, for a time at least, the disappearance of the groom could be concealed. So he asked: “What do you know about it?”