"Yes; the cashier handed it to me and said he believed Mr. Dale had sent him out on an errand." "He might have done so, but he would have got back long before this, for he knows that the store closes at three on Saturday." "When did you see him last?" "Something over an hour ago. He was then up on the next floor making some changes in the sample cases." "He might be up there yet." "It isn't likely, for he would come down after his money when he saw it was getting close to closing-up time." "There's no clock up there, and, besides, he isn't a boy who watches the clock, like some employees do for fear they will work a minute more than they're paid for it. Dick is always interested in his work. I've noticed that, and it is just possible he might have overlooked the fact that it is Saturday. I am going up to see if he is there," said Mr. Bacon. The clerks followed him, curious to see if the boy was really still at work. They found no sign of the office boy on the floor. "He is not here," said Mr. Bacon. "Mr. Dale must have sent him on an errand and he has been delayed." The three were standing near the closet as the merchant spoke. It was at that very moment that the subject of their thoughts finally became senseless. Dick's head, falling forward when he lost consciousness, hit the door, and the sound attracted the attention of the proprietor and his two clerks. "What's that?" exclaimed Mr. Bacon. He pulled the door open and the office boy fell out. CHAPTER VII.--Dick and His Eldest Sister. To say that Mr. Bacon and his clerks were both astonished and startled would be stating the case quite mildly. "My gracious!" cried the merchant. "What does this mean?" One of the clerks stepped forward and raised Dick up. "Why, his hands are bound!" he ejaculated, in surprise. That fact was apparent to the others. "Great heavens! How came he to be in this state?" cried Mr. Bacon. "Cut him loose as quick as you can. Jones, run down to my office and fetch a glass of the cognac you'll find on a shelf in the closet. This is certainly a most singular occurrence. Somebody bound the boy and shut him up in the closet. Nobody connected with the store would do such a thing as that. And yet how could a stranger have got up here unnoticed? A thief would not attempt to carry anything away before the clerks in the store. I don't understand it at all." Clerk Jones returned with a glass partly filled with cognac. When Dick's head was lifted the clerk noticed the marks of Bulger's fingers on the boy's throat. He pointed to them and said: "Look there; he's been choked." "My goodness! so he was," said the merchant. "This is a very strange affair. But we'll be able to learn all about it as soon as he recovers his senses." The brandy was poured little by little into Dick's mouth, and as it trickled down his throat it revived him and brought on a coughing spell which ended in his opening his eyes. As soon as he was somewhat recovered, Mr. Bacon said: