“I guess it’s all we can do,” replied Toby. “But we had better get out of sight a little more, for if he came out and saw us he might recognize me and run.” The suggestion was a good one since this side of the thoroughfare was far less crowded and their present position was in fair view of the entrance. So they retired to a near-by doorway from which, by peering around the corner of a plate-glass window, they could watch the hotel entrance. It promised to be tiresome work and there were all sorts of things happening every minute to distract their gaze. But Fortune favored them again and very shortly, for they had been there less than five minutes when Toby uttered a warning hiss and Arnold, whose gaze had wandered for an instant, looked around in time to see the man in the brown overcoat emerge from the hotel. He paused for a moment outside the doorway and speculatively looked up and down the street. Finally he turned eastward and strolled unhurriedly toward them. The boys withdrew further into their doorway, turning their backs and becoming on the instant extremely interested in the window display. But the man didn’t even glance in their direction and as soon as he had passed the boys slipped out from concealment and followed. During the next seven or eight minutes, which time the man consumed in reaching the corner, there were many pauses. Their quarry paused frequently to look into windows or survey the passers. Once he stopped and backed up against a building while his gaze speculatively followed two richly-dressed women. But apparently he decided that the women presented small chance for the display of his talents, for he went on again. All the time the boys looked anxiously for a policeman, but a policeman when wanted is an extremely rare thing, and not one appeared in sight all the way along the block. At the corner the traffic signal was set at “Stop” and the man in the brown overcoat paused just back of the curb, one of an impatient throng of a dozen or so persons. Toby and Arnold stopped at a discreet distance. In the center of the intersecting thoroughfares, in command of the traffic signal, was a very tall and very efficient-looking policeman. The boys consulted hurriedly. Then they advanced toward the man in the brown overcoat. The northward and southward streams of hurrying vehicles continued. Toby drew up at the man’s right and Arnold on his other side. It was Toby who opened negotiations. “We were going to point you out to the policeman,” he said softly, trying to keep his voice steady, “but we decided to give you a chance first.” The man turned and scowled down with shifty eyes. “What do you want?” he demanded threateningly. “My purse and eight dollars and fifty cents,” said Toby. “If you try to get away we’ll grab you and yell. Keep close, Arn!”