Mary departed about ten o'clock. The house had been darkened by the closing of the shutters so that it was necessary to light the gas. Mrs. Kenfield went about making sure that all the doors were fastened. "I can't tell you how sorry I am," she said to Ned. "To think of your holiday being spoiled!" "Don't worry about that, aunt," said the boy. "It couldn't be helped." In fact he was thinking less about his broken holiday than he was about his own plight in the stock transaction. He felt the certificate rustle in his pocket when he moved, and he had half a mind to throw it away. But he feared lest doing that, even with the tearing of it into small bits, might lead to his discovery. He was too worried and excited to be able to think clearly. "I guess we are all ready," his aunt remarked as she stood in the hall. She had a small valise to carry, and Ned had the one he had brought from home. "Be sure and explain to your father how it happened," Mrs. Kenfield said. "Tell him about your uncle's unexpected trip to Europe and about Jane Alden. He knew her quite well when he was a young man. Now I guess we will start. I like to be in plenty of time for my train. I hate to hurry at the last minute." Together they left the house, Ned carrying both valises. They boarded the elevated which ran near Mrs. Kenfield's house and were soon on their way to the station where Ned's aunt was to take her train. The boy saw her safely aboard and bade her good-bye. She told him to write to her, and gave him her Chicago address. "Tell your chums how sorry I was to disappoint them," she called to Ned as her train rolled out of the depot. "I will," replied Ned. Then, left alone as he was in the big city, he felt a sense of fear, and hardly knew what to do. "Guess I'd better go straight back to Darewell and tell dad all about it," he said to himself. He was soon in the station at which he had arrived the day previous, and where he had left his trunk. As he was going to the baggage room, to have it rechecked to Darewell, he caught sight of a man who seemed strangely familiar to him. The man had his back toward Ned, but when he turned the boy saw it was the postal inspector who had been at the offices of Skem & Skim. "He's after me!" thought Ned. "He's on my track! I must not let him see me." He turned suddenly away so the man could not observe his face. The inspector was talking to a policeman, and Ned overheard the bluecoat ask: "Have you sent the telegram?" "Yes, they'll be on the watch for him if he goes back home," was the reply. "They'll nab him as soon as he gets off the train. If he calls for his baggage the agent here will hold him and notify me." Ned hurried from the depot and ran up the street as if the officer was after him. The last way of escape seemed closed. CHAPTER XVII THE CHUMS ARRIVE Darewell never had known such excitement as followed the destruction of the school tower.