An instant later the wagon had passed and Cassidy was after him. But the start Ned had he used to good advantage. He was fleet of foot and he had an object in making speed, such as he had never had before. Somewhat to his surprise Cassidy did not shout to him to stop, and made no outcry. "I wonder if he's afraid to let people know he's after me?" thought Ned. The truth of it was, Cassidy wanted to save his breath for running. Also, he did not want to raise too much disturbance in his pursuit of Ned. He knew he had no right to take the boy into custody, and, though he knew he could cause his arrest on the false charge, that would not bring back the money Cassidy thought Ned had stolen. It was the money, or its equivalent, the lodging house keeper was after. So he decided to try to catch Ned without aid from outside sources if possible. With this in view he started after the fugitive without raising an alarm, though the streets were well filled. Ned made good time. He speeded down the thoroughfare until he came to where another intersected it, and turned the corner. This put him out of Cassidy's view. The second street was not so thronged as the one he had just left, and Ned had a chance to run better. But there was this disadvantage, that he was more closely observed. On the crowded avenue a running lad attracts little attention, but when more plainly in sight, as Ned now was, he becomes an object of interest. As he ran he looked back over his shoulder to see if Cassidy was in sight. Past several houses Ned kept on, and his pursuer did not appear around the corner. Then, just as he came in front of a big tenement house Ned saw Cassidy some distance in the rear. "I guess I'll go in here!" thought the boy. "Maybe I can slip out of the back before he gets here and that will fool him. I'm going to try!" He darted into the hallway, but, before he had gone three steps he collided with an old man who, at that instant, was coming from his room into the corridor. The shock threw the old man down, and Ned could scarcely retain his balance. "Excuse me!" he exclaimed, pausing, when he had recovered his equilibrium, to help the aged man to his feet. "I'm sorry," and then he started to run through the hallway. "Here! Vait a minute!" the man exclaimed. "Are you tryin' to rob me? I dinks you are a t'eef! Hold on! Vait until I see if you haf taken my vatch!" "I haven't taken anything of yours!" cried Ned. "I'm in a hurry!" He was almost at the end of the hall, and saw that it opened into a sort of court. Abutting on that was another tenement. "Vait! You vas a t'eef!" cried the old man, and he set up such a yelling that doors on either side of the corridor opened, and men and women stuck their heads forth, all demanding to know what the matter was. "I'm done for now!" thought Ned. "If Cassidy comes past here he'll be sure to hear the excitement, and they'll tell him I ran through!"