"Do you think you can make Mr. Annister give back the money he has wrongfully kept?" asked Roy. "I'm afraid I can't give you an opinion until I have looked further into the case," said the lawyer with a smile. "It may be necessary to take civil action, and we might have to make a criminal complaint. Now don't worry about it. I'll look after it. Just you keep out of the way of those men." "I will," agreed Roy with a laugh. "I'm not afraid of them, however. I'll be ready for them next time." "Another thing," went on the lawyer, "don't drink ice cream sodas, or anything else, with strangers." "I'll stick to Mr. De Royster," said the boy. "I reckon if I trail along with him they'll not be able to rope me." "Rope you? Oh, yes, I understand," replied the lawyer with a smile. "Yes, that's right. Good morning." CHAPTER XXIV ANOTHER RASCALLY ATTEMPT "What next?" asked Roy of Mortimer De Royster, as they emerged from the lawyer's office. "Well, as it's getting near dinner time, suppose we go back to the hotel." "That's a good idea. Will you stay and have grub with me--I mean lunch. I must get used to calling it that while I'm in New York." "Yes, thank you. I've got a good appetite since that tussel with Wakely." "You had nerve to tackle him." "I thought he was going to cut the rope and let you drop." "If he had, that would have been the end of me. I'd have 'passed in my chips,' as the card players say." "Those card players! I'd like to meet them. I'd get even with them for stealing my watch and diamond!" "Maybe you'll have a chance, when we round up Annister." "If we ever do. But I imagine he's too slick a criminal to be caught." "We'll see," said Roy. "What would you like to do this afternoon?" asked De Royster, when the meal was finished. "I can show you some sights if you'd like to see them." "I sure would. I haven't had much time so far. There wasn't a great deal to see in that tenement." "Then we'll go up to Bronx Park. We can make a quick trip in the subway." "That's the place I thought was a tunnel, and I was wondering when we would come to the end," and Roy laughed at the memory of his natural mistake. The two friends had a good time in the Park, looking at the animals. The herd of buffalo interested Roy very much, as did the elephants, tigers, and other beasts from tropical countries, for he had never seen any before, since no circuses ever came to Painted Stone, nor anywhere in that vicinity. "You haven't got any of these out West; have you?" asked Mortimer De Royster, with a New Yorker's usual pride in the big Zoo. "No, and we don't want 'em." "Why not?"