“Yes. I want you and Patsy to go out to Brookline and see what you can discover at Badger’s place,” replied Nick. “I don’t want you to be seen about there, however.” “H’m! Let us alone to be discreet.” “His estate is backed by quite an extensive woodland, through which you can easily approach after locating the place.” “That will be an advantage.” “Take what time you require,” added Nick, “and learn how many men are employed in and about the house and stable. Also learn how many automobiles and horses he keeps. Several of these hold-ups have been committed by horsemen, and I wish to learn what Badger owns in both lines.” “Automobiles and horses?” “Exactly.” “We’ll ferret out the whole business, Mr. Carter, trust us for that,” cried Patsy, impatient to be at work. “Meantime,” said Nick, rising, “I’ll employ myself as stated. It is now half-past ten. You may require three or four hours to learn what I would like to know, so we will plan to meet here again about an hour or two before dinner, say at four o’clock.” “That will give us ample time,” declared Chick. “We’ll be here at four sharp.” “You’ll find me here,” said Nick, with no thought that anything would occur to prevent him. The three left the house together, parting at the Washington Street door, both Chick and Patsy heading for the subway to take a Brookline trolley car. Neither so much as dreamed, however, that many an anxious hour would pass before they again saw Nick’s familiar face or heard his genial voice. CHAPTER X. THE ANCHOR TO WINDWARD. As he had stated to his assistants before leaving the Adams House that morning, Nick Carter hastened down to State Street to see what he could learn about Amos Badger. With his wide acquaintance and friendly relations with the bankers and brokers, both in New York and Boston, it was an easy matter for Nick to ascertain, without disclosing his motives, the facts which he aimed to discover. He learned from perfectly reliable sources that Badger, who had no partner in business, was heavily long of stocks in the market, a market that had been steadily declining for months; also, that his loan-account on this class of collateral had been repeatedly subjected to calls for additional margins, which were known to have been met only with considerable difficulty and delay. In a nutshell, Nick easily discovered that Badger had for months been in financial hot water, yet had succeeded in tiding himself along up to date. Nick now thought he could guess by what desperate means this man was raising the funds required to meet his increasing obligations from day to day. Incidentally, however, Nick learned other facts for which he was not specially seeking, yet which further confirmed the theory he had so shrewdly formed.