His steps became faster and faster, as though he were trying to run away from the sound. Every one was staring at him in amazement. The giggles and guffaws of the crowd became louder. The shouts of the small boys were more insistent. Across Con Riley's mind flitted certain phrases of Chet Morton. "Your time will come.... You're the only man who can wake this city up.... We shall see that your qualities of leadership are recognized...." With a mutter of wrath he flung the tinkling package into the nearest alley. A uniformed street cleaner who was just emerging from the alley received the package full in the chest and sat down very suddenly. He flung the package back at Riley. The crowd whooped with glee. The package fell into the street, the bell still ringing, and one of the small boys picked it up and ran after Riley, asking if he wanted it back. Thus he was pursued to the police station until the bell of the alarm clock ceased to ring, and only then did the crowd scatter. Mopping his brow, flushed with anger, Riley took refuge in the station and vowed vengeance in the future on all the boys in Bayport, particularly high school boys, most especially Chet Morton's gang, and most absolutely and positively Chet Morton himself. As for that worthy, in company with his chums, he had witnessed the alarm clock parade from a convenient corner across the street and was now limply making his way toward the Hardys' barn, pausing every now and then to burst into shrieks of laughter at the remembrance of Riley's undignified flight. But when the Hardy boys and their chums reached the house they found their father hastening down the front steps. "I just had a telephone message from the police station," he said. "What's the matter?" asked Frank, while the other lads looked at one another guiltily. Had Riley reported them? "Paul Blum has escaped from jail," said Fenton Hardy. CHAPTER XV THE CHASE "When?" asked the Hardy boys quickly, in response to their father's announcement of Paul Blum's escape. "Just a few minutes ago. At least that was when they discovered it. He managed to get out into the jail yard for some exercise, and in some way the guard's attention was distracted. Blum piled up a couple of old boxes against the wall and was over before any one saw him." "I wonder where he would go?" "The police are watching the roads and the trains. I don't think he can get out of the city that way. But I have an idea he has accomplices here, and if he can he'll join them and they'll see that he is smuggled out all right. I was going to suggest that you fellows take the motorboat and keep an eye on the bay." "Good idea!" exclaimed Frank, who never needed an excuse to take the boat out. "Come on, Joe. Come on, Chet." "I'll go out in dad's boat," volunteered Tony Prito. "Fine!" agreed the others, and the boys hastened down the street in the direction of the boathouses.