turned back to the tenement, which was a building four stories high. On one side was something of an alleyway and beyond were other tenements, and the rear of a big building used for a factory and offices.
Tom found the front door of the tenement wide open and he did not hesitate to go in. Nobody was in sight, but he heard hasty footsteps on the floor above.
"Merrick! you might as well give up!" he called out. "Come down here!"
"Go on about your business, young fellow!" came the reply. "If you try to follow me you'll get the worst of it."
Undaunted by this threat, Tom mounted the stairs two steps at a time. As he did so he heard Merrick go up a second flight and then a third.
"Must think he can hide on the roof," thought Tom. "Well, I'll corner him if I can."
As Tom ran through the hallway on the third floor a door opened and an old woman confronted him.
"What do yez want here?" she demanded, in strong Irish accents.
"I am after a thief," answered Tom.
"A thafe! Sure an' there's no thafe in this house."
"He just ran in here from the street."
