The Grammar School Boys in Summer Athletics | Page 8

a
reward of twenty-five hundred dollars for the lucky fellow who finds
this inventor with the monkey wrenches in his brain."
"What does the man look like?" asked Dick.
The tall man in black overheard the question and wheeled quickly.
"Amos Garwood is the missing man," said the tall man. "He is
forty-seven years of age, about five feet eight in height, slightly
stooped, very pallid and with cheeks slightly sunken. When last seen

Amos Garwood was rather poorly dressed. He has just escaped from a
sanitarium, and the only person who has seen him since reports that he
looked 'hunted' and anxious, and that his cheeks were considerably
sunken. Garwood has dark hair, slightly gray at the temples. He
probably weighs about-----"
"Pardon me, sir," Dick interposed. "What kind of beard does the
missing man wear?"
"Dick Prescott has found him," laughed one man in the crowd.
"Garwood has no beard at all, save for what there may be for three or
four days' lack of shaving," quickly replied the tall man.
"Where is the missing man, Dick?" laughed another man in the crowd.
"Yes; Dick has found him," called another.
"I rather think so," Dick nodded. "At least, I believe our crowd has seen
Garwood very lately."
Prescott's evident confidence aroused instant curiosity.
"Where?" demanded a dozen voices quickly.
"I wish you young men wouldn't answer, but just come with me," spoke
the tall man quickly. "If your information proves correct, and we find
the missing man, the reward will be yours."
Dick turned to nod to his companions, as the tall man in black turned to
lead the way. Their guide, after making sure that Prescott was at his
side, walked rapidly down the street a few doors, halting before the
street door of one of the office buildings.
"Come upstairs and tell Lawyer Ripley whatever you know," requested
the tall man.
"I don't believe you'll find him in Sundays," replied Dick.

"We shall to-day," responded their guide confidently. "Mr. Ripley is
helping us in this search."
This, then, looked like proof that the Garwood family was well-to-do,
for Lawyer Ripley seldom worked for small fees.
Running ahead, the tall man threw open the door of the lawyer's office.
"Mr. Ripley," he called, "here are some boys who think they have seen
Amos Garwood. Probably these youngsters are half dreaming, yet they
may have some information of value."
"I know these boys," nodded the lawyer, looking up, "and they are
dependable. They are good, bright boys. Prescott, come forward and
tell me just what you know, or think you know."
"First of all, sir," urged Dick, "let me give the best description I can of
the man we've seen."
"A good idea," nodded Mr. Ripley. "Go ahead."
Nor had young Prescott been engaged very long in his task of
description before the tall man broke in excitedly:
"That's our man, beyond a question! Where did you see him? When?"
Dick hastily recounted the strange happenings at the supposedly
untenanted cottage of the old water-works project.
"We must get there without delay," called the tall man to two other men
who, so far, had kept in the background in the lawyer's office, but who
had been deeply interested hearers. "One of you boys must go up there
with us. How far is it from here?"
"Come through into my rear office," suggested Mr. Ripley, "and I can
show you the spot from a window. Come along, Prescott, and tell me if
I'm right. Hello! There seems to be some trouble up that way," added
Mr. Ripley, as he reached one of the windows at the rear.

"There's a fire up there under the hill," cried Dick Prescott, as he
pressed forward to another window. "Mr. Ripley, from the location of
the smoke, I should say that the cottage itself is afire!"
"And I believe you're right," agreed the lawyer.
"Poor Amos!" groaned the tall man. "The poor fellow may have set fire
to the place to destroy himself! Ripley, I can't wait here, inactive,
another second. We must start! Can I get a cab here?"
"I think I can get an automobile for you inside of five minutes," replied
the lawyer, hurriedly leading the way to the front office.
"Five minutes?" groaned the stranger. "Why not wait a year?"
"An automobile will save you much more than five minutes' time on
the way," returned the lawyer, snatching up his desk telephone.
"Central, give me 163-J in a hurry!"
A few minutes later the automobile was at the door. The tall stranger
and two other men who had been in the lawyer's office were now on the
sidewalk.
"Crowd on all the speed you can, my man," appealed the tall stranger.
"If you get into any trouble with the authorities I'll pay