At　the　corner　the　Sagger　crowd　was　waiting　for　him。　　One　gave　a　low　whistle；　and　all　slunk　out　of　sight　until　Joe　had　passed。
  Several　blocks　had　been　covered　when　our　hero　came　to　a　spot　where　several　new　buildings　were　in　the　course　of　construction。　　It　was　rather　dark　and　the　street　lights　cast　long　and　uncertain　shadows　along　the　walk。
  Joe　had　just　started　to　cross　a　wooden　bridge　over　an　excavation　when　he　heard　a　rush　behind　him。　　Before　he　could　turn　he　was　given　a　violent　shove。
  〃Push　him　into　de　cellar　hole！〃　came；　in　Jack　Sagger's　voice。
  〃Stop！〃　cried　Joe；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that　he　was　greatly　alarmed。　　But　no　attention　was　paid　to　his　words；　and　over　the　side　of　the　bridge　he　went；　to　fall　a　distance　of　a　dozen　feet　and　land　in　a　pile　of　dirt；　with　one　lower　limb　in　a　puddle　of　dirty　water。
  〃Down　he　goes！〃　he　heard；　in　the　voice　of　Nick　Sammel。　　〃Wonder　how　he　likes　it？〃
  〃You're　a　mean；　low　crowd！〃　cried　Joe；　as　he　stood　up。　　He　was　covered　with　dirt　and　the　cold　water　felt　anything　but　agreeable　on　such　a　frosty　night　as　it　chanced　to　be。
  〃Don't　you　dare　to　crawl　out　of　dat！〃　said　Sagger。　　〃If　yer　do　we'll　pitch　yer　in　ag'in；　won't　we；　fellers？〃
  〃Sure　we　will！〃　was　the　cry。
  〃De　next　time　we'll　dump　him　in　on　his　head！〃
  Growing　somewhat　accustomed　to　the　semi…darkness；　Joe　counted　seven　of　his　tormentors；　all　standing　on　the　edge　of　the　cellar　hole　into　which　he　had　so　unceremoniously　been　thrown。　Several　of　the　youths　had　heavy　sticks。
  〃I　suppose　I'll　have　to　retreat；〃　he　reasoned　〃I　can't　fight　seven　of　them。〃
  He　turned　to　the　rear　of　the　cellar　hole　and　felt　his　way　along　into　the　deepest　shadows。　Presently　he　reached　a　partly　finished　building　and　crawled　up　some　planks　leading　to　one　of　the　floors。
  〃He　is　running　away！〃　he　heard　Jack　Sagger　cry。
  〃Come　on　after　him！〃　said　another　of　the　crowd。
  〃Let's　take　his　new　coat　and　vest　away　from　him！〃　added　a　third。
  The　entire　party　dropped　down　into　the　hole　and　ran　to　the　rear；　in　a　hunt　after　our　hero。　In　the　meantime　Joe　was　feeling　his　way　along　a　scaffolding　where　some　masons　had　been　at　work。
  As　it　happened　the　entire　party　under　Jack　Sagger　walked　toward　the　unfinished　building　and　came　to　a　halt　directly　under　the　scaffolding。　　Joe　saw　them　and　crouched　back　out　of　sight。
  〃Where　is　de　country　jay？〃　he　heard　one　of　the　crowd　ask。
  〃He's　back　here　somewhere；〃　answered　Jack　Sagger。　　〃We　must　find　him　an'　thump　him　good。〃
  〃You'll　not　thump　me　if　I　can　help　it；〃　said　our　hero　to　himself。
  Joe　put　out　his　hand　and　felt　a　cask　near　by。　It　was　half　filled　with　dirty　water；　being　used　for　the　purposes　of　making　mortar。　　A　tub　of　water　was　beside　the　cask。
  〃Tit　for　tat！〃　he　thought；　and　as　quickly　as　it　could　be　done　he　overturned　the　cask　and　the　tub　followed。
  Joe's　aim　was　perfect；　and　down　came　the　shower　of　dirty　water；　directly　on　the　heads　of　the　boys　below。　　Every　one　was　saturated　and　each　set　up　a　yell　of　dismay。
  〃Oh；　say；　I'm　soaked！〃
  〃He　trun　water　all　over　me！〃
  〃Ugh！　but　dat's　a　regular　ice　bath；　dat　is！〃
  〃That's　what　you　get　for　throwing　me　into　the　hole！〃　cried　Joe。　　〃After　this　you　had　better　leave　me　alone。〃
  〃I've　got　some　mortar　in　me　eye！〃　screamed　Jack　Sagger；　dancing　around　in　pain。　　〃Oh；　me　eye　is　burned　out！〃
  〃I'm　wet　to　de　skin！〃　said　Nick　Sammel；　with　a　shiver。　　〃Oh；　say；　but　it's　dead　cold；　ain't　it？〃
  Waiting　to　hear　no　more；　Joe　ran　along　the　scaffolding　and　then　leaped　through　a　window　of　the　unfinished　building。　　A　street　light　now　guided　him　and　he　came　out　through　the　back　of　the　structure　and　into　an　alleyway。　　From　this　he　made　his　way　to　the　street。
  〃I'll　have　to　hurry；〃　he　reasoned。　　〃If　they　catch　me　now　they　will　want　to　half　kill　me！〃
  〃Don't　let　him　git　away！〃　he　heard　Sagger　roar。　　〃Catch　him！　Catch　him！〃
  〃Hold　on　there；　you　young　rascals！〃　came　a　voice　out　of　the　darkness。　　〃What　are　you　doing　around　these　buildings？〃
  A　watchman　had　come　on　the　scene；　with　a　lantern　in　one　hand　and　a　heavy　club　in　the　other。
  〃We　ain't　doin'　nuthin；〃　said　one　of　the　boys。
  〃Maybe　you're　the　gang　that　stole　that　lumber　a　couple　of　nights　ago；〃　went　on　the　watchman；　coming　closer。
  〃Ain't　touched　yer　lumber；〃　growled　Jack　Sagger。
  〃We're　after　anudder　feller　wot　hid　in　here；〃　said　Sammel。
  〃That's　a　likely　story。　　I　believe　you　are　nothing　but　a　crowd　of　young　thieves；〃　grumbled　the　watchman。　　〃Every　night　somebody　is　trying　to　steal　lumber　or　bricks；　or　something。　I've　a　good　mind　to　make　an　example　of　you　and　have　you　all　locked　up。〃
  〃We　ain't　touched　a　thing！〃　cried　a　small　boy；　and　began　to　back　away　in　alarm。　　At　once　several　followed　him。
  〃Here's　a　barrel　of　water　knocked　over　and　everything　in　a　mess。　　You've　been　skylarking；　too。　　I'm　going　to　have　you　locked　up！〃
  The　watchman　made　a　dash　after　the　boys　and　the　crowd　scattered　in　all　directions。　　Sagger　received　a　crack　on　the　shoulder　that　lamed　him　for　a　week；　and　Sammel　tripped　and　went　down；　taking　the　skin　off　of　the　end　of　his　nose。
  〃Oh；　me　nose！〃　he　moaned。　　〃It's　busted　entirely！〃
  〃Run！〃　cried　Sagger。　　〃If　you　don't　you'll　be　nabbed　sure！〃　And　then　the　crowd　ran　with　all　their　speed；　scrambling　out　of　the　hole　as　best　they　could。　　They　did　not　stop　until　they　were　half　a　dozen　blocks　away　and　on　their　way　home。
  〃We　made　a　fizzle　of　it　dat　trip；〃　said　Sagger；　dolefully。
  〃It's　all　your　fault；〃　growled　one　of　the　boys。　　〃I　ain't　goin'　out　wid　you　again。　　You　promise　big　things　but　you　never　do　'em。〃
  〃Oh；　Jack　's　a　gas…bag；　dat's　wot　he　is；〃　was　the　comment　of　another；　and　he　walked　off　by　himself。　　Presently　one　after　another　of　the　boys　followed　suit；　leaving　Jack　Sagger　to　sneak　home；　a　sadder　if　not　a　wiser　lad。
  CHAPTER　XXI。
  DAYS　AT　THE　HOTEL。
  〃Perhaps　those　fellows　have　learned　a　lesson　they　won't　forget　in　a　hurry；〃　remarked　Frank　to　Joe；　after　he　learned　the　particulars　of　the　attack　in　the　dark。
  〃I　hope　they　don't　molest　me　further；〃　answered　our　hero。　　〃If　they'll　only　let　me　alone　I'll　let　them　alone。〃
  〃That　Sagger　is　certainly　on　the　downward　path；〃　said　Frank。　〃If　he　doesn't　look　out　he'll　land　in　jail。〃
  What　Frank　said　was　true；　and　less　than　a　week　later　they　heard　through　another　hotel　boy　that　Jack　Sagger　had　been　arrested　for　stealing　some　lead　pipe　out　of　a　vacant　residence。　The　pipe　had　been　sold　to　a　junkman　for　thirty　cents　and　the　boy　had　spent　the　proceeds　on　a　ticket　for　a　cheap　theater　and　some　cigarettes。　　He　was　sent　to　the　House　of　Correction；　and　that　was　the　last　Joe　heard　of　him。
  With　the　coming　of　winter　the　hotel　filled　up　and　Joe　was　kept　busy　from　morning　to　night；　so　that　he　had　little　time　for　studying。　He　performed　his　duties　faithfully　and　the　hotel　proprietor　was　much　pleased　in　consequence。
  〃Joe　is　all　right；〃　he　said　to　his　cashier；　〃I　can　trust　him　with　anything。〃
  〃That's　so；　and　he　is　very　gentlemanly；　too；〃　replied　the　cashier。
  Ulmer　Montgomery　was　still　at　the　hotel。　He　was　now　selling　antiquaries；　and　our　hero　often　watched　the　fellow　with　interest。　He　suspected　that　Montgomery　was　a　good　deal　of　a　humbug；　but　could　not　prove　it。
  At　length　Montgomery　told　Joe　that　he　was　going　to　the　far　West　to　try　his　fortunes。　　The　man　seemed　to　like　our　hero；　and　the　night　before　he　left　the　hotel　he　called　Joe　into　his　room。
  〃I　want　to　make　you　a　present　of　some　books　I　own；〃　said　Ulmer　Montgomery。　　〃Perhaps　you'll　like　to　read　them。　　They　are　historical　works。〃
  〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Montgomery；　you　are　very　kind。〃
  〃I　used　to　be　a　book　agent；　but　I　gave　that　up　as　it　didn't　pay　me　as　well　as　some　other　things。〃
  〃And　you　had　these　books　left　over？〃
  〃Yes。　　The　firm　I　worked　for　wouldn't　take　them　back　so　I　had　to　keep　them。〃
  〃And　now　you　are　selling　curiosities。〃
  At　this　Ulmer　Montgomery　smiled　blandly。
  〃Not　exactly；　JoeI　only　sell　curiosities；　or　antiquities；　when　I　am　hard　up。　　On　other　occasions　I　do　like　other　folks；　work　for　a　living。〃
  〃I　don't　quite　understand。〃
  〃I　dropped　into　selling　curiosities　when　I　was　in　the　South　and　hard　up　for　cash。　　I　wanted　money　the　worst　way；　and　Iwell；　I　set　to　work　to　raise　it。　　Maybe　you'd　like　to　hear　my　story。〃
  〃I　would。〃
  〃Mind　you；　I　don't　pose　as　a　model　of　goodness　and　I　shouldn't　advise　you　to　follow　in　my　footsteps。　　But　I　wanted　money　and　wanted　in　badly。　　So　I　put　on　my　thinking　cap；　and　I　soon　learned　of　a　very　zealous　antiquary　living　about　five　miles　from　where　I　was　stopping。　　He　was　wealthy　and　a　bachelor；　and　spent　no　inconsiderable　portion　of　his　income　on　curiosities。〃
  〃And　you　went　to　him？〃　said　Joe；　becoming　interested。
  〃I　at　once　determined　to　take　advantage　of　this　gentleman's　antiquarian　zeal。　　I　will　own　that　I　had　some　qualms　of　conscienceabout　imposing　upon　the　old　gentleman；　but　I　didn't　know　of　any　other　way　to　procure　the　money　I　absolutely　needed。
  〃Having　made　all　of　my　preparations；　I　set　off　for　Mr。　Leland's　house。　　To　disguise　myself　I　put　on　a　pair　of　big　goggles　and　an　old…fashioned　collar　and　tie。
  〃　'I　understand；　Mr。　Leland；　that　you　are　in　the　habit　of　collecting　curiosities；'　I　said。
  〃　'Quite　right；　sir；'　said　he。　　'I　have　got　together　some　few；'　and　he　gazed　with　an　air