Chapter 10: Jolly Old Schoolmates

⁠​​​‌​​​​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌⁠Evidently the swindler had dropped from the roof to the upper landing of the fire escape. He was now almost to the bottom.

"Stop!" cried Tom, but he knew the command was a useless one. At the sound of his voice Merrick looked up and muttered something the boy could not catch. Then he swung himself from the bottom landing of the fire escape and dropped to the ground.

"If he can get down that way, so