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226 other man left and it's got to be made up. I don't want the Board of Health here, condemning the place."

Even with all the cleaning that was done, it looked as if the Board should take some action, Ned thought.

Meanwhile William and Bart had, that same evening, visited several lodging houses. They met with no success, though the proprietors described boys who bore a resemblance to Ned, but who had only stopped one night and had then disappeared.

"We'll find him," said William, more cheerfully than he felt.

The two boys were walking down a side street, approaching a lodging-house they intended to visit. It was one they had not yet inspected. It was about eight o'clock and was blowing up cold. There was a feeling of snow in the air, and the boys buttoned their coats closely around them.

"Hope Ned doesn't have to stay out in the storm like I did," said William.

"So do I," chimed in Bart. "I hate to think about it."

"We'll try this place," William went on, as they reached the entrance to the lodging house. In the hallway a gas jet burned, and, as the lads