diff options
Diffstat (limited to '37673.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 37673.txt | 6464 |
1 files changed, 6464 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/37673.txt b/37673.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42565c1 --- /dev/null +++ b/37673.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6464 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Ned Wilding's Disappearance, by Allen Chapman + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Ned Wilding's Disappearance + or, The Darewell Chums in the City + +Author: Allen Chapman + +Release Date: October 9, 2011 [EBook #37673] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NED WILDING'S DISAPPEARANCE *** + + + + +Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + NED WILDING'S + DISAPPEARANCE + + Or + + The Darewell Chums + in the City + + BY + + ALLEN CHAPMAN + + AUTHOR OF "BART STIRLING'S ROAD TO SUCCESS," "WORKING + HARD TO WIN," "BOUND TO SUCCEED," "THE YOUNG + STOREKEEPER," "NAT BORDEN'S FIND," ETC. + + [Illustration: _The_ + GOLDSMITH + _Publishing Co._ + CLEVELAND OHIO + + MADE IN U.S.A.] + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1908, BY + CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY + + + + +CONTENTS + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. THE NEW GUN 1 + II. PREPARING FOR A HUNT 8 + III. OFF IN THE WOODS 15 + IV. THE FIRST TURKEY 19 + V. THE BLIZZARD 23 + VI. A LONELY CABIN 30 + VII. HOME FOR THANKSGIVING 38 + VIII. GETTING SQUARE WITH SANDY 45 + IX. SANTA CLAUS IN SCHOOL 52 + X. WRECK OF THE TOWER 61 + XI. NED GETS A LETTER 69 + XII. NED STARTS OFF 77 + XIII. STARTLING NEWS 85 + XIV. NED'S BUSINESS VENTURE 94 + XV. IN TROUBLE 103 + XVI. ADRIFT IN NEW YORK 111 + XVII. THE CHUMS ARRIVE 120 + XVIII. HUNTING FOR NED 125 + XIX. DOWN THE ROPE 132 + XX. IN THE LODGING HOUSE 143 + XXI. NED FLEES AGAIN 149 + XXII. OUT IN THE STORM 159 + XXIII. NED'S PREDICAMENT 168 + XXIV. A QUEER IDENTIFICATION 175 + XXV. NED SHOVELS SNOW 187 + XXVI. CASSIDY CATCHES NED 197 + XXVII. BAFFLED AGAIN 216 + XXVIII. NED A PRISONER 222 + XXIX. NED IS FOUND--CONCLUSION 229 + + + + +NED WILDING'S DISAPPEARANCE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE NEW GUN + + +The Keene household was suddenly aroused from peacefulness, one quiet +afternoon, by a loud thud as if something had fallen. It was followed by +a report like an explosion. Then, from Bart's room, sounded a series of +yells. + +"Wow! Ouch! Jimminities!" + +"He's hurt!" exclaimed his sister Alice, as she ran toward her brother's +room. As she entered she saw him running about the apartment, which was +filled with smoke, holding one hand in the other. Drops of blood were +coming from his fingers. + +"What's the matter? Are you hurt?" asked Alice. "Oh, Bart, are you +really hurt?" + +"Am I hurt? Do you think I'm doing this for fun? Where's mother?" + +"She's gone out. I'm the only one home." + +"Get a rag or something, will you please Alice?" and Bart danced around +on one leg, holding the other limb out so stiffly that he knocked over +several chairs. + +"Is your leg hurt too, Bart?" + +"No, it's only my three fingers." + +"But you stuck one leg out so I thought that was injured also." + +"I'd stick 'em both out if it would only ease this pain any! Maybe my +fingers will have to come off!" + +"Oh, Bart! What did it?" + +"My new gun. I went to lay it down on the table and it fell to the floor +and went off. Did you hear it?" + +"I couldn't very well help it. Did the bullet go through your hand?" + +"It doesn't shoot bullets. It shoots shot, and I guess it only grazed a +few fingers. Most of the shot went into the wall," and Bart gazed at a +dark spot on the wall-paper, and then looked at his injured hand. "I +didn't think it would go off so easily," he added. + +"Oh, those horrid guns!" exclaimed the girl. "I just knew when papa let +you send for it--" + +"Say, Alice, if you ever intend to be a trained nurse you'd better get +to work on me before I faint!" cried Bart. "Now don't talk any more, +that's a good girl. Get a rag before I bleed to death." + +"Oh, Bart, I'm so sorry! Of course I'll fix you up. Wait until I get my +book," and Alice, whose ambition was to be a nurse and wear a blue and +white striped uniform, hurried to her room and came back with a little +book. On the cover was a red cross, and the inscription, "First Aid to +the Injured." + +"What kind of a wound is it, Bart?" Alice asked, rapidly turning the +leaves of the volume. + +"How should I know? It's a painful wound, if that's what you mean." + +"Oh, no! Is it incised or lacerated or a contused one? Because you see I +have to give it different kind of treatment if it's an incised wound +than I would if it's a lacerated one." + +"Oh, give me any kind of treatment!" and Bart began to dance around +again. "The shot grazed my fingers, that's all I know!" + +"I guess that's a lacerated wound," Alice replied a little doubtfully, +as she took a look at her brother's bleeding hand. Then she turned to +the page of the book that treated of lacerated hurts and read: + +"'These wounds have ragged edges and the skin is torn and bruised.'" + +"That's me all right," interrupted Bart. + +"'They result from force so applied as to tear rather than cut the +tissues cleanly,'" the girl read on. + +"Oh, I'm cut all right," put in Bart. "Hurry up Alice, stick some court +plaster on and let it go at that." + +"Why, Bart Keene! I'm ashamed of you! The idea of me putting such a +common remedy as court plaster on a wound! Why, you'd get bloodpoison +and other dreadful things! I must treat this just as I expect to treat +other wounds when I get to be a trained nurse." + +"You'll never get to be one at this rate," Bart cut in. + +"'They are caused by railway and machinery accidents,'" Alice read on, +"'by falling timbers, stones and brick. Such wounds are frequently +followed by shock.'" + +"Well, this wasn't a railroad accident, nor one caused by falling bricks +or timber," Bart retorted. "I guess it will come under the head of +machinery. A gun's machinery, I s'pose. But I can testify to the shock. +Wow!" and, as a sudden spasm of pain seized him, he snatched his hand +from the grasp of his sister and again began dancing around on one leg. + +"Hold still! How can I treat the wound if you jerk around that way?" +demanded Alice. + +"Treat the wound! You aren't treating any wound!" retorted Bart. "I +could treat ten wounds in that time! All you're doing is talk! If Fenn +Masterson or Ned Wilding was here they'd have a rag around this long +ago." + +"Yes, and it would probably be full of germs and other things and you'd +be dead of lock-jaw," said Alice calmly. "Now Bart, come here. I know +what kind of a wound it is, and I must see how to fix it," and once more +securing her brother's hand for examination, she began to leaf over the +book. + +"'Treatment,'" she read. "'Cleanse the wound thoroughly with warm water, +lay a wet cloth over it and bandage lightly. If symptoms of shock are +present they must receive careful attention. See page twenty-two.'" + +"Never mind the shock, just get a rag on these fingers before I lose all +the blood I've got and we'll talk shock afterward," interrupted Bart. + +Then Alice, laying aside her book, brought some warm water in a basin, +and some soft cloths, and soon had Bart's hand tied up in a sling. + +"You've got enough rags on here to make my hand look as big as my head," +objected the boy, as he gazed at the bandage his sister had adjusted. + +"You don't want to catch cold in it," she replied. "It is very chilly +to-day. I think we're going to have more snow." + +"Ought to have some, with Thanksgiving here in about a week," replied +Bart. + +"How did you get hurt?" asked his sister again. + +"I was examining my new shotgun. It just came--Hark! Who's that calling?" + +"Oh, some of the boys I s'pose," and Alice went to the window and looked +down to the street, whence came a series of shrill whistles. + +"Raise the window and I'll yell to 'em to come up," said Bart. + +"Don't you come near this window," commanded Alice. "You forget you're +under treatment. If you should catch cold in that hand it might be +terrible! I'll call the boys. You go back in that corner." + +Then, as Bart meekly obeyed, Alice raised the sash and called: + +"Come up, boys! Bart is hurt and can't come down!" + +"They'll think I'm in bed," her brother objected. + +A few seconds later there sounded the noise of several feet on the +stairs. A moment afterward three lads hurried into the room. They had +just come from school, but Bart had not attended the afternoon session. + +"Hello Frank!" cried Bart. "Howdy, Stumpy? How are you, Ned?" + +"What's the matter?" asked Ned, noticing the bandage on Bart's hand. + +"Oh, hurt myself with the gun. Went off before I was ready." + +"The gun!" exclaimed Frank. + +"Got a new gun?" asked Fenn. + +"Let's see it," demanded Ned. + +"Here she is," exclaimed Bart, and then, forgetting his sore hand, he +took from the corner a fine shotgun. "It's a beauty," he went on. "It's +got patent--" + +"Oh! Oh!" screamed Alice. "Your hand!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +PREPARING FOR A HUNT + + +"What's the matter with my hand?" asked Bart holding the gun in the one +that had been injured. + +"Why you've taken it from the sling. The blood will rush to it +and--and--" + +"Oh, I guess it's all right," spoke Bart carelessly, as he held up the +gun. "You see fellows, this is the patent ejector, and the barrels--" + +"Well of all things!" exclaimed Alice. "I spend a lot of time fixing up +your injury and you go and undo all my work in a minute. I never saw +such a boy!" + +"How did you hurt yourself?" asked Ned. + +"I had just loaded both barrels and put the gun on the table. It fell +off and something hit one of the triggers or the hammers and it banged +out like a cannon. My hand was in the way, that's all." + +"Hurt much?" inquired Fenn. + +"Not much," was Bart's careless answer. + +But an exclamation of pain escaped him as he hit his bruised fingers +against the gun stock. + +"There!" exclaimed Alice. "I knew you'd do something wrong. Now I suppose +it will start bleeding again," and she turned back as if to undo the +bandage. + +"Never mind!" spoke Bart quickly. "I'll stick some court plaster on if +it does. Say Alice get us some cake and lemonade, please." + +Alice agreed and while she prepared the beverage and got some cakes from +the pantry, in which interval the four boys talked nothing but gun, +there is an opportunity of making you better acquainted with them. It's +hard to be introduced to a person when he has sustained a smashed thumb, +so it is, perhaps, just as well that the formal presentation was +postponed until now. + +Bart Keene, Ned Wilding, Frank Roscoe and Fenn Masterson, (who was +called Stumpy, for short, because of his rather limited height and +breadth of beam), were four boys who lived in the town of Darewell. +This was located not far from Lake Erie, on the Still River, a stream +in which the boys fished, swam and upon which they spent many hours in +their big rowboat. + +With the exception of Frank Roscoe, the boys lived in the heart of the +town. Their parents were fairly well off, and the boys had been chums +since they attended primary school together. In fact, when their +companionship continued on through the grammar school and into the high +school, they became such a town fixture, in a way, that they were known +as "The Darewell Chums." + +Those of you who have read the first volume of this series, entitled +"The Heroes of the School," know what sort of lads the four were. Those +of you who are meeting them for the first time may be glad of a little +sketch of their characters. + +Frank lived with his uncle, Abner Dent, about a mile out of town. Mr. +Dent was a rich farmer, and Frank had resided with him as long as he +could remember. He could not recall his father or mother, and his uncle +seldom mentioned them. Frank was rather a strange sort of boy. His chums +were very fond of him, but they could not quite make out the curious air +of mystery about him. Frank seemed to have some secret, but his chums +never asked him what it was, though of late years his odd ways, at +times, had attracted their attention. + +Ned Wilding was an impulsive, lively chap, full of fun, and given to +playing tricks, which sometimes got him into mischief. He was rather +thoughtless, but never mean, and when his actions did result in trouble +for others Ned was always ready and anxious to make reparation. Ned's +mother was dead and he lived with his father who was cashier of the +Darewell bank. + +As for Bart, he was so fond of sports, from baseball and swimming to +snowballing and skating, that he was seldom still long enough to study +his lessons. + +Fenn, or Stumpy Masterson, had only one failing as far as his chums were +concerned. He was "sweet" on the girls, as they called it. Fenn would go +to considerable trouble to walk home with a girl. His chums made all +sorts of fun of him, but he did not seem to mind much. His especial +favorite was Jennie Smith, who was quite fond of poetry and who liked to +recite and act. + +As told in the first volume, the boys, during the summer preceding the +winter in which this story opens, had taken part in some strange +adventures. They discovered that some men in the neighborhood of the +town were acting very queerly, and they resolved to find what it meant. +One day they went up in a captive balloon at a fair, and the restraining +cable broke. The four chums were carried off in the airship high above +the clouds. + +The boys were detained as prisoners aboard a barge on the river, +because it was learned they knew something of the mystery the strangely +acting men were trying to keep hidden. By dint of much pluck and hard +work the boys managed to solve the affair, and, in order to avoid a +law-suit, the men involved offered the boys one thousand dollars each, +in valuable oil stock. This they accepted and their parents and +relatives did not prosecute the men, as they originally intended, for +detaining the boys on the barge. + +"Here's the lemonade!" cried Ned, as Alice came in with a big pitcherful +while the chums were examining Bart's gun. He took it from the girl, as +it was quite heavy. + +"Now I'll get the cakes and glasses," Alice said. + +"Let me help you," begged Fenn. + +"Here, you quit that!" called Ned. + +"Quit what?" + +"Walking downstairs with Alice. I'll tell Jennie on you, Stumpy!" + +"Oh, you dry up!" cried Fenn, and, despite the boys' laughter Fenn +accompanied Bart's sister to the next floor, where he got the cake and +glasses. + +"Stumpy's as bad as ever," commented Frank. "He reminds me of--" Frank +did not finish his sentence. + +"Reminds you of what?" asked Ned. "There you go again, beginning a thing +and not finishing it." + +"I guess I'll not say it. Doesn't make any difference," and Frank turned +aside and gazed out of the window. + +Bart and Ned looked at each other. It was a peculiarity of Frank's to +begin to say something, and then seem to recollect a matter that made +him change his mind. But his chums were now used to his strangeness. + +"Where'd you get that gun, Bart?" asked Fenn as he came in with the +cake. + +"Saw it advertised in a catalog, and sent to New York for it." + +"How much?" + +"Eighteen dollars. It was the first money I used of the thousand I got +from the 'King of Paprica'"--for such was the assumed name of the +principal man in the mystery the boys had cleared up. + +"From New York, eh?" spoke Ned. "That reminds me I have an invitation to +visit my uncle and aunt there." + +"That's so. You asked us to come and see you," added Bart. "Wish we +could go around Christmas time." + +"If the holiday vacation was longer maybe we could," remarked Ned. + +"Speaking of holidays, what's the matter with going hunting the end of +next week?" asked Bart. "I've got my gun, and you fellows have your +small rifles." + +"I can borrow a shotgun," put in Fenn. + +"This is Thursday," went on Bart. "School closes to-morrow for the +Thanksgiving celebration. Let's see, Thanksgiving is a week from to-day. +That would give us three days counting Monday, when we can start off. +Why not go on a shooting trip and stay a couple of nights in the woods? +It's not very cold, and we could take plenty of blankets." + +"The very thing!" cried Ned. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +OFF IN THE WOODS + + +The town of Darewell, though situated near the center of a well-populated +district, presented many advantages to the boys. There was the river to +fish in, and it was a deep enough stream to accommodate steamers and +barges up to a certain point. In addition there was, about five miles +from the place, the beginning of a stretch of unbroken forest, seldom +visited, and which in season contained much game. It was a favorite +hunting spot, but had not been over-run with gunners. + +The boys had, in past summers, camped along the river and in the woods, +but they had not penetrated far into the forest, as there were few roads +or trails through it. + +"Have we got everything?" asked Fenn, as they stood in the front yard of +Bart's house, early the next Monday morning. + +"I guess so," Ned replied. "I looked after the blankets and such stuff, +Bart saw to the tent and Frank to the portable stove and fixings. I +suppose you've got the food all packed, Stumpy?" + +"Everything." + +"Didn't forget the salt, did you, the way you did when we went camping +before and had to borrow of a tramp?" + +"There's lots of salt." + +"How about condensed milk?" asked Bart. "Remember how you dropped it in +the river that day?" + +"Do I? And how Ned howled because he had to drink black coffee." + +"Maybe we'd better take the sled along," suggested Ned, as he noticed it +was beginning to snow. "If it gets deep enough we can haul the things on +it, instead of on the wagon." + +The camp supplies, including a shelter tent, had been placed on a wagon, +on which they were to be taken to where the boys decided to make their +first camp. On the large vehicle was a smaller one, which the chums +could load with all their stuff and haul through the woods, in case they +found it advantageous to move to a section where there was better +hunting. + +"Wait a minute, I've got an idea!" exclaimed Bart. + +"Make a note of it before you forget it!" called Fenn. "Good ideas are +scarce." + +"We can take runners along for the small wagon," Bart went on, not +noticing his chum's sarcasm. "There are some adjustable ones I made a +couple of years ago. Then we'll be prepared for anything." + +The wagon was one the boys had built for themselves several seasons +past. They used to cart their camp outfit on it when they did not +transport the things by boat up or down the river. As Bart had said, +there were adjustable runners, which could be fitted over the wheels, +without taking them off, and thus on short notice the wagon could be +transformed into a sled. + +It was a crisp November day, with a suggestion of more cold to come, and +the first few flakes had been followed by others while the boys waited +until Bart, whose hand was almost well again, got the runners from the +cellar. + +"Looks as if we'd have quite a storm," remarked Jim Dodd, the driver of +the express wagon, whom the boys had hired to take their stuff to a +point about two miles inside the woods. The road, which was made by +lumbermen, came to an end there. "Yes sir," Jim went on, "it's goin' t' +be a good storm. You boys better stay home." + +"Not much!" cried Ned. "A storm is what we want." + +"I'd rather eat my Thanksgivin' turkey in a warm kitchen than in an old +tent," Jim added with a laugh. + +"Oh, we'll be home for Thanksgiving," Fenn said, "and we'll have plenty +of game to eat too." + +"Wish ye luck," was Jim's rejoinder. + +The adjustable runners were packed on the wagon, a last look given to +see that everything was in place, and then, about nine o'clock the start +was made. + +"Keep your thumb wrapped up!" Alice called after her brother. "Don't +take cold. Drink some hot ginger tea every night before you boys go to +bed. Keep your coats well buttoned up around your throats, don't get +your feet wet and--" + +"Say, give us the books, sis," called Bart good-naturedly, "we can't +remember all that. Good-bye!" + +"Good-bye!" called Alice, waving her hands to the chums. + +"Good-bye!" the four boys echoed. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE FIRST TURKEY + + +"I must say you boys has got grit," remarked Jim, as the wagon lurched +along, pitching like a ship in a storm because of the rough road. + +"Why?" asked Bart. + +"Leavin' your comfortable homes an' comin' out to a wilderness in +winter. Land! I'd no more think of doin' it than I would of flyin'." + +"Didn't you do such things when you were young?" asked Fenn. + +"Never had no time," the expressman said. "When I got a few days off I +had t' go t' th' woods an' chop cord-wood or tap trees for maple syrup." + +They jogged along for another mile or so, the road getting more and more +rough as they progressed. + +"Don't believe I can take you any farther," said Jim, as he brought his +wagon to a stop before a big bog-hole. For the last mile the road was +"corduroy," that is, made by laying small logs across it, close +together, like the ribs in corduroy cloth; whence its name. + +The boys helped the expressman to unload, and, with his aid they soon +had cleared a place among the trees for the tent. It was put up, and +then the camp stuff and provisions were taken inside. + +Stumpy quickly had ready a meal, which, if it was not elaborate, was +appetizing, and Jim who was invited to it had to acknowledge that the +coffee was good enough for anyone. + +"Now for a turkey hunt!" exclaimed Ned, when Jim had left and his wagon +was out of sight on the wood road. "We've got all the afternoon. Let's +get the guns and start out." + +The snow was coming down faster now, and the wind had increased. It was +not very cold, however, and they were warmly dressed so they did not +mind it. They had a compass with them, to avoid getting lost, and, +confident they would return laden with turkeys or rabbits, they tramped +on through the woods. + +"Say, fellows! Here's something!" cried Frank suddenly, pointing to some +tracks in the snow. His companions ran to where he stood. + +"Turkey tracks!" called Bart. "They're leading off into the woods, too! +Come on! We'll get some birds now!" + +The new-fallen snow deadened their footsteps or they would have +frightened all the game within a mile, the way they rushed through the +forest. They had never hunted wild turkeys, and did not know what shy +birds they are. + +So it was more by good luck than good management that they suddenly came +upon a small flock, gathered about a big gobbler. The birds were in a +little clearing, standing rather disconsolately about in the snow. + +Bart, who was leading, came to an abrupt halt as he saw the flock +through the bushes. He motioned for the others to remain quiet. Then he +carefully brought his gun to bear on the big gobbler. + +"Aren't you going to give us a shot?" asked Ned in a whisper. He and the +others were standing behind Bart, and could not get a fair aim at the +turkeys, as the trail was a narrow one and Bart occupied the most of it. + +The whisper, as it was, gave the alarm to the easily frightened birds. +The gobbler raised its head and sounded one note of warning. But Bart +shot at the instant. The flock scattered in all directions and the other +boys fired wildly in the hope of getting a bird. + +When the smoke had blown away the chums peered eagerly forward, +expecting to see at least four turkeys lying on the snow-covered ground. +Bart ran up, hoping the big gobbler had fallen to him. + +"Didn't we kill any?" asked Frank, as they saw nothing but turkey +tracks. + +"Looks as if we all missed," remarked Fenn. + +"No, here's one, and it's a fine one too!" exclaimed Frank, as he ran to +one side and picked up a plump hen from under a bush. + +"Who aimed at that one?" asked Bart, much disappointed at missing his +gobbler. + +"Hard to say," said Ned. "I guess we can all claim a share in it. We +each shot one-fourth of a turkey. Not so bad for a starter." + +"I'm out of it," Bart rejoined. "I aimed straight at the gobbler, and he +got away. It's a third of a bird apiece for you fellows." + +"Anyhow it is the first turkey of the hunt," observed Ned. + +"Yes, and my gun is christened," added Bart. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE BLIZZARD + + +"Now for some more game!" cried Ned, as Frank tied the legs of the +turkey and slung the bird across his back in true hunter fashion. + +"Guess we'll have to tramp a long distance before we get any more," +remarked Fenn. "All the turkeys for a mile around heard the guns and +they'll keep to deep cover." + +However the boys, ever hopeful, resumed their tramp. They found plenty +of turkey tracks but no birds, and, after covering several miles, +decided to make their way back to camp, as it was getting dark early on +account of the storm. + +They got the right direction, by means of the compass, and were within +about a mile of where they had set up the tent when Bart, who was ahead, +suddenly halted. + +"What is it?" asked Fenn, as he saw his chum aiming his gun up through +the low branches of a tree near which he had stopped. + +For answer Bart fired. There was a flutter of big wings, a protesting +gobble or two, and a big turkey cock fell to the ground. + +"There, I knew I'd get him!" Bart cried as he ran forward and secured +his prize. "I saw him roosting up in the branches, and I fired before he +could get away. I knew I'd get him!" + +"You don't think this is the same one you fired at a while ago, do you?" +asked Ned. + +"Well, it's one just as big and just as good," retorted Bart. "I'm +satisfied if he is." + +He slung the gobbler, which was a large fat one, over his shoulder and +went on, much pleased with himself and his new gun. + +"Guess we'll have roast turkey to-night all right," Frank remarked as +they trudged along. + +"I guess not, if I have to cook it!" exclaimed Fenn. "It's too late to +dress any birds to-night. Canned stuff and coffee for yours." + +"Well, to-morrow then," Frank insisted. "We've got to have a turkey +dinner while we're in the woods." + +It was almost dark when they reached camp. They lighted some lanterns, +and built a big fire, while Fenn, who had been elected cook, got supper +ready. The other boys cleared out the tent for sleeping purposes. + +When the boys awoke in the morning it was to find the ground covered +about a foot deep with snow. The flakes had ceased falling, but it was +much colder, and there was a stiff wind. Gray clouds covered the sky, +and altogether it was rather a cheerless prospect. + +But the boys' spirits were proof against almost anything. With some hot +coffee to warm them up, and some hot canned meat, which Fenn prepared, +they were ready for another day of tramping through the woods after +game. + +"What do you say to moving camp?" suggested Bart. "I'm afraid we've +scared from around here whatever there was in the way of turkeys and +rabbits. We can put our stuff on the sled and pull it through the snow." + +This was agreed to, and soon the runners were adjusted over the wheels, +and the four boys were pulling the sleigh with the camp outfit. + +They went slowly, picking their way as best they could among the trees. +On a down grade, where two were enough at the rope, Bart and Frank went +ahead to see if they could observe any signs of game. Frank killed a fat +rabbit, but Bart fired at one and missed. + +They went about four miles farther into the forest and, as they saw +turkey tracks, they decided to camp there. + +"We'll have an early dinner, put the turkey hen on to roast, and go off +hunting the rest of the day," decided Fenn. + +The turkey was prepared in a somewhat rough fashion and put to roast in +the oven of the portable stove. When it was nearly done the fire was +allowed to cool down. + +"All we have to do when we get back is to start a small blaze and we'll +have hot turkey," explained Fenn. Some dry wood was placed within the +tent to keep it safe in case it began to snow again, and, fastening the +flaps, the boys set off. + +They had better luck this time, and managed to get a turkey apiece, +though they were only hens, and not very large. + +"We ought to each get a big gobbler before we go back home," Bart said. +"You fellows want to look alive. I've got mine." + +"You had all the luck," retorted Ned. + +But the gobblers seemed too wise to come within the reach of the boys' +guns, and when it came time to make back-tracks for camp there was none +numbered among the slain. Several more rabbits had been secured, +however, and the boys were well satisfied. + +"My mouth waters for that roast turkey," exclaimed Ned, as he tramped +through the snow. "I want a piece of the breast and some of the brown +skin. Just a bit of dressing, please, and a spoonful of gravy!" + +"Let up!" cried Bart. "I'm half starved!" + +Ned's anticipations of the turkey were fully realized. It may not have +been done just to the turn a French chef would call proper, but the boys +thought they had never eaten anything half so good. There was little +left when they had finished. + +"We'd better circle around so's to fetch up near where Jim's to meet us +to-night," remarked Bart as they crawled out of the blankets Wednesday +morning. The cold had increased and the wind was blowing half a gale. + +The tent was struck, after a hasty breakfast, and, with the other +things, not forgetting the game, was packed upon the sled. The boys +started off, intending to make a large circle and bring up that evening +where Jim had left them, in time to meet him. They would not erect the +tent again. + +They managed to kill several hen turkeys, another gobbler, which fell to +Ned's gun, and a couple of rabbits, but most of the game seemed to have +disappeared, and there was no more in the vicinity of where the boys +tramped, dragging the sled after them. + +They halted for dinner in a dense part of the forest, and, after the +meal, started for the place where the corduroy road ended. They judged +it to be about six miles from where they were, and knew it would take +them about until night-fall to reach it. + +It was hard work, pulling the sled, but the exercise kept them warm, and +they trudged on, plunging into drifts which the wind quickly raised. It +started to snow again and the flakes began to blow across their path +whipped into stinging particles by the force of the gale. They were +enveloped in a white cloud through which they could see only dimly. + +"Say, it's getting worse and worse!" exclaimed Ned, as he paused for +breath after a particularly stiff bit of pulling. + +"Boys, it's a regular blizzard, that's what it is," cried Bart. "We're +certainly in for it now. I don't believe Jim will come for us in a storm +like this." + +"If it isn't a blizzard it's the best imitation of one I ever saw," +remarked Frank. "What are we going to do?" + +"Only thing is to keep on," replied Bart. + +"Are we going in the right direction?" asked Ned. "Fenn, suppose you +take a look at the compass." + +Fenn, who carried the little instrument, reached in his overcoat pocket +for it. He did not find it. Then he looked in several other pockets. + +"What's the matter? Haven't lost it, have you?" asked Bart. + +"I'm afraid so. Didn't I give it to you, Ned, this morning?" + +"Never saw it," replied Ned. + +Fenn made a more thorough search. The compass was not to be found. The +boys stood there helplessly, in the midst of the howling storm, which +was now at its height. + +The snow was a blinding, scurrying, mass of flakes which stung their +faces like needles. Overhead the trees were bending to the blast and the +gale was roaring through the branches. There was no path. Ten feet ahead +it looked like a blank white wall. + +"Boys, we're lost in the woods, and the blizzard is getting worse!" +cried Bart, almost having to shout to make himself heard above the +storm. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A LONELY CABIN + + +"What's to be done?" asked Fenn. + +"Keep on! We may find the place where we were to meet Jim," advised +Frank. + +"No," Bart said. "That would be foolish. Jim would never come for us on +such a night. Besides, we don't know which way to go. We'd better camp +here until the storm blows over. We've got everything we need, but it's +not going to be much fun under a tent in this weather." + +"Let's get down more in a hollow," suggested Fenn. "We're on a hill here +and get the full force of the wind. If we go on a bit we may find a +better place." + +"Good idea!" exclaimed Bart. "Come on, fellows!" + +He seized hold of the sled rope and began to pull, the others joining +him. There was no choice of direction, so they turned to get the wind on +their backs. + +With grim perseverance they kept on. The wind seemed fairly to carry +them forward, though it was hard to struggle through the drifts they +encountered every once in a while. As they had no particular path to +take, they avoided the big hummocks of snow as much as they could. + +"I'll have to stop!" declared Fenn, after a bit of hard pulling. "My +wind's giving out!" + +"I wish the wind up above would," murmured Bart as he tried to peer +through the clouds of flakes to see where they were. + +"Let's stay here," suggested Fenn. "If we've got to camp in the storm +this place is as good as any." + +"That's what I say," remarked Frank. "This seems to be well sheltered." + +There came a momentary let-up to the gale. The snow did not seem to fall +so thickly and the boys eagerly looked around them. + +"There's something over that way!" cried Ned, pointing to the left. "It +looked like a barn or house. Let's try for it!" + +Then the wind swept down on them again, blotting out, in the swirl of +flakes, whatever Ned had seen. But he had an idea of the direction it +was in, and started off toward it. + +"Here, come back and help pull the sled!" cried Bart, and the four boys, +led by Ned, dragged the heavy load toward the spot where the building +had been noticed. + +They did not see it again until they were within ten feet of it, and +then made out a lonely cabin in the midst of a clearing in the woods. +The snow was half way up to the first floor window sills. + +"There's some one inside!" shouted Bart, as he saw smoke curling from +the chimney. "Knock on the door! I'm half frozen!" + +But there was no need to knock. The door was opened and a little girl +peered out. + +"Can we come in and get warm?" asked Ned. "We're lost in the storm." + +"Who is it?" asked a woman's voice, as she came to the door. + +"We were camping out," explained Bart, "and the storm caught us as we +were about to go home. We live in Darewell." + +"Come in!" the woman exclaimed. "Our cabin is poor enough but it is +better than the woods in such a storm. I'm sorry we can't offer you +anything to eat, but we have only a little for ourselves and there's no +telling when we'll get more." + +"And to-morrow's Thanksgiving," murmured Ned in a low voice. + +The boys stamped the snow from their feet and entered the cabin. There +were two rooms downstairs and two up. In the apartment they entered was +a stove in which a wood fire burned. In one corner stood a table with a +few dishes on it, and there was a cupboard. Some chairs completed the +furnishings. Close to the fire, clad in a ragged dress, sat a little +girl. The boys needed but one glance to see that the family was in dire +straits. + +"My name is Perry," the woman said. "I live here with my two daughters. +The town of Kirkville supports us. The poormaster brought some food last +week but he hasn't been here this week, and we are afraid he can not +come because of the storm. Otherwise I could offer you something to +eat," and she turned aside her head to hide her tears. + +"Don't cry, mother," exclaimed the child who had been sitting near the +fire. "We're not very hungry, and maybe the snow will stop. We had a +nice Thanksgiving last year--and--and--" + +"I'm afraid we'll have a poor one to-morrow," Mrs. Perry replied. "But +boys, come closer to the fire. You must be cold. At least we have plenty +of wood. That is free, and my daughters gathered a lot the other day in +the woods." + +"Mrs. Perry--ahem, ma'am--that is--er--I mean--Oh, hang it! Ain't any of +you going to help a fellow out!" exclaimed Ned, clearing his throat with +unnecessary violence. "What I mean is we've got a lot of things to eat, +on our sled. We'd be glad to have you--Oh, here! Boys come on out and +bring in some of the things!" and before the astonished woman knew what +was happening Ned and his chums were out in the snow fairly tearing the +things off the sled. In they trooped again, bearing turkeys, rabbits, and +a lot of the camp food they had not eaten. + +"Oh, it's just like Santa Claus!" cried the little girl. "I knew we'd +have Thanksgiving, mommey!" + +But Mrs. Perry was crying, with her head down on the table. + +Indeed the room did look as if it was ready for some sort of holiday +feast. It was fairly crowded with the things the boys had brought in. + +"I don't--don't know what to say," Mrs. Perry exclaimed, as she dried +her eyes. "Are you sure you can spare so much?" + +"Spare it? Say we've eaten so much lately we'll be sick!" broke in Bart, +with a laugh. "Now we'll make a better fire, and if you'll get some of +these turkeys and rabbits ready you can have a dinner. There's some +other things,--canned stuff, you know." + +By this time the older girl, whose name, the boys learned, was Jane, +was placing some of the things aside. Her mother helped her, while Mary, +the younger daughter, seemed, from mere astonishment, unable to stir. +She sat gazing at the pile of good things as if they might suddenly +vanish. + +The boys brought in more wood and began to help with the meal. In a +little while they had a good one ready, using some of the camp food, +while the turkeys and rabbits were put away for the next day. + +The boys told something of themselves, and, in turn, Mrs. Perry related +how her husband had died a few years before, leaving her with a small +farm, and three children, a boy and the two girls. The farm, she said, +had been taken because they could not pay the interest on the mortgage, +and there had been nothing left for them. + +The town gave them the use of the little cabin, and they managed to make +something of a living, for Mrs. Perry did sewing for women in the +village, which was about three miles away. They had a little garden +patch, and raised some fruit. + +"You said you--you had a son?" asked Ned gently. "Is he--" + +"No, he isn't dead," replied Mrs. Perry sadly. "Poor boy, I wish I knew +where he was. He tried to help us, as much as he could," she went on. +"But there was no work for him around here, and so he decided to try and +get work. He went to the city and wrote me that he was going to sea. He +said he had a good position, and would send me some money." + +"Did he?" asked Bart. + +"I have never heard from him since," the widow replied. "I'm afraid he +is dead," and she began to cry again. + +"Perhaps not," suggested Ned, as cheerfully as he could. "Maybe he is on +a long voyage and can't write. Or perhaps he has written and the letters +have gone astray. I would not worry. He may come back." + +"I think Willie is alive," remarked Jane. "He was a very proud boy, and +perhaps when he found he could not earn money enough to send home, he +decided to stay away until he could. Maybe he is ashamed to come home." + +"Oh, he knows I would forgive him! I would be glad to see him if he +never had a penny!" exclaimed Mrs. Perry. + +"I'll bet he'll turn up all right," put in Fenn. "He's only waiting +until he can come back rich." + +"It's been about a year now," the widow went on. "Willie was fifteen +when he left, and he'd be sixteen now. It's his first birthday away +from home." + +The boys did their best to comfort her, and she seemed to feel a little +better after telling her troubles. The girls were certainly more cheerful +after the meal. + +"You boys had better stay all night," Mrs. Perry suggested. "The storm +is getting worse. If you don't mind being crowded we can accommodate +you." + +"If we can sleep on the floor in the kitchen we'll be glad to," Ned +answered. + +"I have Willie's bed, which no one uses, and there is another," the +widow replied. "I have always kept his room ready for him." + +"Then we'll stay for the night, thank you," Fenn said. + +The storm did appear to be getting worse, or else the howling of the +wind about the lonely cabin made it seem so. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +HOME FOR THANKSGIVING + + +"Hurrah! It's stopped snowing!" exclaimed Ned as he looked out of the +little window on the second floor of the cabin the next morning. "Maybe +we can get home for Thanksgiving!" + +"I hope so," Bart answered. "The folks will be worried. Wonder if Jim is +waiting for us?" + +"Not much! Jim's too fond of his comfort to come out in such weather," +said Frank. + +The boys found the widow had breakfast ready for them. She told them +their best plan would be to go to Kirkville, which could be reached by +the road leading from the cabin. From that village it was seven miles to +Darewell. + +"It's going to be a long pull," remarked Ned. "But I guess we can make +it." + +"Let's go out and see how the snow is," suggested Bart. + +They found though it was quite deep it was dry and soft so that tramping +through it, and pulling the sled, would not be so great an exertion as +it otherwise would have been. + +"We'll have to take it easy, and we may get home in time for dinner," +said Frank. "Pity, though, we can't have some of our own game cooked for +the feast, but we'll not arrive in time." + +"I think we'll leave most of it with her. What do you say?" asked Bart, +and he nodded toward the cabin, outside of which the boys stood. + +"Sure thing!" exclaimed Fenn. "I wish we could find her son for her." + +"Maybe we can, some day," remarked Ned. "But we'd better go in to +breakfast and then get started." + +"I hardly feel like taking all this," Mrs. Perry said as she looked at +the rabbits and turkeys the boys left. They had reserved a turkey and +some rabbits each but left all the rest. "It hardly seems right," she +added. + +"Why it's no more than we owe you," said Bart quickly. "We never could +have stayed all night out in that blizzard in our tent. I don't know +what we would have done if it hadn't been that we saw your house." + +"I only wish I had had better accommodations to offer you," the widow +said. "But we have nothing except what charity gives us. In the spring +Jane hopes to get a place to work." + +"Perhaps we could help you," suggested Ned. "My father knows a number +of business men and he might get Jane a place in a store." + +"Oh, if he only would!" exclaimed the girl. "I do so want to help +mother. I must take Willie's place--until he comes back," she added a +little sadly. + +"My poor boy," Mrs. Perry exclaimed with a sigh. "I wonder if he will +have as nice a Thanksgiving dinner as we will, thanks to the generosity +of you boys." + +"We'll hope so," said Fenn. "So you haven't any idea where he is?" + +"Not the least. He used to say he wanted to see New York, as I suppose +all boys do. But I hardly believe he is there. I wish I knew where he +was. He should come home, pride or not, no matter if he hasn't a cent." + +"New York," murmured Ned. "I expect to go there soon. I might see +Willie." + +"Oh! If you only could!" exclaimed Jane. "Tell him to come home at once. +You can easily recognize him. He has a little red scar on his right +cheek. He fell and cut himself on a stone when he was a baby." + +"New York is a big place," said Mrs. Perry. "You are not very likely to +see my boy. But if you should--tell him his mother prays for him--every +night!" and, unable to keep her feelings in control the widow burst into +tears. + +It was rather an awkward moment for the boys, but little Mary saved the +day. + +"I'm going to New York!" she exclaimed. "I'm goin' right now with these +nice boys. They can pull me on their sled!" and she ran to get her +bonnet and cloak. + +This raised a laugh, and Mrs. Perry recovered her composure. + +"Not now, dear," she said. "Sometime, maybe," and she smiled through her +tears. + +"Well, we must be going," remarked Fenn. "We're ever so much obliged to +you." + +"Indeed, I am in your debt," the widow replied. "If you are ever out +this way again come and see us." + +"We will!" the boys cried as they put on their things and started off +with the sled. It was lighter now that the load of camp food and much of +the game was off, though the boys found it heavy enough before they had +gone a couple of miles. But they were determined to reach home as soon +as possible and kept on. + +"Pretty tough, eh?" remarked Ned, after a silence of several minutes, as +he nodded back in the direction of the cabin. + +"You're right," replied Bart. "Glad we could do something to help 'em." + +The boys found, on inquiring from a farmer they met, that, by taking a +short cut through the woods, they could get on the road to Darewell +without going to Kirkville. This would save them a mile, and, though +they might be able to hire a horse and wagon in the village, they +thought it better to take the short cut. + +They were just turning from the woods into the highway that led to +Darewell, which was about five miles away, when they heard the jingle of +sleigh bells back of them. Turning they saw coming along a big sled +drawn by two horses. A boy was on the seat. + +"Here's a chance for a ride!" exclaimed Ned. "We're in luck. We can +offer to pay him to take us home." + +They waited until the sled was close to them and hailed the driver. He +turned and they saw it was their old enemy, Sandy Merton. Sandy had been +employed by the men in the secret which the four boys were instrumental +in bringing to disclosure, but had lost his position and gone to work +for a farmer. + +"Oh, it's you, eh?" asked Sandy with a sneer, as he saw the four chums. + +There was a moment's hesitation among them. They did not relish the idea +of asking him for a ride. But still less did they like the thought of +pulling their heavy sled five miles. + +"Look here, Sandy!" exclaimed Ned. "This is a strict business +proposition. Will you drive us to Darewell for four dollars, and take +our sled? That's a dollar apiece, and it's more than livery prices. +We're not asking you out of friendship." + +"No, and I guess you'd better not!" exclaimed Sandy. "Not the way you +acted toward me!" + +"We never injured you in any way!" said Bart. "But we're not going to +discuss that now. Will you give us a lift for money, or won't you?" + +"Well I won't, and that's my answer!" cried Sandy, in sudden and +unreasonable rage. "You fellows think you're mighty smart. But this +time is where I've got the upper hand. I wouldn't take you to Darewell +for ten dollars apiece. You can go off hunting and enjoy yourself while +other folks work. Then because you get lost in the woods you think +every one you meet has got to give you a ride. Not much! You can walk +to Darewell!" And whipping up his horses Sandy drove on, laughing +loudly at the predicament of the chums. + +"Might have known better than to ask him," murmured Ned. "Well, +fellows, I guess we'll have to walk." + +It was easier traveling in the road than through the woods and across +the fields, but still it was hard work. However, they managed to get a +lift from a farmer when they were within a mile of town. They hitched +their sled to the back of his sleigh and the man obligingly took them +to Bart's house. + +"Oh! There are the boys!" exclaimed Alice as she looked from the window. +"Look, Jennie, they have some game. I can see the turkey feathers!" she +added to her friend, who had called. + +"Here we are!" cried Bart, as his sister and her chum came running down +the front walk. "Just in time for dinner!" + +Bart wanted his chums to come into his house, but they were in a hurry +to tell their folks of their safe arrival, so, shouldering their guns, +and dividing the game, the boys separated. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +GETTING SQUARE WITH SANDY + + +"Come Alice, help me carry this game into the house," said Bart when the +excitement over their arrival had quieted down a bit. His rabbits and +the turkey were on the sled with the camp stuff. + +"Is that all the luck you had?" asked Mr. Keene, as he came out on the +porch to greet his son. "Why I thought you'd come loaded down. We didn't +buy anything for dinner, thinking you'd have enough." + +Bart knew by his father's tone that he was only joking. + +"We did have fine luck," the boy replied, and then he told about the +widow and how they had left her with plenty of food. + +"Humph!" exclaimed Mr. Keene. "If you'd brought home any more game than +you did, and hadn't left her some I'd make you go back to Mrs. Perry +without your dinner. You did right, Bart. I'm glad to hear it." + +Bart ate his Thanksgiving dinner with an appetite that astonished even +himself. Jennie Smith remained, as the guest of Alice, and she kept +those about the table in lively mood, reciting bits of verse. + +During the course of the meal Bart told of their trip, and more about +the widow. + +"We didn't hardly know what to do when that blizzard came up," he said. +"Wonder if Jim went to meet us." + +"No, he came here and said he was expected to be at the end of the +corduroy road for you," Mr. Keene explained. "I said I guessed you boys +would know what to do. Besides, it is doubtful if he could have gotten +his wagon through the drifts." + +In the afternoon Bart's chums came over. Ned said he had spoken to his +father about the Perry family, and Mr. Wilding was going to get Jane a +place to work. Mr. Keene expressed a wish to help the widow, and +arrangements were made to see that she did not suffer any more for lack +of food or clothing for herself and daughters. When the roads were +better Mrs. Keene went to visit Mrs. Perry, and Jane secured a place in +a store in Kirkville, so she could come home every night. + +"Now if we could only find the widow's son for her we'd have that family +in pretty good shape," remarked Bart to his chums one morning early in +December as they were on their way to school after the Thanksgiving +holidays. "Accidentally we were able to do quite a lot for them, but I'd +like to do more." + +"I'm glad Jane has a place," observed Fenn. + +"Good thing it isn't in Darewell," said Frank. + +"Why?" asked Fenn. + +"Because you'd be hanging around the store where she was whenever you +had the chance, Stumpy, to see her home." + +Frank did not dodge quickly enough to escape the snowball Fenn threw at +him, and caught it on the head. But he laughed good-naturedly. It was +the price for his joke and he was willing to pay it. + +"Let's go skating this afternoon," suggested Bart. "The river edge is +fine almost up to the Riffles." + +"Good!" exclaimed Ned. "We'll have a race." + +School was dismissed for the day at three o'clock and as soon as they +were out the boys hurried home for their skates. The weather was crisp +and cold, just right for a fine spin up the frozen stream. + +The four chums were soon gliding over the smooth surface on which were a +number of other boys and girls enjoying the sport. + +"We haven't room to expand here," said Bart, after they had skated +around on the broad expanse of the river near the town. "Let's go up a +mile or two." + +His chums agreed, and they were soon racing up the stream toward the +"Riffles" a shallower place where, in summer, there was good fishing. + +"Let's see who'll be first to the dead pine!" cried Bart, pointing to a +lightning-blasted tree on the river's edge about a mile up. All four +dashed off at top speed. + +There was little difference in the ability of the boys when it came to +skating. They were as much at home on the steel runners as they were on +the baseball diamond, and were speedy skaters. Forward they went, +stooping over to avoid the wind resistance as much as possible, the +metal of their skates singing merrily in the crisp winter air. + +"Now for the last rush!" cried Bart, as he put on an extra burst of +speed. His companions responded to the call, but Bart had a little the +best of them, and was first at the goal. + +"I'll beat you going back!" cried Ned. + +"Let's rest a while," suggested Frank. "What's that?" + +The boys turned suddenly at the sound of loud shouting on the road +which, at this point, ran close to the river. It was someone trying to +stop a team of horses, attached to a sleigh and, to judge by the noise, +the animals were running away. + +"Whoa! Whoa there!" cried the driver. + +An instant later the team dashed from the road and came straight for the +river, the driver trying in vain to stop them. + +"It's Sandy Merton!" exclaimed Bart. + +Before the boys could say any more the horses had run out on the ice of +the river, near the chums. Fortunately it was thick enough to bear the +weight of the animals or it might have proved a disastrous runaway. As +it was, Sandy, in trying to stop the horses, lost one rein. He pulled +sharply on the other and the steeds, obeying it, turned quickly to the +left. In an instant the sleigh, with its load of feed, in bags, was +overturned on the ice and Sandy was spilled out. + +"Quick! Grab the horses!" cried Bart, and the chums were soon at the +bridles. But the animals appeared satisfied with the damage they had +done, and stood still. Sandy picked himself up, for he was not hurt, +and came to the heads of the horses. He looked at the overturned +sleigh, with the bags of feed scattered on the ice, and murmured: + +"I'll catch it for this." + +"I rather guess he will," said Bart in a low tone, as the temper of +Silas Weatherby, for whom Sandy worked, was well known in that locality. + +For a few moments Sandy stood surveying the scene. It looked as if it +would take several men to set matters right, even if the sleigh was not +broken. Then Sandy, with a sigh, set to work unhitching the horses. He +led them from the ice and tied them to a tree on shore. Then he began +moving the bags of feed so as to get a clear place around the vehicle. +The chums watched him for a few minutes. They were thinking, as no doubt +Sandy was, of that day when he had refused them a lift. + +"It's a good chance to get square," murmured Bart to his companions. "We +could sit down and watch him sweat over this, and laugh--but we won't!" +he added quickly. "That isn't our way. We'll get square with Sandy by +helping him out in his trouble. That'll make him feel just as badly as +if we sat and laughed at him." + +It was an application of the Biblical injunction of heaping coals of +fire, but it is doubtful if the boys thought of it in that light. + +"Come on!" cried Bart. He began to take off his skates, and his chums +followed his example. Then, to the great surprise of Sandy, they began +to help him move the bags away so they could get at the sled. + +"Say--say--fellows--" began Sandy, as the thought of his own mean +conduct, that day on the road, came to him. "Say--I don't deserve this. +I'm--" + +"You dry up!" commanded Bart. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SANTA CLAUS IN SCHOOL + + +The four chums pitched in with a will and helped Sandy. They did not +talk much, for, take it all in all, it was rather an embarrassing +situation. Sandy did not know what to say, and the boys did not feel +like entering into friendly conversation. + +They did not care to be sociable with Sandy after what he had done, not +only in regard to refusing them a ride, but in the matter of the oil +barge. But they could not see anyone in such a plight as Sandy was, +through no fault of his own, and not render assistance. + +"The horses took fright and ran away," Sandy explained, when most of the +bags had been piled on shore. "I couldn't stop 'em. The load was too +heavy, and it was down hill." + +The chums did not answer. Sandy did not expect they would. The situation +was too novel. But he was grateful for their help, and, doubtless +resolved not to act meanly toward them in the future. The trouble with +Sandy was he had no strength of character. He was mean in spite of +himself, and couldn't help it. + +When the bags were out of the way the five boys, by dint of hard work, +managed to right the sleigh, which was a big double bob. It was not +damaged to any extent and soon was ready to receive the bags of feed. +They were piled in and the horses hitched up again. + +"I'm--I'm much obliged to you fellows," said Sandy in a mumbling tone. +"I'm sorry I didn't give you a ride that day." + +Sandy meant that. He was much softened by what the chums had done. + +"We'd made up our minds to get square with you," said Bart, as he +fastened on his skates. "And I think we did, Sandy," and with that the +four chums started off down the river, while Sandy drove the horses up +into the road. + +"Queer way to get square," murmured Ned. "I'd like to punch his face." + +"This was the best way," Bart replied, and, somehow, though perhaps they +didn't know just why, the chums agreed with him. + +Christmas was approaching, and mingled with the joys of the holiday +season, were thoughts in the minds of the four chums and all the other +pupils, that school would close for two weeks. + +"Next Wednesday is Christmas," observed Bart one afternoon as the chums +were on their way home. "School closes Tuesday for the two weeks, and we +ought to mark the occasion in some way. Have you fellows heard of any +celebration?" + +"Nary a one," replied Fenn. + +"Well, there's going to be something doing, all right." + +"Who's going to do it?" asked Ned. + +"Well, not the fellow who invited the cow to school," replied Bart, +referring to an incident for which Ned was responsible. + +"You, maybe, eh?" + +"Maybe," and Bart winked his left eye. + +There was little studying done on Monday of Christmas week, and less +was in prospect for the following Tuesday. Some of the classes had +arranged for informal exercises in their rooms and later there was to +be a general gathering of all the pupils of the school in the large +auditorium, at which Mr. McCloud the principal would make an address. + +Monday night Bart was very busy in his room. There were odd noises +proceeding from it, and when he came down a little later, and asked +Alice to sew some strips of red cloth for him, she asked: + +"What in the world are you up to, Bart?" + +"I'm a knight, getting my armor ready for the conflict of battle," he +replied gravely. "Be ready for me when I return, for I may be covered +with wounds and you can get lots of first-aid-to-the-injured practice." + +"Now, don't do anything silly," Alice advised. + +"Far be it from me to do any such thing. You girls can attend to that +part." + +"As if we girls were anywhere near as silly as boys are when they get +started," commented Alice, sewing away at the cloth. "Ouch! There, I've +pricked my finger!" and she wiped away a few drops of blood. + +"Here! Don't get my uniform all spotted!" exclaimed Bart, as he saw +Alice wipe her finger with the red cloth. + +"Silly! How is blood going to show on this old red flannel?" asked +Alice. "You'll have to wait, Bart, until I wash my finger in an +antiseptic solution," and, laying aside the cloth, Alice hurried for +her little box of remedies. + +"I can sew it myself," declared Bart, and he tried to, but he made +awkward work of it, for he used a five cent piece in place of a thimble, +at which Alice laughed when she returned. Under her skillful fingers, +even though one was done up in a cloth, the work was soon completed. + +It was about two o'clock when the pupils were assembled in the auditorium +of the High School Tuesday afternoon. Professor McCloud delivered an +address on the meaning of Christmas, telling of how ancient people +celebrated it, and relating stories of the various nations that had +beliefs in myths corresponding to Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas. + +"Speaking of Santa Claus," Mr. McCloud went on, as the closing remarks +to his lecture, "I am reminded of--" + +At that instant there was a jingle of bells out in the corridor, and +before pupils or teachers, the latter all sitting on the raised platform +in front, knew what it portended, a strange sight was presented. + +Into the big room came a personage dressed in the usual Santa Claus +costume, red flannel striped with white, a big white beard, his clothing +sprinkled with something to represent snow, and, over his back a big +bag. + +But, oddest of all, was a little sleigh which St. Nicholas pulled in +after him by a string. Hitched in front of it were eight tiny reindeer, +made of plaster-of-paris, properly colored. Each animal was on a stand +on wheels, and as St. Nicholas pulled them in with the sleigh, he shook +the leading string, on which were bells, so that they jingled +musically. + +"Merry Christmas to all!" exclaimed St. Nicholas in a deep bass voice. +"May I speak to them, sir?" and the figure turned to Professor McCloud, +who, entering into the spirit of the occasion, nodded an assent. Neither +he nor any of the teachers were prepared for the advent of Santa Claus. +Some of the boys had suspected, but they were not sure. + +"My sled and reindeer shrunk as soon as I struck this climate," Santa +Claus went on in his deep tones, which Ned was puzzling his brain over. +He was wondering where he had heard them before. "Still I managed to +come," the red-coated figure went on. "I have a few gifts for some of +the more faithful of my subjects." + +He slung the bag from his shoulder and began groping in it. + +"Is Lem Gordon here?" he asked. + +"Step up, Lemuel," said Professor McCloud, for, though he did not know +what was coming, he was willing to let the pupils have fun on such an +occasion as this. + +Rather sheepishly Lem, the pitcher on the High School nine, left his +seat. + +"I have heard of your good work last season," Santa Claus went on, +"and, as a reward for it I have brought you this. May it help you to win +many games." + +With that he handed Lem a red, white and blue striped rubber ball, the +kind given to babies so they can not hurt themselves. + +The other pupils burst into laughter, and Lem blushed. He acted as +though he was going to throw it at the head of St. Nicholas, but thought +better of it and went to his seat. + +"Fenn Masterson," Santa Claus called next, and Stumpy went forward. +"Fenn, I have heard how devoted you are to the ladies," the speaker went +on. "So I bring you this that you may never forget them," and Fenn was +given a doll dressed in the height of fashion. On the neck was a card +which read: "I love Fenn and Fenn loves me." + +"Kiss her, Fenn!" called out Ned in a loud whisper, and poor Fenn, +blushing to his ears, carried the doll back to his seat. + +"I have here something for Ned Wilding," the figure went on, and, as +Ned, in response to the remorseless urging of his fellow pupils, went +forward he was given a tin rattle box. + +"Now James Eaton," called Santa Claus, and James, who was very fond of +dogs was given a little woolly one that emitted a squeaky bark when +gently punched in the stomach. + +"William Sanderson!" called St. Nicholas, and a lad who did little else +than fish in his spare time, was presented with a small pole and line, +from which dangled a tin trout. + +So it went on, until a score of the boys and several girls had been +given toy presents bearing on their particular traits of character. + +Meanwhile Ned and Fenn had been whispering to each other. + +"Shall I do it now?" asked Ned, as St. Nicholas seemed to have reached +the bottom of his bag. + +"Yes," whispered Fenn. + +As Santa Claus prepared to leave, thinking perhaps his identity had not +been penetrated, Ned walked forward. + +"One moment," he called, and St. Nicholas halted in the act of dragging +out his tiny reindeer and sleigh. + +"Though you have remembered us, you have forgotten yourself," Ned went +on. "Therefore, Mr. Bart Keene, _alias_ St. Nicholas, on behalf of the +pupils of the school I present you with this." + +Before Bart could get away Ned had torn the false beard from his chum's +face. Then, holding out what seemed to be a basket-ball, Ned suddenly +raised it high in the air and brought it down on Bart's head. It broke +with a loud sound, for it was paper blown up, and out flew a shower of +confetti, which covered Bart's red flannel uniform with tiny scraps of +colored paper. Ned had brought it to use in playing a joke on someone +else, but, at the last minute, discovering the identity of St. Nicholas, +he had resolved on a different plan. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +WRECK OF THE TOWER + + +A loud shout of laughter went up at the surprised look on Bart's face. +He did not know what to say, and he shook his head to get rid of the +confetti that clung even to his eyebrows. He had hoped to get away +undiscovered but his chums had been too smart for him. He opened his +mouth to speak, and the hickory nut he had placed in it to make his +voice sound deep, dropped out and rolled on the floor. At this there was +more laughter. + +"Very well done, Bart," observed Principal McCloud. "I think school is +dismissed," he added, as he and the other teachers joined in the +laughter. + +"Come again, Bart," said Ned, as he and the other boys crowded about the +impersonator of Santa Claus. + +"Off with his uniform!" one of the boys called, and, before Bart could +defend himself, he was being pulled this way and that, until the red +suit he had gone to such trouble to make was a thing of shreds and +tatters. + +"It's just like poor King Lear, being all torn apart by the winds," +exclaimed Jennie Smith, though some of her companions could not quite +see the simile. "Oh, I would love to recite something," she went on. + +"Go ahead," said Mary Tedwell. "I guess no one will hear you," and she +laughed rather maliciously. + +"Mean old thing!" exclaimed Jennie. "She's mad because she can't recite +poetry." + +Now Bart was entirely stripped of his Santa Claus suit, and the boys and +girls, securing pieces of it, formed a ring about the lad and marched +around singing any tune that came into their heads. The teachers had +retired, leaving the pupils to finish in their own fashion the +celebration attendant upon closing of school for the holidays as they +knew there would be little trouble. + +But all things must have an end and the merry frolic of the boys and +girls was gradually brought to a close. Those who had received the odd +presents from Bart were made to exhibit them, and many were the jibes +and quips that accompanied the display. + +On all sides and from scores of girls and boys came the greeting, +"Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year," for school would not assemble +again until the second week in January. + +One by one the pupils left for home. The big auditorium became quieter +and soon only the four chums, Alice and Jennie, and a few of their +friends remained. + +"Come on," said Bart. "I'll stand treat for hot chocolate at Fanton's +Drug Emporium." + +The boys and girls were a little later on their way to the "Emporium" as +the sign in the window declared it to be. + +"Coming to the entertainment Friday night?" asked Jennie of Fenn, when +they were sipping the hot beverage. + +"What entertainment?" + +"The Y. M. C. A. is going to give one in the school auditorium. Moving +pictures and some music. Alice and I are going." + +"Sure I'm coming," Stumpy replied, though it was the first he had heard +of it. But Stumpy wasn't going to be left out if there were girls in it. + +"Where you going?" asked Bart, overhearing the talk. + +"Entertainment--school hall--Y. M. C. A.--Mov--ing pict--ures." + +The breaks Fenn made, in imparting the information, were caused by the +sips of chocolate he took between his words. + +"We'll all go," decided Bart. "We'll be over our Christmas dinners by +then." + +Finishing their chocolate the boys and girls walked together down the +street on their way home. As they separated they wished each other the +joys of the season. + +Christmas, which came next day, was celebrated in Darewell much as it is +celebrated every where in Christian lands. There was happiness in the +homes of the four chums, not only at the gifts which they received, but +also over those they gave. Each one remembered Mrs. Perry and her two +girls, and, it is safe to say, it was the best Christmas the widow's +family had experienced since trouble came. + +"If only Willie was home now," Mrs. Perry said to Jane as they looked at +the gifts which had come so unexpectedly to them, "we would be very +happy." + +"Perhaps he will be with us next Christmas," Jane remarked, trying to +comfort her mother. "Let us hope so anyhow. We are much more happy than +we were the day before Thanksgiving when everything seemed so black." + +"Yes, thanks to those good boys," the widow replied. "Well, we will +trust in Providence. Perhaps Willie may come back to us." + +The day of the Y. M. C. A. entertainment proved to be one of the +coldest of the winter. It dawned with a dull leaden sky, filled with +lowering clouds, and there was a nip to the air that made thick wraps a +necessity. The wind, which had been blowing strongly in the morning, +increased in violence as the day advanced until by evening it was +blowing half a gale. + +But the boys and girls who crowded into the school auditorium did not +mind this. It only made their cheeks redder, and though the wind did +toss and tumble the hair of the girls it only caused them to look all +the prettier, at least so Fenn thought, and he ought to know. + +"B-r-r-r! It's a regular hurricane!" exclaimed Bart as he and Alice +entered the hall, where they found a number of their friends. The +entertainment had not yet begun. + +"It must be getting colder," observed Ned. + +"What makes you think so?" asked Bart. + +"Your nose is as red as a beet." + +"It feels half frozen," Bart answered. "That comes of having such a big +one. But it's a sign of greatness you know." + +"If we let you tell it," interposed Frank. + +The hall soon filled up and the entertainment was started. There was +vocal and instrumental music and recitations. Jennie Smith rendered +"Horatius at the Bridge" with all the energy she was capable of, and the +four chums applauded vigorously. + +The wind was increasing in violence, and it rattled the windows so that +at times it interfered with the singing. The janitor went about +tightening the fastenings. + +"It's going to be a bad storm," Bart heard the man murmur as he adjusted +the catches. "I hope it doesn't blow some of the chimneys down. One or +two of 'em need pointing up, for the mortar's most out of 'em." + +"Is there any danger?" asked Bart in a whisper. + +"No, I hope not. The old tower--" but what the janitor would have said +about the tower Bart did not hear, for the man had passed on and there +came the chorus of a song which drowned his words. + +But the janitor's prophecy seemed likely to be true. The noise of the +wind could be heard more plainly now. The windows did not rattle so much +after being attended to, but the gale fairly made the school building +vibrate. The old tower the janitor spoke of was a tall, square affair, +at one corner of the building. It was for ornamental purposes only, +though it contained a large clock, and there was a winding stair in it +that gave access to the mechanism. + +A white screen was adjusted and moving pictures thrown upon it. The +first series was that of battleships in practice evolutions and as the +smoke rolled from the muzzles of the big guns a man behind the scenes +beat a bass drum, to simulate the distant roar of the ordnance. + +The audience watched one great ship as it came into view on the screen. +A broadside was fired, and, as the white smoke rolled out there came a +tremendous concussion that shook the entire school. + +"He must have busted the drum that time," thought Bart. + +An instant later there came a terrifying crash so near at hand that +everyone knew it was not the sound of the drum, nor their excited +imagination. Nor was it the noise of the wind. + +Then, down through one corner of the auditorium, fortunately in a place +where no one was seated, crashing through the ceiling, came a mass of +brick and mortar. + +Before the echoes of that had died away there sounded another noise; a +deep, dull sound, and the school again vibrated with the shock. Then the +auditorium was in darkness, and through it came the voice of the janitor +shouting: + +"The tower has been wrecked and has fallen!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +NED GETS A LETTER + + +For an instant silence followed the startling announcement, silence in +which the wind seemed to join, for there came a lull in the gale. Then, +as the gale resumed its furious blowing, the audience became fear-crazed +and a mad rush ensued. + +Women and girls were screaming at the tops of their voices. Men were +shouting to one another to know what had happened. Boys were darting +here and there seeking a means of escape from what they believed would +prove a death-trap. The noise of bricks clattering to the floor could be +heard and the school-house seemed, at least to the excited imaginations +of some, to be on the point of toppling down. + +The four chums, who were seated near each other, had jumped up at the +first crash. Bart reached over to grab Alice and prevent, if possible, +her being trampled under foot. Fenn had Jennie by the arm. Then the +light from the moving picture machine, which had served to dispel the +gloom, went out. The maddened rush became worse. + +"Quick!" cried Frank. "Let's give the school yell! Maybe it will quiet +the rush until we can turn on the lights! There's a switch on the wall +here! Now, fellows altogether!" + +His three chums heard him as if in a dream, but they comprehended. + +"One, two, three!" cried Frank. + +Then, above the noise of the gale, above the shrieks of the women and +girls, above the hoarse calls of frightened men, arose the yell, given +with all the power of the lungs of the four boys: + + "Ravabava--Havabava--Hick! Hick! He! + Dabavaba--Nabahaba--Snick! Snack! Snee! + Why do we thus loudly yell? + 'Tis for our school: old Darewell!" + +Never had the call been given under such circumstances. Never had it +sounded more strangely. Never had it been more welcome. + +For an instant there was a silence following the yell. It had momentarily +drowned the cries from the panic-stricken ones. Before there was a chance +for a continuance of the panic that had been halted, if only for an +instant, Bart cried: + +"There's no danger. Wait until the lights are turned on!" + +In another moment Frank had reached the switch and the place was +brilliant with the gleam from scores of incandescent lamps. The rush +had been stopped, for, as the crowd looked about, they saw there was no +immediate danger. + +In one corner of the auditorium there was a gaping hole in the roof, +where the top part of the tower had crashed through. The floor in that +section was covered with bricks and mortar, and several seats were +crushed, but the audience had crowded up front and no one was hurt. + +A moment later some of those in charge of the entertainment hurried to +the platform and made an announcement. + +A hasty investigation showed, it was said, that the tower had fallen +mostly outward instead of toward the school, which accounted for only a +small part of it hitting the roof. Had the entire pile of masonry +toppled over on the auditorium there might have been a great loss of +life. As it was the main school was in no danger, but, for fear the +structure might have been weakened it was decided best to dismiss the +audience at once. + +"That wind must be pretty strong," observed Bart as he and his chums, +with Alice, Jennie, and some of the other girls, got outside. + +"Oh! It certainly is!" cried Jennie as she stepped from the doorway. +"I'm being blown away." + +The wind had caught her long cloak and whipped it up around her +shoulders so that it acted like a sail. Jennie was being fairly carried +along the street. + +"There's your chance, Fenn!" cried Frank. "Rescue a maiden in distress." + +Fenn did not stop to reply to his tormenter but caught Jennie by the arm +and helped her to straighten her garment. + +"Noble youth!" exclaimed Bart. "You shall be suitably rewarded." + +They all laughed, rather hysterically, it is true, at the nonsense talk, +but it was a relief to their over-strained nerves for the shock of the +accident had been a severe one. + +They passed along and, as they got beyond the shelter of the school the +full force of the wind was felt. It was almost a hurricane, and it was +all they could do to walk along. + +"No wonder it blew the tower down," observed Ned. "Let's take a look at +the wreck." + +They walked around to the other side of the school. There, prone on the +ground, though but a confused mass of bricks and mortar, was what had +been the tower. + +"There's the clock!" exclaimed Frank, as he saw the dial of the +timepiece some distance from the big mass of masonry. "See, it stopped +just at ten." + +There were four dials to the clock, one for each side of the tower. The +dials were of sheet iron with big gilt hands which were worked +simultaneously by the one set of wheels and springs. This dial, to which +Frank called attention, had fallen from its place, with the hands still +attached to it, the rods to which they were fastened, and which served +to turn them, having been cut off close to the back of the face. + +"I'm going to take it home for a souvenir," Frank said. "If they want it +back they can have it." + +He picked up the dial, which was painted white with black numerals on +it. As he did so he uttered an exclamation. + +"What's the matter?" asked Ned. + +"It's all mud, or something black," Frank replied. "I've got it all over +my hands." + +"Better let it alone," advised Bart. "The wind will blow it away, and +you with it, if you try to carry it." + +"I guess I can manage," Frank responded, and though the gale did get a +good purchase on the flat surface of the dial which was two feet in +diameter, Frank clung to it and took it home with him. + +"See you to-morrow!" called Fenn to Frank, as the latter turned off on a +street that led to his uncle's house. The others went in the opposite +direction. + +"We'll come and take a look at the ruins by daylight," suggested Frank. +"Good-night." + +"Good-night," called his chums, and the girls. + +"Queer sort of a relic he's got," observed Bart. + +"It's just like him," Ned rejoined. "Frank's a queer chap anyhow." + +"I think he's nice," remarked Alice. + +"So do I," chimed in Jennie. + +"Who said he wasn't?" demanded Bart. "Can't a fellow make a remark about +his chum without being found fault with?" + +"I don't think it's nice to say he's queer," Alice said. + +"Why he admits it himself," her brother put in. "He doesn't care what we +say about him. We call him queer about twice a week; don't we fellows." + +"Sure," replied Ned, coming to his chum's support. + +"Well, never mind," Alice rejoined. "Let's hurry home or we'll be blown +into the next county." + +It was such a cold blustery night, with the wind seeming to increase in +violence rather than diminish, that all were glad when they reached +their houses. + +"It's a pretty fierce gale," remarked Mr. Keene, when his son and +daughter had told him what had happened, "but I wouldn't think it was +strong enough to blow the tower down. Must have been weak somewhere." + +"The janitor said some of the chimneys needed new mortar in the cracks, +and maybe the tower did also," Bart said. + +"I suppose the school authorities will investigate and see what caused +it to fall," his father went on. "It was a dangerous thing to let such a +weak tower stay up." + +Bart stopped at Ned's house the next morning to call for him, and then +they intended to get Frank and Fenn to go together and take a look at +the tower. + +"Come on in," Ned invited his chum at the door. "I've got a letter." + +"Who from?" + +"My aunt, Mrs. Paul Kenfield, of New York. She wants me to come down for +a week or two. You know, she wrote me some time ago inviting me for +next summer. Now she says she wants me to come right away, and to bring +you three fellows. I wrote her, after I got the first invitation that +I'd like to take my chums with me." + +"That's very kind of you," replied Bart. "I guess I can go. When are you +going to start?" + +"Monday." + +"That will give you a week there. I don't believe I could get ready so +soon. I've got to help dad Monday." + +"Then you and the other boys could come afterward. Say on Tuesday or +Wednesday," suggested Ned. + +"I'll think about it," his chum replied. "But come on, let's go take a +look at the fallen tower." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +NED STARTS OFF + + +Ned and Bart went to Fenn's house, where they found Frank. The two were +just on the point of starting out. + +"Did you get your relic home safe?" asked Bart of Frank. + +"You mean the clock dial? I did, though I thought at one time the wind +would blow it away. I got that black stuff whatever it was on it, all +over my clothes." + +"Was it paint?" asked Ned. + +"No, seemed like some kind of smoke. I had hard work to get it off my +hands." + +"Come on!" called Fenn. "There are crowds going to see the tower." + +"Well, what of it?" asked Ned. "They can't carry it away; can they?" + +"No," replied Fenn, "but they'll all get around it and we can't see +anything." + +"Oh we'll get you a pair of opera glasses," rejoined Frank. + +"I guess you're all just as anxious to see it as I am," said Stumpy. +"Come on." + +A fine, calm day, though cold, had succeeded the blustery one. As Fenn +had said, the streets were filled with a large throng hastening to see +the wreck of the tower. The falling of it had created more excitement +than had been known in Darewell for some years. + +"Say, you fellows are all right," called Jim Nelson, as the four chums +passed him. "That was a fine yell you gave. I'd a joined in, only--" + +"Too much work, eh?" asked Frank, for Jim had the reputation, not +altogether undeserved, of being the laziest boy in town. + +"No, it wasn't that exactly," Jim replied, "but I couldn't remember the +words." + +"Why didn't you come in on the tune?" asked Ned. + +"Um," was all Jim said. It was his usual reply when he did not want to +take the trouble to answer in words. "Say," he called a moment later, as +the chums kept on, "are you going to the tower?" + +"Yes; are you?" inquired Fenn. + +"I was, but if you're going that way would you do me a favor?" + +"What is it?" asked Ned. + +"Stop on your way back and tell me how it looks. No use of me going if +you are. I'll wait in the drug store here for you," and Jim turned into +the "Emporium." + +"We may not be back until late this afternoon," Fenn said. + +"That's all right, I'm in no hurry. I can wait here as well as anywhere +else," and Jim went into the store and took a seat on one of the stools +at the soda fountain, from whence he could look out of the window. + +"Well, if that isn't the limit!" exclaimed Ned. + +"It's a wonder he didn't ask us to bring the tower around for him to +look at," said Bart. + +"He would, only he was too lazy to think of it," remarked Frank. + +The boys found quite a crowd around the fallen mass of bricks, and many +were the comments on the accident. + +"Let's go up and take a look at where the roof was broken through," +suggested Ned. + +The chums started to enter the school intending to go to the auditorium, +but, as they reached the stairs, for the building was open, they were +met by Mr. Williamson, president of the Board of Education. + +"You can't go in, boys," he said pleasantly enough. + +"Is it dangerous?" asked Ned. + +"Well, that's what we're trying to find out. We have some workmen +looking over the ruins to see what repairs we will have to make. There's +quite a hole in the roof." + +"Will it interfere with the opening of school next week?" asked Bart. + +"Do you wish it would?" asked Mr. Williamson. + +The boys laughed, for the president had read their thoughts. + +"We hope not," Mr. Williamson went on. "By the way, you boys know almost +everything that goes on in Darewell? Did you happen to hear of any one +carrying off one of the clock dials? We can only find three in the +ruins, and there were four." + +"I took one home with me last night," said Frank promptly. "I wanted it +for a relic. I hope there was no harm in that." + +"None in the world, if you still have it," said Mr. Williamson. "You see +we are trying to find out just what caused the tower to be blown down by +the wind, and we want all the evidence we can get. Just keep the dial +safely and, the next time you come up toward my store, leave it for me. +You may have it back again after we are through with it, for we'll have +to have a whole new clock I expect." + +"Wonder what he expects to find from the clock face?" asked Ned, as the +boys went back on the campus to get another look at the fallen tower. + +"Probably wants to look into its open countenance and ask questions +about how it feels to be blown down," Bart replied. + +"I hadn't any idea they'd want that piece of the clock, or I'd never +have taken it," said Frank. "Lucky I saved it, or someone else might +have carried it off and they'd never get it again." + +They took another look at the tower, though there was little they had +not already seen, and then on Stumpy's invitation to have some hot +chocolate they strolled back to the "Emporium." They found Jim still +there, but he seemed to have fallen asleep. + +"Put some chocolate near him, and see if he wakes up," suggested Ned in +a whisper. + +The clerk, at the boys' request, placed a glass of the steaming liquid +close to Jim's hand as it rested on the marble counter. Jim opened his +eyes, looked at the beverage, glanced at the four chums waiting +expectantly and then--closed his eyes again without reaching for the +chocolate. + +"He's lost his chance," Fenn said. "I'll drink it myself." + +He did so, and, as the boys were leaving, Jim appeared to rouse from his +slumber. He seemed to remember the chocolate, for he put out his hand as +if to grasp it. His fingers closed on the empty air. + +"Did I drink it?" he asked of the chums, who stood laughing at him. + +"Must have," replied Ned. + +"I don't remember," Jim said, in puzzled tones. "But it's all right. I'm +sleepy to-day. Is the tower still--?" Then the exertion of talking +seemed to be too much for him, and he closed his eyes again. + +"Come on," said Ned. "I've got to get home and make arrangements for my +New York trip." + +"Oh, yes, and I must find out when I can go," Bart added. "We can have +jolly sport there, fellows." + +There were several family councils that night. Ned's plans were all +made, and he had but to pack his trunk, ready to leave on the following +Monday morning. The other chums, though, had to consult their relatives. +It was inconvenient for some to let the boys go Tuesday, and Thursday +did not suit any better. Finally a compromise was made and Wednesday, +following the Monday on which Ned was to start, was fixed on. + +Then came an announcement which changed the plans of the boys to some +extent. Late Saturday afternoon it was stated that the damage to the +school had been greater than was at first supposed. It would be +impossible to make repairs so that classes might assemble the second +week in January, and the institution was to close for a month. Not until +February first, President Williamson stated, would the school open +again. + +"Say, this will just suit us!" cried Ned as he and his chums discussed +the news that night. "We can stay so much longer. I know my aunt will be +glad to see us, and the longer vacation we have the better she will like +it. She's fond of boys. All hers are grown up. She said I was to come +and stay a month if I wanted to." + +"Fine!" exclaimed Bart. "I'll have to pack a few more clothes in my +trunk if we are to be gone longer than we first calculated." + +"So will I," cried Fenn. + +"Then it's all settled," said Ned. "I'll go Monday and you follow +Wednesday. You can find your way to the house I guess. It's on West +Forty-fourth street. Here's the number. I'll be there to welcome you. +Won't we have fun though! I've never been in New York." + +The others had not either, and they spent some time discussing the +pleasant prospects ahead of them. + +Monday morning they all went down to the depot to see Ned off. + +"Good-bye until Wednesday," he called to his chums as they stood on the +platform waving their hands to him. "I'll meet you in New York sure." + +But it was a long time before Ned kept his promise. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +STARTLING NEWS + + +The issue of the Darewell _Advertiser_ that Monday afternoon contained +some startling information. The three chums were standing in front of +the drug store talking of their prospective trip when a newsboy ran past +calling: + +"Extra! Extra! Full account of the blowing up of the school tower with +dynamite!" + +"What's that he's yelling?" asked Bart. + +"He said something about the school tower and dynamite," replied Fenn. +"Trying to sell his papers I guess." + +"Let's get one and see if it's a fake," suggested Frank. + +"Here boy! Give me one!" cried Bart, and the lad handed him a sheet, +damp with paste from the press. + +Staring at the three chums in big black letters was the heading: + + SCHOOL TOWER DYNAMITED! + Not Blown Down by Gale of Wind as First + Supposed. + BELIEVED TO BE BOYS' WORK! + Investigation Has Been Ordered by President + Williamson of the Board of Education. + FOUR LADS SUSPECTED! + +"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Bart when he had finished +reading the head-lines. "Isn't that the limit?" + +"Limit! It's the strangest thing I ever heard of," cried Frank. + +"Somebody has been stuffing the reporter," suggested Fenn. "Let's read +the rest of it." + +Looking over Bart's shoulders the two other lads read the account. It +told in vivid language how the fact was discovered that the tower had +been blown down by an explosive. Those nearest the tower when the crash +came told of hearing a dull boom, that was not caused by the wind. Then +came the sound as the bricks fell through the corner of the roof of the +auditorium. + +"But if other evidence was wanting," the article went on, "it is easily +found in the dials of the clock that was in the tower. The white faces +bear the black marks of powder and an analysis which has been made +shows the stains to have been caused by some powerful explosive, the +exact nature of which is being kept secret by the authorities. + +"It is understood from a reliable source, however, that dynamite was +used, a small quantity being placed in the top of the tower. It is said +that part of a dynamite cartridge has been found but this is denied by +the police. + +"That the work was that of mischievous boys, who, possibly did not +appreciate the seriousness of their deed, is the opinion of the school +authorities. This is borne out by the fact that a boy confessed to +having carried off one of the powder-marked dials of the clock. Why he +did this has not been disclosed, but Mr. Williamson has secured an +admission from him that he did take the dial from the debris of the +wrecked tower. This dial the president of the board has secured, +together with the other three. + +"It is alleged that four boys, who are often seen in each others' +company, and who have, before this, taken part in more or less harmless +tricks, are suspected of blowing down the tower. One of them, it can be +asserted on the highest authority, had the clock dial. An investigation +has been started by the school authorities, and the four boys in +question, including the one who took the dial from the wreckage, will be +called on to tell what they know. If the evidence, after a thorough +sifting, points to them, it is understood that criminal action will be +taken." + +"Did you ever hear the like?" cried Fenn. + +"Wait, here's something more," said Bart. He pointed to a few lines of +type at the bottom of the article. They read: + +"Just as we are going to press we learn that one of the four suspected +lads has hurriedly left town." + +"Come on!" cried Bart. "I'm going to make him take that back." + +"Make who take what back?" asked Frank. + +"Why the editor of this paper. Can't you see who he's referring to in +that last line? He means Ned! He means that Ned's run away for fear +he'll be arrested! He means us when he says 'four boys often seen in +each others' company!' He's accusing the Darewell Chums of blowing up +the tower! Come on, we'll make him deny this if he has to get out an +extra!" + +"Go slow," advised Frank. + +"Go slow! Yes, that's always your way! Wait and let him say all he wants +to about us! I guess not!" + +"I say we'd better wait," Frank went on quietly. "Of course you know, +and I know, none of us had anything to do with the blowing up of the +tower. I don't believe it was blown up. I believe the wind did it, and +some one has imagined all this and given the reporter a story of what he +thinks is the truth. At the same time the school authorities may be +going to have an investigation. It's their privilege. Now if we go to +the editor's office and raise a row folks at once will jump to the +conclusion that we had some hand in the explosion. Besides, it doesn't +say we are suspected." + +"It as good as says so," Bart exclaimed. "Everyone will know they mean +us." + +"At the same time the article doesn't say so. That editor is cute enough +for that. He doesn't want a libel suit on his hands." + +"It might as well call us by the names," Bart insisted. "Besides, that +refers to Ned as plain as can be, and he isn't here to defend himself. +It's our duty to go." + +"I tell you you'll only make things worse if you go to the office of the +paper," Frank insisted. "The editor will ask you if you think the +article refers to you. You'll say it does, and he'll say, in effect, 'if +the shoe fits put it on.' These newspaper men are no fools. They have +some basis for what they write. Besides, you know I did take the dial." + +"So you did," said Fenn. + +"Did you give it back to Mr. Williamson?" asked Bart. + +"Yes, I took it to the store as he asked me to." + +"But you didn't make any admissions, did you?" + +"How could I? There were none to make. You were with me when he asked me +about the clock face and you heard all I said. When I left the dial in +the store he was not there. I haven't seen him since. The reporter is +drawing on his imagination I guess for considerable of this." + +"I wonder if they are going to have an investigation?" said Bart. + +"Let's go and see Mr. Williamson," suggested Fenn. "We can show him the +article and he can tell us what to do. I think that's the best plan." + +The other two chums agreed to this, and, each one having purchased a +paper containing the startling news, they went to the hardware store of +the president of the Board of Education. + +Mr. Williamson was talking to some other members of the board, in his +private office, when the boys entered the store. They sent word they +wanted to see him, and in a little while, his visitors having gone, the +president invited the chums in. + +"Well, boys," he began, "what can I do for you?" + +"This article," began Bart. "It seems to--" + +"I have read it," Mr. Williamson interrupted. + +"Do you suspect us?" demanded Bart. + +"That is hardly a fair question," Mr. Williamson replied. "I shall +probably be called upon to preside at the investigation and I can not +discuss the case in advance of the hearing. I will say this however: We +believe some boy or boys blew up the tower, little thinking of the +terrible danger to which he subjected the entire school and that +audience. We have no direct evidence, as yet, but we expect to get some. +I may add that a hearing will be held to-night, and I would like you +boys to be there. I understand Ned Wilding has gone to New York." + +"He went this morning," replied Bart, "but he had planned to go long +before this thing happened. We are going to join him Wednesday." + +"Indeed?" and Mr. Williamson looked a little surprised. + +"What time is the hearing?" asked Fenn. + +"At eight o'clock, in my office here." + +"We'll be on hand," spoke Bart. + +All the members of the Board of Education, the school janitor, the chief +of police, a detective, the fathers of Bart and Fenn, and Frank's uncle +were at the hearing. There was much testimony in an informal way, to the +effect that the tower was wrecked by an explosion and not by the wind. +So much was easily proved. + +The next thing was to discover who had done the deed. The janitor said +he had seen a boy hanging around the tower just before the entertainment +began, but he could not give a good description. It might fit half the +boys in Darewell. + +There was no direct evidence against the chums. Bart had bought some +powder in Mr. Williamson's store a few days before the explosion, but he +testified it was for his gun, which evidence was corroborated by Mr. +Keene. The taking away of the clock dial by Frank was dwelt upon, and +there seemed a disposition to make much of it, but the boy's uncle bore +out Frank's statement that the dial had been placed among a lot of other +relics and ornaments in his nephew's room, and was not hidden away as +though Frank wished to conceal any evidence. Ned's sudden trip was +explained, though it was manifest that some of the school commissioners +looked with disfavor on it. + +The affair ended, as far as the four chums were concerned, in a sort of +Scotch verdict of "not proven." + +"Does that end this inquiry?" asked Mr. Keene. + +"For the time being," replied Mr. Williamson. + +"Then I demand that this committee issue a statement that there is not +the slightest evidence against my son and his chums." + +"We will do nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Mr. Williamson. + +"Then I shall take legal steps to compel you to." + +"And I will join you," declared Mr. Masterson. + +"This investigation will be continued later," Mr. Williamson went on. +"We have not finished. We are going to have some expert detectives here. +Then perhaps we shall discover who perpetrated this outrage." + +"You may rest assured it was none of these boys," said Mr. Dent. "I know +my nephew and I know his chums too well even to suspect them." + +"That is all at present," the president of the board remarked. "The +meeting is adjourned." + +"But it leaves these boys under a cloud," objected Mr. Keene. + +"I am sorry but that cannot be helped," was Mr. Williamson's reply. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +NED'S BUSINESS VENTURE + + +Meanwhile Ned Wilding was speeding on the fast train toward New York. +The first part of the journey was no novelty to him, as he had been over +that part of the line before. Soon, however, he noticed a change in the +scenery and was kept busy watching the landscape as it seemed to fly +past the windows. + +"I wonder if I'll have time to attend to that little matter of business +before I go to Uncle Kenfield's house," said Ned to himself as he leaned +back in his seat and pulled a bundle of papers from his pocket. "Let's +see what the address is." + +Ned began to turn over the pages of a booklet which he selected from +among his bundle of documents. + +"Skem & Skim, 111 Broadway," he read. "I'll just drop down there before +I go to uncle's house and buy my stock. Just think of me being a +stockholder in the Mt. Olive Oil Well Corporation, Limited. Capital ten +million dollars, surplus and undivided profits five millions. It must +be a great concern." + +Ned gave himself up to pleasant thoughts and looked out of the window. +Perhaps he saw himself a millionaire riding in his private car. For Ned +was going to do some business on his own account--the first he had ever +done. + +When he learned that he was to visit his aunt and uncle in New York he +decided to put into operation a plan he had long had in mind; ever +since, in fact, he got the thousand dollars damages which were paid to +him and his chums by Mr. Ricka, as told in the first volume of this +"Darewell Chums Series." + +Mr. Wilding, after much solicitation on Ned's part, had allowed his son +to take one hundred dollars of the money to invest in any way he saw +fit, subject to certain restrictions. + +"I'll not let you buy gold bricks with it, of course," Mr. Wilding had +said, "and I advise you not to invest it in alleged counterfeit money or +'green goods.' But anything else in reason you may do. It's your first +real business venture, and it will be good for you to learn by +experience. I had to when I was a boy." + +"How about buying oil stock?" Ned had asked. "I have been reading that +up lately." + +Mr. Wilding smiled behind the paper he was reading. + +"I warned you against gold bricks," he said. + +"Oh, but this is a legitimate oil business," Ned replied. "The company +advertises in the best magazines, and is only selling stock low for a +few days. By February first it is going to five dollars a share. It's +only fifty cents now. Why, they have testimonials from prominent men, +and an expert writes that the oil wells of the Mt. Olive concern are the +richest ever seen. They have one well that runs a hundred barrels a day +and they haven't it half bored yet." + +"Ned," said Mr. Wilding, and he spoke a little gravely, "I'm not going +to stand in your way. I've allowed you to take that hundred dollars to +invest as you please. Now I'm not going to advise you. If I did I might +as well invest the money myself. I want you to learn to be a business +man and the best way to learn is by experience, though it isn't always +the easiest way. If you want to buy stock in that oil company do so. If +you get 'bitten' you do so with your eyes open." + +"Don't you think it's a good investment, father?" + +"I'm not going to say. Sometimes those concerns pay well, and again +they do not. It's an operation such as business men enter into every +day, and in this case, as far as you are concerned, it is legitimate, +since you are going to buy the stock outright, and not speculate in it +by buying on a margin. As I said, I will not advise you. Buy that stock +if you want to, and I'll say nothing which ever way the cat jumps. It's +your money and you will have to foot the bill. I wouldn't risk more than +a hundred dollars though." + +"That will give me two hundred shares at fifty cents each," Ned replied, +figuring on the back of an envelope. "If it goes to five dollars a share +I'll make nine hundred dollars profit. That would be fine!" + +"So you've decided to buy it, eh?" + +"I think so. I'll get it when I go to New York to Uncle Kenfield's +house." + +"Very well, Ned. You may do so. Only remember one thing, just repeat to +yourself that old proverb about counting your chickens before they're +hatched." + +"Oh, well, I may not make nine hundred dollars, but I'm bound to clear +some profit. The stock can't go much below fifty cents a share," Ned +remarked hopefully. + +"That's your lookout," his father replied. "Now that you've got it +settled I'll draw a hundred dollars of your thousand and give it to you +before you start for New York." + +It was this transaction Ned had in mind as he was on his way to the +great city. He read the account of the oil concern from circulars which +had been mailed to him in Darewell a few weeks ago. There were big +sheets of statistics, prospectuses glittering with gold printing, finely +engraved sample stock certificates and a mass of figures that showed the +impossibility of the Mt. Olive oil wells producing any less than the +highest possible number of barrels per day. + +"If this turns out all right I'll get the other boys to invest some of +their money," Ned said to himself. + +Ned reached New York safely about noon. He had his dinner in a restaurant +near the station and then, leaving his trunk until he could have it sent +to his uncle's house, and carrying only a small valise, he went to the +office of the oil concern. + +He had little difficulty in finding it, once a policeman had directed +him to Broadway. He was hardly prepared for the beautifully furnished +office into which he stepped. There was heavy carpet on the floor, the +chandeliers, glowing with electric lights, seemed of solid gold. There +were brass and mahogany railings, big rosewood desks, telephones on the +desks, stock tickers clicking in one corner, and three girls clicking on +typewriters in another corner. On every side were evidence of a big and +rushing business. + +"Well, sir, what can we do for you? Who are you from?" asked a clerk, +from behind a brass grating, as Ned entered. + +"I came to buy some stock," the boy replied. + +"Who for? Speak quick! This is our busy day!" + +"For myself," Ned replied. + +"Come, no joking. I haven't any time to waste. Got an order from a +broker? Hand it over with the check." + +"I haven't any order and I haven't any check," Ned made reply, somewhat +sharply, for the clerk's manner nettled him. "I came in here to buy some +stock on my own account. I've got the cash here, but if you don't +want--" + +"What is it?" asked a large, pompous man, with a florid face and a white +moustache, coming from an inner office. + +"This boy says he wants to buy some stock," the clerk replied. + +The florid man looked at Ned sharply. + +"You mean this gentleman comes in here to invest in the Mt. Olive Oil +Well Corporation," the florid man went on quickly. "Certainly, my dear +sir," and he shot a meaning look at the clerk. "Skem & Skim will be +happy to transact any business you may entrust them with. Step in here, +please," and he held the door open for Ned to enter the inner office. + +That was even more richly furnished than the outer one. Ned sat in an +upholstered chair that seemed to smother him, so far down did it let him +sink. + +"Now, my dear sir, what can we do for you?" and the man looked at Ned. + +"I have a hundred dollars to invest in your oil well." + +The man seemed a little disappointed. + +"Hum, yes, of course. Well, at the present market rate that will give +you two hundred shares. You are in luck, my dear sir. We are going to +put the price at a dollar a share in the morning. In fact we were going +to advance it this afternoon. I will have your certificate made out at +once." He took the money, which Ned held out, and touched a button on +his desk. A young man entered. "Make out a certificate for two hundred +shares for this gentleman, er--let's see--I'm afraid I didn't catch your +name when you mentioned it." + +As Ned had not mentioned it the gentleman's inability to catch it might +easily be forgiven. + +Ned supplied the necessary information, and the clerk withdrew. Another +entered a moment later. He seemed much excited: + +"Just had a wire from Colonel Janders," he said. "The Black Cat well has +increased fifty barrels a day, Mr. Skem!" + +"Good!" exclaimed the florid gentleman. "Tell Mr. Skim at once, and put +the stock up to a dollar a share. You got in just in time," he added, +turning to Ned, and our hero thought so himself. + +As the last clerk withdrew another one came in. + +"Got an order from Mr. Johnson for five thousand shares," he announced. +"Shall I let him have 'em at fifty?" + +"Sorry to disoblige Mr. Johnson, who is a very good friend of mine," +said Mr. Skem, "but I shall have to charge him a dollar. I guess he'll +pay it. The stock will go to two dollars a share before the end of the +week." + +The first clerk came back with a finely engraved certificate, on which +the name "Edward Wilding" was written in a flourishing hand. + +"There you are," said Mr. Skem. "I hope you will take some more stock +soon. If you invest before the end of the week I will, as a special +favor to you, make the price seventy-five cents." + +Ned had half a mind to invest another hundred dollars, but he thought he +had better write to his father first. Then, with the precious +certificate in his pocket, he started for his uncle's house, planning to +stop on the way and order his trunk sent up. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +IN TROUBLE + + +By inquiring from a policeman Ned found which elevated road to take in +order to get to his uncle's residence. As he found the station was close +to the office of the oil company, he decided he would go direct to Mr. +Kenfield's home and arrange later to have his trunk sent up. He knew his +uncle had a telephone, and thought the baggage could be sent for by an +order over the wire. This would save him a long trip back to the +station. + +When Ned reached the address on West Forty-fourth street he was admitted +by a maid, who asked him whom he wished to see. + +"Is my uncle in?" asked Ned. + +"Oh, so you're the little lad from Darewell," the girl exclaimed, with a +smile, though Ned did not think he quite came under the category of +"little." The maid asked him to come in and, as soon as he entered the +hall, he saw that the place was in confusion. Several trunks stood +about, some half full, others empty, while on chairs and sofas in the +reception hall and parlor were piles of clothing. + +"Is anything the matter?" asked Ned. + +"Mr. Kenfield has suddenly been called to Europe," the girl said. "He +has to go aboard the steamer to-night, and he must pack up at once. He +has gone down town on a matter of business but he'll soon be back. Your +aunt is expecting you. She's upstairs. I'll show you." + +The girl led Ned to Mrs. Kenfield's room. + +"Oh, Ned, I had forgotten all about you!" his aunt exclaimed. "I'm so +glad to see you, but I'm sorry we're so upset. However, it will be over +in a few hours, and when your uncle is off on the steamer you and I can +sit down and talk. I want you to tell me all about Darewell and how your +father is. I haven't seen him in so long! My! but you're the perfect +image of him. How are you?" + +"Very well, aunt," Ned replied. "Can I do anything to help you?" + +"No, we are almost packed, or, rather your uncle is. He has to take +quite a lot of things, as he doesn't know how long he may have to stay. +Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see about another trunk." + +Mr. Kenfield returned to the house in about an hour and warmly welcomed +his nephew. He expressed regret at the necessity which so unexpectedly +called him abroad, and said his trip could not be postponed. + +"But you will have a good time with your aunt," he added with a smile. +"She knows as much about New York as I do, and will have more +opportunities to take you around." + +"Perhaps I had better telegraph the other boys not to come," suggested +Ned. "It may inconvenience you." + +"No, no; let them come and welcome!" exclaimed Mrs. Kenfield. "I love +boys. We'll have a fine time. I have lots of room, and I want you and +your chums to enjoy this visit to New York." + +That night Mr. Kenfield, bidding his wife and nephew good-bye, went +aboard the vessel which was to sail early in the morning to take +advantage of the tide. + +"Well, I suppose your uncle is well out on the ocean by this time," +remarked Mrs. Kenfield, after a somewhat late breakfast which she and +Ned ate alone in the handsome dining room. "Now, Ned, will you excuse me +for a few hours? I have some shopping to do, and I know you wouldn't +want to be going through the stores while I stop at the bargain +counters," and she laughed. "Try and make yourself at home here. Mary +will get lunch for you, in case I am not back in time. To-morrow your +chums will be here, and we must plan to entertain them." + +Ned said he would be glad to take a rest during the morning, and, after +his aunt had left he went to the library to read. He could not get +interested in books, however, with the big city of New York at hand. + +"I think I'll go out and get a paper, and see how my oil stock is +getting along," he said. "Maybe it's advanced some more." + +Telling Mary, the maid, where he was going, and remarking that he would +soon be back, Ned went out into the street. It was rather cold, but the +sun was shining brightly and most of the snow had been cleared away. Ned +got a paper and turned to the financial page. There, sure enough was the +name, Mt. Olive Oil, and it was quoted at one dollar a share. Ned did +not notice that it was in the column of "unlisted securities," together +with other stock of corporations, some selling as low as ten cents a +share. + +"I'm getting rich," Ned murmured to himself. "Guess I'll take another +look at that certificate." + +He pulled it from his pocket, and, as he stood in the street reading it +over he suddenly exclaimed: + +"They've made a mistake. It's only for one hundred shares instead of two +hundred. I must go right down to the office and have it straightened +out. It's probably a clerical error." + +Though he said this to himself, it was with a vague feeling of uneasiness +that Ned boarded a car to go to the offices of Skem & Skim. It must be an +error, he repeated to himself, over and over again. Still he remembered +what his father had said about "fake" companies. But this one had seemed +substantial, and their offices certainly indicated that they did a big +business. Ned was deposited by the elevator in the corridor opposite the +glittering offices of Skem & Skim. He observed a number of persons +standing before the entrance door. + +"I tell you I will go in!" Ned heard one excited man exclaim. "They've +got a thousand dollars of my money and I want it back." + +"Yes, and they've got five hundred of mine," another man chimed in. + +"I am sorry, gentlemen," replied a third voice. "But the offices are +closed. No one can go in until after an investigation." + +"By whose orders are they closed?" asked the man who had mentioned the +thousand dollars. + +"By the orders of the United States postal authorities," was the answer. +"A fraud order has been issued against Skem & Skim, and there is a +warrant for their arrest on a charge of using the mails to swindle. They +skipped out just before we got here this morning." + +"Can't we get our money?" inquired half a dozen anxious ones. + +"I'm afraid not," was the reply from a small but determined looking man +who stood before the door. "My assistant and I have charge of the +offices. As soon as we can learn anything definite we will let you +know." + +"Did they both get away?" asked some one of the postoffice inspector, +for such the man in charge was. + +"Yes, both Skem and Skim." + +"Their names ought to be Scheme and Skin," said a man in a corner. "They +skinned me out of three hundred dollars." + +"Any chance of getting 'em?" was the next inquiry of the inspector. + +"We hope so. We are also looking for a young fellow who is supposed to +hold two hundred shares of this wild-cat oil stock in the Mt. Olive +well. As far as we can learn he is the only stockholder outside of Skem +& Skim, and of course he's liable if there's any money in the concern. +He may have a lot of the cash, which the firm got on other deals, salted +away somewhere. He's the one we want as badly as we do the other two. A +young chap too, but as slick as they make 'em I'm told, even if he is a +stranger here." + +Ned listened in wonder. He thought of his two hundred shares, and of the +certificate in his pocket. He wondered if, by any possibility, he could +be the one wanted. + +"Who is this young fellow?" some one in the crowd asked. + +"That's what we'd like to find out," the inspector replied. "He only got +into New York yesterday, so one of my detectives informs me. Came from +up state, or out west I hear. He's the one I want, for he can tell a lot +about this business. If I can lay hands on him I'll clap him into a cell +quicker than he can say Jack Robinson." + +"I wonder if he can mean me?" Ned thought, and his heart beat rapidly. +"I came from up state yesterday. I got into New York yesterday, and I +have two hundred shares of the Mt. Olive stock--at least I paid for 'em. +But I don't know any more about this business than the man in the moon. +Still they may not believe me. I wonder if they would arrest me? Maybe +it was against the law to buy the stock of a fraudulent concern. I +wonder what I'd better do?" + +"Yes, sir," the inspector went on, speaking to the angry and defrauded +investors, "once let me get my hands on this young fellow who has those +two hundred shares and I'll clear up some of this mystery. He and Skem & +Skim worked the trick among themselves and now you gentlemen can whistle +for your money." + +"I'd like to get one chance at that young fellow!" exclaimed the man who +had lost the thousand dollars. + +"So would I!" chimed in the others. + +"They wouldn't even give me an opportunity to explain," thought Ned. +"They'd lock me up at once, though I'm entirely innocent. I'm going to +get away from here!" + +Then, while the angry men were still talking to the postal inspector, +Ned turned and hurried off. He was afraid to go down in the elevator +lest the attendant might recognize him as the youth who was at the +offices the day before, so he walked down the ten flights of stairs. + +"I must hurry and tell my aunt all about it," Ned thought. "She will +know what I ought to do." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +ADRIFT IN NEW YORK + + +Puzzled, worried and not a little frightened at what the outcome of his +investment might be, Ned boarded an elevated train for his aunt's home. +He was sure the inspector had referred to him, and, though he knew he +had done nothing wrong, yet he admitted he was ignorant of the laws +regarding stocks and bonds, and might have, unknowingly, acted +illegally. + +He had read of cases where the stockholders in a fraudulent concern were +liable for the corporation's debts, and, in fancy, he saw a suit started +against himself. As he was a minor he thought his father would have to +stand the damage. Poor Ned was in a highly nervous state when he went up +the steps of his aunt's home. + +He began to imagine there might be a policeman waiting for him in the +hall. He looked around as he reached the front door, expecting to see a +blue-coated officer close at his heels. That there was a general alarm +sent out for him he felt positive. + +Something in Mary's manner, as she opened the door in response to his +ring, told him there was trouble in the house. The girl's eyes showed +she had been crying. + +"Oh, Master Ned!" she exclaimed as he entered. "Isn't it awful! To think +of the trouble!" + +"Why, how did you hear?" asked the boy, wondering if in the parlor there +was an officer to arrest him. + +"Why, 'twas a message we got, to be sure." + +"Then the postoffice authorities sent a letter here?" asked Ned, somewhat +relieved to find he would not have to break to his aunt what he believed +would be terrible news. + +"No, dear," Mrs. Kenfield called down from the head of the stairs. "It +wasn't a letter from the postoffice, it was a telegram. I have received +bad news." + +"Oh, aunt, it wasn't my fault at all!" burst out Ned. "I didn't know +about it, or I'd never have come to New York." + +"Of course it isn't your fault," his aunt said. "How could you know +about it when I only got the telegram myself a little while ago? As for +your coming to New York, that couldn't be helped. Of course it's too +bad. But you can pay me another visit." + +Ned thought she meant he must hurry away to escape arrest. + +"Are you almost packed up, Mrs. Kenfield?" asked Mary. + +"Yes, almost. I shall want a little help. I must go at once." + +"Why--what--are you--I don't understand--" began Ned. + +"Of course, just like women, to begin at the wrong end," said Mrs. +Kenfield, and Ned's heart beat fast. He wondered if his aunt was going +to reproach him for bringing disgrace on the family. He thought she +would have to flee the city too, in order to avoid arrest. How he wished +his uncle was at home to advise and help them. + +"Do you have to go, aunt?" he asked. "Can't I let 'em take me? I don't +mind." + +"No, it's very good of you to offer, Ned. But I must go. They need me to +help nurse her." + +"Help nurse," repeated Ned, wondering if he had heard aright. + +"Yes, didn't Mary tell you? We have just received a telegram from my +niece Jane Alden in Chicago. She has typhoid fever and I must go to her +at once. She has no other relatives living and I must take care of her. +I shall have to start at once and, as there is no telling when I will +come back I must close up the house." + +"Close up the house," Ned said. + +"Yes, it will make lots of trouble, and I am so sorry that it will spoil +the pleasure of yourself and your chums. But there is no help for it. I +think you had better go back home, Ned. You and your friends can come +and spend two months here next summer." + +"Is Mary going too?" asked Ned. + +"Mary is going to stay with some relatives in Long Island until I come +back. I have sent a cablegram explaining matters to your uncle and it +will be waiting for him when his ship arrives on the other side. Oh, +poor dear Jane! I hope her case is not a severe one. It is lucky I know +how to nurse. She never could get along without me. I am sorry for you, +Ned." + +Ned felt sorry for himself but he did not feel like inflicting his own +troubles on his aunt. Still he did want some instructions about what he +had better do. He was all upset and did not know whether to go home at +once or wait until his aunt had started. He half resolved to tell her +what had happened and ask her advice. + +"Maybe she can send me to uncle's lawyer and he can help me," he said to +himself. His aunt came downstairs at that moment and he decided to make +an attempt to gain an idea of how to proceed. + +"Do you know anything about stocks, aunt?" asked Ned. + +"Stocks? Mercy, no! I leave all that to your uncle. I have trouble +enough--" + +The door bell rang and Mrs. Kenfield opened it. A boy handed her a +telegram. Her hands shook as she opened it. + +"Jane is worse," she said as she read the second brief dispatch. "I must +hurry off soon. Now Ned, I can't tell you how sorry I am, but you had +better arrange to go home at once. I will take the noon train for +Chicago. What time can you get one back to Darewell?" + +"At four this afternoon." + +"Then you had better take it. Mary, hurry packing those trunks. Then get +your own things ready." + +"Mine are all packed, Mrs. Kenfield," the girl replied. + +"All right then. See that the house is well locked up. Don't leave any +victuals around where they will spoil. Shut all the blinds and fasten +the windows well. You can go any time you are ready, Mary." + +"I was going to the station with you and help you carry your valise." + +"Ned can do that. His train doesn't go until four o'clock; can't you, +Ned?" + +"Certainly, aunt." + +Ned's chance to ask advice was gone for, following the receipt of the +second telegram, his aunt was so excited about getting ready that he had +no heart to bother her with his affair. He started every time the door +bell rang, fearing the police might have traced him to his aunt's house +and would arrest him at any moment. + +An expressman, who had been telephoned for, took two trunks belonging to +Mrs. Kenfield. They were to go to Chicago. Mary's was also shipped to +her friends in Long Island. Ned was glad he had left his at the depot, +as it could be checked back to his home from there. + +Mary departed about ten o'clock. The house had been darkened by the +closing of the shutters so that it was necessary to light the gas. Mrs. +Kenfield went about making sure that all the doors were fastened. + +"I can't tell you how sorry I am," she said to Ned. "To think of your +holiday being spoiled!" + +"Don't worry about that, aunt," said the boy. "It couldn't be helped." + +In fact he was thinking less about his broken holiday than he was about +his own plight in the stock transaction. He felt the certificate rustle +in his pocket when he moved, and he had half a mind to throw it away. +But he feared lest doing that, even with the tearing of it into small +bits, might lead to his discovery. He was too worried and excited to be +able to think clearly. + +"I guess we are all ready," his aunt remarked as she stood in the hall. +She had a small valise to carry, and Ned had the one he had brought from +home. + +"Be sure and explain to your father how it happened," Mrs. Kenfield +said. "Tell him about your uncle's unexpected trip to Europe and about +Jane Alden. He knew her quite well when he was a young man. Now I guess +we will start. I like to be in plenty of time for my train. I hate to +hurry at the last minute." + +Together they left the house, Ned carrying both valises. They boarded +the elevated which ran near Mrs. Kenfield's house and were soon on their +way to the station where Ned's aunt was to take her train. + +The boy saw her safely aboard and bade her good-bye. She told him to +write to her, and gave him her Chicago address. + +"Tell your chums how sorry I was to disappoint them," she called to Ned +as her train rolled out of the depot. + +"I will," replied Ned. + +Then, left alone as he was in the big city, he felt a sense of fear, and +hardly knew what to do. + +"Guess I'd better go straight back to Darewell and tell dad all about +it," he said to himself. + +He was soon in the station at which he had arrived the day previous, and +where he had left his trunk. As he was going to the baggage room, to +have it rechecked to Darewell, he caught sight of a man who seemed +strangely familiar to him. The man had his back toward Ned, but when he +turned the boy saw it was the postal inspector who had been at the +offices of Skem & Skim. + +"He's after me!" thought Ned. "He's on my track! I must not let him see +me." + +He turned suddenly away so the man could not observe his face. The +inspector was talking to a policeman, and Ned overheard the bluecoat +ask: + +"Have you sent the telegram?" + +"Yes, they'll be on the watch for him if he goes back home," was the +reply. "They'll nab him as soon as he gets off the train. If he calls +for his baggage the agent here will hold him and notify me." + +Ned hurried from the depot and ran up the street as if the officer was +after him. The last way of escape seemed closed. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +THE CHUMS ARRIVE + + +Darewell never had known such excitement as followed the destruction of +the school tower. + +Of course all the doings in Mr. Williamson's store leaked out, and, +though there were not lacking those who accused the four chums of, at +least, knowing something about the matter, there were others who felt +sure they had had nothing to do with it. + +"I just wish I had a chance to nurse that mean Mr. Williamson!" +exclaimed Alice, when her brother had told her of the hearing. "I'd fix +him." + +"What would you do?" + +"I'd cover him with the hottest mustard plasters I could make, and I've +got a good formulae for some powerful ones. Then I'd fasten 'em on with +bandages so they couldn't come off. The idea of accusing you boys!" + +"He didn't exactly accuse us," said Bart. "That's the trouble. If he did +we could demand a legal trial and be found not guilty in short order. +As it is we're suspected and can't prove our innocence." + +"What are they going to do about it?" + +"Why nothing at present, and I'm glad of it. Frank, Fenn, and I are +going to New York Wednesday and we don't care what they do until we come +back." + +"But, Bart, doesn't that look like running away?" + +"I don't care what it looks like. It's the first chance we have ever had +of going to a big city like that and we may never have another, so we're +going. They can talk all they want to, and fix the tower up to suit +themselves." + +From the preparations Bart and his two chums made for their journey to +New York, one would have thought they were going to Europe. They were at +the station about an hour ahead of train time Wednesday morning, and a +number of their boy friends were present to see them off. Going to New +York was somewhat of a novelty in Darewell, especially when three boys +went at once to visit the rich aunt of another local lad. + +Amid a chorus of good-byes the boys got aboard and soon they were +speeding toward the big city. They arrived at the same depot where Ned +had left the train two days before, and looked around for a possible +sight of their chum. + +"Was he going to meet us here?" asked Frank. + +"No, he said we were to go right to his aunt's house," replied Fenn. +"Bart has the address; haven't you?" + +"Yes, on Forty-fourth street." + +"East or west?" asked Frank. + +"Neither one, just plain Forty-fourth street." + +"I'm sure he said east," Fenn remarked. + +"I think it was west," Frank replied. + +"Let's flip a coin," said Fenn. "Heads is east and tails is west." + +It came down heads, and, following a policeman's directions they started +for that section of the city. They reached it, after no little trouble +for they took the wrong car once. + +"Doesn't look like a very nice neighborhood," said Fenn as they started +along East Forty-fourth street. "Still I guess New York is so crowded +you can't have much of a choice." + +They found the number on East Forty-fourth street, but at the first +sight of the big apartment house they knew they had made a mistake, +since Ned had told them his aunt lived in a house all to herself, which +is quite a distinction in New York. + +"Now for the other side of the city," said Frank, as after diligent +inquiry, they learned Mrs. Kenfield did not live in the neighborhood +they first tried. They boarded a car and were soon at Ned's uncle's +home. + +"Looks as if it was shut up," remarked Bart. + +"I hope we haven't made another mistake," said Fenn. + +"It's the right number and it's the right street," replied Bart. + +"Yes, and Mrs. Kenfield lives here," put in Frank. + +"How can you tell?" asked Bart. + +"There's the name on the door plate," Frank answered pointing to the +silver plate worked in black letters with the name: "Paul Kenfield." + +"Ring the bell harder," suggested Fenn, when no one had answered in +response to Bart's first attempt. + +"It's an electric bell, and can ring only so hard," Bart answered. + +They rang several times and waited. + +"The blinds are all closed," spoke Frank, looking up at the windows. + +"Folks in New York often do that," replied Bart. "If his aunt wasn't +home Ned would have sent us word." + +Just then a woman in the next house came to her door. + +"Are you looking for Mr. Kenfield?" she asked. + +"Yes, ma'am," replied Bart. + +"He sailed for Europe Monday." + +"For Europe?" repeated Bart. + +"Yes." + +"Is Mrs. Kenfield at home?" + +"No, I saw her leave the house yesterday just before noon. She told me +she had a telegram that some relative was quite ill and she had to go to +Chicago. Her servant girl has gone also. The house is shut up." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +HUNTING FOR NED + + +For a few seconds the boys did not know what to do. They stood on the +steps looking blankly at one another. The woman observed them. + +"Were you expecting to call on Mrs. Kenfield?" she asked sympathetically, +as she observed they were strangers in New York. + +"We came here to visit our chum, Ned Wilding," said Fenn. + +"That must have been the boy who went off with Mrs. Kenfield," the woman +went on. She described Ned so the chums had no difficulty in knowing it +was he whom she had seen. + +"You say he went off with Mrs. Kenfield?" asked Bart. + +"Yes, just before noon yesterday. He was carrying two valises, one had a +red mark on it." + +"That's Ned's satchel," said Fenn. "That was some red paint he got on it +the day we went over to Jones's Corners to play ball. One of the fellows +daubed it on for a joke." + +"And he didn't come back?" asked Bart. + +"No," replied the woman. "There has been no one at home since Mrs. +Kenfield went away. I understand she is going to stay in Chicago for +some time. Her niece is quite ill." + +"Well, this is queer," remarked Bart. "I wonder what we had better do." + +"If you want to leave a message with me I'll give it to Mrs. Kenfield +when she returns," the neighbor went on. + +"We're much obliged to you," said Bart, "but I'm afraid that would do +little good. Mrs. Kenfield does not know us. Ned is her nephew and when +she invited him to stay with her she said he could ask his chums to +spend part of the time with him. Well, we're his chums, but where is +Ned?" + +"I'm sure he didn't come back here," the woman continued. "I have been +watching the house pretty constantly ever since Mrs. Kenfield went away, +as she asked me to notify any tradesmen, who might call, that she was +gone, but that they could send their bills to the house by mail and they +would be forwarded to her. I can, however, give you her Chicago +address." + +"I don't know as that would be of any use, though we're much obliged to +you," said Fenn. + +"Yes, it would!" exclaimed Bart. "We can wire her and ask where Ned +went. She'll probably know." + +"Has she got to Chicago yet?" asked Frank. + +"It's about twenty-four hours since she started," replied Bart. "Even a +comparatively slow train would make it in that time. If you'll give us +Mrs. Kenfield's address," he went on, "we'll wire her." + +The neighbor gave the boys the desired information and, since there was +nothing more they could do at the closed house, save stare at the tight +shutters, they started for the nearest telegraph office. + +"If I can do anything for you boys, let me know," the woman said to them +as they were leaving. "I am Mrs. Rowland. I have two boys of my own, +and, if you need any further help in locating your chum, they will be +glad to aid you." + +They thanked Mrs. Rowland, but for whose information they would have +been more in the dark than they were, regarding Ned's strange +disappearance. + +"I had no idea people were so neighborly in New York," said Frank. "I +read somewhere that in this city no one ever knew who lived next door to +him." + +"Lucky we got some sort of a starting point," said Bart. "Now to send +the telegram." + +A few minutes later they found a place where scores of instruments were +clicking away and forwarded this message, addressed to Mrs. Kenfield: + + "Ned's chums arrived to find house closed. No trace of Ned. + Understand he went away with you. Can you tell us where he is + now?" + +They told the clerk they would call for the answer in about two hours, +as they wanted to allow plenty of time for a reply. + +"Meanwhile we'll go and get dinner," suggested Fenn. + +"Let's check our valises somewhere," proposed Bart. "I'm tired lugging +mine around." + +"Leave 'em at the station where our trunks are," Frank put in. "We may +have to start back home soon, and they'll be handy for us there." + +"Too far away," objected Fenn. "Here's a good place." + +He pointed to a newsstand built under one of the elevated railroad +stations, where a sign was displayed, announcing small parcels would be +checked for ten cents. They left their grips, receiving little brass +tags in return, and then went to a restaurant where they had dinner. + +"Lets go back and see if there's an answer to our message," suggested +Fenn, after they had walked around a bit. Back they went to the +telegraph office, and found there was a reply. Bart's hands trembled +slightly as he tore open the envelope. The message from Mrs. Kenfield +was a short one. It read: + + "Ned started for home after leaving me." + +"Might have known it," remarked Frank. + +"Of course," put in Fenn. "What else could he do? He wouldn't stay in +New York, where he doesn't know a soul, after his aunt and uncle left." + +"Then I s'pose the only thing for us to do is to follow Ned back to +Darewell," suggested Bart. "Here's an end to our holiday. Too bad!" + +"Why need we go back?" asked Frank. "We're here in New York. It may be +many years before we have another chance like this. We have enough money +to last us a week or more, even if we have to stay at a hotel." + +"What do you mean?" asked Fenn. + +"Why not spend a week in New York anyhow?" Frank went on. "It's too bad +Ned has gone home. He'd stay with us if he was here. We can go to a +cheap hotel and have almost as much fun as if we were at Ned's uncle's +house. What's the use going right back home?" + +"I believe you're right," came from Bart. "We'll stay a while and see +what New York looks like. Might as well spend some of that money for +hotel bills as anything else. I've heard they rob you in New York, but I +guess we can look out for ourselves." + +"Let's telegraph back to Darewell," suggested Fenn. + +"What for?" asked Bart. + +"To see if Ned got there safely. If he did maybe he'll come here and +join us." + +"Good idea," commented Frank. "Write out another message. Send it to +Ned's father. He'll get it quicker at the bank than Ned would at the +house." + +A little later this message, signed by Bart, went clicking over the +wires to Darewell. + + "Is Ned home? His uncle and aunt called away unexpectedly and + he started back for Darewell. Answer." + +The boys said they would call in an hour for a reply. They spent the +time wandering about the streets. Now, as it was approaching evening, +the thoroughfares were filled with hurrying throngs. They found the +telegram from Darewell waiting for them when they went back to the +office. It was from Mr. Wilding and read: + + "Ned not home. What is the trouble? Can't you locate him in New + York? Try. Will come on in the morning." + +"Ned has disappeared," said Bart in strange tones, as he let the +telegram fall to the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +DOWN THE ROPE + + +When Ned started on a run up the street, after seeing in the station the +man he believed was seeking to arrest him, he had no definite idea where +he was going. All he cared about was to get out of the inspector's +sight. + +"I can't go back home," he reasoned as he hurried on, seeking to lose +himself in the crowd. "If I do they'll arrest me as soon as I leave the +train. I can't bring disgrace on my father that way, though I am innocent +of any intentional wrong-doing. Besides if it was known that I bought +this stock it might injure his reputation at the bank. They might think +he advised me to do it, and the bank doesn't allow its officials to do +that sort of business." + +Ned slowed his pace down from a run to a rapid walk, as he noticed that +several persons were looking curiously at him. He did not want to +attract attention. + +"What had I better do?" he asked himself. "If I stay here I'm liable to +arrest any moment. If I go home I'm sure of it as soon as I get off the +train, as every one at the depot knows me. But they don't here," he +added, as a thought came to him. "That's one good thing. I'm an utter +stranger in New York. The only persons who know me are my uncle and +aunt. They are far enough off. Of course there's Mary the servant girl, +but I guess she's not liable to meet me. Besides, she wouldn't know the +police wanted me. Then there's Mr. Skem, but I guess he's too busy +himself, dodging the officers, to be found in this vicinity. + +"That's the best thing to do," Ned decided. "I'll stay in New York +until--well until something happens. But the worst of it is I can't +even write to the folks at home. I can't let them know what has +occurred. I wonder what the boys will do when they come and find the +house closed? If I send a letter to father the postal authorities can +trace where it came from and get me. A telegram would be as bad. I'm +just like a prisoner who can't communicate with his friends. The only +thing to do is to stick it out until something happens. If they would +only arrest Skem & Skim maybe their testimony would clear me. But I +guess they're not likely to catch them. I've got to stick it out alone +and it's going to be hard work." + +By this time Ned felt he was far enough away from the depot to render +capture in the immediate future out of the question. He felt he could +risk walking a little slower, for it was no joke to hurry along a mile +or more carrying his valise, even though it was not a large one. + +"I believe I'm hungry," he said, as he came in front of a small +restaurant. He had taken no food since breakfast and it was now about +four o'clock in the afternoon. "I'll feel better after I've eaten. +Besides I've got to stay somewhere to-night. I must look for a hotel." + +He did feel more encouraged after he had dined, and, on inquiring of the +cashier in the restaurant, where he could find a cheap but decent hotel, +was directed to the Imperial a few blocks distant, back toward the +station. Ned thought this would be safe enough. + +"I'd better take an account of stock," he remarked to himself as he +started for the hotel. "Most of my clothes are in the trunk, and so is +the check dad gave me to have uncle cash. I can't get at that, and I +guess I wouldn't if I could. I'd have to endorse it to cash it, and when +I wrote my name whoever saw it might tell the police." + +Ned's imagination probably made things seem worse than they really were, +but he was unaccustomed to city ways, and the memory of the inspector's +words, and the angry men who had lost money through Skem & Skim acted as +an incentive for him to do everything possible to avoid arrest, which he +felt would follow any disclosure of his identity, such as would result +from endorsing a check. + +"The only clothes I've got are on me," Ned went on, continuing the +process of "stock taking." He had a change of underwear and some clean +collars, cuffs and handkerchiefs in his valise, and about ten dollars in +bills. In his pocketbook he carried five dollars and there was a little +change in his overcoat. + +"I've got to sail pretty close to the wind," he told himself. "Fifteen +dollars isn't going very far in New York. I must get work to do until +this thing blows over, or something happens. That's what I'll do. I'll +look for a job to-morrow." + +The hotel at which Ned arrived a few minutes later did not look very +inviting. Still, he reflected, he was not in a position to be particular. +It was a five-storied building, and on both sides of it, were shops for +the sale of various articles. + +"Can you give me a cheap room?" asked Ned of the clerk behind the desk. + +"Sell you one, you mean I guess," was the man's reply as he went on with +the operation of cleaning his finger nails. "We don't give 'em away." + +"I'd like to engage a room for the night," Ned went on. + +"Dollar's the cheapest we've got." + +"That will do." + +"Register," the clerk said, swinging the book around in front of Ned, +and handing him a pen which he dipped into the dirty ink bottle. Then he +went on with his manicuring. + +"I must sign my name," thought Ned. "No I can't do that! They might +trace me!" He felt the rustle of the stock certificate in his pocket as +he took the pen. What was he to do? + +"Is it necessary to register?" he asked. + +"Course it is," replied the clerk looking at him curiously. "That's the +law. Everybody who stops at a hotel has to put their name on the book. +What's the matter? You ain't afraid to register, are you? Don't look as +though you'd committed a murder or had robbed some one," and the clerk +grinned at his joke. + +"No, of course not," Ned replied, his heart thumping away under his +overcoat. Then he resolved to put on the book a fictitious name. He +hesitated a moment and inscribed: "Thomas Seldon," in a large hand as +unlike as possible from his own usual small writing. + +"Thomas Seldon, eh?" queried the clerk as he turned the book around once +more. "Where you from? That has to go down." + +Once more Ned hesitated. What should he answer. + +"What's the matter? Forget where you live?" the clerk asked. + +"No. It's Perryville, New York," replied Ned, taking a name at random, +as he had the one he signed in the book. + +The clerk told him to write it down, and after this was done the number +113 was placed after his name. + +"Hope you're not superstitious," the clerk remarked. + +"Why?" asked Ned. + +"There's a thirteen in your room number." + +"I don't mind that." + +"Some folks do," the clerk continued. "But that's the only dollar room +we've got left. Front!" + +A boy answered the ring of the bell which the clerk touched, and, taking +Ned's grip led the way. A rattling, shaking elevator, of an antiquated +type, carried Ned and his guide to the fifth floor. The young porter +opened the door of a small room and set Ned's grip down inside of it. + +"Here's where you bunk," he remarked. + +Ned had read of the necessity for tips in New York, and handed the boy a +dime. The lad seemed to welcome it. + +"T'anks," he said. + +"What's that rope for?" asked Ned, as he noticed one in a corner of his +room. + +"Fire escape. New law. All rooms has to have 'em," the boy replied. "If +the shebang goes up you drop the rope out of the window and slide down. +Your window's right over the back yard and there's a gate that leads out +into a side street." + +"Do they have many fires?" asked Ned, feeling a bit nervous. + +"Many? Every day ten or a dozen." + +"I mean around here?" + +"Ain't had none since I worked here, but when this place goes it'll go +quick. It's about a thousand years old, I guess." + +When the boy had gone Ned looked out of the window. It overlooked the +rear yard of the hotel, a place filled with boxes, barrels and all sorts +of rubbish. The rope was fastened to an iron ring in the wall, and +looked stout enough to hold several men. It was long enough to reach to +the ground, as Ned could see. + +"Hope I don't have to use it," he thought. + +Leaving his valise in his room, Ned went downstairs, again, the old +elevator taking considerable time on the trip. + +"I'll look around a bit, have some supper and then go to bed," he +decided. "Maybe my luck will change to-morrow." + +Ned after walking about the streets for awhile went back to the same +restaurant where he had dined before, as he did not fancy the looks of +his hotel well enough to eat there. He strolled about through the +brilliantly lighted streets after supper pondering on his curious +plight, and then went back to the Imperial. + +As he approached the desk to get to the elevator he saw a stout man in +close conversation with the clerk. He could hear the latter, in reply to +some question, say: + +"Guess we haven't got anybody here you want, Jim. No new ones came +except a kid. Queer thing about him, though, I believe he's registered +under the wrong name. Acts sort of funny." + +"What name did he give?" asked the stout man. + +"'Never'--'ever'--no, that isn't it but it's something like that. +'Seldom'--that's it--no it isn't either--'Seldon,' that's it. 'Thomas +Seldon.' I sized him up for a queer one." + +"I'll have to get a look at him," the stout man went on. "I don't know +as we have any call for him, but it's best to be on the safe side." + +Ned felt his knees beginning to shake. He wondered who the big man might +be. Just then the youthful porter sauntered toward him. Ned had come to +a halt half way up the lobby of the hotel. + +"Pipe off that guy?" asked the boy in a friendly whisper, with a nod at +the stout man. Ned understood the question to mean "Do you know who that +man is?" and he answered that he did not. + +"One of the detectives from the Central Office. The sleuths come here +same as at other hotels, every once in a while, to see if anybody they +want might happen to be on hand. Guess he won't land anybody this time, +though, about a week ago--" + +But Ned did not stop to listen. The stairway was in front of him, and he +could get to his room without the clerk or the detective seeing him. + +As he started up the stairs, intending to go to his apartment and hide, +for he had left the key in the lock, the boy-porter called after him: + +"Why don't you take the cage?" + +"The elevator's too slow," Ned answered, trying to keep his voice from +trembling. He was afraid the men might hear him. But they did not, and, +walking swiftly he was soon in his room. + +"What shall I do?" poor Ned asked himself. He seemed hounded on every +side. "I must get away from here," he thought. "The clerk suspects me! +Perhaps that detective has a description of me! I must sneak out, and +yet--I can't go. I haven't paid for my room!" + +Then he caught sight of the rope fire escape. An idea came to him. + +"I'll slide down the rope to the ground," he murmured. "That's the way. +I can get off without any one seeing me, and I'll go to another hotel." + +He loosened the rope, which was looped upon a hook, and looked down into +the yard. All was dark and quiet there. He tied his valise to the end of +the rope and lowered it. The little thud of the satchel as it landed and +slipped from the noose of the rope told him it was in the yard. Then, +having left a dollar bill pinned to one of the pillows of the bed, Ned +put on his hat and overcoat, and, taking a firm hold of the rope stepped +out of the window and went down, hand over hand. It was a trick he had +often performed, though it was hard to descend the five stories. At last +his feet touched the ground, and he breathed a sigh of relief. + +"Now to take my valise and skip," he said in a whisper. "That was pretty +well done." + +He stooped over to loosen his satchel from the rope. His fingers +encountered nothing but the hempen strands. + +"My valise is gone!" he exclaimed. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +IN THE LODGING HOUSE + + +Ned felt around on the ground. He thought the valise might have slipped +from the rope and rolled away into some corner of the yard. He got down +on his knees and crawled about, looking among boxes and barrels, as well +as he could in the darkness. But the valise was gone. + +"Where in the world could it have disappeared to?" Ned asked himself. "I +came down within three minutes after I lowered it to the ground." + +There was a gate, opening from the yard to the street, and Ned decided +some one had either seen or heard the valise drop and had slipped in and +stolen it. + +"Now I am in a pickle," the lad murmured. "No baggage, not even a clean +collar, only a little over four dollars left" (for he had taken one from +his pocketbook to leave for his room rent), "and I can't even tell the +police I've been robbed. If I do they'll question me and find out I'm +wanted for that stock matter. I certainly am up against it. But I guess +I'd better get away from here. That detective may go to my room, +discover that I've gone, and make a search." + +Ned peered out of the gate. The street was deserted at that moment. With +a hasty look up at the window of his room he had just left, and from +which the rope still dangled, Ned, in worse plight than he had been +before, hurried away. Once more he felt himself an outcast, without a +place to go. + +"When they see that rope they'll suspect I'm some sort of a criminal," +he reflected bitterly. "What a lot of trouble a fellow can get into +without meaning it," he reflected. "This is the last time I'll ever buy +stocks or bonds on my own responsibility. I guess dad can manage +finances until I learn the ropes a little better." + +He walked on, not knowing whither he was bound. He emerged from the side +street to one of the main thoroughfares. There he mingled with the +crowds, believing, that for the present at least, he was safe from +pursuit. + +"But I've got to stay somewhere to-night," he told himself. "I can't +walk the streets forever. I wonder if there isn't some place where I can +get a bed without having to answer a lot of questions about myself?" + +As he walked along an illuminated sign, on a building across the street, +attracted his attention. It informed those who cared to know that the +place was the "Owl Lodging House," and that single beds could be had for +fifteen cents a night, or a room including the privilege of a bath, for +twenty-five cents. + +"That about fits my pocketbook," Ned reasoned. "Twenty-five cents a +night is cheaper than a dollar, and I've got to be saving. I wonder if +it's clean? It seems like living in a tenement house, but I s'pose lots +of men have to. I'll try it anyhow. If I don't like the looks of it I +can leave." + +He walked up the stairs. Certainly the place would not have taken a +prize for cleanliness but then, Ned reflected, beggars must not be +choosers. He emerged into a big room, lighted by several gas jets, and +seemingly filled with men in chairs who were lolling about in all sorts +of attitudes. Some were asleep and some were reading newspapers. As Ned +stood irresolutely gazing on the scene his thoughts were interrupted by +a sharp voice. + +"Well, young man, do you want a room or a bed?" + +"Have you any rooms left?" asked Ned, turning to see a man staring at +him from a small window in an office built against one side of the +apartment. + +"Lots of 'em," replied the clerk of the lodging house. "Twenty-five +cents. Pay in advance. This isn't the Waldorf-Astoria." + +Ned handed a quarter through the half circular opening and received in +return a key with a big brass tag. + +"Do I register?" asked Ned, hoping that he would not have to put down +another false name. + +"Register nothin'," the clerk replied. "They go by numbers here. Yours +is seventeen," and Ned, looking at the tag on his key, saw what the +clerk meant. + +"I'm glad there's no thirteen in this," the boy thought. "How do I get +to my room?" he asked. + +"Right along the corridor. You can't miss it. Go on until you strike the +right number and go in. Do you snore?" + +"No. Why?" + +"Because there is a man in the next room to you who says he'll punch my +face in, if I put any one near him who snores. It's all right. Go ahead. +If you want a bath it's the last room at the end of the hall, but you +have to furnish your own soap and towels." + +"That settles the bath question," thought Ned; "that is unless I dry +myself on a pocket handkerchief, and I guess I'd better save that." + +"Lock your door," the clerk called after him. "We're not responsible for +anything stolen from the rooms." + +Ned had not expected much for twenty-five cents, and the small room, the +little narrow iron cot, and the scanty supply of coverings did not +disappoint him. The room was merely separated from the others, in the +row of which it was, by partitions that did not extend all the way to +the ceiling. Ned sat down on the chair and gazed about him. He could +hear men in the next rooms breathing heavily. It was rather chilly for +there was no fire in the bedrooms. + +"I can use my overcoat for a blanket," Ned inadvertently spoke aloud. +The next moment a voice, from the room on his left startled him. + +"Hello, in seventeen!" called a man. + +"Well?" asked Ned. + +"Do you snore?" + +"No." + +"All right. If you do there'll be trouble. I'm a light sleeper." + +Ned wondered who his unseen questioner was, but he was too tired to care +much. + +He undressed, and crawled into bed. His overcoat answered well for a +blanket, and soon he began to feel warm and drowsy, in spite of his +strange surroundings. + +He must have slept for several hours when he was suddenly awakened by a +pounding on his door. + +"What is it? Is the place afire?" he called, sitting up in bed. + +"Fire nothing! I want my money you took!" It was the voice of the man +who had asked him if he snored. + +"I haven't your money," Ned answered, thinking the man might be a +lunatic. + +"Yes, you have! You sneaked into my room and took it! I woke up just in +time! Open the door or I'll break it down!" + +Ned sprang from his bed and turned the key. The door flew open and a big +man with a red moustache entered. + +"Give me my money!" he demanded, striding up to Ned. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +NED FLEES AGAIN + + +"I tell you I haven't your money!" exclaimed Ned. "What do you mean?" + +"You know what I mean well enough! I had a lot of dollar bills under my +pillow! You sneaked in and took them! I want my money!" + +"And I tell you I haven't it and didn't take it!" Ned repeated. "This is +my room, and you'd better get out of it!" + +"Not until I have my money! Where is it?" + +He lifted a pillow from Ned's bed. Under it were four one dollar bills +which Ned had placed there before he went to sleep. + +"Here's part of it, anyhow!" the man exclaimed. "I want the rest now! +Fork it over!" + +"That's my money!" cried Ned, as the red-moustached man took the bills +and stuffed them into his pocket. + +"Your money! A likely story! Anybody with as much money as that would +never stop in a place like this." + +"How did you happen to stop here then?" asked Ned quickly. + +"Me? Why young impudence, I'm the proprietor of this lodging house! I +live here! That's why. Hey, Bill!" he called in a loud voice, "come +here. There's trouble." + +In answer to the summons a big man, evidently the night porter or +watchman, came shuffling down the corridor. + +"What's the trouble, boss?" he asked, and Ned began to believe the man +had spoken the truth when he said he was the proprietor of the place. + +"Why, here's a kid comes into my room when I'm asleep and takes my cash +right from under my pillow. I wake up just in time to see him sneak +back into his room and when I get him with the goods on him he has the +impudence to deny it. There's part of the cash," and he showed Ned's +money, "but I want the rest. Better call a policeman, Bill." + +"All right, boss. Just as you say," and the porter shuffled off. + +"Do you mean to say you're going to have me arrested on a charge of +stealing your money?" asked Ned. + +"That's what I am unless you give it up." + +"But I didn't take it. It must have been some one else, if you really +were robbed. Why don't you look in some of the other rooms along here?" + +"Because I saw you come in here after you were in my room, and had your +hand under my pillow." + +"Couldn't you be mistaken?" + +"Not much. I've been in this business too long. 'Tisn't the first time +I've been robbed, but it's the first time I got the thief and I'm goin' +to make an example of you." + +"You're making a big mistake," Ned said, trying to speak bravely, but +the accusation, unjust as it was, coupled with his other misfortunes was +almost too much for him. + +"I'll take the chances on that. Who are you, anyhow? What's your name, +and where'd you come from?" + +Ned hesitated. If he gave his real name it might lead to trouble over +the stock, in case the proprietor carried out the threat to have him +arrested. He was not used to telling untruths and he was afraid if he +gave a false name he would soon betray himself. Still it seemed the best +thing to do and would harm no one save himself. + +"My name's George Anderson," he said boldly. "Where I came from is none +of your affair." + +"Afraid to tell, eh? Well, the judge will soon have it out of you." + +It was quite cold now, and Ned, standing half dressed as he was in the +room, began to shiver. He put on his clothes. + +"Guess that's a wise thing to do," the proprietor of the lodging house +remarked. "You'll get a ride in the hurry-up wagon soon." + +The words struck a chill of terror to Ned's heart. Must he spend the +rest of the night in a cell? The man's manner showed no relenting. He +either believed Ned had robbed him or was insisting on the charge for +some reason of his own. + +"Are you in earnest about this?" asked Ned, as he put on his hat and +overcoat. + +"You can make up your mind to that," was the man's answer. "It'll be the +jail for yours, in a little while, if you don't give me back my money. +It isn't too late. I can fix it with the cop if you'll give up. Why look +here, kid, they'll search you and find it on you. You haven't had time +to hide it, and, besides, there's no place in this room. You must have +it on you. Give it up and save trouble." + +"I haven't your money," Ned said boldly. "Those bills you took from +under the pillow were mine. You can search me now if you want to. That +is all the money I have except a little change in my overcoat pocket," +and he showed the man. + +"That don't go with me. I'm sure you robbed me. I'll not search you or +you'd say I was up to some game, and nobody ever said but what Jim +Cassidy was honest, though he does keep a cheap lodging house. No, sir, +the cop'll search you." + +Ned knew the officer would find nothing--except the stock certificate. +There was the trouble. Ned thought every officer in New York had a +description of it and was looking for the boy who carried it. No, he +couldn't allow himself to be searched. + +"It's cold!" exclaimed Cassidy suddenly, as he shivered in his long +nightrobe. "I'm goin' to get dressed. Better not try to run or I'll nab +you. I'll be in the next room." + +He went into his own apartment and Ned could hear him putting on his +clothes. By the grunts and puffs that ensued he judged Cassidy was +having hard work, as he was a large man, and putting on a shirt was no +easy matter. + +Then a daring plan came into Ned's mind. In spite of the excitement +caused by the proprietor's entrance into his room and the loud talking +that followed the accusation, none of the other lodgers had gotten up. +Even sending the porter for a policeman had not excited any curiosity. + +Ned resolved to make his escape if possible. He thought he could slip +past Cassidy's door and down the stairs before Bill would return with a +policeman. He got upon the bed and looked over the partition into +Cassidy's room. The proprietor was putting on his shoes and had his back +to the door. There was a light at the far end of the corridor, +illuminating it dimly. + +Ned took off his own shoes, and, carrying them in his hand stepped to +the door of his room. He stole softly into the corridor and was about to +slip past Cassidy's room when the door of the apartment opposite his +opened just a crack and a hoarse voice whispered: + +"Hey, cully! If youse wants t' make a git-away, go de other way an' down +de back stairs. Youse kin slip around through de alley an' inter de +street 'fore de cop comes. I heard what youse said and ye sounds honest, +an' dat's more'n ye kin say fer a lot in dis joint. Quick, some one's +comin' up de front stairs!" + +Then, before Ned could thank his unknown friend, the door was shut. Ned +could hear Cassidy getting up from the chair on which he had seated +himself to lace his shoes. There was not a moment to spare. + +Making no sound in his stocking feet, Ned hurried down the dark corridor, +away from the front of the building. He had to trust almost entirely to +feeling, as the gleam from the single lamp farther toward the front +stairs did not penetrate thus far. He did not even know where the rear +flight was, but trusted to luck to find them. With his hand stretched out +in front of him, to avoid running into any obstructions he went on as +fast as he could. Suddenly he turned a corner in the passage and saw a +dim light. Then he observed a flight of stairs leading downward. He +listened a moment. Behind him he could hear the tramp of heavy feet, and +guessed that Bill had returned with the policeman. + +Ned hurried down the stairs. He stopped only long enough, when he +reached the bottom, to put his shoes on, but did not lace them. He only +tucked the ends of the strings into the tops so they would not dangle +and trip him if he had to run. Then Ned stepped from the hallway into +the dark and deserted street. Once more, though entirely innocent, he +had been obliged to flee from officers of the law. + +"It's getting to be a habit with me," he said grimly, as he hurried +along. + +What happened back in the lodging house he did not know and he cared +less. That his flight would seem a confession of guilt he was sure; but +what did it matter? + +It was cold and dark and cheerless in the streets. He was a night +wanderer, with no place to go, and, as far as he knew, not a friend in +the big city. + +"I guess I'll have to walk the streets all night," poor Ned thought. "I +haven't much money left." He felt in the pocket of his overcoat, and +counted the change. There was less than a dollar. + +"Have to take fifteen cent beds after this," he remarked to himself. "As +for eating I guess I'll have to cut that out altogether." + +He walked through several thoroughfares. Not a soul did he meet save +once as he passed a policeman the officer stared at him suspiciously. +But Ned still had his good clothes with him, and his overcoat though +crumpled from being used as a bed-spread, made him look decent enough to +pass muster in the neighborhood where he was. + +"I think I'll find another lodging house and get a bed," he said to +himself. "I must get a little rest if I am to look for work to-morrow." + +He had no difficulty in finding a place, for there were many such +nearby. He got a fifteen cent bed, in a room where scores of other men +and youths were sleeping. His entrance excited no comment, and, in fact, +few were awake to notice his arrival. + +Ned was so tired he fell asleep with most of his clothes on. He had +little fear of being robbed for he had little left to take. He got a +frugal breakfast the next morning and started out to search for work. + +But New York seemed to be overflowing with men and boys on the same +errand. Every place where Ned applied, either from seeing a sign "Boy +Wanted," or by getting the address from a newspaper he bought, had been +taken or else he would not fill the bill. All day long he tramped, +spending a few cents for some buns and coffee at a lunch stand. At +night, tired and discouraged, he went back to the lodging house where he +had last stayed, and again got a fifteen cent bed. + +"To-morrow's Thursday," thought Ned, as he crawled under his overcoat, +which he once more used as a blanket. "I wonder if the boys arrived +to-day? What could they have thought when they saw the house closed? +Oh, I wish I could find them. If this keeps on I'll have to pawn my +overcoat for something to eat, and it looks as if it would snow +to-morrow. What a pickle I'm in!" + +Then, in spite of his troubles he fell asleep, for he was very tired. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +OUT IN THE STORM + + +The telegram from Ned's father, which the three chums received that +Wednesday evening, telling them their friend was not at his home in +Darewell, was a great shock to them. + +"Why," remarked Bart, as he picked up the message he had dropped, "it +hardly seems possible. I wonder where in the world he can be. He starts +for home but he never arrives." + +"Are we sure he started for home?" asked Frank. + +"Why of course," Fenn answered. "Didn't the telegram from Mrs. Kenfield +say so?" + +"She would hardly know," Frank went on. "Ned's train for Darewell +wouldn't leave until four o'clock. The timetable shows that. According +to what the woman who lives next door to Mrs. Kenfield told us, Ned's +aunt started away before noon. Her train must have left about that time, +so Ned couldn't have gotten away from New York, if he left at all, until +after his aunt had started for Chicago. Consequently though she may +have seen him leave the depot where she was, with the intention of going +back to Darewell, that's no proof that he really went back home." + +"That's so," admitted Bart, struck with the force of Frank's reasoning. +"But where then can he be?" + +"That's what we've got to find out," said Fenn. + +"How are we going to do it?" Bart inquired. + +"I think Ned's right here in New York," Frank went on. "Now look at it. +His aunt goes away unexpectedly and closes the house up. It would seem +natural for Ned to go back home, but we find out he has not. He doesn't +know any one else in this part of the country, or he would have told us. +Consequently he has not gone to any other city. Therefore he must be in +New York." + +"But why would he stay here?" insisted Bart. + +"Probably for the same reason we're going to, in order to see the +sights." + +"Then why didn't he send some word home to let his father know?" Bart +asked. "Mr. Wilding wouldn't be starting for New York if he knew Ned was +safe here. Ned hasn't communicated with his father, that's sure." + +"I forgot about that," Frank admitted. "That makes it look different." + +"Maybe something has happened to him," suggested Fenn. + +"Don't look for trouble, Stumpy," remarked Bart. "It's bad enough as it +is." + +"However I still think Ned is in New York," Frank went on. "He may be +sick or he may have been hurt, which would prevent him communicating +with us, or with his father. But that he's in this city I'm sure. Now +the thing for us to do is to find him." + +"But how?" asked Fenn. + +"There are dozens of ways. We must communicate with the police and ask +their help." + +"Ned wouldn't like that," interposed Bart. "He's not a criminal." + +"Of course not," Frank answered. "But the police have to help find lots +of persons who are not criminals. If Ned's in trouble we want to know it +as soon as possible so we can help him." + +"Then the sooner we start the better," suggested Bart. "Where ought we +to begin?" + +"Let's ask the agent here at the station where Ned's train came in," +Frank said. "Perhaps he may have noticed him." + +"Not likely," replied Bart. "Too many passengers coming and going." + +They made some inquiries, but, as Bart had said, there were too many +arrivals and departures for the agent to have taken particular note of a +boy among a thousand others. + +"That settles one end of it," remarked Fenn, as they were about to leave +the depot. "Let's arrange to stop at some hotel. We're going to be here +several days, very likely." + +"So we are," Frank replied. "Hold on! Wait a minute! I've just thought +of something." + +"What?" asked Bart. + +"The baggage room. We can find out if there are any trunks from Darewell, +besides our own, that have not been called for. Besides I know Ned's when +I see it." + +They hurried to the baggage agent and told him what they wanted. He soon +ascertained from his records that four trunks had come in from Darewell +in the last few days. Three were those of the three chums, which had +arrived that noon. + +"I've got one other," the agent said. "It came in Monday, and there are +storage charges on it now." + +"Can we look at it?" asked Frank. + +The agent showed it to them. + +"That's Ned's trunk!" cried Frank. "We're on the track. He hasn't left +New York, that's sure. Has any one called for that trunk?" he asked the +agent. + +"No, but I wish they would. It's in the way here." + +"Could you let us know in case any one does call?" Frank went on, giving +his reasons for the request. "We'll pay you for your trouble." + +"I s'pose I could. Where'll you be?" + +"We ought to stop at some hotel near here," Frank suggested. "Then we +can come here quickly if we get a message." + +"Do you know of a good hotel near here?" asked Bart of the agent. + +"There's the Imperial a few blocks up the street. It's not especially +good, but it's respectable. I guess you could stop there." + +"That will do," Frank said. "We'll get rooms there. We will send for our +trunks, and you can telephone us in case that other one is called for." + +He gave the man a couple of dollars to pay for his trouble, and for any +telephone messages he might have to send, and then the three chums went +to the same hotel where Ned had stopped. + +The same clerk was on duty who had been there when Ned registered, and he +seemed rather surprised at the three well dressed youths who entered. +Usually the Imperial, in spite of its name, did not attract such a class +of patrons. The boys bargained for three connecting rooms, and, as they +had plenty of money were given good apartments on the second floor. + +"Register," the clerk said, swinging the book around to them. + +As Bart took the pen to write his name, he looked at the book and gave a +start. + +"I thought first that was Ned's writing," he said as he looked where his +chum, but a few hours before had written "Thomas Seldon." + +"Friend of yours?" asked the clerk quickly. + +"I thought first it looked like the writing of a chum of mine," Bart +replied. "But it's different I see." + +"Guess that chap doesn't travel in your company," the clerk went on, as +the other boys put down their names. + +"Why?" + +"Oh, he's a crook I guess," and he told of the discovery of Ned's escape +down the rope. "He hasn't done anything as far as we can learn," the +clerk went on, "but his getting out that way showed there was something +wrong, though he was honest enough to leave a dollar for his room, which +he didn't occupy. However, the police would like to get him just to see +why he was in such a hurry to get away. + +"Funny thing, too," the clerk continued. "He left his valise behind him. +He must have lowered it out of the window by the rope, or else he threw +it out. Anyway, just before we found out that he had gone, our chef went +out in the back yard for a breath of air. He saw the valise lying on the +ground, but didn't take notice of the rope. He brought the satchel in +and gave it to me. I was talking to a detective at the desk, one who +comes in here every once in a while to see if there are any suspicious +characters. I was telling him about this Seldon lad, just as the cook +handed me the grip. I recognized it as the one the boy had when he came +in, and got suspicious. We went to his room, but he had skipped. We've +got the valise yet, but haven't opened it. The police may in a few +days." + +The boys slept soundly that night. They awoke in the morning to find a +heavy snow storm in progress. They spent the day going from one place to +another, following the advice they got at the office of the chief of +police. But all to no purpose. There was no trace of Ned. They were out +almost all day in the storm, which continued to get worse as night +approached. + +"There's one thing we forgot," said Frank, as they prepared to go back +to the hotel for the night. + +"What?" asked Fenn. + +"We should have let Mr. Wilding know where we are stopping. You know he +said he was coming to New York. We must send him a wire. If he has left +Darewell, the bank will know his address here, and forward it to us." + +This plan, Frank's chums decided, was a wise one. They turned toward a +telegraph office which they had noticed near their hotel. As they were +going down a dark side street Bart, who was in advance, stumbled over +something and fell into a snow drift. + +"Hurt yourself?" asked Frank. + +"No. It was like falling into a feather bed, only it's cold." + +Just then something like a groan sounded from the object Bart had +stumbled over. + +"What's that?" asked Fenn. + +The three boys bent over the object. + +"It's a boy!" cried Frank. "He's almost frozen to death. Come on, +fellows! We must carry him to some shelter." + +"Better take him to our hotel," suggested Bart. + +They picked up the boy, who was lying in a drift of snow on the sidewalk, +and hurried on with him. Feeble moans came from between the unknown's +white lips. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +NED'S PREDICAMENT + + +When Ned awakened Thursday morning in the lodging house and, on looking +from the window saw that it was snowing, his unpleasant position came +forcibly to him. + +"This is nice," he reflected as he put on his shoes. "It's as cold as +Greenland out of doors, and I'm down to--let's see what my cash capital +is, anyhow." + +He fumbled in the change pocket of his overcoat, and found a few coins. + +"Thirty cents," he murmured as he looked at them. "There's enough for +three five-cent meals, and enough to pay for a bed to-night. I'll need +the bed too, if this storm keeps up." + +He finished dressing and went to the window to look out. It was anything +but a pleasant day on which to look for work. The wind had blown the +snow into big drifts, and the white flakes were still falling. It was +cold too, as he could tell by the draught that came in around the +window. + +"Come now, everybody clear out!" called a voice, and one of the porters +of the lodging house appeared with a pail and broom. "Got to clean up +the place. Fifteen cents doesn't mean you fellers can make a hotel of +this place and hang around all day. Clear out!" + +"Can't we stay until it stops snowin'?" asked one of the men, who were +crowded around the big stove in the sleeping room. + +"You kin if you pay for another night's lodging," was the answer. "What +do you think this is, the Salvation Army or the Y. M. C. A.? If you want +free graft go there. You has to pay for what you gits here. Clear out!" + +There was no help for it. Those who hoped to remain in away from the +storm, where it was at least warm, though not very inviting, were doomed +to disappointment. A few, who had the money, paid for another night's +lodging, which gave them the privilege of remaining in during the day. + +Ned had half a notion to do this, but he reflected he might find a place +to work which would be so far from the lodging house that he could not +conveniently return. So he decided to save his money until he could find +out what the day might hold for him. + +With scores of other unfortunates he left the warm room and went out +into the cold. He was glad he was well clothed and that he still had his +overcoat. How long he could keep it, before he would have to pawn it for +food, he did not know. He almost decided to go back to the hotel where +he had first stayed and see if they knew anything about his valise. That +had ten dollars in it. Then the thought of the detective deterred him. + +"If I had the four dollars the lodging house proprietor stole from me +I'd think I was rich," he murmured. "But I wouldn't dare go back after +it. He'd have me arrested sure! Though I may have to submit to that to +get a warm place to sleep and something to eat, if I don't get work +soon," he added. + +It was very cold. As soon as Ned got out into the street, where he could +feel the full sweep of the wind he shivered though his overcoat was a +thick one. The snow was blown into his face with stinging force. + +"As long as it doesn't make any difference which way I go I may as well +have the wind at my back," he reasoned as he turned and walked in the +opposite direction. "That's more comfortable, at any rate," he continued. +"Now I must get something to eat, if it's only a cup of coffee." + +He walked on until he saw a restaurant. In the window was a big gas +stove on which a man, in a white uniform and cap, was browning some +buckwheat cakes. They looked so good they made Ned's mouth fairly water. + +"I'm going to have some," he decided. "It will take fifteen cents, if I +get coffee with them, but it's worth it. I'll make this meal do for +dinner too. But supper--" + +Ned did not dare carry his thoughts further. All he knew was that he was +very hungry, and at least he had money enough to pay for a simple meal. +Supper must take care of itself. + +"Maybe I can get a night's lodging at some free place, and save the rest +of my money for supper and breakfast to-morrow," Ned thought to himself +as he entered the restaurant. + +He ordered a plate of the cakes and some coffee, and could hardly wait +until the girl had placed them on the table in front of him. He got a +small pitcher of what passed for maple syrup, and there was a plate of +butter from which all at the table helped themselves. + +Ned finished the cakes in short order. The coffee was hot if nothing +else, but Ned was surprised at the small place in his big appetite which +the cakes filled. He almost felt like ordering more but decided it would +be rash to reduce his capital to five cents. As it was now, when he had +paid for his breakfast, he would have fifteen cents left out of the +thirty. + +With the pasteboard check which the girl had left at his plate, in his +hand, Ned approached the cashier's desk in the front part of the +restaurant. His fingers went into the change pocket of his overcoat, +searching for the money. He could feel nothing but the lining. A blank +look came over his face. He was sure he had put the money back into that +pocket as he finished counting it when he sat on the edge of his bed. +Yet it was not there. Hurriedly he felt in all his other pockets. + +Meanwhile several customers behind him were impatiently waiting to pay +their checks. + +"One side," said the cashier in a gruff tone, as he saw Ned fumbling +through his pockets. "What's the matter with you? Left your memory +home?" + +"I think I've lost my money," Ned answered, his voice trembling a +little. + +"Then you've got another think coming," the clerk said in an ugly tone. +"I've heard that story before." + +"What story?" asked Ned. + +"About forgetting your money. Left it in the bank I s'pose, or home on +the pianer, or you've got to have a check cashed. What is it, speak +quick, I've got no time to fool." + +While he was talking, the man was busy making change for other customers +who walked past Ned. + +"Do you mean that you think I'm trying to cheat you?" asked the boy. + +"I don't mean anything if you pay for what you've eaten. If you don't +pay--well--there's a cop just around the corner, and we've had your same +kind in here before." + +By this time Ned stood alone in front of the desk, as the line of waiting +men had passed out. + +"I had my money when I came in here," said the boy. "Or at least I think +I did. I had it a little while before, I'm sure, for I counted it. There +was thirty cents--" + +"That's what you look like now," the cashier interrupted, with a coarse +laugh at his joke. "It'll be thirty days for yours if you don't settle +up." + +"But I haven't got the money," replied poor Ned. + +"Then you shouldn't have eaten anything. Do you think we're feedin' +beggars here?" + +"I thought I had the money when I ordered the cakes," Ned replied, +staring helplessly at the fifteen cent check in his hand. + +"Say, young feller, that's too thin. It don't go here any more. I've +been stung too often with that yarn. You'll pay for your grub or you'll +be arrested, see? Have you got the money; yes or no?" + +"I haven't--but if--" + +"Yes, if we let you go you'll stop in on your way from the bank and give +us a check! No you don't! A fellow gave me that song and dance last week. +Jim, call the cop," and the cashier nodded to one of the men waiters. + +"Are you going to have me arrested?" exclaimed Ned. + +"That's what I am. It's a criminal offense to order a meal, eat it, and +not pay for it." + +Ned did not know what to do. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A QUEER IDENTIFICATION + + +Stumbling through the snow drifts the three chums bore the +half-unconscious boy they had picked up in the snow bank. They went as +quickly as they could, for they knew the need of haste in the case of a +person who had been exposed to the cold and storm. + +"I wonder who he is?" said Fenn. + +"Whoever he is he's pretty nearly dead," replied Frank. "I hope we're +not too late." + +As they struggled into the lobby of the hotel with their burden, the +night clerk gazed curiously at them. + +"What the matter?" he asked. + +"Boy almost frozen," replied Bart. "Send for a doctor!" + +"Who's going to pay him?" the clerk inquired. + +"We will!" Bart replied, somewhat indignantly. + +"That's all right, needn't get mad about it," the clerk exclaimed. +"You'll find there's a lot of grafting in New York, and we have to be +careful. Here, I'll help you with him." + +"Take him up to my room," Frank suggested, as the clerk came from behind +the desk and assisted in supporting the boy, who was now unconscious. +"Mine is the largest apartment," Frank went on, "I can bunk in with one +of you fellows." + +"Telephone for Dr. Smithers," the clerk called to a helper as they +placed the boy in the elevator. "He's just around the corner." + +The lad was put to bed in Frank's room, and the clerk, who seemed a +little sorry, for his question about payment, brought in some rubber +hot-water bags which were placed about the silent form under the +coverlet. + +"We must thaw him out," he said. "That's the best treatment I know of." + +In a little while the doctor arrived. He said the clerk had done the +right thing and he ordered some hot broth prepared. + +"Alice ought to be here," remarked Bart. "This would be just in her +line." + +"Wonder who he is?" asked Frank, as the three boys were in Bart's room, +for the doctor, and one of the women servants of the hotel, who had +volunteered for a nurse, were busy trying to restore the boy to +consciousness. + +"Probably some poor homeless wanderer," replied Fenn. "Tough luck, to be +without a home on a night like this." + +"I only hope Ned isn't in any such plight," spoke Bart. + +"Why should he be?" asked Fenn. "He had plenty of money when he left +home." + +"You can never tell what will happen in New York," replied Fenn with a +wise look, which, though he did not appreciate it, was quite a truthful +remark. + +In about an hour Dr. Smithers came out. He seemed well pleased with what +he had accomplished. + +"I think we'll pull him through," he said, rubbing his hands. "It was a +close call. If you had been five minutes later he would probably have +been past human aid." + +"Could he tell you anything of himself, doctor?" asked Frank. + +"Oh, no. He has not yet fully recovered consciousness. But he will be +pretty well in the morning, unless something unforeseen sets in. In the +meanwhile he must be kept perfectly quiet. On no account must he be +disturbed. One of the chambermaids will watch him during the night. I +ventured to engage her as a sort of emergency nurse." + +"That's right," spoke Bart. "You can send the bill to me, doctor, and +we'll pay for the nurse." + +"I'm sure that's very good of you," Dr. Smithers went on, "to take so +much interest in a boy you never saw before, as I understand it." + +"Can't tell but we might want the same kind of help ourselves, some +day," Frank remarked. + +"That's so," the physician agreed. "Well, now I believe I'll go. He'll +get along all right I think, and I'll look in on him in the morning." + +Frank and Bart arranged to occupy the latter's bed that night, as it was +a large one. As Frank went into his room, where the rescued boy was, to +get some clean clothing for the morning, he saw the lad lying asleep, +with the woman watching at the head of the bed. The gas was turned low, +but a gleam from it struck on the cheek of the sleeper. As Frank passed +close by the bed he looked down on the patient, and, as he did so, he +started. For there, on the right cheek of the boy, was a small, but +vivid red scar. Frank pointed to it, before he knew what he was doing. +The nurse, seeing his gesture, looked up in alarm. + +"That mark!" whispered Frank. "Is it a cut? Did he fall and hurt +himself?" + +"It's an old scar," the woman replied in a whisper. "I noticed it when I +was giving him some medicine a while ago. Why?" + +"Nothing much; I thought it might be a cut," Frank replied as he hurried +quietly from the room. He found Bart and Fenn discussing the finding of +the boy. "Fellows," began Frank suddenly as he entered, "do you remember +Mrs. Perry?" + +"You mean the woman whose place we stayed at over night out of the +blizzard?" asked Bart. + +"That's it. Do you remember what she told us about her son William who +was lost?" + +"Sure," answered Bart. + +"Didn't she say he had a scar or something on his face?" + +"A red scar on his right cheek," replied Bart. "Why?" + +"He's in there!" declared Frank. + +"Are you dreaming?" asked Bart incredulously. + +Then Frank told his chums what he had seen. + +"Of course there may be other boys besides William Perry with red scars +on their right cheeks," he added, "but I'm sure this is the son of the +widow, in the cabin in the woods. We can find out in the morning." + +"Why not now?" asked Fenn. + +"Doctor said he mustn't be disturbed," Frank replied. "We'll have to +wait." + +In the morning the boy was much better. The doctor paid an early visit +and pronounced him out of danger, but advised that he be kept in bed a +day or so. + +"Now you chaps who rescued him had better go in and tell him all about +it," the physician said as he came from the room. "He's all excited with +curiosity as to how he got here." + +The boys paid the doctor, who said he would not have to call again +unless the patient had a relapse, and then they went into the room where +the lad was. He was sitting up in bed alone, for the chambermaid had +gone. + +"Are you the boys who saved me?" was the first question he asked. + +"We pulled you out of the snow, but I guess the doctor did the real work +of saving you, William Perry!" exclaimed Frank. + +"What's that?" almost shouted the boy in bed. + +"Aren't you William Perry? Doesn't your mother live near Kirkville, and +haven't you two sisters, Mary and Jane?" Frank went on earnestly, for he +had determined on a bold plan. "Your mother wants you to come home," he +added. "Your room is all ready for you. She told us to tell you to come +back, no matter what had happened." + +"Have you seen my mother?" asked the boy, his eyes filling with tears. +"Did she send you to find me?" + +"Then you are William Perry!" exclaimed Bart. "You guessed it, Frank!" + +"We saw your mother Thanksgiving day," went on Frank. "We were able to +help her. We found her cabin just in the nick of time, for we were +caught in a blizzard. So we have only paid back, in a measure, what she +did for us." + +"Yes, I am William Perry," the boy admitted, and now he made no effort +to conceal his tears. "It's the first time I've used my name, though, in +many months. My poor mother! Yes, I will go back to her. I'd go now, +only--" + +"Don't let the money part worry you," said Fenn eagerly. "We'll lend you +some." + +"I've made a big failure of it all," William went on. "I ought not to go +home." + +"The more reason why you should," interrupted Frank. + +Then the waif told them his story. He had started off to go to sea, in +order to earn money for his mother. But he only got as far as Boston. +Then, unable to stand the hard work he deserted the ship. Fearing to go +home, because he thought he might be arrested for leaving the vessel, he +tried to find work. He did manage to get odd jobs here and there, and +finally drifted to New York. + +He found it was just as hard to earn a dollar there as it had been in +Boston. He could barely get enough to buy himself food and he often went +hungry. Finally he managed to get a permanent position, but he earned so +little that he could only just live on it. He had slept in lodging +houses, he said, and wore the poorest clothing he could buy. + +"I was ashamed to go home without money," he went on, "or I would have +gone back long ago. I wanted to return with good clothes and gold +jingling in my pocket, as I had read, in books, of boys doing. So I +didn't even write to let them know where I was. Poor mother!" and +William sighed. + +"I lost my position a month ago. Since then I have only managed to earn +enough to live, and it was hard work at times. I hadn't had anything to +eat all day yesterday," he went on, "and I was cold and weak. I was on +my way to the river, thinking I could find a place on the wharves to +sleep, when I stumbled and fell into the snowbank. When I was down it +felt so warm there I decided to stay. I didn't care what became of me." + +"But you do now, don't you?" asked Frank. + +"Do I?" asked the boy eagerly. "Say, will you lend me a stamp so I can +write home to mother?" + +"We'll do better than that," said Bart. "We'll send her a telegram." + +When the message had been forwarded to Mrs. Perry, telling her of the +unexpected finding of her wandering boy, the three chums told the waif +their reason for being in New York. + +"And you haven't been able to find a trace of Ned, eh?" asked William, +musingly. + +"Not a trace," replied Frank. "But don't let our troubles worry you. You +must get strong and hurry home to your mother." + +"Say, let me help you!" exclaimed William eagerly. "Maybe I can pay you +back for your kindness. I know New York like a book. I've knocked all +around it for the last six months. Maybe I can locate Ned for you. I +know lots of places where fellows go when they're down on their luck, as +I was. Let me help. Mother won't mind when I write and tell her I'm +going to stay here a few days longer, when she knows what it's for. I +believe I can help you." + +"Perhaps you can," said Fenn. + +So it was arranged that William was to stay with the three chums at the +hotel for a few days. He was not to venture out until the next day, +however, as he was still weak. + +"Will you be all right if we leave you alone here?" asked Frank a little +later. "We want to go out and make some inquiries." + +"Sure. Go ahead," replied William. "I'm so happy now I'll not be +lonesome." + +The three chums went to police headquarters to ask if any news +concerning Ned had been received, but there was none for them. The +sergeant behind the desk tried to cheer them up by remarking that "no +news was good news." + +"We must find him pretty soon," Bart declared. "If we don't I'll begin +to believe something bad has happened." + +As they were walking along the Bowery, in the neighborhood of the cheap +variety theaters, they were attracted by a flaming poster which +announced the various performers who could be seen or heard. They paused +and read it through. There were men who imitated monkeys, trained birds, +strong men, women who sang, bands of musicians, and at the bottom of the +poster was the announcement. + + HEAR JOHN NEWTON, THE GREAT + BIRD WHISTLER. + +"John Newton," murmured Fenn. "That name sounds familiar." + +"Of course it does," replied Frank. "That's the name of the chap who was +expelled from our high school last term." + +"So it was. But this can't be the same one." + +"I think it is," suggested Fenn. "Don't you remember, he said he was +going to New York to be an actor? I heard he had some sort of a job in a +theater. Maybe this is he. Let's go in and see." + +They bought tickets and entered. The whistling was the last thing on +the program, the theater being one where a "continuous performance" was +given. A boy came out on the stage and began to whistle, giving +imitations of various birds. He did very well, but the three chums were +more interested in the identity of the lad than in his performance. + +"It is John Newton, from Darewell," whispered Bart. "I never knew he +could whistle like that." + +"He was always practicing at it," declared Fenn, "but he's improved a +lot since I last heard him in Darewell." + +"Let's find out if we can't see him," suggested Frank, as they went from +the theater and inquired their way back of the scenes. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +NED SHOVELS SNOW + + +A multitude of thoughts rushed through Ned's mind as he stood in the +restaurant awaiting the arrival of the policeman for whom the cashier +had sent. He could not imagine what had become of his money. He knew his +pockets had no holes in them and he came to the conclusion he must have +dropped it on the bed in the lodging house instead of putting it in his +overcoat. But he knew he must think of something besides the lost money, +as any moment the officer might appear and take him to the police +station. + +He looked across the street to where a man was shoveling snow from the +sidewalk. Then a bright idea came to Ned. He turned to the cashier who +was looking at him vindictively and asked: + +"Can't I shovel your walk off and pay for my breakfast that way?" + +"Humph! That's a different proposition," the cashier replied. "If you're +willing to do the square thing, I guess we are, too. Only don't try any +trick like that again. I s'pose if I let you take a shovel you'll not +skip out with it?" + +"I'm not in the habit of stealing," Ned answered indignantly. + +"I don't know anything about your habits," the man answered. "I only +know a fellow worked that game on me once and I don't intend to be +caught again. I'll give you thirty cents for cleaning the walk. That'll +pay for your meal and be fifteen cents over. You can take it or go to +jail." + +"I'll take it," Ned exclaimed. "Where's the shovel?" + +"I'll be watching you," the clerk went on. "If you try the sneaking act +I'll have the cop after you." + +"You needn't be afraid," rejoined Ned. + +The waiter came back to report that the policeman would be there in a +few minutes. + +"Go and tell him it's all right," the clerk said. "The kid's going to +shovel the walk to pay for his grub." + +The waiter, not much relishing his second trip through the storm, +scowled at Ned as he passed our hero, but the boy was so pleased at the +escape from his predicament that he did not mind the waiter's black +looks. + +Ned made a good job of cleaning the walk. The snow was not falling so +heavily now, though the storm was far from being over. + +"I think I could get work at this if I only had a shovel," Ned thought +as he put the finishing touches on his task. "Maybe the clerk would lend +me this one." + +He made the request when he went in to get his pay. + +"I'll leave the fifteen cents with you as security for the shovel," he +said, when he had made his request. + +"That's a hot one; fifteen cents security on a dollar and a half shovel," +the clerk replied with a laugh. "Still, you look honest, though I had my +doubts at first," he added. "Go ahead, take the shovel. Never mind about +leaving the money. You'll need it to get dinner with. Bring the shovel +back to-night." + +Thus was Ned started in business. He got several jobs at cleaning +sidewalks, and at noon had earned two dollars. He went back to the +restaurant, returned the shovel and got dinner. The cashier he had +dealt with had gone, but the one who had relieved him knew about the +transaction. When Ned had finished his fifteen cent dinner, for that was +all he allowed himself, the waitress brought him a big piece of pie. + +"I didn't order that," he said, though he looked at it longingly. + +"The cashier says it's his treat," the girl replied with a smile, and +Ned had no further compunctions about eating it. + +"I told the other fellow you wouldn't bring the shovel back," the cashier +remarked as Ned paid his check. + +"How do you mean?" asked Ned. + +"Why the clerk, who was on duty here when you ate breakfast, said he +thought you would, and I said I didn't believe you would show up again. +I said if you did I'd give you some pie. See?" + +"Oh," Ned answered with a laugh, "much obliged." + +That afternoon he bought a second-hand shovel and went about looking for +more walks to clean. By night he had earned a dollar additional, which +gave him considerable more capital than he had possessed since the +episode at the hotel. + +"I'll get a room at the lodging house to-night," he said as he finished +a simple supper. "I don't like those beds all in a heap." + +It was still snowing the next day, and though Ned found the field pretty +well covered by scores of other men and boys, he managed to earn two +dollars, which made him feel quite like a capitalist, as he shut the +door of his lodging-house room that night. + + * * * * * + +The three chums, who wanted to find John Newton had no trouble. They met +him coming from the rear of the theater, as he had done his "turn," and +was not to go on again for three hours. + +The "Bird Warbler" was as much surprised to see his former acquaintances +from Darewell as they were to find him engaged at a theater. + +"I'm studying to be an actor," John said, "but it's dull times now and I +took this job. It pays pretty well." + +"I never knew you could whistle good enough for this work," said Fenn. + +"It comes natural I guess," replied John. "But what are you chaps doing +in New York?" + +They told him, and Bart suggested that perhaps John might happen to see +Ned. + +"If I do I'll let you know," the "warbler" replied. "Where are you +stopping?" + +"At the Imperial," replied Bart. "You might telephone us if you hear +anything of Ned." + +"I will. Come and have a glass of soda with me," John added, but the +chums were too anxious to keep on with their search to accept, and, +bidding the "warbler" good-bye they kept on. + +They got back to their rooms at noon, to find that William Perry was up +and dressed, and impatient to go out. + +"I want to begin to help you," he said. "Did you see the clerk when you +came in?" + +"No. Why?" asked Fenn. + +"He's anxious to tell you something. Says they opened a valise a fellow +left here and he thinks it might contain a clew that would help you." + +"Maybe it's about Ned," suggested Bart. "Come on fellows." + +"What did you say the name of your missing friend was?" the clerk asked +them, as the three chums hurried down to his desk. + +"Ned Wilding," answered Frank. "Why?" + +"You remember me telling you about that fellow who slipped down the fire +escape rope and lost his valise?" the clerk asked. The boys said they +did. "Well, we opened it to-day, and the collars are marked 'N. W.' I +thought it might be a tip for you." + +"Let's see the things in the satchel," suggested Fenn. + +The clerk showed them to the chums. They had no difficulty in identifying +as Ned's several articles in the valise. + +"Then that writing was his, after all!" exclaimed Frank. "Boys, we are +on his track." + +"But where can he be?" asked Bart. "We only know he ran away from here. +Why did he leave in that fashion? Had he done something he was afraid +of?" + +"Perhaps he suddenly went--" began Frank, and then he stopped in seeming +confusion. + +"What were you going to say?" asked Bart. + +"Nothing," Frank replied. "I made a mistake. I think we'd better tell +the police about this." + +"That's so. I nearly forgot," the clerk added. "You are to go to police +headquarters. A message came over the telephone a little while ago." + +"Perhaps they've found Ned!" exclaimed Bart for they had left the +telephone number of their hotel with the sergeant at headquarters and +the official had promised he would telephone if he had any news. + +"Hurry up!" cried Fenn. "Perhaps Ned is there waiting for us." + +"I only hope he is," Frank remarked, and the boys noticed he appeared +gloomy and sad. + +"Wonder what ails Frank?" asked Bart of Fenn, as they went to their +rooms to get their coats and hats. + +"A fit of the same old mysteriousness," replied Stumpy. "Don't notice +him and it will pass over." + +"Let me go to headquarters with you," begged William. "I want to help." + +"Are you strong enough to go out?" asked Bart. "It's quite cold." + +"Oh I'm used to that," and the boy laughed. + +"But you--er--you have no overcoat," said Fenn, wishing when it was too +late he had not mentioned it. + +"I'm used to that too," William replied. + +"Would you mind if we loaned you money enough to get a coat?" asked +Bart. + +William thought for a moment. + +"I'm ever so much obliged to you," he said. "You've done more for me now +than I can ever repay." + +"Then a little more won't hurt," said Fenn with a laugh. + +The overcoat was purchased, and the four boys went to police +headquarters. + +"Gentleman waiting to see you," the sergeant said. "Seems terribly upset +about something." + +They went into an anteroom and found Mr. Wilding. He had been in New +York since early Thursday morning, but had been unable to locate the +boys, since the finding of William in the snow had taken from the minds +of the three chums all thoughts of sending the telegram to Darewell, +telling Ned's father of their address. + +"I knew there was something we should have attended to, but I couldn't +think what it was," Bart exclaimed. + +"Have you any news?" asked Mr. Wilding eagerly after explaining he had +obtained the address of the chums from the police sergeant who offered +to telephone to them. + +"Just a little," replied Fenn and he told of the finding of Ned's +valise. Then all went over the situation, but the prospect seemed no +brighter than ever. + +"I'll tell you what we ought to do," declared William. + +"What?" asked Mr. Wilding anxiously. + +"We ought to make a regular search of all the lodging houses and other +places. I've slept in lots of 'em. That's where men and boys go when +they have only a little money, and I guess your son hadn't much when he +lost his valise." + +"I believe you're right!" exclaimed Ned's father. "It is a good +suggestion. I will hire some private detectives to help in the search." + +"And I'll do all I can," said William, whose story had been told to Mr. +Wilding. + +"My poor boy," Ned's father murmured. "I wonder where he can be." + +"Don't you fret!" exclaimed William. "We'll find him for you," and he +spoke so hopefully that Mr. Wilding smiled for the first time since he +had left home. + +It was arranged that he would stay at a hotel near police headquarters +while the four boys would remain at the Imperial as there was a bare +chance Ned would return. + +"Now here's where I get busy," declared William, as they left the police +station. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +CASSIDY CATCHES NED + + +A systematic search of the lodging houses was begun that afternoon. But +it was harder and more baffling work than any one had imagined. + +John Newton gave them unexpected aid. As he had much time to himself he +offered to go with them to the different lodging houses in the evenings, +and give his whistling imitations of birds. + +"What good will that do?" asked Bart. "Does he think Ned will hear him +and come from hiding?" + +"Not that," explained Fenn, to whom John had told his scheme. "But when +he's whistling there's sure to be a crowd around him, and, if Ned is in +the place, he'll join the others and we may see him. I think it's a good +plan." + +The others did also, and, for several evenings John amused the inmates +of the lodging houses with his whistling. As Fenn had said, crowds +gathered about him, and the three chums looked eagerly through them for +a sight of Ned. + +It was perhaps one of the best plans the boys could have adopted, for in +their eagerness to hear the "Bird Warbler" the unfortunate lads and men +who were forced to the shelter of the places crowded close up around +John Newton. In this way Bart and his companions could scrutinize at +short range nearly every person in the throng. + +"Aren't you getting tired of it?" asked Bart one evening when they were +starting out for a large lodging house on the Bowery. + +"I don't mind it a bit," replied John. "I'd do more than this to help +find Ned. Besides, it's a good advertisement for me. You see the fellows +in these places hear me, and when they see my name on the theatrical +bill boards they'll come in. You can't get too much advertising when +you're an actor," and John looked quite important. + +There was a larger crowd than usual in the lodging house that night. +John made his way to the front of the room. At first no one paid any +attention to the entrance of himself and his friends. But, as soon as +John began an imitation of a mocking bird, there was a stir. + +"That sounds just like it used to when I was a boy!" exclaimed an old +man. "Many and many's the mornin' I've heard them birds. Can you do a +song-sparrow imitation, sonny?" + +"Sure," replied John, and he trilled some sweet high notes. + +"My but that's fine!" + +From that John proceeded to imitate a robin and a bob-o-link. He had +scarcely finished with the last before there was a stir in one corner of +the room. It seemed as if some one was trying to get out. + +"Maybe Ned's there!" exclaimed Bart to Fenn. "Go over and take a look." + +Fenn edged his way through the crowd, but found, instead of some one +trying to get out, it was a man trying to make his way closer to where +the whistler was. From his appearance the man seemed to have just +awakened from a sound sleep on a couple of chairs. + +"Where are they?" he exclaimed. "Let me get at 'em!" + +"What's the matter?" asked several. + +"I want to catch those birds!" the recently awakened sleeper said, +rubbing his eyes. "I can put 'em in cages and sell 'em. I haven't made +any money lately, now's my chance. Get out of my way, can't you? I used +to trap birds when I was a boy. These are fine singers." + +John had not yet caught sight of the man making his way toward him. The +"Warbler" was giving an imitation of a blackbird, and he managed to send +out his notes with such skill that it really sounded as if the bird was +in a different part of the room from where the whistler stood. The notes +appeared to come from a window in the corner. + +"I can get him! Look out!" cried the man. + +He made a dash for the window, and at that, John, who was now aware of +what was going on, changed the whistling to the notes of a bluebird. + +This time the tones were so directed as to seem to come from a window on +the other side of the room, and the man turned to make a dash in that +direction. + +"Why, there's two birds!" he exclaimed. "I'll catch 'em all!" + +No sooner had he reached the second window than John changed the tune to +that made by a bullfinch, and the man, listening, thought the bird was +in the back of the apartment. He made his way there, the crowd parting +to let him through, and laughing, the meanwhile, at the deluded man's +actions. + +John was concealed from view by the throng packed close about him, or +the man would have discovered the trick at once. As it was he thought +sure there were several birds in the room. When he got to the rear the +notes of the feathered songster seemed more distinct than ever. The man +climbed up on a chair to peer behind the window curtain, and, as he did +so, John, whose vocal abilities were not alone limited to birds, let out +a croak like a big frog. + +"That's no bird!" exclaimed the man in disgust, as the crowd broke into +a laugh at him. "Am I dreaming or what's the matter? Is this place +haunted?" + +Then he caught sight of John, who was just puckering up his lips to +again imitate a bird. + +"Oh, it's you, is it?" the man exclaimed. "Well you're a good one, all +right, to fool me. I used to live in the woods and I know birds pretty +well." + +"That's where I learned to imitate 'em; in the woods," said John, glad +of a chance to rest, for his lips and mouth were aching from the strain. + +"Can you whistle tunes?" the man asked him. + +"A little." + +"Give us some music then. I like a good jolly song; and we'll join in +the chorus." + +Then John poured forth his melody in a series of popular songs, for he +was a good whistler, aside from his power to mimic, and, for half an +hour the lodging house rang with the voices of the men, led by John's +shrill notes. + +All this while Bart and the others kept a close lookout for Ned. They +did not see him, and, when it was evident that all the inmates of the +place had come under their scrutiny, the boys left, their mission +unsuccessful. And so it was for several evenings. + +Meanwhile Ned, all unconscious of the search being made for him, was +puzzling his brains as to what he had better do. He was in no immediate +danger of starving, as there were several snowstorms, and he earned +enough to pay for his room and live frugally. Still he knew his father +and chums would worry but he did not feel he dare communicate with them. +He bought the papers each day, and saw several references to the +swindling operations of Skem & Skim. They had not been arrested yet, it +stated, and search was being made for them and for a young fellow who +was believed to have helped them in their operations by dealing in a +number of shares of oil stock. + +"That means me," thought Ned, as he read it. "I've got to lay low yet." + +So he went his weary way, fearing arrest every moment, yet feeling rather +secure now that a week had passed and he had not been apprehended. He +found several odd jobs to do when there was no snow to shovel and so +managed to make enough to live on. + +The four boys and Mr. Wilding kept up their search. The police and +private detectives did what they could but to no purpose. Personals were +inserted in the papers, begging Ned to communicate with his father, but +Ned never thought of looking for them. + +One afternoon, William, who had adopted the plan of walking about the +streets in the hope of seeing Ned, whom he knew by description and a +photograph, paused in front of a commission store, where a youth about +his own age was helping to move boxes of oranges from a truck. Something +about the lad attracted William's attention. + +"I wonder if that's Ned?" he said to himself. "He looks just like the +boys told me he would and like that photograph Mr. Wilding had. Still I +wouldn't like to make a mistake. I must get closer." + +He pretended to be searching for a number on the building, and so +approached near to the boy helping unload the crates. + +"I'll bet it is Ned," William said to himself with conviction. "I'm +going to ask him. He can't any more than say no." + +He sauntered up to the young fellow, and, with an air of unconcern +asked: + +"Do you know anyone around here named Ned Wilding? I'm looking for him." + +The boy, carrying a crate of oranges, jumped so he almost dropped the +fruit. Then he looked sharply at William. His face grew pale, and +William was sure he had found Ned. + +"I haven't got time to talk," was the rather gruff answer made by the +boy with the crate. "I'm busy," and then he hurried into the store with +the box. + +"Fooled again," thought William. He waited until the boy came out again, +and this time he was sure it was the missing youth. But now he decided +on a different plan. + +"Evidently, if it is Ned, he doesn't want to be known," thought William. +"Something's gone wrong with him. My only chance is in getting some of +his chums here to identify him. I must telephone to one of them. They +may be at the hotel. If not I'll leave word for them to come here as +soon as they get back. Mr. Wilding too! I must 'phone him! Then I'll +remain on the watch until some one arrives." + +There was a telephone pay-station across the street, and William sent +his two messages from there. Neither of the three chums was in, nor was +Mr. Wilding, but at both hotels the clerks said they would deliver the +messages promptly. + +"Now to wait until they come," said William as he left the booth. + +Just then, as he was looking at the boy, who was still carrying in the +crates, he saw a big man with a red moustache approach him. William was +not near enough to hear what the man said, but he noted that the boy +seemed frightened. + +"Ah I've caught you, haven't I?" exclaimed the man, and Ned (for as +William suspected the boy carrying in the oranges was the missing youth) +looked up with a start. "I'll teach you to steal my money and run away." + +He grabbed Ned by the arm and shook him roughly. + +"I didn't take your money, Mr. Cassidy!" exclaimed the boy, as he +recognized the lodging house keeper. + +"What did you run away for? I'm on to your game. Now you can come along +with me and work out what you stole from me, or I'll hand you over to +the first officer I meet. What are you going to do?" + +What was poor Ned to do? He was in dire straits. Still it seemed better +to go with Cassidy than to make a scene on the street and be arrested. +He wanted that least of all things. + +"I'll go with you," he said, "though you have no right to make me, and I +didn't take your money." + +"What's the matter?" asked the fruit man, who had hired Ned to assist in +unloading the truck. + +"Nothing much," replied Cassidy. "This lad owes me some money and I'll +make him work it out." + +"That's your affair," the fruit man replied. "He's earned half a dollar +working for me. Here it is." + +He was about to hand it to Ned, but Cassidy took it. + +"I'll apply that on account," he said grimly, as he marched Ned away. + +The whole affair had occurred so suddenly that Ned did not know what +to do. He was in a sort of dream. The appearance of Cassidy, the +confiscation of the half dollar and the lodging house keeper's evident +intention of holding the boy to account for a theft he had never +committed, made Ned think he was doomed to misfortune, no matter what +he did to avoid it. + +Then followed a natural desire to escape. He knew Cassidy had no right +to take him into custody, and he felt the injustice of it keenly. The +man held him loosely by the coat sleeve, and marched him along through +the streets. Several persons turned to look at the spectacle, but no one +ventured to interfere. New Yorkers have formed the habit of not taking +much interest in affairs that do not concern them directly. + +As they were crossing a narrow street in one of the thickly settled +tenement districts a horse, attached to a wagon, and rapidly driven, +bore down on them. Ned, with the instinct of a quick runner, started to +dash ahead. Cassidy, who moved slower, pulled back toward the curb, to +let the steed pass. The movement separated Ned from his captor, for +Cassidy's hold on the boy's sleeve was broken. Ned was free! + +The horse and wagon was now between him and the man. The boy gave a +hasty glance back, and saw Cassidy standing on the crossing, ready to +dash forward as soon as the wagon should pass. He could not go around it +because of vehicles on either side. + +"Here's my chance!" exclaimed Ned as he dashed forward and ran down the +other side of the street. + +An instant later the wagon had passed and Cassidy was after him. But +the start Ned had he used to good advantage. He was fleet of foot and he +had an object in making speed, such as he had never had before. Somewhat +to his surprise Cassidy did not shout to him to stop, and made no +outcry. + +"I wonder if he's afraid to let people know he's after me?" thought Ned. + +The truth of it was, Cassidy wanted to save his breath for running. +Also, he did not want to raise too much disturbance in his pursuit of +Ned. He knew he had no right to take the boy into custody, and, though +he knew he could cause his arrest on the false charge, that would not +bring back the money Cassidy thought Ned had stolen. It was the money, +or its equivalent, the lodging house keeper was after. + +So he decided to try to catch Ned without aid from outside sources if +possible. With this in view he started after the fugitive without raising +an alarm, though the streets were well filled. + +Ned made good time. He speeded down the thoroughfare until he came to +where another intersected it, and turned the corner. This put him out of +Cassidy's view. + +The second street was not so thronged as the one he had just left, and +Ned had a chance to run better. But there was this disadvantage, that he +was more closely observed. On the crowded avenue a running lad attracts +little attention, but when more plainly in sight, as Ned now was, he +becomes an object of interest. + +As he ran he looked back over his shoulder to see if Cassidy was in +sight. Past several houses Ned kept on, and his pursuer did not appear +around the corner. Then, just as he came in front of a big tenement +house Ned saw Cassidy some distance in the rear. + +"I guess I'll go in here!" thought the boy. "Maybe I can slip out of the +back before he gets here and that will fool him. I'm going to try!" + +He darted into the hallway, but, before he had gone three steps he +collided with an old man who, at that instant, was coming from his room +into the corridor. The shock threw the old man down, and Ned could +scarcely retain his balance. + +"Excuse me!" he exclaimed, pausing, when he had recovered his +equilibrium, to help the aged man to his feet. "I'm sorry," and then +he started to run through the hallway. + +"Here! Vait a minute!" the man exclaimed. "Are you tryin' to rob me? I +dinks you are a t'eef! Hold on! Vait until I see if you haf taken my +vatch!" + +"I haven't taken anything of yours!" cried Ned. "I'm in a hurry!" + +He was almost at the end of the hall, and saw that it opened into a sort +of court. Abutting on that was another tenement. + +"Vait! You vas a t'eef!" cried the old man, and he set up such a yelling +that doors on either side of the corridor opened, and men and women stuck +their heads forth, all demanding to know what the matter was. + +"I'm done for now!" thought Ned. "If Cassidy comes past here he'll be +sure to hear the excitement, and they'll tell him I ran through!" + +Still he determined not to give up. He dashed on into the court, leaving +behind the aged man who was now the centre of an excited throng. + +"He vos a t'eef! He knocked me down! He vouldn't vait until I looked to +see if I am robbed!" was the burden of the aged one's cry. "Call de +police! He vos a t'eef!" + +Ned ran across the open space and into the other tenement house. The +hallway there seemed deserted, but he knew it would not be so long, when +the cries from the other house had aroused the inmates. + +"If I can only get through the corridor, and into the other street I can +fool Cassidy," Ned reasoned. "I seem to be having all my bad luck at +once." + +He had almost reached the front door, for it was the back entrance of +the structure that he had gone in, and he thought he saw freedom before +him, when there sounded behind him a cry of: + +"Stop thief! Stop thief!" + +This is enough to arouse excitement anywhere, but in a New York tenement +nothing can sooner be calculated to draw the inmates from their rooms, +than such an alarm, unless, indeed, it be one of fire. + +No sooner had the first cry resounded through the corridor than the hall +was swarming with people. Ned found his way blocked, the more effectually +when one woman ran to the front door and closed it. + +"I've caught you!" she exclaimed. "I'll teach you to rob honest people, +even if they are poor!" + +"I haven't robbed anybody!" cried Ned, as he saw the throng in front of +him, and heard the tramp of many feet in his rear. + +"Stop him! Hold him!" cried half a score. + +Ned looked about him. There seemed to be no way of escape. He was +standing near the flight of stairs leading to the upper stories of the +second tenement. There was a little clear space in front of him, as the +crowd before him was composed mostly of women, who were a little timid +about approaching too closely to a "thief" even if he was only a lad. + +"I'm going to chance it," thought Ned. "If I can get to the roof I can +cross to some other house, and go down a scuttle hole, perhaps, and so +reach the street. Or I can hide until the excitement blows over." + +With this in mind he suddenly grasped the balustrade near which he was. +With a jump and a swing he was over it and part way up the stairs. Then +he began to run, while the crowd below him, surprised at his sudden +escape, set up a chorus of yells. + +But Ned had a good start. He took the steps three at a time, and was +soon at the top. Then he essayed the next flight, and so on until he +found himself on the roof, which was a big, wide stretch of tin. It was +used as a place for hanging out clothes, and was easy of access from the +top hallway. + +Below him Ned could hear the shouts and cries, and the tramp of many +feet. + +"Which way shall I go?" he asked himself, as he paused for an instant. +"Guess it can't make much difference." + +He turned to the left and ran along until he came to a stairway several +houses further along. The door of this was open, and he went down. He +had fairly distanced his pursuers, for none of them were yet on the +roof. + +"I'll get to the street and leave 'em behind," the boy reasoned. +"Everyone will be in the house looking for me, and the street will be +deserted." + +In this Ned was almost right, for when, after hurrying down several +flights of stairs, he reached the thoroughfare, the only person in sight +in the immediate neighborhood was a colored man putting in coal. He +seemed to be so busily engaged that he had no time to waste in pursuit, +so, after a hasty glance from the front door of the tenement, Ned went +out. + +But in this he reckoned without his host. The colored man, looking up +from his shoveling, saw Ned. The lad's wild and disheveled appearance +raised the man's suspicions. Besides he had heard of the chase after the +thief. + +"I'll cotch you!" he cried, leaping from his wagon. "I'll get you!" + +Ned, who was, by this time, running past where the coal wagon was backed +up to the curb, turned out to avoid the negro, who, with outstretched +arms was advancing toward him. In his anxiety to avoid the coal man, +Ned did not notice an open hole down which the black diamonds were being +shoveled. Before he could save himself he had plunged into it. + +Lucky for the boy the cellar underneath was almost full, the coal coming +to within a few feet of the sidewalk, so when Ned toppled in he only +went down a little ways. There he was, his head and shoulders sticking +up above the pavement, while his feet and legs were buried in the pile +of coal underneath. + +"Now I've got you!" yelled the colored man, as he ran up to Ned, and +hauled him from the hole. "I've got you! What'd you steal?" + +"I didn't steal anything," Ned answered. "It's all a mistake. Please let +me go!" + +"Hold him!" cried Cassidy, appearing at that moment from the front +entrance of the house, up the stairs of which Ned had dashed a few +minutes before. "Don't let him get away!" + +"He'll not get away," replied the negro. + +Cassidy came up and took charge of Ned. Quite a crowd gathered, but the +lodging house keeper answered none of the many questions asked him. + +"Guess he's a detective," was the general whisper that went around, and +Cassidy did not correct it. + +"You come with me!" he said to Ned. "Don't try any of your tricks again, +or it'll be the worse for you." + +And he marched Ned off. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +BAFFLED AGAIN + + +William, coming across the street to take up a position, where he could +watch the lad he suspected was Ned, puzzled his head over the scene he +had just witnessed. + +"I wonder what he went off with that man for?" he said to himself. +"Didn't act as though he wanted to, either. I'll ask the fruit man." + +He approached, and then the thought struck it would be a good idea to +apply for the job the other boy had just left. He got it, for there was +need of hurry in unloading the fruit, as the day was cold. + +"What was the matter with the other fellow?" asked William carelessly as +though it was of little moment to him. + +"I don't know," the fruit man replied. "The boy came along just like you +and asked for a job. I hired him and then along comes this fellow and +says the lad owes him money. It wasn't any of my affair. Hustle those +boxes in now, I don't want the oranges to freeze." + +"Who was the man who took him away?" asked William, as indifferently as +he could, though he was nervous with eagerness to hear the answer. + +"I never saw him before. It was none of my affair, though I liked the +looks of that boy, and I didn't care much for the man. But I've gotten +over the habit of interfering in other people's business. Come now, boy, +hustle!" + +William went to work with an energy that pleased his employer. The boy +was beginning to think he had made a mistake. He felt that he should +have followed the man, to see where he took the lad he believed was Ned. +But then, too, he had telephoned Mr. Wilding and the chums to meet him +at the fruit store, and if he was not there when they arrived, they +would not know what to make of it. + +"I can't be in two places at once," William thought to himself. "I guess +I'd better stay here until some one comes. Then maybe I can trace which +way the man took the boy. Anyhow I'm not sure it was Ned. I've never +seen him, and it wouldn't do to make a mistake. He wouldn't admit he was +Ned Wilding, but he acted to me as though he was afraid of something." + +Thus musing, and puzzling over whether he had done the right thing, +William continued to help unload the truck, keeping a sharp lookout for +Mr. Wilding or the three chums. + +The three boys arrived first. They came down the street in a hurry +looking for the place William had described to the hotel clerk over the +telephone. + +"There he is!" cried Bart, as he caught sight of the boy they had pulled +from the snow drift. "Where's Ned?" he added. + +"I'm not sure it was him," William replied, "but a man came and took him +away half an hour ago." + +Then he rapidly explained what had taken place, describing the boy he +had seen. + +"That's Ned sure enough," Fenn exclaimed. "Where in the world could he +have gone to?" + +"And who was the man who said Ned owed him money?" asked Frank. "I guess +we're on the trail of the mystery." + +"Hurry up, let's see if we can't find them," suggested Bart. "They can't +have gone very far." + +"One of us ought to stay here to meet Mr. Wilding if he comes," said +Fenn. "The other two can go with William to look for Ned and the man." + +"Say, did I hire you to chin or to carry in oranges?" asked the fruit +man, suddenly appearing in the doorway, and noting William talking to +the three boys. + +"Guess I'll have to give up the job," replied William. "I've got to go +with these boys." + +"Say, there must be a hoodoo about this job," the fruit man exclaimed. +"You're the second boy to give it up in less than an hour. What's the +matter?" + +The boys did not think it necessary to explain. It was arranged that +Frank would stay in the vicinity of the store to meet Mr. Wilding, if +that gentleman should arrive, and tell what had happened, while William, +with Bart and Fenn, tried to trace Ned and the red-moustached man. + +"When Mr. Wilding comes I'll take him to our hotel," said Frank. "There +will be no use in remaining here and we can wait for you there, as it's +nearer than his." + +"All right," replied Bart. "We may have some good news for you." + +"I hope you do," Frank said. "This thing is getting on my nerves. I'm +afraid we'll never see Ned again." + +"Oh, yes we will," put in Fenn cheerfully. + +William did not stop to ask any pay from the fruit man for what work he +had done, but hurried off with the two chums in the direction taken by +Ned and the man who had led him away. + +"We'll ask any policeman we meet," suggested Bart. + +"I'm afraid we're on a sort of wild-goose chase," remarked William, "but +it's the best we can do. If I had only been sure it was Ned I would have +followed him, without waiting for you, but I wasn't." + +"If it was Ned," said Bart, "I can't understand why he didn't admit his +identity." + +"He must have had a good reason for it," retorted Fenn. + +Through the street they hurried, making inquiries from policemen, and +others whom they met, as to whether Ned and the man had gone that way. +They got some traces, but in New York few persons, even policemen, have +time to take note of those whom they have no special reason for keeping +in mind. As William had said, it was a sort of wild-goose chase, and, +when they had gone a mile or more, they became convinced that it was +useless to continue any farther. + +"Baffled again," remarked Bart. "This beats me. I wonder what we are to +do." + +"Have to begin all over again," declared William. "It was my fault. I +should have followed Ned." + +"No, you did what you thought was best," Fenn replied. + +They returned to the hotel, to find Mr. Wilding and Frank awaiting them. +Mr. Wilding, who had expected some news of his son, was deeply +disappointed when the three boys returned with none. + +"What in the world are we to do?" asked Mr. Wilding. "We seem completely +at a loss." + +"There are a few more lodging houses to try," suggested William. "I'll +start out again this evening. That's when the places are full, and I may +get some trace of him." + +No one could offer a better suggestion, and it was arranged that Mr. +Wilding should continue the search with a private detective he had +hired, while William and Bart would make a tour of the lodging houses. +Fenn and Frank were to remain at the Imperial Hotel. + +"There's no telling when a message may come from the baggage agent +telling us that Ned has called for his trunk," Bart said, "and some one +ought to be ready to hurry to the depot. We'll have to divide our +forces." + +With little hope in their hearts, but with dogged patience, and a +determination to keep up the search, William and Bart started out. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +NED A PRISONER + + +Ned followed Cassidy through the streets, the lodging-house keeper +leading the way, and seemingly in no fear that the boy would give him +the slip. As a matter of fact, Ned did not intend to try to escape. He +was, in a sense, a voluntary prisoner now, as he knew, if he tried to +run away again, Cassidy would probably take after him and raise such a +disturbance that the police would interfere. And Ned had his own reasons +for not wanting anything to do with the bluecoats. + +Afterwards he thought how senseless, in a measure, his fears were, but +at the time they loomed up large before him, and caused him to do things +of which, otherwise, he would not have dreamed. + +"Hurry up!" exclaimed Cassidy when he and Ned had been walking about +half an hour. "I haven't got all day." + +"What do you intend to do?" asked Ned. + +"I intend to make you work out the value of the money you stole from me. +One of my porters has left and I have to have another. Instead of hiring +one I'll make you do the work until you square things." + +"I never took your money!" declared Ned. + +"You've said that several times," Cassidy exclaimed. "I don't want to +hear it again. I saw you, but I'm willing to give you a chance to reform. +No use calling in the police unless I have to, but I will, if you don't +do as I tell you." + +The man spoke earnestly, and not unkindly, and Ned began to believe that +Cassidy really believed he stole the money, a thing the boy had not +admitted at first. + +"Some day you'll find you're wrong," Ned said. + +"I guess not! Jim Cassidy doesn't make mistakes," was the answer. "If I +do I'll pay you back with interest." + +They reached the lodging house where Ned had stopped before, and whence +he had escaped in the night. + +"Go ahead up," commanded Cassidy. "Get a broom and a pail of water and +scrub out the rooms. I'll allow you at the rate of a dollar and a half a +day. I had fifteen dollars under my pillow that you took. I got four and +a half of it back, counting the fifty cents from the fruit man, and that +leaves ten dollars and a half you owe me. You work seven days and I'll +call it square, and give you your bed free at night. That's more than +you deserve, but you're young and I'll give you a chance." + +Ned thought it was a pretty poor chance, considering his innocence of +the theft, but he decided it was best not to answer. He got a pail and +broom, and, taking off his coat set to work cleaning the dirty floor. +Cassidy watched him a while in silence and remarked: + +"I'll be on the lookout, so don't try to sneak away." + +"I'll work my seven days," Ned replied, trying to hide the tears that +would persist in coming into his eyes. As he labored away the stock +certificate, in his inside pocket, rustled. All his trouble dated from +the acquisition of that, he reflected bitterly, and it was a dearly +bought bit of experience. + +All that afternoon Ned worked away, his heart like lead. He longed for a +sight of the faces of his chums, and he wanted to hear from his father. +It seemed a very long time since he had left Darewell so happy and +filled with expectations of the pleasures he and his friends would enjoy +in New York. + +"I wonder if the boys came?" Ned thought. "I wonder what my father must +think? Oh, I've a good notion to write to him and ask him what to do! I +can't stand it any longer!" + +Ned was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He had stood about all he +could, and with the poor food and the bad sleeping places, which were +all he could afford, his health was in danger. + +"Come now, no loafing!" exclaimed Cassidy's coarse voice, as Ned paused +a moment in his scrubbing. "When I pay a dollar and a half a day I +expect good, quick work. We don't want any idlers around here." + +Wearily Ned began to move the wet broom over the dirty boards. There +were a number of unkempt men engaged in the same occupation. + +"If my chums should see me now," thought Ned. + +He expected to be allowed to go to bed early as he was tired, but when +Cassidy had sent him to a near-by, cheap restaurant, in company with one +of the other porters, for supper, Ned found, on his return, that he was +expected to clean out the office. + +"Ten o'clock's time enough to go to bed," Cassidy told him. "The work +got behind when my 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 +started up the stairs, they met a red moustached man coming down. At the +sight of him William cried out: + +"There he is!" + +"Who?" asked Bart. + +"The man who took Ned away!" + +The next instant the two boys were besieging Cassidy with questions. The +lodging-house proprietor looked bewildered a moment, and then, gathering +the import of what they wanted, he exclaimed: + +"Oh, you're chums of his, eh? Belong to the same gang I s'pose? Well, +you can't come any tricks on me! If that lad is your chum he stays here +until he's worked out what he owes me!" + +"What does he owe you?" demanded Bart. "Ned Wilding doesn't need to owe +anyone anything." + +"He owes me the money he stole!" Cassidy cried, "and I'm going to get +it! Now, you fellows skip out of here or I'll call the police!" + +"Can't we see Ned?" demanded William. + +"No, you can't! He's got to stay here a week. Think I'm going to let you +in and have you help him git away the way he did after he took my +money?" + +"He never took your money!" cried Bart. + +"Clear out!" exclaimed Cassidy. + +"Bart, you go get a policeman!" called William suddenly. "We'll see about +this thing. Telephone for Mr. Wilding and the boys!" + +"What will you do?" asked Bart. + +"I'll stay on guard!" William replied, looking Cassidy straight in the +face. "He's not going to get Ned away from me again!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +NED IS FOUND--CONCLUSION + + +Bart hurried down the stairs. Cassidy looked after him, a little in doubt +what to make of the proceeding. Then he glanced at William. + +"Here, you get out of this!" he called roughly. + +"All right," agreed William cheerfully. "It's your place, I admit, but +you'll sing a different tune pretty soon. I'll get out of the hallway +but the street is free, and I'll be on guard there until this thing is +settled." + +"You're too fresh!" spluttered Cassidy, as he turned and went back +upstairs. + +"That's all right! You'll get what's coming to you pretty soon," retorted +William confidently, as he went down to the street to await the return of +Bart with reinforcements. + +Bart soon got into communication with Mr. Wilding, and with the two +chums, at their hotel. They said they would hurry to the lodging house, +and Mr. Wilding announced that he would bring a detective from +headquarters, rather than have the boys ask a policeman to investigate +the matter. Meanwhile, Mr. Wilding advised Bart to keep close watch on +the lodging house. + +William and Bart now took up their positions where they could observe +the entrance to the place. They did not know there was a rear stairway, +but, as Cassidy had no idea of spiriting Ned away, desiring, in fact, to +only keep him secure, there was no need of guarding the back. + +It seemed a long time before Mr. Wilding arrived with the detective. +About the same time Frank and Fenn got to the place. + +"I have told the detective all about it, as far as we know the +circumstances," Mr. Wilding said. "Are you sure Ned is in there, +William?" + +"Almost positive," was the answer. "The man admitted as much. He says +Ned stole money from him and has to work to pay it back." + +"We'll soon see about it," the detective put in. "I know Cassidy. He's a +rough sort, but he's square I guess. Come on." + +Up the stairs they went, the hearts of the boys beating with anxiety. +Mr. Wilding's face showed the strain he was under but, as for the +detective, he seemed to take it all as a matter of course. He had seen +too many similar scenes to be affected. + +The little party entered the main room of the lodging house. Mr. Wilding +pressed forward, close behind the detective. Through the office window he +caught sight of a boy scrubbing the floor. There was something dejected +in the lad's appearance. Mr. Wilding looked a second time. Then he called +out: + +"Ned! My boy!" + +"Father!" cried Ned, and an instant later he was locked in Mr. Wilding's +embrace, while the tears, which he did not try to conceal, streamed down +his face. + +"Hurrah!" fairly yelled William. "We've found him!" and he began dancing +around the room. + +At the sound of William's cry Ned looked up and saw his chums. + +"Why--why--where did you all come from?" he asked. + +"We came after you," replied Bart, "and a fine chase you led us. Where +in the world have you been, Ned?" + +"Here! What's all this row about in my place?" asked Cassidy, hurrying +up from the rear of the resort. "You people have no right in here." + +"Easy, Cassidy," advised the detective. "What about that boy?" and he +pointed to Ned. + +"Oh, it's you, Reilly," said Cassidy, as he recognized the officer. +"Well, he robbed me!" + +"No, I didn't!" retorted Ned, hotly. + +"That's right, you didn't kid!" exclaimed a husky voice, and a man, in +ragged clothing, shuffled into the light. "He didn't take your money, +Cassidy." + +"Who did then?" asked the lodging-house keeper. + +"It was Mike Jimson. I met him down the street a while ago, and he told +me. Thought it was a good joke. He had a room next to you that night and +he slipped in while you were asleep. He heard you accuse the kid here, +but when the lad got away he thought it was all right, and the next day +Mike lit out." + +"Are you sure?" asked the detective. + +"Sure! Didn't Mike tell me? He showed me some of the money. He's spent +the rest." + +"Then I'll have him locked up!" Cassidy exclaimed. "I wonder how I could +have made that mistake? I thought sure it was you who took my money," +and he looked at Ned. "I'm sorry for what I did." + +Ned was too happy over the outcome to reply. He held his father's hand +and his chums crowded around him. + +"Here," said Cassidy suddenly, holding out five one dollar bills to Ned. + +"What are they for?" asked Mr. Wilding. + +"Guess they're his. Anyhow four and a half belongs to him. The rest is +interest. I took 'em from under his pillow thinking they were mine. I +hope you'll let this thing drop." + +"You've made a serious mistake, Cassidy," Detective Reilly said. "You +are liable to be sued for damages." + +"I hope you'll not prosecute me," whined the lodging house keeper. + +"That's a question we can settle later," said Mr. Wilding sternly. "Come, +boys, let's get away from here. We will go to my hotel, and then I'll +send a telegram to our friends in Darewell. They are very anxious to hear +from me." + +"Will you arrest Mike and get my money back, Reilly?" asked Cassidy. + +"Maybe, later," the detective replied. "You don't deserve it, for the +trouble you caused," and he followed Mr. Wilding and the boys to the +street. + +"But, Ned, it wasn't that accusation that kept you in hiding, was it?" +asked his father as they walked along. + +"No--no--" Ned answered with a look at the detective. "I guess I'm +wanted on another charge?" + +"Wanted on another charge? What in the world do you mean?" + +"Why I bought some stock in the Mt. Olive Oil Well Company," Ned +explained, still eyeing the detective. "I got it from the brokers, Skem +& Skim. I went back to have a mistake in the figures corrected and I +found the firm had fled and the postal authorities were in charge of the +offices. I overheard the inspector say they wanted a young fellow who +had bought two hundred shares of the stock and I knew it was me, so I +ran away. I didn't want to be arrested. + +"But I don't mind, now!" he went on, as he drew the stock certificate +from his pocket and handed it to his father. "You can lock me up, if you +want to," turning to the detective. "I'm tired of dodging around." + +"Let's see that paper?" asked the officer, and he took it to a light +where he could read it. As he looked it over a smile came to his face. +"Well, well, you certainly had a big scare for nothing," he remarked to +Ned. + +"How?" + +"I know all about the case. I helped work on it. We located Skem & Skim +in Boston and they're under arrest." + +"But about me? About the two hundred shares of stock that the inspector +was talking about?" asked Ned anxiously. + +"Two thousand shares was what he said I guess, but you probably +misunderstood him," Mr. Reilly went on. "Yes, there was a young fellow +who was mixed up in the transactions. He was a holder of two thousand +shares of the stock. All there was in fact, and he was one of the main +ones in working the swindle. We're looking for him still. Why, my boy, +this paper isn't worth anything. They cheated you. There isn't any stock +in the Mt. Olive Oil Well Company except the fake two thousand shares +issued to John Denton, which is the name of the other swindler we want. +And so you thought the inspector meant you?" + +"I did, and that's why I ran away. I didn't want to be arrested and +bring disgrace on my father." + +"You poor boy!" exclaimed Mr. Wilding. "But it's all over now, Ned. How +in the world did you manage to live in the meanwhile?" + +Ned told them part of the story as they walked to his father's hotel, +and the remainder of it he related inside, from the time of his aunt's +departure until they found him scrubbing the lodging-house floor, +including his escape down the rope. + +"And we have your valise!" exclaimed Fenn. "It's at our hotel." + +"I thought some one came along and stole it," Ned replied. "I was afraid +to ask about it for fear I'd be arrested. I didn't even dare go for my +trunk." + +"That's safe at the depot," said Bart, "but you'll have to pay storage +charges on it. Well, well, how this thing has worked out!" + +"We've solved two mysteries instead of one," Frank remarked. "Here's +William ready to go back to his mother," and he told Ned who William +was. + +"So you're the boy who was watching me this afternoon when Cassidy came +for me?" Ned asked. "I was afraid you might be a detective, and so I +wouldn't admit who I was." + +"We'll start for home in the morning," declared Mr. Wilding. + +"And maybe get into more trouble there," put in Fenn. + +"How?" asked Ned. "If there's any more trouble I want to get it all over +with at once." + +"They suspect us of blowing up the school tower!" exclaimed Frank. + +"Oh, that!" cried Mr. Wilding. "I guess I forgot to tell you about that, +I was so busy thinking of Ned. That's all cleared up!" + +"How?" asked Bart. + +"They found out it was done by a wicked boy named Peter Sanderson. He +thought it was a joke to set off a dynamite cartridge, but he found out +it wasn't. He's been sent to the reform school and his father has to pay +a big bill for damages. I got a letter from Fenn's father this morning, +telling me all about it. So you boys can go home with everything cleared +up." + +"And we'll take William with us," said Bart. + +"Yes, of course. I guess William's troubles are over too. We need a boy +in the bank, and I think he will fill the bill," and Mr. Wilding +laughed. + +They were all so excited that none of them slept well that night, but +they were up early and started back for Darewell. + +Ned rather expected his father would express regret at the loss of the +hundred dollars, for Detective Reilly said there was little chance of +the money ever being recovered. Mr. Wilding, however, did not refer to +it, until Ned, anxious to know how his parent felt, remarked: + +"I guess I'm not much of a business man, dad." + +"Why so?" inquired Mr. Wilding with a smile. + +"Why, I lost my hundred dollars the first thing." + +"Not exactly lost it, Ned, though you haven't got it. You can consider +that you bought a hundred dollars worth of experience, and I think you +got quite a lot for your money." + +"I certainly did," replied Ned with conviction. + +"By the way," his father went on. "I got a telegram from your aunt. Her +niece in Chicago is not as ill as was at first believed, and Mrs. +Kenfield is coming home soon. She wants you boys to stay and visit her. +Your uncle will be home from Europe in another week." + +"I think I'd rather go home for a while," answered Ned. + +"Well, everything came out all right," remarked Bart as he and Fenn sat +together looking from the car windows as they approached their +destination. + +"Yes, everything is right but Frank," replied Fenn. "He's been acting +strangely lately," and he nodded toward his chum who sat alone in a +seat on the other side of the car. + +"I wonder what ails him?" Bart remarked. + +"I'd like to find out. It certainly is something strange," went on Fenn. +What the mystery was will be told in the third volume of this series, to +be called, "Frank Roscoe's Secret." + +A little later the train drew into the Darewell depot. There was quite a +crowd to welcome the boys, for their story was partly known. Mr. Wilding +had telegraphed to the families of Ned's chums, that the mystery was +solved and the trouble at last ended. + +"Did you see any great actors, Fenn?" asked Jennie as she greeted the +boys. "Tell me all about them." + +"The only actor we saw was John Newton, the 'Marvelous Bird Warbler,'" +replied Fenn, "and we left him there. He certainly can whistle." + +"Oh, tell us all about it!" begged Alice. "Did you see any accidents?" + +"Didn't have time," her brother replied. "But come on home. I want to +see the folks." + +There we will take leave of the boys and girls, as they trooped up the +platform, talking, laughing, and asking and answering scores of +questions. Only two in the crowd were rather silent. Frank, who seemed +gloomy and depressed, and William. But William was only quiet because of +the great happiness he felt in knowing he would soon see his mother and +sisters, from whom he had been so long separated. Two hours later he was +with them, telling all about the way the chums found him, and of Ned's +disappearance so strangely solved with his aid. + + +THE END + + + + +Transcriber's Notes: + + + --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). + + --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected. + + --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. + + --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. + + --Changed Table of Contents page numbers to the actual page numbers + in the text, for Chapters XXVII (was 203, now 216), XXVIII + (was 209, now 222), and XXIX (was 216, now 229). + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Ned Wilding's Disappearance, by Allen Chapman + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NED WILDING'S DISAPPEARANCE *** + +***** This file should be named 37673.txt or 37673.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/6/7/37673/ + +Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |