Billy decided then that it was time to make active search for the boy, and when he had finished a hurried dinner, he put on his best clothes and started for the city.  He thought it would be wise for him to go first to Sharpman’s office and learn what he could there.  The lawyer had not yet returned from lunch, but the clerk said he would positively be in at half-past one, so Billy took the proffered chair, and waited.  Sharpman came promptly at the time, greeted his visitor cordially, and took him into his private office.

“Well, my friend; what can I do for you?” he asked.

“I cam’ to see aboot Ralph, sir; Ralph as lives wi’ me.”

“Oh! are you Buckley?  William Buckley?”

“I am, sir.  I want to know when saw ye the lad last?”

“Why, about eleven o’clock yesterday.  He came up on the noon train, didn’t he?”

“I ha’ no’ seen ’im.”

“Haven’t seen him!” exclaimed Sharpman, in a voice expressive of much alarm.  “Haven’t seen him since when, man?”

“Not sin’ yester-mornin’, when I said ‘good-by’ till the lad, an’ went t’ the breaker.  I got scared aboot ‘im, an’ cam’ to look ’im oop.”

Bachelor Billy had become infected with Sharpman’s alarm.

“Well, we must look him up,” said the lawyer, putting on his hat, which he had just laid aside, and taking up a light overcoat.  “Come, we’ll go down to the station and see if we can learn anything of him there.”

Sharpman was really very anxious about the boy; it would interfere sadly with his scheme to have Ralph disappear again, now.  The two men went out from the door together and down the street at a rapid pace.  But they had not taken two steps around the corner into Lackawanna Avenue, when they came face to face with the missing boy.  He was a sorry sight, limping slowly along, covered with dust, exhausted from his journey.  He was no less surprised to meet Bachelor Billy and the lawyer, than they were to meet him, and all three stood speechless, for a moment, with astonishment.

“Why, Ralph!” exclaimed Billy, “Ralph, lad, whaur ye been?”

But Ralph did not know what to say.  An overwhelming sense of shame at his unfortunate adventure and at his wretched condition had come suddenly to him, and the lawyer’s sharp eyes, fixed steadily upon him, increased his embarrassment not a little.

“Why don’ ye speak, lad?  Tell Uncle Billy what’s happenit to ye; coom noo!” and the man took the child’s hands affectionately into his.

Then Ralph spoke.  From a full heart, poor lad, he made his confession.

“Well, Uncle Billy, I got lost in Wilkesbarre; I wasn’t used to it, an’ I went into a saloon there, an’ they got all my money, an’ I got onto the train ‘ithout a ticket, an’ the conductor put me off, an’ I had to walk the rest o’ the way home; an’ I’m pirty tired, an’ dirty, an’ ’shamed.”

Sharpman laughed aloud.

“Ah! that’s Wilkesbarre charity,” he said; “you were a stranger, and they took you in.  But come, let’s go back to my office and talk it over.”