“What makes you think there is anything wrong?” parried Foster, determined, if possible, to keep the knowledge of Bob’s arrest from so evident a neighborhood gossip.

“Because Len Dardus closed his store on a Saturday.  I’ve been living here thirty years, and he has never done such a thing before, but once, and that was twelve years ago, the day he brought Bob back with him.  So I know that it must be something important, or the old man wouldn’t lose the opportunity to make a few cents in his store.”

Struck by the coincidence that it was because of Bob the grocer had at both times shut up his store, Foster considered for a few moments what it was best to do, and then said with ever so faint a smile: 

“I suppose you will see Bob when he comes back?”

“I reckon I will.  I see most everything going on around here that’s to be seen.”

“Then I will be obliged if you will give him this,” and he handed her one of his calling cards.  “Tell him, please, that I am at home any evening after seven o’clock, and should like to have him call on me.”

“I’ll be glad to.  I suppose you may be some friend of Bob’s who knew his father?  I’ve often wondered why no one came to see the boy and take him from that man Dardus.”

These words suggested a new train of thought to the reporter, and, judging from the remark that his informant had some knowledge of the boy’s antecedents, he determined to learn what he could about them.

“Then you knew Bob’s father?” asked Foster.

“No.  I can’t say as I knew him, but I do know that I wouldn’t treat a dog the way Dardus has treated Bob, and I have often wondered why none of the friends of the lad’s father came to find out about him, or to take him away.  And I made up my mind, as soon as I saw you, that you were one of them.  Anyway, I hope so, for Bob is a real bright boy; too bright to be working for that old miser.  He’s fond of book reading, and I’ve told old man Dardus, every time I saw him, that he ought to have the boy educated.”

“Well, I am Bob’s friend,” said the reporter, “and if you think it’s a wise thing, I’ll see what I can do about getting him into a different place.  You just tell him to come and see me the first opportunity he has.”

And again lifting his hat, Foster bowed and took his departure.

CHAPTER VI

A KIND-HEARTED WAITRESS

After Bob had found that no one was pursuing him, he decided that the first thing to do was to get away from New York, and with this purpose he headed for one of the ferries that would take him to the Jersey shore.

How far his fifteen dollars would carry him, he did not know, but he realized that it could not be any great distance, and he was trying to think of some plan by which he could obtain more funds, when he suddenly remembered the reporter who had taken such an interest in him.