“Yes.  Mr. Dexter, he’s Phil’s father, will be waiting for us, and he’ll think we are lost.”

“Just a minute, Rod,” and the woman laid her hand lightly on his shoulder, “how would you like to go with me in the car to Hillcrest tomorrow?”

Rod’s eyes sparkled for an instant with pleasure.  How he had often longed to ride along the road in a big car such as he had seen buzzing by.  Suddenly his face grew grave.

“I’m afraid I can’t,” he slowly replied.  “It will be late when you get there, and I must be at the concert to take my part.  Captain Josh and the boys couldn’t get along very well without me.  I’m patrol leader, you know, and so must be there.”

The woman noted the brief struggle between pleasure and duty, and the decision pleased her.  She was disappointed, nevertheless, as she was hoping to have his company next day.  She concealed her feelings, however, and smiled upon the boys as she bade them good night as they stepped out of the elevator.  Then she turned back to the silence and solitude of her own room.

CHAPTER XIX

THE SURPRISE

It was somewhat late as Rod and Phil hurried along the street toward the hotel where they and Mr. Dexter were to spend the night.  This place was near the steamer, and it would not be far for them to catch the early boat next morning.  It was a comfortable house, where countrymen generally stayed.

Only a few people did the boys meet as they moved on their way.  Presently they encountered a policeman, who looked at them very closely, and enquired where they were going.  Rod informed him, so with a warning that they should not be out so late, the official passed on.  This was a new experience for the boys, and they were now fearful lest they should meet other policemen who might not be so lenient.

They had just reached a dark place when they heard some one walking with a heavy tread on the opposite side of the street.  Thinking that it might be another policeman, the boys kept close together, and glided on as swiftly as possible.  They did not run lest they should be heard.  Their hearts beat fast, and they glanced nervously from side to side.  The ways of the city, especially at night, were strange and mysterious to them, and all kinds of dangers seemed to be lurking around.  Had they been on a country road they would have felt perfectly at ease.  But here it was different.

They had almost gained a part of the street where an electric light flooded the pavement, when they heard a cry behind them, and then a thud as of some one falling.  They stopped and looked back, but all was shrouded in darkness.  On the opposite side of the street they could hear sounds of struggling, while an occasional gasping cry fell upon their ears.

“There’s something wrong,” Rod whispered to his companion.

“W-what d’ye s’pose it is?” was the frightened reply.