Rex did so, as he had already done.

“This fellow who told you that there was a runaway coming for you,” went on Sydney; “had you seen him before?”

“Yes; he came up and spoke to me while I was looking in a store window at some bicycles.”

“Did you answer him?”

“Yes.”

“Pleasantly?”

Rex hesitated a moment.

“Well, I didn’t exactly like his looks, so I said ‘yes’ or ’no, ’ I forget which now, and went on.”

“This seems like a clear case of the wrong man, officer,” summed up Sydney.  “It was that hoodlum who broke the glass just for the sake of getting my brother into trouble.  You ought to see that plainly enough.  You do, don’t you?”

“Yes, now.  I didn’t know all the story before.  I beg the young gentleman’s pardon.  Come, John, we’ll have to look elsewhere for your tormentor,” and the officer took the Chinaman by the arm and walked out with him.

CHAPTER VIII

 In Sydney’s office

“I’m awfully sorry, Syd,” began Rex, as soon as the three were left alone and had stepped into the elevator.  “I never felt so disgraced in my life.”

“You did nothing wrong,” replied Syd, pressing his hand against his forehead for an instant as if it pained him.  “But what are you doing in town?”

“I came to see you,” answered Rex, and then looked at Scott, who had said that as it was so near train time he would wait and go to the station with the Pells.  “But you are ill,” he went on the next instant, his eyes coming back to the other’s face.  “What is the matter, Syd?”

“Oh, I’m all right,” responded the young lawyer.  He forced a smile to his lips, and turning to Scott asked when the Bowmans expected to start on their trip.

“Monday,” was the reply.  “It’s too bad Rex can’t come with us.  I was counting on him.  We’d have no end of fun.”

“Oh, Syd,” suddenly broke in Rex, “did you know that old Mr. Tyler was dead?  Or did he die before you came home last night?”

A sort of spasm passed over Sydney’s face, but they were just stepping out of the elevator, and neither of the boys noticed it.

“Yes; he died before I left,” he answered, as they entered his rooms, which he shared with a fellow member of the bar who was now away.  “But I’ve got some last things to attend to before I leave.  You fellows make yourselves comfortable in there and I’ll be ready in five minutes.”

He pointed to the adjoining room, where Rex and Scott at once established themselves in the window and looked down on the busy street far below them.

“I didn’t know Tyler was dead,” began Scott.  “I heard what Roy did for him on the bridge, though.  By George, that was plucky!  But by the way, what’s the matter with your brother Sydney?  He looks terribly.  Didn’t you notice it?”

“Of course I did and spoke about it He’s working too hard, I guess.  I say, Scott, you won’t tell anybody about my adventure this afternoon?”