But there were no trains at this time of night, What should he do with himself in the meantime?  To pay for a night’s lodging would only still further deplete his scanty stock of cash.

Poor Rex felt as destitute, as desolate as any waif in all that great city.  He had been cared for all his life, and now that he was suddenly thrown upon his own resources, he felt helpless, like a rudderless bark on a tossing sea.

For all he was much more ready to express an opinion than Roy, he had not half the push and energy of the latter, who, although quieter, was nevertheless the more determined character of the two.

Rex walked on now rapidly till he reached the lighted avenue.  He had had all the experience he wanted of lingering in the side street.  He halted on the corner and looked up and down in search of an Elevated Railroad station.  He thought he had better get down to where the train started, so that he might be ready to take the first one.

The idea of telegraphing home had already occurred to him, but he dismissed it at once.

“No,” he said, “I’ve done enough harm as it is.  Some one would have to come on for me, and mother would worry.  They’ll think now till noon to-morrow, and perhaps later, that I’m with Scott.  Perhaps I can even get back before they know I haven’t been there.”

If he only had his wheel!  He had no clear idea of just how far the two cities were apart.  He only knew that it hadn’t taken him very long to come over in the Chicago Limited.

He found the station of the Elevated, and after waiting a long time he boarded a train.  The people scattered through the cars were nearly all asleep.  Rex dropped off himself almost as soon as he sank into a seat.  He was utterly worn out.

The next thing of which he was conscious was that the train was at a standstill and that the guard was shaking him, with the words: 

“Here, wake up, young man.  We’re at the Battery.  The train doesn’t go any farther.”

Rex rubbed his eyes.  It took him an instant or two to realize where he was.

The guard was not rough with him.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked.

“To the Pennsylvania station,” answered Rex.

“Then you’ve come too far.  You ought to have got off at Cortlandt Street.”

“Is it too far to walk back?” asked Rex, mindful of his small supply of money.

“About three stations.  You can keep along the river.  It’ll be nearer that way.”

“Thank you,” returned Rex.  He wasn’t in a hurry.  He might as well walk.  But he was terribly sleepy, and when he got to the foot of the stairway, he became rather confused.

He heard the water washing against the sea wall.  He walked on in the direction of the sound and found himself standing at the very end of Manhattan Island looking toward the bay.

It was very quiet except for the light splash of the waves and the soft sound of escaping steam from an engine overhead.  Rex was not certain in which direction he ought to go to reach the ferry.  There seemed to be water on both sides of him.