“Perhaps Rex had better come along, too.  I ordered a coach, so that you could put your feet up.  There’ll be plenty of room.”

Roy whispered this in Sydney’s ear as they went slowly down the stairs.

“All right; just as you say.  I suppose it won’t make much difference how soon you all know now.”

“Rex, you may come along if you like,” said Roy, when they reached the lower hall, and Sydney was sitting on the settee.  “Run up quickly and get your coat.”

Rex eagerly seized the opportunity, and in five minutes they were all in the carriage, and the driver had started for Seventh Street.

Sydney was considerably exhausted by the effort he had already made.  He lay back in the seat breathing heavily.

“Do you know where we are going and what for?” Rex leaned forward to whisper in Roy’s ear.

“It’s a mystery to me, too, but we want to watch out carefully that no harm comes to Syd,” Roy whispered back.

When the carriage halted before the little dwelling where Mrs. Fox lived Roy started to get out, but Sydney drew him back.

“No, I must be alone,” he said.  “Have the carriage wait here till I come out.”

But he had scarcely taken a step from the carriage when his weakness overpowered him.  He tottered, and would have fallen had not Rex sprung out and caught him.  Roy was at his other side in an instant, and together the two boys supported him.

“You will have to help me up to the door, I guess,” he whispered faintly; “but don’t ring; knock lightly.”

There was no one passing at the moment, nor did any light shine from the interior of the place, Roy knocked against the glass in the door, and the latter was opened on the merest crack.

“Who’s there?” came the demand in a quivering old woman’s voice.

“Sydney Pell.  I am ill, but I was bound to come.  My two brothers are with me.  Can’t they help me in to a seat?  They will then go away again.”

“No, no; they can’t come in,” was the quick response.  “There must be no noise.  It’s a risk to have you here.”

“Then can you open the door wide enough to help me in?” returned Sydney.

The answer was the swinging back of the door and the reaching out of the old lady’s arm.

“Go back to the carriage, boys, and wait,” said Sydney, and the next instant he had disappeared within the mysterious dwelling.

CHAPTER XXX

 Sydney Frees his mind

“You’re pretty weak, aren’t you?” This was Mrs. Fox’s remark as she eased Sydney down into a rocking chair in the little parlor.  It was quite dark, save for the faint light that came in from the street lamp over the curtain pole in the window.

“I suppose I was too weak to venture to come,” Sydney answered, “but I felt that I must.  Did you understand all that I meant to say in my note?”