“Sit down, Mr. Crabtree,” returned Dick, and offered the former teacher of Putnam Hall a chair.

“Thank you.”  Josiah Crabtree sank down on the seat, resting his crutches against his knee.  “You have the same offices that Pelter, Japson & Company had, I perceive,” he continued, allowing his eyes to rove around.

“Yes, Mr. Crabtree,” answered Dick.  “By the way, do you know where Mr. Pelter is just now?”

“You said you wanted to see me about some particular business,” said the former teacher. “perhaps we had better get at that first.”

“Well, I might as well admit, Mr. Crabtree, that what I wanted to see you about is this.  I want to know if you can tell me where Mr. Jesse Pelter is just now.”

“Oh, is that all!” And Josiah Crabtree’s face showed his disappointment.

“That is all at present.”

“Humph!  Supposing I don’t care to tell you where he is?”

“Now see here!” pursued Dick, earnestly.  “If I understand matters aright, Mr. Crabtree, Jesse Pelter is no longer a friend of yours.  When you went to the hospital he practically deserted you, isn’t that right?”

“If is!” exclaimed the former teacher, bitterly.  “He left me in the lurch, and not only that, he didn’t give me the money that was rightfully coming to me.”

“Exactly so!  Now then, why shouldn’t you help us to locate him?”

“Well—­ er—­ well—­ er—­ supposing I did help you?” returned Josiah Crabtree, hesitatingly.

“If you will do that, Mr. Crabtree, I’ll make it well worth your while,” responded Dick, quickly.  “I may as well admit to you that we wish to get hold of Mr. Pelter as soon as possible.  We want him to clear up a certain transaction.  If you can put me into communication with him to-day, I’ll give you fifty dollars.”

At the mention of fifty dollars Josiah Crabtree’s eyes lit up.  Evidently he had not seen that amount of money for some time.

“You’ll give me fifty dollars?” he repeated.

“I will.”

“There is no fooling about this, Rover?”

“Mr. Crabtree, did I ever deceive you?” And Dick looked the former teacher squarely in the eyes.

“I don’t think you did, Rover.  So you want to find Jesse Pelter, and you’ll give me fifty dollars if I’ll help you do it?  All right, I’ll take you up.  I don’t think Pelter is aware that I know where he is, but I do;” and Josiah Crabtree smiled grimly.

“Where is he?”

“He told Japson that he was going down East, most likely to Boston.  But he didn’t do any such thing; he hung around New York for awhile and then he went to Philadelphia, and he’s down there now, I am thinking, unless he took a boat for Europe.”

“What?  Was he going from Philadelphia to Europe?” broke in Tom.

“So I understood.  Although why he didn’t go from New York is a mystery—­ the service is so much better.”

“Have you any idea where he is stopping in Philadelphia?” questioned Dick.