"Why, you look like you'd had a fit o' sickness."

"You're 'bout right, for I don't feel much like myself, no how. I didn't
get no sleep hardly at all, and I've worried myself thin--just see
here," and he pulled the waistband of his trousers out till there was
nearly enough unoccupied space in the body of them to put in another boy
of his size.

He couldn't resist the opportunity for a joke, this comical lad, not
even now. The trousers had been given to him by one of his customers, a
man of good size. Bob had simply shortened up the legs, so naturally
there was quite a quantity of superfluous cloth about his slim body.

"Gewhittaker!" exclaimed Tom, "I should think you have fell off! But
say, Bob, what's gone bad? What's done it?" continued Tom, disposed to
be serious.

"Well, you know the boy I told you about, what's chummin' with me?"

"Yes, the one I saw you with last night, I s'pose?"

"Yes, the same one. Well, he is lost."

"Lost!" repeated Tom, incredulously.

[Illustration: BOB HUNTER, ALONE IN HIS ROOM, WONDERS WHAT HAS BECOME OF
HIS NEW FRIEND.]

"Yes;" and Bob acquainted him with the facts of Herbert's disappearance.
"Now, what do you think of it?" he asked.

"Looks bad," said young Flannery, gravely.

"So it does to me."

"Foul play," suggested Tom.

"That's what I think."

"Perhaps he has got tired of New York and has lit out."

"No, not much. Vermont ain't no such boy."

"Well, you know him best. Did he have any grip or anything?"

"Yes, he had a good suit and lots of other truck."

"And they're in the room now?"

"Yes."

"You're in luck, Bob. I'd like a chum as would slope and leave me a good
suit."

"Well, I wouldn't. No more would you, Tom Flannery," said Bob, slightly
indignant.

"I didn't mean nothin'," said Tom, apologizing for the offense which he
saw he had given. "Of course, I wouldn't want nobody to slope and leave
his truck with me."

"That's all right then, Tom," said Bob, forgivingly. "But now, what do
you s'pose has become of him?"

"Well, it looks like he didn't go of his own free will, when he left
everything behind him."

"Of course it does, and I know he didn't."

Bob related the story of Herbert's experience at the bank, on the
morning when he secured the position.

"I don't like that duffer--what d'ye call him?"

"Felix Mortimer," repeated Bob. "I'm sure that's the name Herbert give
me."

"Well, I'll bet that he's put up the job."

"I think so m