. Now I am off
for Vermont, but I will not forget to see you when I return. Give my
regards to your partner, in whom, though I have never seen him, I take
a great deal of interest. Poor Dick Box; I must help you to find a
better name for him when I get back."

"I wish you would. The police can't seem to help him."

"Then I will. Good-by, Jimmy."

"Good-by, Mr. Crosscrab."

Jimmy started back to work with a lighter heart than he had had in many
a day, and the principal cause of it was that Dick was getting better.
He would be able to be out in a few days, the doctor said.

So Jimmy hustled around and sold a large number of papers. Frank
Merton and Sam Schmidt had been helping the partners, and business had
not been so bad, though of course the profits were largely taken up in
paying the two boys who did Dick's work.

One afternoon, at the close of the day's business, Sam Schmidt came to
Jimmy with every appearance of excitement.

"What's the matter, Sam?" asked Jimmy. "Found a pocketbook full of
bills?"

"Nope, but I haf alretty found somedings else."

"What is it?"

"I haf found der advertisement about dot Box feller."

"What! About Dick? Have you found something about him in the paper?"
for Sam had not given up looking for a notice in the personal columns
of the papers, which might refer to the strange new boy who had come
into the midst of the news-lads.

"For sure, I haf. Here it iss," and Sam pulled out a piece torn from
the Herald.

"Read it," said Jimmy. "I ain't quite quick enough on me--I mean
my--words yet. You read it."

"Vell, I am not so good on der Englishness of it, but dis is vot it
means. 'If der boy vot runned avay from his home vill come back all
vill be forgiveness, und der money he took to go und fight der Indians
mit, he can keep, for his mudder und his fadder is sorrowfulness mitout
him, und vould he please write or sends a message und all vill be vell,
und he kin haf der pony und der bicycle vot he wants.' Dot's all dere
is to it."

"But don't it say who he is--who the kid is?--though I don't believe
it's Dick that's meant."

"Sure it says who it is vot put it in der paper," replied Sam. "It
says dot der boy is to address Mr. Samuel Wonsonski, New York City."

"Then it ain't Dick," decided Jimmy.

"Vy not? Ain't it got referenceness to a boy vot runned avay; und
ain't Dick a runavay?"

"I don't know as he is. Anyhow, this can't be about him."

"Vy not?"