n I leave school I am going to be a lawyer."

"I hope you make a success of it."

"I shall--I am going to be one of the greatest lawyers in this
country," added the rich boy, boastfully.

"Are your folks here?"

"My mother is. Dad is at the iron works."

"They tell me he isn't doing very well there," said Randy.

"He is doing fine. He discharged some of the good-for-nothing hands,
that's all. Bartlett used to hire a lot of sticks."

"I don't believe it. Mr. Bartlett knows his business."

"Humph!"

The rain was letting up and Randy prepared to walk to Catskill. As wet
as he was, he resolved not to ask any favor at the hands of Bob Banks.

"Going, eh?" said the rich youth.

"Yes."

"Humph!" murmured Bob Bangs, and that was all he said.

Despite the steady rain, Randy walked rapidly to the town--doing this
that he might not take cold. Once at the town he hurried to the
steamboat landing.

"Hullo, where did you come from?" exclaimed the dock master, who knew
him well.

"From a bath," answered Randy with a laugh, and then said he had fallen
overboard from the _Helen Shalley_ just before the landing at Catskill
was made.

"Nobody said anything about it," said the dock master.

"I guess they didn't know it," answered our hero.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Telegraph to Captain Hadley and then stay in town until the boat comes
back to-morrow."

"Better get dried off first. You can come to my house if you wish. It
is not far off."

"Thank you, Mr. Ball."

Randy's telegram was a short one. It ran as follows:

"Fell overboard. Am safe at Catskill. Join boat to-morrow."

The telegram sent, our hero went with Mr. Ball to the latter's house.
Here he was loaned some dry clothing and Mrs. Ball treated him to a
late but satisfying supper. After the meal was over, and as it was now
clear, he decided to take a walk around the town before retiring. Had
he known of what that walk was to reveal he would have been very much
surprised.

CHAPTER XXXI

NEWS OF IMPORTANCE

As was natural, our hero drifted down to the long steamboat landing.
While he was standing around, he saw a ferryboat coming across the
river, filled with passengers from the railroad station on the opposite
shore.

As the passengers alighted he recognized Amos Bangs in the crowd. The
rich manufacturer looked around anxiously, and presently caught sight
of Mrs. Bangs, who had come to meet him in a carriage. Randy slipped