an do about getting him into a different
place. You just tell him to come and see me the first opportunity he
has."

And again lifting his hat, Foster bowed and took his departure.

CHAPTER VI

A KIND-HEARTED WAITRESS

After Bob had found that no one was pursuing him, he decided that the
first thing to do was to get away from New York, and with this purpose
he headed for one of the ferries that would take him to the Jersey
shore.

How far his fifteen dollars would carry him, he did not know, but he
realized that it could not be any great distance, and he was trying to
think of some plan by which he could obtain more funds, when he suddenly
remembered the reporter who had taken such an interest in him.

"I'll go and find him," said Bob to himself. "He'll know about how much
it costs to travel, and all such things, and perhaps he'll help me to
get some work where I can earn more money. Anyway, I will be able to
believe what he tells me, and to depend on his advice."

So simple a solution of his difficulties gave Bob new courage, until all
at once it flashed upon him that he did not know the name of his
benefactor, or where to find him.

As this thought occurred to him, Bob stopped still. However, his having
thrown himself upon his own resources was sharpening his wits, and he
suddenly exclaimed:

"I can find out at the police station. Perhaps he'll be there."

And though the boy was fully three miles away from the place where he
had suffered such outrageous treatment, he turned his steps to retrace
the distance.

When at length he was within sight of the grim building, the same fear
of entering it that had made him refuse his guardian's command to fetch
the basket of groceries, again seized him, and he paused.

"I won't go in," said Bob, shaking his head decidedly, "but I'll wait
over by that pile of boxes on the opposite side of the street. Probably
he'll be coming out before long."

Though this plan of Bob's would ordinarily have been effective, it
happened that Foster had finished his work for the day even before he
had paid his visit to the closed store of Len Dardus, and thus the boy
was doomed to disappointment, although he stayed at his post of
observation until dark began to fall.

With the garish flarings of the street lamps, Bob for the first time
realized the true meaning of the step he had taken. Heretofore he had
always possessed a home to which to go, unpleasant as it was, but now