pretty hard lines if we
can't get you out of town before they come."

"I won't leave the princess," Joe replied, doggedly.

"Then take her with you. Of course there's a good deal of risk in it,
seein's how the advertisement said you had her; but it's a blamed sight
better'n givin' right up same's any chump would do."

"I counted on findin' her folks this mornin'."

"The way things have turned out, you can't; an' what's the odds if you
wait two or three days? I'll see that you have money enough to keep you
goin' for a spell, anyhow, 'cause all the fellers what know you an'
Plums will chip in to help."

"Am I goin', too?" Master Plummer asked, in surprise.

"I can't see any other way out of it. When the perlice find where Joe
slept last night, they're bound to pull you in. It don't look to me as
if it was goin' to be sich a terrible hard thing to go off in the
country for a spell, now the weather's warm, an' if it wasn't for the
kid here, I'd say you'd have a great time."

At this moment the princess awakened, and, fortunately, in an amiable
mood.

She raised her hands towards Joe as if asking to be taken in his arms,
and, instantly the mute request was complied with, the ruined merchant's
courage failed him.

Burying his face in her dress, regardless of the possible injury to be
done the delicate fabric, the poor boy gave way to tears, and the little
maid must have understood that he was suffering, for she patted him on
the ear, or ruffled his hair gently with her hands, all of which served
but to make his grief more intense.

"Now's the time to get him right away," Dan said, in a low tone to
Master Plummer. "We've fooled 'round here too long already, and if he
kicks ag'in goin', why, we've got to lug him, that's all. I won't see
Joe Potter put in jail if it can be helped."

"What do you s'pose he's been doin'?" Plums asked, in a terrified
whisper.

"Blamed if I know; but it must be somethin' pretty tough, else they
wouldn't spend money advertisin' for him."

"I don't b'lieve he'd kill anybody."

"Neither do I; but it must be somethin' 'bout as bad as that. While he's
takin' on so we can get him off without much trouble. We'd better walk
to the ferry, 'cause there might be somebody on the horse-car what would
know him."

"If I've got to leave the town, I don't want to hang 'round Long
Island, 'cause there ain't so much chance of gettin' further away,"
Plums objected, and Dan began to show signs of il