rs
wouldn't spend money advertisin' for him."

The arrival of Dan Fernald and his assistants only served to heighten
the mystery, for these young gentlemen positively refused to make any
statement either for or against the missing boy, and the natural result
was that they were credited with knowing very much more regarding the
affair than really was the case.

Dan immediately assumed such an air as he believed befitted detectives,
and hinted more than once that Joe's friends "would be s'prised before
the day was ended."

Not until noon was there any change in the situation of affairs, and
then a bootblack who worked in the vicinity of the Grand Central Station
came down to City Hall Square with information that Plums was no longer
attending to business.

"If he wasn't so bloomin' slow, I'd say he'd run away with Joe Potter,"
the informant added; "but as it is, he couldn't get out of the town in
much less than a week, even if he humped hisself the best he knew how."

Under ordinary circumstances, Plums might have disappeared without
causing a ripple of excitement among his business acquaintances, but
since Joe Potter was missing also, it began to look as if the two might
be together.

At three o'clock in the afternoon Sim Jepson startled the community of
newsboys by announcing that he had been closely questioned by a man in
citizen's clothing, who "looked for all the world like a cop got up in
disguise," concerning Joe's habits, and Master Jepson added, on his own
responsibility:

"They're after him hot, an' no mistake. He'll be mighty smart if he can
keep out of sight when they've gone reg'larly to work huntin' him up."

This information disturbed Dan Fernald not a little.

Although quite positive he was a match for any detective or policeman in
the city, Dan would have preferred to work on a case where there
appeared to be less danger. This affair of Joe's was growing more
serious each moment, and he who meddled with it might come to grief, but
yet never for a moment did Master Fernald think of abandoning his
friend.

"I'll do jest as I told him I would, no matter what kind of a scrape I
get into," he said, confidentially, to Tim and Jerry. "You fellers must
hang 'round here so's to find out all that's goin' on, an' be sure to
let me know if any more men come here searchin' for Joe."

"But you ain't goin' to stay in Weehawken?"

"Well, I guess not."

"Then how shall we know where to find you?"

"Look