at time do you
suppose Sarah would be at her house? I want to see her about her
little shaver Brutus, and find out if his ducking did him any harm, and
thought I'd walk around later in the evening."

"You are apt to find Sarah at home up to a quarter of eight. After
that she will be in her place in the colored church," he was told.

Then the boys took their leave. On the way home, Thad expressed some
curiosity concerning the visit Hugh proposed making to Sarah's home.

"Do you really think that boy might come down with pneumonia, or
something like that on account of being in the water, Hugh?" he asked,
at which the other smiled mysteriously and replied:

"Oh! the water is still pretty chilly, you know, Thad; and the child
was so terribly frightened that he might feel the result of his
immersion, even if we did make a fire, and dry his clothes well.
Besides, I've dropped my pocket knife, and I've a little idea it was
while we looked through that playhouse of Brutus'. But suppose you
stop asking questions, and agree to accompany me when I make my little
call on Sarah this evening?"

"Oh! all right, Hugh, I'll go with you," complained Thad, "but I know
as well as anything you've got some queer notion back of it all, which
you don't mean to share with me. But remember that Madame Pangborn
told you she would trust Sarah with her purse or her life, she has such
confidence in the woman."

"I haven't forgotten," said Hugh, quietly. "I know what I'm doing.
You show up around seven or a quarter after, and we'll take a little
walk. Perhaps we might pick up a few facts worth while before we come
back; stranger things have happened than that, Thad."

"You are the limit," laughed the other, as he swung aside and headed
for his own house, doubtless to ponder over the mysterious words of
Hugh many times while eating his supper on that Sunday evening.

It was just dark as he started across lots toward Hugh's home; for
there was a short-cut which they frequently made use of--trust boys for
cutting off corners whenever it is possible, even if they have to vault
fences in order to reduce distances.

All the way out to the colored settlement, Hugh kept up an unusually
lively flow of talk. He knew Thad was fairly itching to ask questions,
and apparently Hugh did not mean to let him have a chance.

So they finally entered among the humble cottages and cabins where
Scranton's colored population lived. Children were running