ng the pronoun.

"Is Reginald ill, then, or their mother?"

A ray of hope crossed Booms's mind. This stranger was evidently a
friend of the family. He called the boys by their Christian names, and
knew their mother. Would he take charge of the dismal secret?

"His mother is ill," said he. "Do you know them?"

"Rather. I was Horace's chum at Wilderham, you know, and used to spend
my holidays regularly at Garden Vale. Is she very ill?"

"Very," said Booms; "and the worst of it is, Reginald is not at home."

"Where is he. Horrors told me he had gone to the country."

Booms _would_ tell him. For the visitor called his friend Horrors, a
pet name none but his own family were ever known to use.

"They don't know where he is. But I do," said Booms, with a tragic
gesture.

"Where? where? What's wrong, I say? Tell me, there's a good fellow."

"He's in prison," said Booms, throwing himself back in his chair, and
panting with the effort the disclosure had cost him.

"In prison! and Horace doesn't know it! What _do_ you mean? Tell me
all you know."

Booms did tell him, and very little it was. All he knew was from
Jemima's secondhand report, and the magnitude of the news had quite
prevented him from inquiring as to particulars.

"When did you hear this?" said Harker; for the reader will have guessed
by this time that the visitor was no other than Horace's old Wilderham
ally.

"Yesterday."

"And he doesn't know yet?"

"How could I tell him? Of course I'm to get all the blame. I expected
it."

"Who's blaming you?" said Harker, whom the news had suddenly brought on
terms of familiarity with his friend's friend. "When will he be here?"

"Very soon, I suppose."

"And then you'll tell him?"

"You will, please," said Booms, quite eagerly for him.

"Somebody must, poor fellow!" said Harker. "We don't know what we may
be losing by the delay."

"Of course it's my fault for not waking him up in the middle of the
night and telling him," said Booms dismally.

"Is there anything about it in the papers?" said Harker, taking up a
_Times_.

"I've seen nothing."

"You say it was a day or two ago. Have you got the _Times_ for the last
few days?"

"Yes; it's there."

Harker hastily turned over the file, and eagerly searched the police and
country intelligence. In a minute or two he looked up and said,--

"Had Cruden senior changed his name?"

"How _do_ I know?" said Booms, with a bewildered look