stopping to consider which direction he
should take.

"This way, Polly!" shouted Ben, waving his hand, and started along as
if he were going to a fire.

No one thought of walking, for it seemed as if every moment was
precious then, and that they might not find him if they were two or
three minutes late. On they ran, at full speed; and when they stood in
a row before the clerk of the Fifth Avenue Hotel, they were so
breathless that they could not speak distinctly.

"Polly's come to see his father," said Ben, after they had stood there
so long that the clerk was about to order one of the porters to turn
this quite dirty and very ragged crowd, who appeared to have come
there simply to look at him, out-of-doors.

"Who is his father?" asked the man, hardly believing that any guest in
that hotel would claim a son from that rather disreputable-looking
party, for Paul looked almost as dirty and ragged as the others did.

"His name's Rufus Weston," said Paul, speaking in a low voice, because
of the tears that would persist in coming into his eyes, so much
afraid was he that his father was no longer there.

[Illustration: THEY STOOD IN A ROW BEFORE THE CLERK OF THE FIFTH
AVENUE HOTEL.]

Almost every one in the hotel knew Mr. Weston's story, and no sooner
did he hear the name than the clerk, calling one of the servants,
ordered him to show this odd-looking party to Mr. Weston's room. Paul
almost ran ahead of the man in his eagerness to see his father, while
the others were inclined to remain quite a distance in the rear, awed
by the elegant things they saw around them, and not quite certain as
to whether they ought to follow their friend. When, finally, the man
stopped before one of the doors, knocked, and Paul rushed into the
room, the boys heard a scream of delight, and then they were shut out,
as if their companion had forgotten them entirely.

Ranged close to the wall, opposite the door which Paul had entered,
wondering whether they ought to go or stay, four boys stood in
bewilderment, hardly daring to speak. Porters, servants, and guests
passed them with looks of wonder at the motionless line, who appeared
to be trying to make themselves as small as possible, so that they
should be in no one's way; and each time they were favored with a look
of scrutiny or surprise they fancied that they were to be ordered to
leave the house at once.

"I guess we'd better go," whispered Dickey, after one of the porters
had looked