ctfully in his own ample palm, and pressed
it in a friendly manner.

"There's one thing more I want you to believe, Miss Linden," he said,
"and that is, that I am your friend, also."

"Thank you, Mr. Bolton. And now let us all work together to find
Dodger."

"You can count on me, Miss Linden. If you'll tell me where you live
I'll send or bring you any news I may hear."

"I live with Mrs. O'Keefe, my good friend, here."

"I haven't my kyard with me, Tim," said the apple-woman, "but I'll
give you my strate and number. You know my place of business?"

"Yes."

"If you come to me there I'll let Florence know whatever you tell me.
She is not always at home."

The two went away relieved in mind, for, helpless and bewildered as
they were, they felt that Tim Bolton would make a valuable ally.

When they had gone Tim turned to Hooker and Briggs, who were lounging
at a table, waiting for some generous customer to invite them to the
bar.

"Boys," said Tim, "has either of you seen anything of Dodger lately?"

"No," answered the two in unison.

"Have you heard anything of him?"

"I heard that he was baggage-smashin' down by the steamboat landings,"
said Hooker.

"Go down there, both of you, and see if you can see or hear anything
of him."

"All right, Tim."

And the two left the saloon and took a westerly route toward the North
River piers.

Three hours later they returned.

"Have you heard anything?" asked Bolton. "Did you see Dodger?"

"No; we didn't see him."

"But you heard something?"

"Yes; we found a boy, a friend of his, that said the last he saw of
Dodger was last evenin'."

"Where did he see him?"

"Near the pier of the Albany boats."

"What was he doin'?"

"Carryin' a valise for a man."

"What kind of a man? How did he look?"

"He had gray hair and gray whiskers."

Tim was puzzled by the description.

If, as he suspected, Curtis were concerned in the abduction, this man
could not have been he.

"The man was a passenger by the Albany boat, I suppose?"

"No; that was what looked queer. Before the Albany boat came in the
man was lyin' round with his valise, and the boy thought he was goin'
off somewhere. But when the boat came in he just mixed in with the
passengers, and came up to the entrance of the pier. Two boys asked to
carry his valise, but he shook his head till Dodger came round, and he
engaged him right off."

Tim Bolton nodded knowingly.

"It was a plan," he said. "The