Mrs. Flannery hurried away to the doctor whom she had previously
called in to see Tom. The physician promised to visit the sick boy again
within an hour. Having this assurance from the doctor, Bob then turned
his steps towards his own room to acquaint Herbert Randolph with Tom's
illness. But to Bob's surprise he found on arriving there that the young
Vermonter had not yet reached home.

"'Twas nine o'clock when I passed the _Tribune_ building," said Bob to
himself rather anxiously, "and he hain't come yet. I hope nothing's
gone bad with him, though, for we've got trouble enough on our hands
already, with Tom sick, and goin' to die, I'm afraid. I wish I could do
something for him; he would do anything in the world for me, Tom would."

But Bob's fears regarding Herbert proved groundless, for in a little
time the latter joined him with a light heart, made happy by the very
kind reception given him at Mr. Goldwin's.

On his way home his mind was filled with the vision of a sweet young
face, which to him was an inspiration. And as he hurried along the
avenue, thinking faster and faster, what charming pictures his
imagination brought before him--pictures that for him possessed a
strange and peculiar attraction. But these beautiful creations of his
mind were quickly lost to him when he saw the troubled look on young Bob
Hunter's face.

"Why, Bob," said he, "what makes you look so wretched? What has
happened?"

The latter quickly related the story of Tom's sickness, and stated his
own fears.

"I cannot realize it, Bob," said Herbert, deeply touched. "Poor Tom! let
us go at once and do whatever we can for him."

"That's right, Herbert; that's what I think we ought to do, and I
shouldn't come home at all only I knew you would not know what had
become of me," replied Bob, as they put on their overcoats and started
for Mrs. Flannery's humble home.

CHAPTER XXVI.

A CRASH IN WALL STREET.

At the end of two weeks Tom was again up and dressed. His struggle with
the pneumonia had been a frightful one. It was turned in his favor
largely by the aid of the best medical skill, and the untiring care
given him by his mother and his two faithful friends, Herbert and Bob.
The latter took turns in watching with him at night, while Mrs. Flannery
slept, that she might renew her strength for the day watch.

But the disease, as is not infrequently the case, left Tom with a hard,
dry cough, which threatened serious results. His