'n' the furnitoor upstairs,
but Adolf 'n' the old wooman 'n' th' kids 'n' sich duds ez they cud cram
inter their bags wuz gone--bury drawers lift wide open, ez if they'd
went in a ghreat hurry."

Tom had listened in great surprise. "What--do--you--know--about--that?"
he gasped when Pete at last paused.

"It's iviry blessed worrd that I know. I'm thinkin' he wint ter Germany,
mebbe."

"How could he get there?" Tom asked.

"Wouldn't thim Dutch skippers in Noo Yorrk Harrbor help him out?" Pete
shouted. "Gerrmany, Holland--'tis all th' same. Thar's ways uv gittin'
thar, you kin thrust the Germans. They're comin' and goin' back all the
toime."

"What do you suppose they suspected him of?" Tom asked, his astonishment
still possessing him.

"Nivir a worrd wud they say, but ye kin bet yer Uncle Sammy's not spyin'
around afther people fer nuthin'. They searched the store aftherworrds,
but nary a thing cud they find."

So that was the explanation of the now vacant store which had been so
much a part of the life of Tom Slade and his poor, shiftless family.
That was the end, so far as Bridgeboro was concerned, of the jovial,
good-hearted grocer, and Fritzie and little Emmy and "Mooder" in her
stiff, spotless white apron. It seemed almost unbelievable.

"A Hun is a Hun," said Pete, "'n' that's all thar is to't."

"What did they do with all the stuff?" Tom asked.

Pete shrugged his shoulders. "Mister Temple, he owns th' buildin' an' he
hed it cleared out, 'n' now he leaves them Red Cross ladies use it fer
ter make bandages 'n' phwat all, 'n' collect money fer their campaign.
He's a ghrand man, Mister Temple. Would ye gimme a lift wid this here
table, now, while ye're here, Tommy?"

As they carried the table across the sidewalk, a group of ladies came
down the block and whom should Tom see among them but Mrs. Temple and
her daughter Mary. As he looked at Mary (whom he used to tease and call
"stuck up") he realized that he was not the only person in Bridgeboro
who had been growing up, for she was quite a young lady, and very
pretty besides.

"Why, Thomas, how _do_ you do!" said Mrs. Temple. "I heard you were
back----"

"And you never came to see us," interrupted Mary.

"I only got back Tuesday," said Tom, a little flustered.

He told them briefly of his trip and when the little chat was over Pete
Connigan had disappeared.

"I wonder if you wouldn't be willing to move one or two things for us?"
Mrs. Temple asked.