d up till I couldn't
wink, an' waiting for you to come an' find me?"

"That sounds reasonable enough, but at the same time I don't believe
the story," the purser said severely. "Get ashore now, and if I catch
you on this boat again you'll have considerable trouble."

It was with difficulty Jet could walk, owing to the cramps in his
limbs, but he hobbled ashore at once, thinking that for a boy who had
simply tried to do his duty he had been badly used.

It was necessary he should return home at once, but he had no money.

He was hungry, and yet had nothing with which to purchase a meal.

His entire hoardings were in a box at Mammy Showers' house, and he did
not have the value of a penny about him.

"It's a mighty tight fix," he said reflectively, as he walked up from
the river front, "and what makes it worse is that the inspector will be
certain I've run away because I had something to do with the murder."

There could be no question but that he was in a bad scrape, and the
more he thought of it the more serious did the whole affair appear.

"Hello, Johnny! Whater you doin' up here?"

Without really thinking he was the one addressed, Jet looked around,
and saw a small boy in district messenger's uniform beckoning
vigorously to him.

"Was you calling me?" he asked, as he crossed the street.

"Sure. Ain't that a New York cap?"

"Yes."

"Whater you doin' here?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Jet replied ruefully.

"Well say, what's crawlin' on you? Run away, eh?"

Jet was in that frame of mind when to confide in some one is a relief,
and he told him the same story the purser of the steamer refused to
believe.

His new acquaintance listened attentively, and when Jet had concluded,
asked:

"What do you s'pose they wanted with a feller like you?"

"I don't know."

"Hadn't anybody's else money, eh?"

"Not a cent, an' I'm no richer now."

"What kind of lookin' duffers was they?"

"Dressed pretty well, the short one was."

"Did the other one wear green spectacles, an' was he tall?"

"Yes, have you seen 'em?"

"There was a couple of duffers hangin' round the other depot waitin'
for the train, an' I wouldn't wonder if they was the ones. The short
feller bought two tickets for Cooperstown Junction."

"How did you happen to hear all that?"

"I went after some parlor car tickets for our boss."

"Has the train gone yet?"

"It oughter left at seven this mornin'."

"An' it's most night now,