else in that
vicinity, described the baby he saw in your arms, and told the officers
your name. You had disappeared, and the only thing left was to offer a
reward for information as to your whereabouts."

"Then they didn't think I'd done anything crooked?"

"If by that you mean 'wrong,' they didn't. It was the only clew they had
to the child; but on the following day it was learned you had been seen
with George, and then his name appeared in the advertisement. After
that, some of the newsboys from around City Hall Square brought word
that Dan Fernald was with you, and a reward was also offered for
knowledge of his whereabouts. You see, Josey dear, if Mr. Raymond--that
is the name of Essie's father--could find either of you three boys, he
was reasonably certain of getting news regarding his baby."

"Then I ran away from nothing, did I?"

"Yes, Josey dear, you did what many older persons than you have done,
and what God's Book tells us the wicked do,--fled when no man was
pursuing."

"Well, I _have_ been a chump!"

"Do you mean that you've been foolish?"

"I s'pose that's what you'd call it. I'm a reg'lar jay from Jayville,
an' yesterday mornin' I let that bloomin' imitation detective scare me!"

"Those wiser than you might have misconstrued that advertisement,
Joseph; but this shall teach you that there is nothing to fear when your
conscience is clear. Meet trouble half-way, and it dwindles into mere
vexation. Now, dear, I want you to come into the house with me and meet
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond. They know how kind you have been to Essie, and
wish to thank you."

"Well, they can't thank me for takin' care of the princess, an' I only
wish she'd never had a father and a mother, for then I could have kept
her all the time."

"Won't you come to please me, dear?" and aunt Dorcas laid her hand on
the boy's arm affectionately.

"When you put it that way, I'll have to go," and Joe rose slowly to his
feet.

"Of course you want to see Essie before she leaves?"

"Are they goin' to take her right away?"

"Certainly, Joseph. Do you fancy that poor mother could go away without
her?"

Joe made no reply, and, linking her arm in his, aunt Dorcas led him in
through the shed, but before they had reached the cottage Plums came
towards them at an unusually rapid rate of speed, crying, excitedly:

"The dudes have gone, aunt Dorcas. They've gone, and that very same
swell carriage is comin' here to-morrow mornin' to take me an