t worries her. You'll be here right away,
Doctor, won't you, please?"

"As fast as I can get there, my son!" came the prompt reply.

If there was a touch of pride in the voice one could not wonder at
it; for like a good many other people of Scranton Doctor Cadmus had
conceived a great liking for Hugh; and thought there had never been
another boy fashioned after his model, which, of course, was all
nonsense, as Hugh often protested indignantly when he heard any such
talk.

Only a short time elapsed before the doctor and Thad reached the
front door at the same minute.

"Wait for me in the library, Thad, if you don't mind being late for
your supper. Doctor, I'll show you the way upstairs," and with this
remark Hugh preceded the stout little physician up to the second
floor.

As for Thad, he never once dreamed of "breaking away" at that most
interesting stage. Suppers occurred three hundred and sixty-five
times a year, with an extra one thrown in for good measure when
leap-year came around; but exciting events like the one happening to
Hugh were of rare occurrence. Catch him thinking of eating when
there was a chance right at his door to have a hand in a thrilling
drama that beat the "movies" all hollow!

So Thad sat down.

Hugh soon joined him. He was immediately pounced upon by his curious
chum, and plied with all manner of questions. By degrees Thad
"pumped him dry," and there was nothing more to tell.

"We'll have to wait until she comes back to her senses," Hugh finally
remarked sagely, "before we'll be able to learn anything definite
about them, mother and the doctor both say."

"And she's actually out of her head, is she, right now?" Thad
demanded.

"Yes, and keeps on saying the same thing over and over, just as if it
might have been in her mind so much lately. She keeps on pleading
with someone she calls grandfather, and begging him not to put them
out of his heart and home, for little Joey's sake--it's always little
Joey she's worrying about and not herself. The doctor says she was
utterly exhausted by want of sustaining food, added to anxiety and
the exposure she had suffered."

"But where could she have come from, Hugh? She has never been in
Scranton, you said that, and I never saw her before either. You told
me the little boy can only say his name is Joey Walters; and honest
to goodness, Hugh, there isn't a single family of that name in or
around this town that I ever heard of."

"The