"How do you mean?" asked Ned.
"Why the clerk, who was on duty here when you ate breakfast, said he thought you would, and I said I didn"t believe you would show up again.
I said if you did I"d give you some pie. See?"
"Oh," Ned answered with a laugh, "much obliged."
That afternoon he bought a second-hand shovel and went about looking for more walks to clean. By night he had earned a dollar additional, which gave him considerable more capital than he had possessed since the episode at the hotel.
"I"ll get a room at the lodging house to-night," he said as he finished a simple supper. "I don"t like those beds all in a heap."
It was still snowing the next day, and though Ned found the field pretty well covered by scores of other men and boys, he managed to earn two dollars, which made him feel quite like a capitalist, as he shut the door of his lodging-house room that night.
The three chums, who wanted to find John Newton had no trouble. They met him coming from the rear of the theater, as he had done his "turn," and was not to go on again for three hours.
The "Bird Warbler" was as much surprised to see his former acquaintances from Darewell as they were to find him engaged at a theater.
"I"m studying to be an actor," John said, "but it"s dull times now and I took this job. It pays pretty well."
"I never knew you could whistle good enough for this work," said Fenn.
"It comes natural I guess," replied John. "But what are you chaps doing in New York?"
They told him, and Bart suggested that perhaps John might happen to see Ned.
"If I do I"ll let you know," the "warbler" replied. "Where are you stopping?"
"At the Imperial," replied Bart. "You might telephone us if you hear anything of Ned."
"I will. Come and have a gla.s.s of soda with me," John added, but the chums were too anxious to keep on with their search to accept, and, bidding the "warbler" good-bye they kept on.
They got back to their rooms at noon, to find that William Perry was up and dressed, and impatient to go out.
"I want to begin to help you," he said. "Did you see the clerk when you came in?"
"No. Why?" asked Fenn.
"He"s anxious to tell you something. Says they opened a valise a fellow left here and he thinks it might contain a clew that would help you."
"Maybe it"s about Ned," suggested Bart. "Come on fellows."
"What did you say the name of your missing friend was?" the clerk asked them, as the three chums hurried down to his desk.
"Ned Wilding," answered Frank. "Why?"
"You remember me telling you about that fellow who slipped down the fire escape rope and lost his valise?" the clerk asked. The boys said they did. "Well, we opened it to-day, and the collars are marked "N. W." I thought it might be a tip for you."
"Let"s see the things in the satchel," suggested Fenn.
The clerk showed them to the chums. They had no difficulty in identifying as Ned"s several articles in the valise.
"Then that writing was his, after all!" exclaimed Frank. "Boys, we are on his track."
"But where can he be?" asked Bart. "We only know he ran away from here.
Why did he leave in that fashion? Had he done something he was afraid of?"
"Perhaps he suddenly went--" began Frank, and then he stopped in seeming confusion.
"What were you going to say?" asked Bart.
"Nothing," Frank replied. "I made a mistake. I think we"d better tell the police about this."
"That"s so. I nearly forgot," the clerk added. "You are to go to police headquarters. A message came over the telephone a little while ago."
"Perhaps they"ve found Ned!" exclaimed Bart for they had left the telephone number of their hotel with the sergeant at headquarters and the official had promised he would telephone if he had any news.
"Hurry up!" cried Fenn. "Perhaps Ned is there waiting for us."
"I only hope he is," Frank remarked, and the boys noticed he appeared gloomy and sad.
"Wonder what ails Frank?" asked Bart of Fenn, as they went to their rooms to get their coats and hats.
"A fit of the same old mysteriousness," replied Stumpy. "Don"t notice him and it will pa.s.s over."
"Let me go to headquarters with you," begged William. "I want to help."
"Are you strong enough to go out?" asked Bart. "It"s quite cold."
"Oh I"m used to that," and the boy laughed.
"But you--er--you have no overcoat," said Fenn, wishing when it was too late he had not mentioned it.
"I"m used to that too," William replied.
"Would you mind if we loaned you money enough to get a coat?" asked Bart.
William thought for a moment.
"I"m ever so much obliged to you," he said. "You"ve done more for me now than I can ever repay."
"Then a little more won"t hurt," said Fenn with a laugh.
The overcoat was purchased, and the four boys went to police headquarters.
"Gentleman waiting to see you," the sergeant said. "Seems terribly upset about something."
They went into an anteroom and found Mr. Wilding. He had been in New York since early Thursday morning, but had been unable to locate the boys, since the finding of William in the snow had taken from the minds of the three chums all thoughts of sending the telegram to Darewell, telling Ned"s father of their address.