"You write to her, I suppose," she at last remarked.
"Oh, yes. Every week I get a letter, and I always answer it. She sends me money, too."
"Does she? Isn"t that nice. You must have plenty of spending money, then."
"No," and Rod shook his head. "Grandad puts it all into the bank for me. It is to stay there, so he says, until I grow up, and it will be enough then to send me to college."
"And your grandfather never used any of the money your mother sent to pay for your board and clothing?"
"Not a cent of it. He said it wouldn"t be right, because he loves me so much."
The woman remained silent for some time, and Rod thought that her face seemed very sad. Perhaps she was tired.
"Guess we"d better go now, Phil," and he turned to his companion who had not opened his lips once.
"What, so soon?" the singer enquired, rousing from her reverie.
"Yes. Mr. Dexter, he"s Phil"s father, will be waiting for us, and he"ll think we are lost."
"Just a minute, Rod," and the woman laid her hand lightly on his shoulder, "how would you like to go with me in the car to Hillcrest tomorrow?"
Rod"s eyes sparkled for an instant with pleasure. How he had often longed to ride along the road in a big car such as he had seen buzzing by. Suddenly his face grew grave.
"I"m afraid I can"t," he slowly replied. "It will be late when you get there, and I must be at the concert to take my part. Captain Josh and the boys couldn"t get along very well without me. I"m patrol leader, you know, and so must be there."
The woman noted the brief struggle between pleasure and duty, and the decision pleased her. She was disappointed, nevertheless, as she was hoping to have his company next day. She concealed her feelings, however, and smiled upon the boys as she bade them good night as they stepped out of the elevator. Then she turned back to the silence and solitude of her own room.
CHAPTER XIX
THE SURPRISE
It was somewhat late as Rod and Phil hurried along the street toward the hotel where they and Mr. Dexter were to spend the night. This place was near the steamer, and it would not be far for them to catch the early boat next morning. It was a comfortable house, where countrymen generally stayed.
Only a few people did the boys meet as they moved on their way.
Presently they encountered a policeman, who looked at them very closely, and enquired where they were going. Rod informed him, so with a warning that they should not be out so late, the official pa.s.sed on.
This was a new experience for the boys, and they were now fearful lest they should meet other policemen who might not be so lenient.
They had just reached a dark place when they heard some one walking with a heavy tread on the opposite side of the street. Thinking that it might be another policeman, the boys kept close together, and glided on as swiftly as possible. They did not run lest they should be heard.
Their hearts beat fast, and they glanced nervously from side to side.
The ways of the city, especially at night, were strange and mysterious to them, and all kinds of dangers seemed to be lurking around. Had they been on a country road they would have felt perfectly at ease.
But here it was different.
They had almost gained a part of the street where an electric light flooded the pavement, when they heard a cry behind them, and then a thud as of some one falling. They stopped and looked back, but all was shrouded in darkness. On the opposite side of the street they could hear sounds of struggling, while an occasional gasping cry fell upon their ears.
"There"s something wrong," Rod whispered to his companion.
"W-what d"ye s"pose it is?" was the frightened reply.
"Somebody is hurt, I guess. Maybe that man we heard has been knocked down. It often happens in cities."
"Let"s run," Phil suggested, now trembling violently.
"Run where?" Rod enquired.
"To the hotel."
"And leave that man to be killed! Scouts don"t do that," and Rod straightened himself up with a jerk.
"But what are we going to do?"
"Go after that policeman, see? He can"t be far away. Come!"
The next instant the boys were bounding along the street after the policeman they had met but a few minutes before. Fortunately they ran across him sooner than they had expected, for hearing the sound of hurrying footsteps, the official blocked the way, caught the lads by the shoulders, and demanded what they were running for. Rod pantingly explained, and soon the three were hastening back to where the struggle had taken place.
At first the policeman had been doubtful as to the truth of the story, but when he flashed his light upon the prostrate form of a man lying in the gutter, he gave vent to an exclamation of astonishment. The man was unconscious, and he was bleeding from a wound in the head. Rod never forgot the look of that face lying there so white beneath the light of the lantern. It was the face of a man about thirty years of age, with a dark moustache, and a slight scar upon the right cheek.
The policeman felt the man"s pulse, and found that he was alive. He then placed a whistle to his lips and gave several long shrill blasts.
He next enquired the names of the two boys, where they were from, and what they were doing out at that time of the night. To these questions Rod answered in such a straightforward manner that the policeman was satisfied.
"You had better get on now," he ordered, "But, remember, we"ll want you in the morning to give evidence. Don"t leave the city until you get permission."
Though both the boys would like to have stayed to see what would be done with the unconscious man, they did not dare to disobey the policeman, so they hurried off, and at last reached the hotel. They found Mr. Dexter anxiously waiting their return, and to him they related what had happened on the street.
"This is what comes of your galavanting around at such hours of the night," he growled. "You should have been in your beds long ago. And so we"ve got to wait, have we? This is a pretty state of affairs. I can"t afford to stay here all day to-morrow. Get away to bed now.
You"ve done enough mischief for one night."
Rod went to bed, but he found it hard to sleep. His thoughts turned not only to the wounded man, but to the concert to be held the next day. Suppose he could not get home in time to take his part, what would Whyn and Captain Josh think, and how could they get along without him?
Early the next morning a message came summoning Rod and Phil to appear at the court room at ten o"clock. Mr. Dexter went with them, which was a great relief. Everything was strange to the boys, and they were very nervous as they were examined and cross-questioned. But they both told what they knew in such a manner as to give much satisfaction. At last the Police Magistrate told them that they could go home, but must appear before him whenever they were needed.
The newspapers that morning gave considerable s.p.a.ce to the a.s.sault of the previous night. They told of the cowardly attack, and the a.s.sistance the two country boys had given, mentioning their names, and where they were from. The injured man was unknown, and though careful search was made, there was nothing found upon his person to identify him. He had no money, and it was believed that his pockets had been gone through by his a.s.sailants. He was taken to the hospital where he was lying unconscious, and in a serious condition.
Mr. Dexter bought copies of both morning papers, which was a great extravagance for him. He was quite proud of the part his son had taken in the affair, and the notoriety which had come to his family. Rod and Phil read every word on their trip up the river that afternoon. It was the first time they had ever seen their names in print, and they felt very important. This was increased when they saw people looking at them, and pointing them out as the boys who had figured in the affair of the night before.
Parson Dan"s eyes opened wide with astonishment when he opened his paper, which arrived just before dinner, and read to his wife the story of the a.s.sault in the city.
"Well done for the boys!" he exclaimed, as he laid the paper aside, and began his meal. "I wish they had caught the rascals who did that deed."
"The boys might have got badly hurt," Mrs. Royal replied. "I am very thankful that they escaped without any harm. What terrible things take place in cities. We live such quiet lives here that we little realise what is going on elsewhere."
"I do hope that the police will get those fellows," the parson mused.
"The paper says that there have been several hold-ups lately, and it is believed that they have been done by the same ones who made the a.s.sault last night. I am anxious to see Rod to hear what he has to say."
"Perhaps the boys will have to stay as witnesses, Daniel."
"Sure enough!" and the clergyman put down his cup he was about to raise to his lips. "I never thought of that. And this is the night of the concert, too. What will Captain Josh do without the boys? I must go over and tell him the news. It will certainly upset his plans, for he depended so much upon Rod."