“Anyhow, I tried Springfield. I had to wait nearly two hours for a train and it was nearly ten o’clock when I got there. I got a taxi at the station and told the driver what I was up to. Davy wasn’t stopping at the big hotels, I knew, and so we began on the cheaper ones. Well――and here’s where luck took a hand――we found him at the first one we tried, a place only a couple of blocks from the station. He was asleep, but I got him up and told him what was wanted and he was all for starting for home then and there. But that was no good, for I’d looked up the trains. We talked for more than an hour and then he went to sleep again and I took a nap on a chair, with my feet on the bed. I got going at a little after four, got a night train as far as Randall Falls, and finished by car.” “Davy came with you?” “No, we thought we’d better not chance getting here in broad daylight, even as early as six-thirty. Besides, he’d got a job a couple of days before and didn’t want to leave without explaining things. He’s coming down this evening as far as Hale’s Bridge. He will get there at eight-thirty. I’ll be waiting in a car and bring him over. He figures he can stay around to-morrow by keeping quiet and go back in the evening. Of course it’s taking a chance, but no one knows about him except just us here, and I guess we can get away with it.” “Of course. Have you seen Betty?” “Yes, for a minute. She thinks they’d better not say anything to Mr. Benjy yet. At least not until the doctor comes. He might get sort of excited and restless. She says he slept better last night than he has for a week. Gee! I hope the poor old chap comes around all right! He’s mighty decent. Since he’s been sick I’ve wished a lot of times I’d been nicer about listening to his stuff.” “I’m mighty glad you found Davy,” said the other. “Betty thinks he will be better for Mr. Benjy than the medicine.” “Hope so. Davy’s changed a lot. I guess he’s been up against some hard times, judging from his looks. But he’s got a lot more gumption than he used to have. Fact is, he was just a bit dumb when he was here. Oh, not stupid, of course, but――well, sort of slow. Having to fend for himself has sure put an edge on him!” Peaches ended with a cavernous yawn. There was another strenuous afternoon on the gridiron that day, the last before Saturday’s contest with the Springfield junior team, and Barry didn’t get back to the Lyles’ until dark. Peaches was awaiting him there. “I’ve been thinking,” he announced, following Barry into the latter’s room. “Any ill effects?” asked Barry, sinking into a chair. “What’s the matter with your cheek? I refer to the side of your face, not to your――er――impertinence.” “Some one placed his shoes there. I think it was that Rusty Waterman. Anyhow, he was grinning.”