"He knows me," struck in Mr. Roberts, with a sneer, "and bears me no good will for having exposed him in the village where he lives. I protest against being held on his evidence. If I am to undergo this humiliation, send for a carriage immediately and have me taken to headquarters, so that I may send for this child's parents and for some of my friends. The charge against me I do not understand yet, excepting that it has something absurd to do with this little boy." If Andy had been allowed to speak at once in answer to the question of the detective, he would have betrayed a great deal of the knowledge he had of the man, and would have given out a sudden light that had come to him as he stood there looking at him and listening. But with consideration came wisdom, or, at the least, caution, and he replied, briefly: "I saw him in Lakeville yesterday. He did what he could to injure me, but I did not know that he had anything to do with this matter." "You know the boy we are looking for?" asked the detective. "Yes, sir." "And you are sure this is not the one?" Andy looked carefully at the child, who had stood in a sort of wonder at the attention he was receiving. "I am sure," said Andy, finally, "that this is not Regy Thorne; but he is dressed exactly as Regy was yesterday, or the day before. I did not see him yesterday." "Dressed the same!" said the detective, exchanging meaning glances with his fellow-officer. "How do you explain that?" he inquired of Andy's enemy. "I don't explain it," was the cool answer. "I suppose, however, that a great many children dress alike in these days when clothing is bought ready-made." The detective looked at him shrewdly and turned to his companion. "Get a carriage, Dan--that is, if this gentleman is prepared to pay for it." "Certainly," was the reply. "And may I ask what the charge against me is?" "I should suppose you might have guessed it by this time," answered the detective, with so much less respect in his manner that it was quite evident that he did not believe his prisoner as innocent as he would have it appear. "The charge against you isn't made yet, but I arrested you on suspicion of being implicated in the kidnapping of a little boy named Reginald Thorpe Thorne, and I shall take you to headquarters on that suspicion." Andy was sure he saw a slight change in the man's features at the tone in which the words were uttered, and it was plain to him that the coincidence of the little boy in his company being dressed exactly as Regy had been dressed, had made an impression on the detective. The latter turned to him. "You will have to go with us too. What is your name?" "Andrew Fletcher." "You will find his father's name on the register at Sing Sing," said the man who had, as Andy believed, done so much to put it there. Andy flashed an indignant glance at him, but paid no other attention to him. "Must I go with you?" he asked of the detective. "Yes."