“Stealing a gold cup from some professor there. I don’t know much about the case. I was only told to arrest a lad with a dress-suit case, and I’m looking for him. I thought you was him, first, but you haven’t any case.” “Oh, no,” spoke Jack, hoping the one in the doorway would not be seen. “I’d like to arrest him,” continued the constable. “I hear there’s a reward offered for him, and I’d like to get it.” Evidently, Professor Klopper must have been very much incensed over his ward’s escape to offer a reward, for he was very fond of money. Jack resolved to use every means to avoid capture. “Well, I’d better be getting on,” said the officer. “If you go right down this street you’ll come to the depot. You can just make the train. Generally it’s a little late. If you see a lad with a suit case, tell the first constable you meet.” “I understand,” answered Jack, and grinned to himself. He walked on slowly, looking back once or twice to see if the constable was watching him. But that officer evidently had no suspicions, for he did not once peer after Jack. When the man had gone some distance, and had turned down a side street, Jack ventured to retrace his steps and get his suit case. “I can’t leave that behind,” he thought. “It’s all I’ve got in the world now.” He reached the station without further incident, congratulating himself upon his narrow escape. Then, as he walked up the depot platform, he resolved to practice another bit of caution. “The agent there has probably been warned to be on the lookout for me,” he reasoned. “My dress-suit case seems to be the most conspicuous part of my make-up. I’ll just leave it outside when I go in to buy a ticket.” He was glad he did so, for, when he asked for passage to Rudford, the agent, rousing himself from his nap, looked out of the little brass-barred window at the boy in front of him. Very evidently he was looking to see if Jack carried a suit case. “No baggage?” he remarked, in questioning accents. “Not so’s you could notice it,” replied Jack, making use of a bit of slang that served his purpose well, without compelling him to make a direct statement. He went outside, got his case, and remained in the shadow of the depot shed until the train came along. CHAPTER VIII THE SIDE-DOOR PULLMAN Jack fancied that the conductor, when he took up his ticket, looked suspiciously at him, but probably this was only the result of his imagination. At any rate, the runaway was glad when the train stopped at Rudford, and he could get out. It was early morning, and rather cool, in spite of the fact that it was the last of June. “A cup of coffee and some rolls for mine,” thought Jack, as he saw a small refreshment stand in the station. The food tasted good to him, and he decided it was wiser to spend a little of his money for it than to draw on the supply of cold victuals in his pocket.