Frightened enough was Mrs. Dexter when Mr. Newton broke the news to her as gently as possible. She grew pale, and then almost fainted, while Mary and Lucy, when they heard the bad tidings, began to cry, though Mary hardly knew what for, save that something had happened to make her mother sad. “Now don’t you get down-hearted,” advised Mr. Newton. “We’ll find Jimmy for you just as soon as we can. Maybe we’ll have him for you before morning. He may have been picked up by some persons who saw he was lost, and they may have taken him home. There are hundreds of things that might have happened. You’ll be laughing at this scare in a few days.” “I’m sure I hope so,” replied Mrs. Dexter, with a sigh. Leaving Larry to comfort his mother as best he could, Mr. Newton set off to make a trip to police headquarters. He wanted to be sure that Jimmy was not lost in the usual manner in which hundreds of New York children are lost every week. From the sergeant in charge Mr. Newton learned that the usual number of little ones had been picked up. They were at the various precinct station-houses, awaiting owners. Some had been there since early morning, their mothers either having forgotten all about them, or else thinking they were safe at some relative’s or neighbor’s house. None of the unclaimed ones, however, answered the description of Larry’s brother. They were too young or too old, too large or too small, or had some other feature about them that precluded any chance of one being Jimmy. “Do your best on this case, Tom,” Mr. Newton said to the sergeant behind the desk, as he was leaving. “Send out a general alarm. The child’s a little brother of a reporter on the _Leader_, and a friend of mine. If you hear anything during the night from any of the precincts, call me up. I have a ’phone in the house, now.” “I will,” promised the sergeant. “I hope they find the little lad.” Rather tired, but not discouraged, Mr. Newton went home. He knew the police would do their best, as many of them were friends of his, and, besides, the bluecoats had a very good feeling toward the _Leader_, as it had advocated higher pay for the police and firemen, and the measure had passed the Legislature, so there was in line with his duty nothing a bluecoat would not do for the _Leader_. But the night wore on, and there came no word to Mr. Newton concerning Jimmy. The reporter went to bed about two o’clock, leaving word for the elevator attendant to awaken him in time to get to work at the usual hour. In their rooms, waiting, and hoping against hope, sat Mrs. Dexter, Larry, and Lucy. Mary had fallen asleep. It was a sad household, though Larry tried hard to make his mother feel that there was no danger to Jimmy. “I can’t help crying,” replied Mrs. Dexter. “My little boy has never been away from me a night in his life. He’ll cry so hard, and be so frightened at those rough men! Oh, Larry! Why did they do it? Let them have all they ask, only get Jimmy back!”