He approached, and then the thought struck it would be a good idea to apply for the job the other boy had just left. He got it, for there was need of hurry in unloading the fruit, as the day was cold. "What was the matter with the other fellow?" asked William carelessly as though it was of little moment to him. "I don't know," the fruit man replied. "The boy came along just like you and asked for a job. I hired him and then along comes this fellow and says the lad owes him money. It wasn't any of my affair. Hustle those boxes in now, I don't want the oranges to freeze." "Who was the man who took him away?" asked William, as indifferently as he could, though he was nervous with eagerness to hear the answer. "I never saw him before. It was none of my affair, though I liked the looks of that boy, and I didn't care much for the man. But I've gotten over the habit of interfering in other people's business. Come now, boy, hustle!" William went to work with an energy that pleased his employer. The boy was beginning to think he had made a mistake. He felt that he should have followed the man, to see where he took the lad he believed was Ned. But then, too, he had telephoned Mr. Wilding and the chums to meet him at the fruit store, and if he was not there when they arrived, they would not know what to make of it. "I can't be in two places at once," William thought to himself. "I guess I'd better stay here until some one comes. Then maybe I can trace which way the man took the boy. Anyhow I'm not sure it was Ned. I've never seen him, and it wouldn't do to make a mistake. He wouldn't admit he was Ned Wilding, but he acted to me as though he was afraid of something." Thus musing, and puzzling over whether he had done the right thing, William continued to help unload the truck, keeping a sharp lookout for Mr. Wilding or the three chums. The three boys arrived first. They came down the street in a hurry looking for the place William had described to the hotel clerk over the telephone. "There he is!" cried Bart, as he caught sight of the boy they had pulled from the snow drift. "Where's Ned?" he added. "I'm not sure it was him," William replied, "but a man came and took him away half an hour ago." Then he rapidly explained what had taken place, describing the boy he had seen. "That's Ned sure enough," Fenn exclaimed. "Where in the world could he have gone to?" "And who was the man who said Ned owed him money?" asked Frank. "I guess we're on the trail of the mystery." "Hurry up, let's see if we can't find them," suggested Bart. "They can't have gone very far." "One of us ought to stay here to meet Mr. Wilding if he comes," said Fenn. "The other two can go with William to look for Ned and the man." "Say, did I hire you to chin or to carry in oranges?" asked the fruit man, suddenly appearing in the doorway, and noting William talking to the three boys. "Guess I'll have to give up the job," replied William. "I've got to go with these boys."