"With your permission, officer, I am going to withdraw my charge," he said, with a tremor in his voice. "You are to let both these persons go scot free. You, my good woman, meant well but acted foolishly. As for the boy, Donovan, I will assume the responsibility for him." "You are willing to stand behind him, Mr. Ackerman?" "I am." The detective turned toward the boy who had risen and was fumbling awkwardly with the brass buttons adorning his uniform. "You hear, Dick Martin, what the gentleman says," began he impressively. "He believes you are a good boy, and as you have handed back the valuables in your possession he is going to take a chance on you and let you go." A wave of crimson swept over the face of the boy and for the first time the tension in the youthful countenance relaxed. "But Mr. Ackerman," Donovan continued, "expects you are going to behave yourself in future and never do such a thing again." "I am going to see your father, Dick," broke in Mr. Ackerman's kindly voice, "and talk with him and--" "I haven't any father," declared the lad. "Your mother then." "I've no mother either." "Who do you live with?" "Mr. Aronson." "Is he a relative?" "Oh, no, sir! I haven't any relatives. There's nobody belongin' to me. Mr. Aronson is the tailor downstairs where I sleep. When I ain't working here I do errands for him and he lets me have a cot in a room with four other boys--newsboys, bell hops and the like. We pay two dollars between us for the room and sometimes when I carry a lot of boxes round for Mr. Aronson he gives me my breakfast." "Nobody else is responsible for you?" "Nop!" returned the boy with emphasis. "No, sir, I mean." "I'll attend to all this, Donovan," murmured Mr. Ackerman in an undertone to the detective. "The lad shall not remain there. I don't know yet just what I'll do with him but I will plan something." Then addressing the lad, he continued, "In the meantime, Dick, you are to consider me your relative. Later I shall hunt you up and we will get better acquainted. Be a good boy, for I expect some day you are going to make me very proud of you." "What!" In sheer astonishment the boy regarded his benefactor. There was something very appealing in the little sharp-featured face which had now lost much of its pallor and softened into friendliness. "Why shouldn't you make me proud of you?" inquired Mr. Ackerman softly. "You can, you know, if you do what is right." "I'm goin' to try to, sir," burst out Dick with earnestness. "I'm goin' to try to with all my might."