Skinny grinned broadly, and replied: “I’m a haymaker now, workin’ on a farm here. Dere’s lots to eat, and a good place to sleep. I tink I’ll stay here all winter. But I taut you wuz in New York.” “This is the town I used to live in when I was a small boy,” replied Bruce, “and I’ve just come back here for a short visit. This is the first time I’ve been here since I went into the fire department, and it’s great to get out in the country again. But when did you leave the city? I wanted to see you, and I went down to that lodging-house, but you were not there. I was afraid I wouldn’t run across you again.” “I s’pose yer taut that I wuz goin’ ter sneak wid dat money, but I wa’nt. I’m earnin’ it up here.” [Illustration: “My mother is buried here.”—_Page 248._] “Never mind about that money,” rejoined Bruce hastily. “I wanted to see you about some other things. I wanted to find out some more about that man with the scarred face you told me about who sent you on the errands up to Harlem. Have you seen him since we parted?” For a moment the other boy hesitated, remembering his instructions to observe secrecy. Then he remembered that he owed his life to Bruce, and that, according to his code, he was bound to him, rather than to a man who was nothing more than his employer. “Yes,” he said, hesitatingly, “I seen him de odder day, but he didn’t say nuthin’ about you.” “No, of course he wouldn’t,” answered Bruce, “and I don’t want you to say anything to him about me, either, but for all that, I want to get on his track and find out who he is, just for reasons of my own, and as soon as I get back to the city I want you to take me where I can find him.” Skinny made no reply, but continued to regard the other with his keen, light-blue eyes, and then Bruce went on in softer tones: “My mother is buried here, and I came out to see her grave. Come over here, and I’ll show it to you.” Leading the way, across an empty bit of grass, he stopped in front of a small gray headstone, and there the New York street boy read a name which caused him to forget himself for the second time that afternoon, and to exclaim once more “Hully gee!” Never, up to that moment, had he in any way connected Bruce, whom he knew only by his first name, with the mission on which he had been sent, but now a sudden gleam of comprehension lit up his mind, for he saw on the grave-stone before him the inscription: