Nelson The Newsboy

"I mean Billy Darnley, the newsboy."

"That's my son. He lives here, but he aint here now. He's out selling papers."

"Has he been home in the last two or three hours?"

"No."

There was an awkward pause, and the man eyed Nelson curiously.

"What do you want of Billy?" he questioned at last.

"I want to recover some things he stole from my news stand," answered our hero stoutly.

"Things he stole?" cried Darnley senior.

"Yes."

"Are you sure Billy stole them?"

"Yes—he and another boy named Len Snocks."

"When was this?"

"Last night."

"Humph! Tell me all about it."

Nelson did as requested. Before he had finished Darnley senior gave a long yawn.

"Hang that boy!" he observed. "He's going from bad to worse. He will end up on the gallows if he aint careful."

To console himself he got out a black bottle and took a deep drink. Evidently he was not deeply impressed.

"Have you any idea where Billy is now?" asked our hero.

"No. He'll keep shady, I suppose. I can't help you. Go to the police. If he gets hung some day it will be his own fault."

The man turned his back on Nelson as if to end the interview. In a minute more our hero was in the street again.

"A fine father for any boy to have," was his thought. "I reckon one is about as bad as the other, and perhaps both will end up in the electric chair."

CHAPTER XXIII.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL QUEST

From the tenement where Billy Darnley lived Nelson made his way to where Len Snocks resided.

This home in the tenements was in strong contrast to that of the Darnleys. There were but three rooms, but each was as clean and bright as hard work could make them.

A small, trim-looking woman carrying a baby in her arms answered his knock. This proved to be Mrs. Snocks. In the rooms were several other children of various ages.

"No, I haven't seen Len since last night," she said, in reply to our hero's question. "He went off with another boy named Billy Darnley."

"Did he say where he was going or when he would be back?"

"He did not. I am anxious about him, too. He never stayed away all night before. What do you want of him?"

"He and Billy Darnley robbed my news stand last night."

"Robbed your stand!" Mrs. Snocks grew very pale. "Can this be true?"

"Yes, ma'am, it is." And Nelson gave the particulars once more.

"Too bad!" cried the woman, and, dropping on a kitchen chair, she covered her face with her apron.

Nelson saw that she was suffering keenly, and felt sorry for her.

"It's that Darnley boy," she said presently. "He is a bad egg and is leading our Len astray. My husband and I have warned Len time and time again to let Billy alone; but he won't mind, and Billy leads him into all kinds of mischief."

"Well, I'm sorry for you, ma'am, but we have got to have our stuff back."

"How much was it worth?"

"About seventy-five dollars."

"Oh, dear! I'm sure I don't know what to do."

"Is your husband to work?"

"No; he hasn't had any work for several months. Wait; I'll call him."

Mrs. Snocks went to a rear window and called to somebody in the courtyard below. Soon Mr. Snocks appeared. He was an iron molder, but looked far from healthy.

"Stole from your stand," he said, after listening to his wife and Nelson. "This is the worst yet."

"It's Billy Darnley's fault," put in the wife.

"He hasn't any business to go with Billy, Mary. That rascal will lead him to prison."

"You're right there," said our hero.

"I don't know what to do," went on Mr. Snocks, to Nelson. "I'd square this up, only I'm out of work, and haven't more than two or three dollars to my name."

"We have three dollars and twenty-five cents," said the wife. "You can have that." And she brought out a well-worn pocketbook.

Her manner touched the newsboy to the heart.

"No, I won't take your last cent," he said. "You'll need it for yourself and the children. Only if you see Len, try to get back the goods or the money he got for them."