Nelson The Newsboy

"I was going to remain over in Lakewood to-night, but I find I must return to New York," went on Bulson. "I'll be back again some time to-morrow or the day after. In the meantime do not let her get out of the room."

"I will do as you say, sir," answered Sarah Higgins, and then Gertrude's cousin took his departure.

It did not take the girl long to come out of her swoon, and she at once ran to the door. Finding it locked she went to the window, determined to leap to the ground, if she could do nothing better. But, alas! Homer Bulson had made his calculations only too well. The window was slatted over on the outside, making the apartment virtually a prison cell.

She saw that the slats had been put on recently, and this made her more sure than ever that the whole thing was a plot. The letter had been a decoy, and had been used solely to get her in his power.

"What does he expect to do?" she asked herself. "I have given him every claim on Uncle Mark's fortune; what more can he wish? Is he afraid I may go back? Perhaps he wants to take my life, so as to be certain I will not cross his path again." And she shivered.

Listening, she heard Homer Bulson bid Sarah Higgins good-by and leave the cottage. At this she breathed a sigh of relief. She knocked steadily on the door, and presently the woman came up.

"What do you want?" she asked through the keyhole.

"Are you going to keep me a prisoner here?"

"Only for a little while, my dear."

"Where has Mr. Bulson gone?"

"To New York, I believe."

"When will he be back?"

"To-morrow, or the day after."

"You expect to keep me here all night?" cried Gertrude, in astonishment.

"Now, don't grow excited," pleaded Sarah Higgins. "Yes, you'll have to stay here until to-morrow, and perhaps some time longer. Now you had better lie down and rest yourself."

And then the woman tramped off, leaving Gertrude filled with wonder and dismay.

CHAPTER XXIX.

A SURPRISE ON THE ROAD

When Nelson struck the water he was all of fifty feet away from the sloop. Down he went over his head, but quickly reappeared and struck out boldly.

"Hullo, somebody's overboard from the ship!" cried a young man, who sat at the bow of the sloop. "Port your helm, Bob, or you'll run into him!"

The helm was thrown over, and the sloop veered around. Then Nelson set up a shout.

"Help! Pick me up!" he cried. "On board the sloop! Help!"

"We'll pick you up, don't fear!" cried the young fellow at the bow, and the sloop came around and the mainsail was lowered. The two young men on the craft were skillful sailors, and soon came within reach of Nelson. One held out a boathook, and presently our hero was hauled on board.

"It's a lucky thing we were near by, or you might have been drowned," said the young man called Bob. "Isn't that so, Clarence?"

"That's true," answered Clarence Bell. "I see your ship isn't stopping for you."

"She isn't my ship, and I don't want her to stop," answered Nelson, shaking the water from him.

"Oh! Then you jumped overboard on purpose."

"I did, and I am thankful you picked me up. The captain who runs that boat was going to carry me to the West Indies against my will."

"Great Cæsar! Bob, do you hear that?"

"I do," returned Bob Chalmer. "Was it a case of kidnaping?"

"Hardly that," replied Nelson. "I'll tell you the whole story, if you'd like to hear it. Only I want to be sure that that boat doesn't put back after me," he continued.

He watched the Victory for fully five minutes but nothing was done toward turning back, and at last he gave a great sigh of relief.

"I guess I'm safe," he remarked.

"You are, lad. But you had better take off those wet clothes, or you'll take cold. You'll find a dry suit in the cuddy."

This was sensible advice, and Nelson followed it. As soon as he had donned the other suit he sat down and told how he had chased Billy Darnley on board the Victory, and of what had followed.

"Humph! that captain is pretty hard-hearted," remarked Clarence Bell.

"He ought to be arrested," put in Bob Chalmer. "You were lucky to get away. I guess that thief is out of your reach now."

"Well, anyway, I left him as sick as he could be," said Nelson, and could not help but laugh over Darnley's woe-begone appearance. "He'll have enough of the sea by the time he gets back."

From the young men he learned that they had been out for two days on a fishing trip. They had had good luck, as the mess on board proved, and they were now sailing for Manasquan Inlet, where they were boarding for a few weeks.

"We belong in New York," said Bob Chalmer later. "And I guess we can see you through all right."

"I'll be much obliged, if you would," said Nelson. "I'll pay you back as soon as I reach the city." And then he told of the news stand, and the business he and Van Pelt were doing.

The breeze was as brisk as ever, and it veered around, so that the sloop made the Inlet without difficulty. They ran up the river to a small collection of cottages and boathouses known as Reefer's. Here they tied up, and Nelson went ashore, wearing the old fishing suit he had borrowed.

"You can't get home to-night, so you shall stay with us," said Bob Chalmer, and procured a room at one of the cottages for Nelson. Tired out, our hero slept well. But he arose early, and by that time his own clothes were dry, and he put them on.

"I've got a railroad ticket in my pocket good from Lakewood to New York," said Chalmer, while they were having breakfast. "It's a limited ticket and runs out to-morrow. Why can't you use that? You can have it at half price."

"How far is Lakewood from here?"

"Not over six or seven miles. The stage will take you over for fifteen cents."

"That will suit me," answered our hero. "I've got half a dollar left."

"Oh, I'll lend you some money, Nelson!"

"No; I won't need it."

The matter was talked over, and our hero took the ticket. Quarter of an hour later he was on the stage, bound for Lakewood.