Charlie Ross and his brother Walter were playing in front of their home
in Germantown, Pa., when two men drove by in a buggy. The men promised
the boys a ride if they would walk up to the top of the hill on which
the house stood.

The boys ran gladly up the hill, and then, when they were safely out of
sight of the house, the two men took them up and drove off with them.

They gave them candy, and kept the boys happy and amused until they
reached the town. Here they gave the older boy, Walter, a quarter to go
and buy some more candy, and while he was in the store drove off with
Charlie.

All this happened twenty-three years ago, but from that day to this
Charlie Ross has never been found.

His father was frantic with grief, and a careful search was made for the
child, but no traces of him could be found.

Some days after Charlie had been stolen, a letter was brought to his
father, saying that the boy was being held for ransom, and would be
returned to his father on the payment of twenty thousand dollars.

This money was raised, and would have been paid to the brigands, but
that the police stepped in and insisted upon their right to manage the
case.

Mr. Ross had been warned against allowing the police to interfere. The
thieves had written to him that if he did so they would kill the boy.