As he saw the boy whose cause he had espoused, the reporter exclaimed:

"So you have decided to release him, have you, sergeant?"

"Release nothing," growled the official. "He's on his way to court," and
then, as he had read from the expression on Foster's face that his
mission to interview Len Dardus had not been altogether satisfactory,
he continued: "You found I was pretty near right about old Dardus,
didn't you?"

"He surely isn't a very agreeable person," answered the reporter, "and I
quite agree with you that if there was money enough in the undertaking,
he would never stop to question whether or not it was against the law.
But I tell you one thing, sergeant, you are dead wrong about the boy.
The old man actually hates him."

"Then it would be an easy way for him to get rid of the kid by getting
him into just this kind of a mess."

"Maybe you're right," assented Foster, as this theory was announced,
"still I don't believe you are. I am more convinced than ever that the
boy had nothing to do with the swindle, and I don't think old Dardus
did, either."

"Well, it won't help matters to keep arguing about it here. We'll let
the judge decide. McCarty, call a patrol wagon, and take the kid to
court."

"Oh, I say! you are surely not going to make that kid ride in the patrol