himself satisfied him that he was indeed awake, and further evidence of
the fact that his experiences had been all too real was given by the
presence of the five-dollar bill in his pocket.

His pace had been rapid, and he was within two blocks of his guardian's
store, when he suddenly remembered that the basket full of groceries,
which he had started out to deliver, had been left in the police
station.

That his employer would berate him sharply for their loss, he was aware,
yet he dared not go for them in the fear that he might be subjected to
further unpleasantness.

His steps, however, grew slower and slower as he approached the store,
which had been the only home he had known for years. That his guardian
knew of his arrest, the words of his champion to the magistrate had told
him. How his guardian would take the double blow of the loss of the
groceries and his arrest, he did not know, but past experience told him
that he could expect no sympathy, and perhaps a beating, and he was
sorely tempted not to return at all, but to strike out for the great
West of his hopes and ambitions. In this moment of indecision, however,
the admonition of the magistrate to return to his guardian recurred to
him, and he felt that he would not be entitled to keep the five dollars
did he not obey.

To Bob's surprise, as he entered the store, not a soul was visible, but
at the sound of his footsteps on the hard floor his guardian suddenly
appeared from his private office, his shrewd face suffused by the
ingratiating smirk he always put on when going to meet a prospective
customer. At the sight of his ward standing in the middle of the floor,