Oscar did not reply, but hastened homeward. He soon found Ralph and
George, but as neither of them spoke of his absence from school, he
concluded that they were ignorant of it, and he therefore made no
allusion to the subject.

After dinner, Oscar had about half an hour to spend with Alfred; for he
felt so uneasy in his mind, that he had decided not to absent himself
from school in the afternoon. He had gone but a short distance when he
met his comrade, who had started in pursuit of him.

"Well," said Alfred, "we 've been taken in nicely, that's a fact."

"Taken in--what do you mean?" inquired Oscar.

"Why, by those young scamps that we 've been showing around town."

"I thought they told great stories," said Oscar; "but what have you
found out about them?"

"I 've found out that they are the greatest liars I ever came
across--or at least that the oldest fellow is," replied Alfred; and he
then went on to relate what transpired immediately after Oscar left
them, on their return from Charlestown. The landlord, it seems,
requested the two strange boys to step into one of the parlors; and
Alfred, not understanding the order, accompanied them. They found two
men seated there, the sight of whom seemed anything but pleasant to
Joseph and Stephen. These men were their fathers--for the boys were
not brothers, and Joseph's account of their past life and future
prospects was entirely false. They had run away from home, and the
money which they had so profusely spent, Joseph stole from his father.