"Does mother want to see me?" he asked, with a flush coming out on his
pale cheek.

"She's been hunting for you high and low. Sure, she wants to see you.
She wants you to come home. She's tried police and morgues and lawyers
and advertising and detectives and rewards and everything. And then she
took up clearvoyants. You'll go right home, won't you, Mr. Walter?"

"Gladly, if she wants me," said the young man. "Three years is a long
time. I suppose I'll have to walk up, though, unless the street cars are
giving free rides. I used to walk and beat that old plug team of bays we
used to drive to the carriage. Have they got them yet?"

"They have," said Thomas, feelingly. "And they'll have 'em ten years
from now. The life of the royal elephantibus truckhorseibus is one
hundred and forty-nine years. I'm the coachman. Just got my
reappointment five minutes ago. Let's all ride up in a surface car--that
is--er--if Annie will pay the fares."

On the Broadway car Annie handed each one of the prodigals a nickel to
pay the conductor.

"Seems to me you are mighty reckless the way you throw large sums of
money around," said Thomas sarcastically.

"In that purse," said Annie decidedly, "is exactly $11.85. I shall take
every cent of it to-morrow and give it to professor Cherubusco, the
greatest man in the world."

"Well," said Thomas, "I guess he must be a pretty fly guy to pipe off