Page:Harry Castlemon - The Steel Horse.djvu/79

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A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
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tell us what sort of a looking fellow it was who was put into a carriage in front of the Academy of Music, and driven away just as the performance ended? You were on duty there at the time."

"Aw! go on now!" replied the officer goodnaturedly. "He must have been one of your own crowd, for he wore the same kind of clothes."

"What was his name?" asked Arthur, whose heart seemed to sink down into his boots when he heard this answer.

"Aw, now!" said the officer again, "what's the use of my wasting my time with you? You know more about him than I do; but I will tell you one thing: you had better keep clear of him, or he will bring you into trouble. He's a bad nation. He stole a pile of money from his guardian before he ran away."

"Not the boy who was put into the carriage, if it was the one we think it was," said Joe earnestly. "In the first place, he has no guardian, and he never stole a cent, for his father gives him all the money he needs. There's been a big mistake made here, Mr. Officer."