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THE PURPLE PENNANT

brows and looked extremely wise. "Maybe he's repented."

"That's what I think," said the other eagerly. "And so it seems to me we'd ought to help him all we can, Fudge, instead of—instead of hunting him down!"

"We aren't hunting him down," objected Fudge.

"We have been. If we went to the police to-day and told all we know, they'd grab him in a minute, wouldn't they?"

Fudge kicked the fence-post and hesitated. "I suppose so," he replied finally. "Only, we wouldn't go to the police, Perry. We'd go to the express company, because they offer the reward."

"I don't want the reward," declared Perry warmly. "And neither do you!"

Fudge looked a little bit startled. "N-no——"

"Taking a reward for sending him to prison now when he's trying to lead a decent life and—and establish himself in business would be rotten! The money wouldn't bring anything but bad luck, either. No, sir, what we've got to do is stand by him and do all we can to help him, Fudge."

"Y-yes, but how can we? What can we do?"

"Well, for one thing, maybe we could see that

he got some work. If he's going to stay honest,

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