I thought
you noticed it."
"Was that when you opened the door and looked out?"
"Yes; I opened the door and look out into the corridor and listened.
I could hear footsteps on the staircase, but they died out while I
stood there. The man was hiding in the building, for the street
door was not opened, and we did not see him on the way down. I
suspect that the watchman knew he was there."
"The watchman, Jim Scoby, is a rascal," replied Fremont. "I don't
like him. What am I to do if you leave me alone here all day?" he
added, with a sigh.
"Read, eat, sleep, and keep out of sight," was the reply. "I'll
return early in the evening and we'll leave for the South at midnight."
"I wish I could communicate with the Black Bears," said Fremont.
Nestor smiled but said nothing. In a short time breakfast was served
and Nestor went away. That was a long day for Fremont, although Aunty
Jane endeavored to help him pass the time pleasantly. He dropped off
into sleep late in the afternoon, and did not wake until after dark.
Instead of its being a long day for Nestor, it seemed a very short one.
From the Brooklyn cottage he went directly to a telegraph office in the
lower section of the city and asked for the manager, who had not yet
arrived, the hour being early. The clerk was inquisitive and tried
to find out what the boy wanted of the manager, but Nestor kept his
own counsel and the manager was finally reluctantly sent for.
When the manager arrived Nestor asked that an expert code operator
be procured, and this was reluctantly done, but only after the boy
had written and sent off a message to a man the manager knew to be
high in the secret service department of the government.
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