He went to the window and peered out into the night.
“They’ll get me,” he said, hopelessly, “and when they do it means a long term in prison for me.”
“Wait a moment,” I said. “Have you been arrested before.”
“Yes, another boy and myself took some fancy postal cards from a stationery stand. They were funny pictures that we wanted for our collection. We were sent to Jamesburg that time. Then since I came from that institution I was arrested again for something else I did and I am now out on probation. Next time the judge said he would give me a long sentence in the Rahway Reformatory.”
“You should have thought of all this sooner,” I said, with a sternness that I did not feel, for I knew how easily one can drift from an evil thought into an evil act.
“I heard you helped boys when they needed it,” ventured the young rascal. “I surely need it now.”
“I may help them when I can,” I replied, “but I never intentionally make myself a partner in their wrong doing.”
“The judge ought not to give me more than three years,” said the boy thoughtfully, "even that is a long time.... The bicycle wasn’t worth more than five dollars any way. The owner said he would sell it to me for that amount."
At that moment there was a noise in the next room.