"No; he left town this forenoon, and we do not expect him back for two or three days. How is it you are so late to-night, Dix? Some of them have been raising a great hurrah because you have not come before. I told them there must be good reasons for your delay. What has happened?"
CHAPTER XXXIV.
LITTLE SNAP FINDS A CLEW.
In his anxiety to get home, Little Snap did not stop to answer the clerk's question, other than to say:
"I will tell you all about it in the morning. I am sorry Mr. Rimmon is not here."
This fact was a great disappointment to him, and he did not know of any one else to whom he cared to divulge what he had learned.
But before he did anything else he must know what had taken place at home, which he reached a minute later.
Sammy had already dismounted from the panting Fairy, and was explaining to his mother what he had done.
"Why, here he comes, mother! He got here almost as quick as I did."
At sight of Dix, Mrs. Lewis ran forward to meet him.
"Oh, my son, where have you been? They said you were dead, and I have suffered untold agony."