Tears of joy welled up into the lad’s eyes as he heard these words so cheerily spoken by the man who had fought so sturdily at his father’s bedside.
Just then Minnie Cuthbert accompanied by Helen Allen made her way through the crowd close about these two boys and grasped Frank by the hand.
“You’re a real hero! I’m so glad you did all those things they tell about you,” she exclaimed, her eyes shining brightly.
“Who tells about me?” asked Frank.
“Why, Paul Bird and Ralph West haven’t done anything else since early this morning but tell every one on the streets and telephone all those they didn’t see!” she laughed.
So that was what caused this crowd to be here!
“Come on, Lanky, let’s get away from here as soon as we can. I want to catch those two fellows and lay them across my knee,” muttered Frank in an undertone to his chum.
The two boys finally got free of the crowd, Minnie and Helen walking along with the heroes of the hour, while the crowd followed behind, talking loudly, cheering every once in a while.
“There’s Mrs. Parsons. She’s trying to attract your attention.” Minnie nudged Frank and nodded toward the street, where an automobile was moving slowly along.
Looking that way, he could not help but see the excited beckonings of the wealthy widow up the river, who had been robbed.