Almost as Jack said the words there was a sound of somebody coming up the stairs. He stopped in front of the door, and called out to somebody he left below,
"Does Mr. Julian Gray live here? Thank you;" and a moment afterward his rap sounded upon the door.
"What did I tell you?" whispered Jack. "That's Haberstro, as sure as you live."
For an honest boy, Julian's heart fell. His fortune was gone, and there were no two ways about it. He stepped to the door and opened it, and there stood Claus, more neatly dressed than ever.
"Good-evening," said he, while his eyes roved from one boy to the other. "Which one of you is Julian Gray?"
"I am, sir."
"I am delighted to meet you," said he; and he thrust out his hand, into which Julian put his own. Then he put his hand into his pocket and pulled out a card on which the name S. W. Haberstro was engraved. "I got belated in my hotel while waiting for the train, and I picked up this paper and saw this advertisement in it. As it happened to be my name, I read it through."
"Come in, sir," said Jack, placing a chair for him. "It is one of four advertisements that we put into the daily papers. Your name is Haberstro, I believe?"
"That is my name. You said you had something of great value to tell me. What is it?"
Julian could not have opened his mouth to save him. He was obliged to let Jack do all the talking.