“You’ve made a mistake, boy. That letter is for somebody else.”
“De gemman done tol’ me to give it to Mr. Owens, in number twenty-six,” was the reply.
Bob groaned. Very reluctantly and with much fear and trembling he got out of bed, and having hunted up his candlestick—knowing that he was inexperienced, George had told the clerk that it might not be quite safe to trust him with the gas—he struck a light, and as he opened the door a black hand holding a small piece of paper was thrust in. It was a very small piece of paper, but still it was large enough to contain words that might almost knock Bob over. He closed the door, hurried to the light and unfolding the note, read as follows:
“I have just found a steamer that will sail for Galveston within half an hour. I am on board of her now. Get your money from the clerk and come at once. You will find a carriage at the door and the driver knows where to take you!”
Bob drew a long breath of relief, and with an exclamation of surprise he dropped the note and began to pull on his clothes. He was relieved to know that the note was not from his father, and surprised to learn that George had so suddenly changed the plans he had formed the day before. What had happened to induce him to leave the hotel at that time of night to hunt up a steamer?
It took Bob but a few minutes to dress, and when he had put the note into his pocket he blew out the candle and hurried from his room. He lost his way two or three times by turning into the wrong halls and going down the wrong stairs, but he managed to find his way to the office, at last, and asked for his money and his bill. The clerk handed out the greenbacks, which were enclosed in an envelope, and Bob was waiting to learn how much his bill amounted to, when he was greatly astonished to hear a familiar voice behind him exclaim:
“What in the world are you doing here?”
Bob turned and saw the cub pilot standing before him. He had no collar or vest on, and it was plain that he had dressed in something of a hurry before he left his room.
“Where are you going?” asked George, seeing that Bob held his money in his hand.
“Why, I was going out after you,” answered Bob, as soon us he could speak.