It was tedious waiting for Lynch, but at last he came in. Larry and Mr. Newton made a dash for him, almost before the man had his coat off, preparatory to donning his uniform.
“What’s this, a hold-up?” he asked, good-naturedly.
“A hold-up for information,” said Mr. Newton. “We want to know something about a boy who is missing, and who is supposed to have passed out the gate where you stood last night,” and the reporter described Jimmy.
“My lands!” the man said. “I can’t remember every boy I see. I don’t take notice of the thousands that pass by me every night. If I did I’d go crazy. All I do is to see that they keep order.”
“But he was with me,” put in Larry. “I had hold of his hand, and I was leading him out, when he asked me to come and see the animals again. But I was in too much of a hurry to get out to pay any attention to him. Now can’t you remember? Right after that I missed him, and made a lot of inquiries.”
“I remember there was quite some stir about a missing boy last night,” remarked Mr. Lynch, “but that happens so often I paid no attention to it. But now that you speak of it, I do seem to recall something about a boy begging to be taken to see the animals again. It was rather odd, I call to mind now, I was thinking, that a lad who had seen all the trapeze stunts inside would be wanting to go back to the animals. Most of ’em, as soon as they comes out, asks their fathers or mothers to buy ’em a trapeze, or some flying rings. But I recall I heard one little lad asking to be taken to the animals, and possibly it’s the one you’re inquiring of.”
“I’m sure it is!” exclaimed Larry. “What happened to him?”
“As near as I can recollect,” went on Mr. Lynch, “I heard someone tell him to come with him, and he’d see the beasts. Didn’t you take him yourself?”
“No,” replied Larry. “Try and think, Mr. Lynch, what sort of a person it was enticed him away.”
The doorkeeper seemed lost in thought. He pondered over the matter, striving to bring back to his mind the scene he had almost forgotten.