"Why, you young rascal! where on earth have you sprung from? How glad I am to see you! Where have you been all this while?"
Mr. Hobart's tone was so thoroughly cordial that Terry for a moment wondered whether he understood why he had run away; but as he hesitated in uncertainty as to where to begin to answer the questions showered upon him, the other went on,—
"Did you clear out because you were afraid you'd be suspected of stealing that wharfage money?"
Terry had only time to nod before Mr. Hobart continued,—
"That's just what I said all along. I felt sure it was nothing else, although Morley tried hard to put other things on you; and a week after you vanished the whole thing came out. The chap that ran off with your vest that day was arrested for stealing something else, and your watch was found on him, and he was so scared that he owned up to everything. So you see your reputation's all clear again."
To all this Terry listened in breathless delight. It was far better news than he had ever hoped to hear, for it meant that his explanation would be accepted at once, and he would not have a cloud of suspicion hanging over him, as had been his dread.
"O Mr. Hobart!" he cried, "sure it's great good news you're tellin' me, that makes my heart as light as a feather. I've been tryin' so hard to get back to Halifax for ever so long, and everything's been agin me. But now you'll take me back—won't you, Mr. Hobart?—and I'll tell Mr. Drummond just how it happened."
"That I will, Terry," responded Mr. Hobart. "And you just met me in time too, for I'm off by train this very afternoon, for I've finished the business which brought me here, and I'm in a hurry to get home again."
"And so was I meself," shouted Terry, dancing about on the pavement for very joy. "And now we'll go together. Oh, but this is the lucky day for me!"
In the excess of his delight Terry came near forgetting Mr. Sargent, and the duty he owed him of telling the good news. But happily in good time the thought of his benefactor came to him, and on Mr. Hobart hearing about him he said they must go off and see him at once.