It was a very cordial greeting which he received from the members of the show party that night, and many times was he forced to give an evasive answer in reply to their searching questions, lest his secret should be discovered.
During the evening he wrote to Harvey, telling him how he proposed to travel, and concluded by saying:
"You see, by this means I can stay around here a long while without spending any of your money, and it seems as if there is less chance of being suspected by friends of Bob's whom I might meet without knowing them."
During the following day he helped distribute programmes, put the hall to rights, and otherwise made himself so useful that all looked upon him as a decided acquisition to the company.
On this night he did his regular turn, and instead of trying to prevent himself from looking at the audience, stared at each person every time he came on the stage, hoping he might get a glimpse of Bob.
It was doubtful, he admitted to himself, whether he would recognize the two who had played the part of Albany officers, for he saw them only at night and in the feeble rays of light cast by the station lamps.
As to Bob, he was confident of knowing him under almost any disguise that might be assumed.
However, this night's appearance before the public brought him no other result than that of establishing himself yet more firmly in the minds of his companions as a good dancer, and he had no reason to be discouraged since that which must necessarily be a long task had but just begun.
According to promise, he wrote a short letter to Harvey, and on the following morning received, a reply to his first.
Among other things the detective wrote: