Carrots walked quickly to the place, looked in through the grated door, and saw Teddy lying on a wooden bench, which served the double purpose of a seat and a bed. The young prisoner's face was covered by his hands.
"Come, old man," Carrots said, soothingly, "you ought ter have more sand than to give up like this. Besides, ain't I here to help you?"
Teddy leaped to his feet immediately, and came to the door, through which Carrots thrust a very grimy hand as he said:
"Shake hands! Brace up, an' have some style about you! I've been 'tendin' to your business pretty nigh ever since you was gone, an' thought I'd jest run in to let you know everything will be all right; but you'll have to stay here till mornin'."
"Till mornin'?" Teddy repeated in dismay.
"Yes; that ain't sich a very long while, an' it'll take me till then to get things fixed."
"How did they happen to let you in?"
"Oh, you see, the sergeant is an old friend of mine. I've blacked his boots, on an' off, for 'most a year."
Then Carrots, with the hope of cheering his friend, began to explain what might be done toward effecting the prisoner's release; and when it was time to bring the interview to a close, he had so far succeeded that Teddy was really quite hopeful, believing there was no serious obstacle in the way of his freedom.
Bidding Teddy adieu, Carrots left the station-house.