"I will wait till I know more," he said to himself. "This Barnes knows my address, and he can communicate with me if he chooses."
Of course, the reader understands that Conrad was at the bottom of the trick, and that the object was to persuade Mrs. Hamilton that the boy she trusted was in the habit of visiting gambling houses. The plan had been suggested by Conrad, and the details agreed on by him and his mother. This explains why Conrad was so conveniently near at hand to see Ben coming out of the gambling house.
The boy reported the success of this plan to his mother.
"I never saw a boy look so puzzled," he said, with a chuckle, "when he came out of the gambling house. I should like to know what sort of time he had there. I expected he would get kicked out."
"I feel no interest in that matter," said his mother. "I am more interested to know what Cousin Hamilton will say when she finds where her model boy has been."
"She'll give him his walking ticket, I hope."
"She ought to; but she seems so infatuated with him that there is no telling."
"When shall you tell her, mother?"
"I will wait a day or two. I want to manage matters so as not to arouse any suspicion."