“Have you had any news of your securities?” he asked, when he had Reggie for a moment alone.
A frown came over his friend’s face.
“Not a blessed thing doing,” he declared. “I’ve run down every clue that had the least promise to it and I’m just as far away from getting them back as I’ve been from the beginning. I guess they’re past praying for.”
“Of course, you told Mabel as you promised?” ventured Joe.
“Sure thing,” said Reggie. “I told her that very night. The dear girl has helped and cheered me up in every way possible. She’s pure gold.”
Joe assented to this with what might have seemed almost unnecessary emphasis.
“Never give up the ship though, old man,” he encouraged. “We’ll lay that fellow by the heels yet. Soon or late we’ll nab him.”
“We’ll hope so,” said Reggie, with a faint smile; and as Mabel came over just then to where they were standing, the theme was changed.
They decided on several ways to pass the week agreeably, and among other things it was settled that they should visit the Bronx Zoo, of which Mabel had often heard and which had just been adding largely to its already wonderful collection.