Robert touched up his horse, and it bounded toward the ferry.
"What now?" queried Hawthorne, in a dazed way, so crushed by the shock he had received that he was for the moment incapable of coherent thought.
The quick-witted youth answered, readily:
"Aren't we going to telegraph ahead to arrest Standish at the first station?"
"Yes—oh, yes, of course we are; but I was so dazed by this shock that it seemed impossible for the moment for me to think clearly. Thank you for suggesting something, Robert. Perhaps, after all, we may foil the villain!" exclaimed Hawthorne, gladly and gratefully.
The youth smiled, well pleased at this praise from Hawthorne, and they proceeded on their way.
The telegram to arrest Standish having been sent, the pair next drove to Police Headquarters, where they lodged information of the whereabouts of Standish, who was wanted now, not only on the warrant of wife desertion, but for knocking over the policemen in his escape that morning.
"What next?" queried Robert, when they were once more seated in the sleigh.
"My good fellow, are you not weary of my troubles yet?" cried the grateful Hawthorne.
"I want to help you in every way I can, Mr. Hawthorne, not only because I like you, sir, but because I'm interested in that sweet young girl, and I also have a grudge against that wretch, Standish, for the trick he played all of us once. So now there's three motives urging me on, and you may command my services just as long as you have need of them," returned the intelligent youth, so earnestly that Hawthorne wrung his hand gratefully, exclaiming: