"Indeed; who told you?"
"Tom Spicer himself."
"Tom?" asked Bobby, completely mystified.
"Yes, Tom; you see, when I heard about your trouble, Squire Lee and myself——"
"Squire Lee? Does he know about it?"
"He does; and you may depend upon it, he thinks more highly of you than ever before. He and I immediately went down to Augusta to inquire into the matter. We called upon the governor of the state, who said that he had seen you, and bought a book of you."
"Of me!" exclaimed Bobby, startled to think he had sold a book to a governor.
"Yes; you called at his house; probably you did not know that he was the chief magistrate of the state. At any rate, he was very much pleased with you, and sorry to hear of your misfortune. Well, we followed your route to Brunswick, where we ascertained how Tom had conducted. In a week he established a very bad reputation there; but nothing could be found to implicate you. The squire testified to your uniform good behavior, and especially to your devotion to your mother. In short, we procured your pardon, and hastened with it to the State Reform School.
"On our arrival, we learned, to our surprise and regret, that you had escaped from the institution on the preceding evening. Every effort was made to retake you, but without success. Ah, Bobby, you managed that well."
"They didn't look in the right place," replied Bobby, with a smile, for he began to feel happy again.