“You better get aboard.”
“Good-by, Hunch, I'll get back tonight.”
In the evening Hunch met the Liddington train. Bruce did not get off.
Hunch looked for him Monday morning, but had no word of him. At noon he was called to Mr. Jackson's office.
“Badeau,” said his employer, “when that Considine gets back to work, you send him to me for his time.”
Hunch hesitated. “I'll tell you, Mr. Jackson, he went down yesterday to see his wife. Their kid died a little while ago, and like's not she's sick.”
“Think so?”
“My work is pretty light to-day. I thought mebbe I could get off for the afternoon train and sort of look him up. I can get back to-night, you know. You see, if he gets laid off it'll come kind of hard on his wife.”
“All right, go ahead. But, say, Badeau, hold on a minute. We're not running a charity hospital, you know. We can't give that man much rope.” Hunch said, “Yes, sir,” and went out.
He reached Liddington at supper time and picked up a hasty meal at the hotel. Then he hurried over to Joe Cartier's house. Cartier let him in.