"I am ready to take you to the station at Carlin," he said.
Dick was quite ready to go with him. He bade the ladies and Miss Madge, who had taken a decided liking to him, good-night, and he and his host were presently en route for that town, which they reached in ample time for Dick to connect with the midnight express. Thirty minutes later he reached Jersey City, crossed the river and took an elevated train for Harlem. He reached the flat where the family lived a few minutes before two and found his mother and sisters all up and in a great stew about him. He explained everything to them, and then the family retired to make the most of the few hours before morning called them to arise as usual, for the girls all worked in offices downtown and had to get away about eight o'clock. Dick reached the store on time next morning, in spite of the fact that his usual hours of sleep had been curtailed, and he turned the change of the $5 bill over to the cashier; also the receipt Mr. Goodrich had signed for the package. The office boy attended to his duties until Mr. Bacon appeared about ten o'clock, when he followed him into his office.
"You delivered the package to Mr. Goodrich all right, I suppose?" said his employer.
"Yes, sir. I handed the receipt to the cashier."
Then Dick surprised Mr. Bacon with the story of his adventures with the two thieves in New Jersey.
"You didn't have much sleep," said Mr. Bacon. "If you feel tired this afternoon you can go home at four o'clock."
"Thank you, sir, but I don't think that will be necessary. I'll have plenty of time to make up my lost rest by going to bed directly after supper. Mr. Mason told me that I will be required to appear in court at Carlin this afternoon when the men are brought up before the magistrate. He told me I should take the half-past twelve train down, and that he would meet me at the station. Can I go?"
"Certainly. I have no right to prevent you giving your testimony in court."
That ended the interview. Dick went to Carlin that afternoon, was taken to the court by Mason, and identified the men as the two thieves, telling his story in a straightforward way. The rascals were held for trial. Dick returned to New York by an express, reaching Jersey City at half-past five, and within an hour got home, just in time to sit down to supper.