The boy stopped as he heard his name mentioned.
"Who wants me?" he asked.
"I do--Bert Bobbsey," was the answer. "You know me. You found my
little brother Freddie, when he was lost at the circus. Don't you
remember?"
"Oh--yes," was the answer.
The boy walked slowly forward, and as he came nearer Bert could see
that he looked tired and hungry.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked. "Why aren't you with the circus any
more? Did you lose your place?"
"Well, no, not exactly," replied Frank, "but the side show I worked
for busted up--I mean it failed, and I was out of a place. There was
nothing else for me to do in the circus, so I had to leave it. I
haven't any work now, and I don't know what to do."
"That's too bad," said Bert kindly. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know," and Frank's voice was sad.
"Are you going back to the lumber office?" asked Harry, for he had
heard his cousin tell how Frank had run away from his guardian, Mr.
Mason, who punished the boy for taking in a Confederate twenty dollar
bill, that was worthless.
"No, I'll never go back there!" exclaimed Frank, with flashing eyes.
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