"Oh, Randy, how do you do!" cried the girl, running up and shaking hands.

 

"Very well, Rose," he answered. "You look well."

 

"Oh, I am feeling splendid."

 

"It did you good to get out of New York."

 

"Indeed it did, and mamma is ever so much better too."

 

"I am glad to hear that. Do you like it at Captain Hadley's home?"

 

"Yes, mamma and Mrs. Hadley have become great friends."

 

"Do you go to school?"

 

"Yes. And, oh, I 'most forgot to tell you. I got a letter from New York to-day. It was from another girl, one who lived in the house with us. She says Bill Hosker has come back to that neighborhood."

 

"To stay?"

 

"She says he is around every night."

 

"Then I am going to hunt him up."

 

"Oh, Randy, please don't get into any more trouble," pleaded Rose.

 

"He has got to give back my money, or take the consequences."

 

"You know what a ruffian he is!"

 

"I will be on my guard this time, Rose, and maybe I'll take a friend along," added our hero.

 

When he returned to the steamboat he told Jones about what he had heard. Jones was now feeling very well once again, and he readily volunteered to go with Randy and hunt up Hosker as soon as the boat got to the metropolis². Then Pat Malloy got wind of what was up and said he would go too.

 

"It's no use of going to the police wid such a mather," said the head deckhand. "We'll bring the rascal³ to terms ourselves."

 

It was a clear, cool night when the landing was made at New York. The deckhands hurried through their labors⁴ and then made off for the neighborhood where Randy had been attacked.

 

"Here is the spot where I was first robbed," said our hero, and

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