"Police! skip!" cried the crony. "Come on, d.i.c.k, you don't want to git caught!"

And he dragged d.i.c.k Lanning away, while the crowd scattered like magic. No policeman was in sight, nor did any appear. It was only a ruse to retire without acknowledging defeat.

But that fight taught d.i.c.k Lanning a severe lesson. He still remained down upon the young oarsman, but in the future he fought shy of our hero, knowing that Jerry would not stand his bullying manner.

On Sat.u.r.day the shop closed down early, and, having nothing else to do, Jerry walked down to the newspaper office in hope of receiving some answer to the advertis.e.m.e.nt for the missing papers.

But no answer was forthcoming and, disappointed, he retraced his steps and sauntered in the direction in which Nellie Ardell and her little brother Tommy lived.

"I'll call on them and see how she made out about her rent," he said to himself, and mounted the stairs to her apartment.

There was a murmur of voices in the kitchen. The door was partly open and Jerry saw the girl and her little brother standing there, confronted by a burly man.

"That rent has got to be paid, that's all there is to it," the man was saying.

"I cannot pay to-day," replied Nellie Ardell. "I will try to pay Monday."

"It won't do. I've given you notice, and if you can't pay, you have got to leave."

At this the girl burst into tears.

"Would you put me on the street?" she wailed.

"I'll have to--it's orders," replied the burly man doggedly.

"Whose order?"

"Mr. Sloc.u.m."

"Mr. Sloc.u.m is a very hard-hearted man," cried the girl, indignantly.

"That's so," Jerry put in as he entered.

"Oh, Jerry Upton!" Nellie Ardell cried, when she saw our hero. "This man wants to put me out of my rooms."

"It's a shame."

"Who are you?" demanded the burly man. "Do you live here?"

"No. I am this young lady's friend, however. Did Mr. Sloc.u.m say to put her out?"

"Yes."

"What shall I do if they put me on the street?" wailed Nellie Ardell.

"I'm sure I don't know. But Sloc.u.m sha'n't put you on the street if I can help it," went on Jerry, suddenly.

"What will you do?"

"How much do you owe him?"

"Twelve dollars. I have four, but he won't take it. He wants the entire amount."

"I will let you have ten dollars," said our hero, and brought out the bill Wakefield Smith had dropped.

"Oh, won't that be robbing you?" cried Nellie Ardell, but her eyes glistened with pleasure.

"Never mind; take it and pay this man off."

Nellie Ardell accepted the amount without further words.

"Now," she said, as she paid the man, "I am going to move."

"Move! What for?"

"I can get better rooms for less money just across the way."

The burly man's face fell. He was Alexander Sloc.u.m's agent, and he knew that to get tenants for the rooms Nellie Ardell occupied would be difficult.

"It ain't right to move now--in the middle of the summer."

"You intended to put me out--if I couldn't pay the rent."

"That is different."

"I have paid up promptly for many months. Mr. Sloc.u.m could have been a bit easier for once."

"He is more than mean," put in Jerry. "I would advise you to move by all means."

"You seem to know a great deal about him," sneered the agent.

"I do--and I'll know more some day."

The agent began to growl, but, seeing he could do nothing, he went off to inform Alexander Sloc.u.m that Nellie Ardell intended to move.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

A CRAZY MAN'S DOINGS.

"You are more than kind to me, Jerry Upton," exclaimed Nellie Ardell, when they and her little brother were left alone.

"I didn't want to see you thrown out of your home," said Jerry, soberly.

"I shall pay you back that money as soon as I possibly can," she went on.