“Take a seat,” he said, “while I ask you a few questions.”

Frank bowed and obeyed.

“Let me sit in your lap, Frank,” said Freddie.

Our hero took the little boy in his lap.

With Freddie, it was certainly a case of friendship at first sight.

“Won’t he trouble you?” asked his grandfather.

“No, sir.  I like young children.”

Mr. Percival now proceeded to interrogate Frank.

“Your name is Frank Courtney.  Have you been long in the city?”

“No, sir; only a few weeks.”

“What led you to come here?”

“I wished to earn my living.”

“What that necessary?  You do not look like a poor boy.”

“I was brought up to consider myself rich,” said Frank.

“Indeed!  Did you lose your property?”

“Perhaps I had better tell you how it happened, sir.”

“If you don’t object, I should be glad to hear.”

Frank gave a brief statement of his position, and the circumstances that led him to leave his home and go out into the world.

Mr. Percival listened thoughtfully.

“It is a singular story,” he said, after a pause.  “Your stepfather’s in Europe, then?”

“Yes, sir; at least he sailed for Europe.”

“Have you heard from him?”

“No, sir.”

“Do you expect to hear?”

“I think not.”

“He can’t feel much interest in you.”

“I don’t think he does,” answered Frank.  “Still, I can’t say that he has treated me unkindly.”

“Do you suspect that your stepfather has wronged you in the matter of the property?”

“I would rather not answer that question, sir.  I might wrong Mr. Manning, and I have no proof to offer.”

“I understand you, and I applaud your discretion.  It does you credit.  Some time or other the mystery may be cleared up, and the wrong, if there is one, may be righted.  I can’t understand, however, how this Mr. Manning should be willing to leave you dependent upon your own exertions with such a scanty provision as twenty-five dollars a quarter.”

“I didn’t ask for any more; and, besides, Mr. Manning offered to take me to Europe with his son Mark.”

“Do you think that he was sincere in the offer?”

“I don’t think he expected me to accept it, and I am sure that it would have been very disagreeable to Mark to have me in the party.”

“Have you any objections to telling me how you have succeeded in your efforts to make a living?” asked the old gentleman, with a keen but kindly glance.

“I have been disappointed, sir,” was the candid reply.

“I am not surprised to hear it.  A boy brought up as you have been cannot rough it like a farmer’s son or a street boy.”

“I think I could, sir; but I should not like to.”

“Precisely.  Now, I am not sure that you acted wisely in undertaking a task so difficult, since it was not necessary, and your stepfather could hardly have refused to support you at home.  However, as you have taken the decisive step, we must consider what is best to do under the circumstances.  What work have you been doing?”