“Henry Smith left home with some money and a new pair of boots. The boots and his other male attire he seems to have exchanged for female garb at a hotel in Albany. Henry masquerades as a girl very effectively, it is said.
“The Albany police were just too late in reaching the hotel, but later had reason to know that Henry had come on to New York by train. Detective Morrisy and his squad missed the fugitive at the Grand Central Terminal. Through the good offices of a taxicab driver, Henry was traced to the New Union pier, where he was supposed to have boarded the _Pocahontas_.
“The detectives, however, did not find Henry Smith thereon, neither in female garb nor in his proper habiliments. The police at Old Point Comfort and Norfolk have been notified to watch for the boy. His grandmother, Mrs. Sadoc Smith, declares she will disinherit her grandson.”
Ruth Fielding was so much disturbed over the story of Curly Smith’s escapade that she had to run and show the paper to Helen before she did anything else. And then the chums had to talk it all over, and exclaim over the boy’s boldness, and the odd fact that _they_ should have seen him in his girl’s apparel, and not have known him.
“After seeing him dressed up in Ann’s old dress that time, too,” sighed Helen. “The foolish boy!”
“But only think of his dropping off that shed roof. Do you know, Helen, it is twenty feet from the ground?”
“That reporter writes as though he thought it were a joke,” Helen said. “Mean thing!”
“It is fortunate poor Curly didn’t break his neck.”
“And his grandmother says she will disinherit him. That’s really cruel! I dare not tell her what I think when I write,” Ruth said. “But I will tell her how Curly is being hounded by the police, and that he jumped overboard.”
“Sure he did! He’s an awfully brave boy,” Helen declared.
“I’m not sure that he’s to be praised for that kind of bravery. It was a perilous chance he took. I wonder where he will go—what he will do? Goodness! what a boy!”
“He’s all right,” urged Helen, with admiration. “I don’t believe the police will ever catch him.”
“If we come across him again, we’ll help him,” said Helen, with confidence.
“That’s not likely. I can’t even tell Mrs. Smith where he has gone. We don’t know.”