Page:Fairview Boys at Camp.djvu/62

58 Then, as he noted the direction taken by the miser, Frank said anxiously:

"He's going toward the police station. Maybe he will have us arrested."

"He can't have you two taken in," said Bob. "I'm the only one that knocked him down."

"Huh! S'pose we'd let you stand it all?" demanded Sammy. "We'll all stick together. But come on. There's no use waiting for trouble. If he does make a complaint let the officer find us. I'm going home and ask my mother if I can go to Pine Island."

He turned aside, but stopped a moment later to pick up a paper from the snow. He unfolded it and exclaimed:

"Why! it's a check—a check for ten dollars, and it's for Mr. Dolby! He must have dropped it."

"Say! This is just the thing!" cried Frank, with ready wit. "Let's run and give it to him. Maybe he won't be mad then."

There was no need to race after the old miser, for a moment later he turned the corner, coming toward the boys. He seemed very much in a hurry, and quite excited.

"Have you found it? Did I drop it here? If you boys have found it and don't give it up—" he spluttered.

"Is this it?" asked Sammy quickly, holding out the check.

The miser fairly snatched it from the boy's grasp.

"That's it! Where'd you get it? You must have took it from my pocket when you knocked me down!" the peevish man exclaimed.

"We did not!" cried Sammy, in righteous anger. "We found it in the snow where it fell. And knocking you down was an accident."

Perhaps the miser realized this, or perhaps the joy at find-