Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/244

234 the detective. "I guess I'm wanted on another charge?"

"Wanted on another charge? What in the world do you mean?"

"Why I bought some stock in the Mt. Olive Oil Well Company," Ned explained, still eyeing the detective. "I got it from the brokers, Skem & Skim. I went back to have a mistake in the figures corrected and I found the firm had fled and the postal authorities were in charge of the offices. I overheard the inspector say they wanted a young fellow who had bought two hundred shares of the stock and I knew it was me, so I ran away. I didn't want to be arrested.

"But I don't mind, now!" he went on, as he drew the stock certificate from his pocket and handed it to his father. " You can lock me up, if you want to," turning to the detective. "I'm tired of dodging around."

"Let's see that paper?" asked the officer, and he took it to a light where he could read it. As he looked it over a smile came to his face. "Well, well, you certainly had a big scare for nothing," he remarked to Ned.

"How?"

"I know all about the case. I helped work