"I know the place."
"My cousin is the bookkeeper. He will be so angry with me."
"I think he will have reason. I saw a man following you rather closely, I presume he took the money."
"Oh, won"t you come back to the office with me and tell my cousin that?
I am afraid he will discharge me."
"Yes, I will go with you."
So it happened that Felix and Mr. Sharpleigh went together into the office where Mullins was eagerly waiting for the return of his emissary.
"What"s the matter, Felix?" he said, as the boy entered. "Have you brought the money?"
"Oh, Cousin David, I am so sorry."
"So sorry? For what?"
"I--I have lost the money. A pickpocket took it while I was looking in at a window. This gentleman was near and he saw a suspicious-looking man next to me."
"This is a strange story, Felix. We must notify the police at once. Did you see anyone likely to commit the theft, sir?"
This was, of course, addressed to Mr. Sharpleigh.
"Yes."
"You will be willing to testify to this at the police office? You see, this boy is my cousin. Mr. Fairchild is away, and I shall be blamed for this terrible loss. Why, there were eighteen hundred dollars in the parcel!"
"There were three parcels, and a roll of bills, Cousin David."
Mr. Mullins looked surprised.
"Then it was not all put in one parcel?" he said.
"No."
"That is strange. I--I don"t know what to do. Mr. Fairchild has telegraphed that he will be at home sometime during the day. Probably I had better wait till he comes before notifying the police."
This he said in a questioning sort of way, as if asking Sharpleigh"s advice.
"That will give the thief a chance to escape," suggested the detective.
"True. Perhaps you will be kind enough to leave word at the nearest police office. I only wish Mr. Fairchild were here."
"All right, sir," said the detective, "I will comply with your request."
He left the office, but it is needless to say that he didn"t go far away.
"This is a very interesting comedy," he murmured, rubbing his hands, "a very interesting comedy, and apparently played for my benefit."
"Now, Felix," said the bookkeeper, "tell me how it all came out. Did the paying teller look suspicious when you presented the check?"
"No. He said he hadn"t as much money in the drawer, and went to the safe in the back part of the bank. He returned with three parcels of bills in brown paper, and a hundred dollars loose."
"And then you put it in your pocket?"
"Yes, Cousin David; I did exactly as you told me. I put them in my pocket and walked back in a leisurely way."
"Did you see anything of Ralston?"
"Yes, I saw him out of the corner of my eye, while I was looking in at a window on Union Square."
"He took the money?"
"Yes. Now, Cousin David, give me the twenty-five dollars."
At that instant the door was opened suddenly, and d.i.c.k Ralston dashed into the office, looking very much excited.
"Mullins," he said, "we"ve been sold--sold--regularly sold. Look at this!" and he showed one of the brown packages partly torn open.
"Well," said the bookkeeper, "what"s the matter?"
"Matter? Matter enough. Here"s a package marked one thousand dollars, and it contains only slips of green paper in place of bills. You can see for yourself."
CHAPTER x.x.xI.
A DAY OF SURPRISES.
The bookkeeper looked amazed.
He turned to Felix.
"Was this package given you at the bank?" he asked.
"Yes," answered Felix.
"I don"t understand it. Do you think they suspected anything?" he continued, turning to Ralston.
"What could they suspect?" growled d.i.c.k. "It"s a pretty trick for a respectable bank to play on a customer."
"Was all the money bogus?" asked Mullins.
"Here are a hundred dollars in good bills."