"That"s plain enough," said he. "My pocketbook hasn"t gone to the bottom."
"It certainly has not," replied Lawry.
"Then where is it?--that"s the next question."
"Are you sure it was in your pocket when you got into the ferry-boat?"
"Just as sure as I am that I sit here."
"You were very careless about your coat on board of the sloop."
"I know I was."
"I don"t see how a man could throw down his coat with six thousand dollars in the pocket," said Lawry.
"I know I"m careless; but I"m so used to carrying money that I don"t think much about it. I always carry it in a pocket inside of my vest," continued the director, putting his hand in the place indicated; "but this is a new vest, and hasn"t any such pocket.
Things don"t look all right to me. Is the ferryman your father?"
"Yes, sir; he is."
"Well, the money"s gone," added Mr. Randall. "We will go back to the ferry-boat."
"Did you find it?" asked John Wilford, as the bank director stepped into the bateau.
"No; but I"m certain it has not gone to the bottom."
"Where is it, then?"
"I don"t know; can you tell me?"
Mr. Randall looked at the ferryman very sharply. His manner indicated that he had some suspicions.
"How can I tell you?" replied John Wilford.
"The money was in the coat pocket when you picked it up in the water--I know it was."
"Do you mean to say I took it out?" demanded the ferryman angrily.
"If you didn"t, I don"t see what has become of it."
"Do you mean to accuse my father of stealing?" said Lawry indignantly.
"I don"t accuse him of anything; but here are the facts, and you can all see for yourselves."
"You throw your coat down anywhere. It would have gone overboard from the sloop if I hadn"t saved it; and it won"t do for so careless a man as you are to accuse anybody of stealing your money," added Lawry angrily.
"Very likely you lost it out of the pocket before you got into the ferry-boat."
"Never mind him, Lawry. I haven"t got his pocketbook," interposed the ferryman.
"I know you haven"t, father; and it makes me mad to hear him accuse you of stealing it."
"Mr. Randall, if you think I"ve got your money, I want you to satisfy yourself on the point at once," continued John Wilford, turning to the director.
"I hope you haven"t."
"But you think I have. Search me, then."
Greatly to the indignation of Lawry, Mr. Randall did search the ferryman; turned out his pockets, and examined every part of his wet garments. The pocketbook was not upon his person; and the loser, in spite of the laws of specific gravity, which he had just demonstrated, was almost compelled to believe that his money had gone to the bottom of the lake.
CHAPTER IV
THE STEAMER "WOODVILLE"
Mr. Randall, now that his money was lost, declared that he had no business in Sh.o.r.eham, and it was useless for him to go there. The six thousand dollars belonged to his bank, and, having an opportunity to put this sum in circulation, where it would be "kept out" for several weeks, he was making this journey to accomplish the business. He facetiously remarked that it was likely to be kept out longer than was desirable.
Lawry was so sure Mr. Randall had dropped the pocketbook on the sh.o.r.e before he got into the ferry-boat, that he insisted upon returning to Pork Rock and having the ground searched. Though the bank director was satisfied that the pocketbook was safe in his possession when he entered the bateau, he was willing to return, since the object of his journey had been defeated, and Lawry pulled him back to the landing-place. The ground under the tree, and over which Mr. Randall had walked while waiting for the ferryman, was carefully examined, but the lost pocketbook could not be found.
The bank director had very little to say after he left the ferry-boat; but he was very thoughtful, as a man who had lost six thousand dollars might reasonably be. After the search on sh.o.r.e was completed, he walked off toward the village without mentioning his intentions, but he looked as though he purposed to do something.
"What"s the matter, Lawry?" asked Mrs. Wilford, who had been watching the movements of Mr. Randall and her son from the window, as she came out of the house.
"The gentleman has lost his money--six thousand dollars," replied Lawry.
"Lost it!" exclaimed Mrs. Wilford, recalling the conversation with her husband at dinner.
"His coat fell overboard, and the pocketbook dropped out."
"Fell into the lake," added she, with a feeling of relief.
"Yes; father swam out and got the coat, but the money was gone."
Mrs. Wilford returned to the house. Perhaps she had some misgivings, and felt more than before that those who make haste to be rich are often ruined; but she said nothing. Lawry was perplexed at the disappearance of the money. Mr. Randall had proved that a pocketbook with nothing but paper in it would not sink within a reasonable time.
If the lost treasure had fallen into the water, he would certainly have found it. If it had been dropped on sh.o.r.e or in the ferry-boat, it would not have disappeared so strangely.
Lawry was so positive that the pocketbook was still in the ferry-boat, or on the sh.o.r.e, that he renewed the search, and carefully scrutinized every foot of ground between the house and the landing-place, but with no better success than before. By this time the ferry-boat, which had been favored by a good wind during the last half-hour, returned.
"What do you suppose became of that pocketbook, father?" asked Lawry, as he stepped into the boat.
"I don"t know. I don"t believe he lost any pocketbook," replied John Wilford.
"He says he did, and I saw it myself."
"Perhaps you did, but I don"t believe there was any six thousand dollars in it. If there had been, he wouldn"t have thrown it about as he did."