"Take off that there dirty ap.r.o.n," whispered Jem, making a dash at the offending garment, and s.n.a.t.c.hing back his hand bleeding from the scratch of the pin by which it was fastened.
"Look at that," he began.
"Then you shouldn"t--"
"Silence!" said Uncle Josiah. "Mrs Wimble, did you sweep up this room to-day?"
"That I did, sir, and dusted too, and if there"s any dust, it must be an--"
"Hush! Don"t talk so. Listen to me. Did you find any money on the floor?"
"Sakes alive, sir, no."
"You are quite sure?"
"Oh yes, sir, quite sure. Have you dropped anything?"
"Yes! No! That will do."
Mrs Wimble stared.
"Don"t you hear?" whispered Jem. "Be off!"
The little woman gave him an angry look, and then hurried from the office, looking put out and hurt.
"This money must be found," said Uncle Josiah sternly, as soon as they were alone. "You are sure that you have seen no more, Lindon?"
"Quite, uncle. I"m sorry I forgot about the guinea I found."
"Yes!" said Uncle Josiah, giving him a quick searching look. "You are quite certain, Wimble?"
"Me, sir? Oh, yes; I"m moral sartain."
"I should be sorry to suspect any one, and behave unjustly, but I must have this matter cleared up. Michael Bannock is away, and I cannot conceive his being absent without money, unless he is ill. Wimble, go and see."
"Yes, sir," said the yard-man, with alacrity; and he went off shaking his head, as if all this was a puzzle beyond his capacity to comprehend.
"You had better go to your desk, Lindon," said Uncle Josiah, coldly.
Don started, and mounted his stool, but he could not write. His brain was confused; and from time to time he glanced at the stern-looking old merchant, and tried to grasp his thoughts. "Surely uncle can"t suspect me--surely he can"t suspect me!" he found himself saying again, and the trouble seemed to increase till he felt as if he must speak out and say how sorry he was that he had picked up the money and forgotten all about it, when Jem returned.
"He arn"t ill, sir," said the man eagerly, "I found him close by, at the Little Half Moon, in the back street."
"Drinking?"
"Yes, sir, and treating a lot of his mates. He wanted me to have some, and when I wouldn"t, he said I should, and emptied half a gla.s.s over me.
See here."
He held up one of his broad skirts which was liberally splashed.
Uncle Josiah frowned, and took a turn or two up and down the office.
Then he stopped before Jem.
"Go round to Smithers the constable. You know: the man who came when the rum was broached."
"Yes, sir, I know."
"Ask Smithers to bring Michael Bannock round here. I must clear this matter up."
"Yes, sir," said Jem; and he hurried out, while Don drew a long breath.
"Uncle does not suspect me," he said to himself. "The scoundrel! He must have taken advantage of your back being turned to come in here.
You did not notice anything, Lindon?"
"No, uncle, and I hardly think he could have been left alone."
"But the money is missing; some of it was dropped; this man is always penniless; he has not drawn his wages, and yet he is half tipsy and treating his companions. I hope I am not suspecting him wrongfully, but it looks bad, Lindon, it looks bad."
The old merchant sat down and began to write. So did Don, who felt better now, and the time glided on till there were the sounds of feet heard in the yard, and directly after Mike, looking very red-eyed and flushed, entered the office, half pushed in by Jem Wimble and a hard-faced ugly man, who had a peculiar chip out of, or dent in, his nose.
"Morn", master," said Mike, boisterously. "Couldn"t yer get on without yer best man i" th" yard?"
"Silence, sir!" cried Uncle Josiah, turning round, and glaring magisterially at the culprit.
"Take yer hat off, can"t yer?" cried Jem, knocking it off for him, and then picking it up and handing it.
"Give man time, Jem Wimble," said Mike, with a grimace. "Want to pay me what you owes me, master?"
"Hold your tongue, sir! And listen. Constable, a sum of money has been abstracted from my desk, and this man, who I believe was penniless two days ago, is now staying away from his work treating his friends."
"Steady, master; on"y having a gla.s.s."
"He was paying for ale with a guinea when I fetched him out, sir," said the constable. "Now, Mike, you"re wanted for another ugly job, so you may as well clear yourself of this if you can."
"What yer mean with your ugly job?" said the man, laughing.
"You"ll know soon enough; you and four more are in trouble. Now then, what money have you got on you?"
"None "tall."
"Out with it."
"Well, only two o" these. I did have three," grumbled the man, reluctantly taking out a couple of guineas from his pocket.
"Looks bad, sir," said the constable. "Now then, where did you get them?"
"What"s that to you?"