"Eaten up your creams?" asked Mr. Hibbert, glancing around. "Then we"ll have another apiece."
He signaled the waitress, giving the order.
"Don"t ask me---yet---how I know," continued their host, turning once more to Greg Holmes, "but you"re going to find yourself a millionaire within a week. I know it. It"s all in your ear."
As he spoke Hibbert gave Greg"s right ear a playful tweak.
"All in Greg"s ear?" muttered Tom Reade under his breath. "I knew that from the outset."
"All in your ear, Holmes!" Hibbert repeated. "Yet it will all be very real money. Oh, won"t you be astonished!"
"I---I think I shall, when the wealth rains down upon me," murmured Greg, now afraid to raise his eyes to meet the mocking glance that Darry was sending toward him.
At this moment the stranger of the railway station entered the room, then came toward the table.
"Mr. Hibbert, here is the man who was inquiring for you at the station," Tom announced in a low voice.
Hibbert turned, glancing inquiringly at the stranger.
"Are you Mr. Hibbert?" asked the latter.
"Yes," nodded the man in the four-quart hat. "My name is Colquitt,"
explained the stranger. "I am from-----"
"Er---yes, quite so," murmured Mr. Hibbert. "And here is the boy. He is named Greg Holmes. Do you observe his right ear?"
"I do," Colquitt a.s.sented, after a swift, keen glance.
"He is the boy," Hibbert repeated after a moment"s hesitation.
"Where do you live, young man?" asked Colquitt.
Greg supplied the name of his street and the number.
"Name of your family physician?" went on the stranger.
"Dr. Bentley."
"Has he always been your family physician?"
"Ever since I can remember," Greg declared.
"Thank you," and Colquitt turned to leave.
"Won"t you stay and have an ice with us?" urged Hibbert.
"Too much to do," replied Colquitt, shaking his head and walking out.
Now the high school boys found themselves doubly, trebly puzzled.
If Mr. Hibbert were an amiable lunatic, what of Colquitt? Both had appeared to know something mysterious about young Holmes.
Tom Reade, also, was thinking deeply. Dave Darrin was frowning.
Dan Dalzell was grinning slightly, while Hazelton was giving his whole attention to the second ice before him.
Hibbert, however, pa.s.sed to other topics as lightly as though he had already forgotten all about fortunes and ears. The time pa.s.sed pleasantly until all of the five chums felt that they could hold no more ices. Then Hibbert, having paid the bill, left the ice cream place with them.
Outside they encountered Mr. Colquitt once more.
"May I have a word aside with you, sir?" demanded Colquitt.
"A dozen," agreed Hibbert readily.
The two walked apart from the boys, going down the sidewalk together slowly. But the youngsters heard Hibbert say earnestly:
"I tell you, Colquitt, that is the boy. He has the ear and all.
And he"ll be in luck with the money he"ll have!"
"And I tell you, Mr. Hibbert, that he isn"t the boy at all," retorted Colquitt, with even greater positiveness.
More was said, but the two pa.s.sed out of hearing.
"Greg," declared Tom Reade solemnly, "it appears that you"re the million-dollar kid!"
"I know it," grinned young Holmes. "I am! Also it seems equally certain that I am not!"
"What do you make of the whole business, fellows?" Tom asked, turning to the other chums.
"I"ve my own idea," laughed Dave Darrin.
"Give it us, quickly!" begged Danny Grin.
"My idea," Dave declared, "is that Hibbert is a rather harmless lunatic, yet one who has to be watched a bit."
"Then what about Colquitt?" urged Hazelton.
"Colquitt," guessed Darry, "is Hibbert"s keeper."
"The mild lunatic idea," Tom observed, "fits in well with a chap who, in this sweltering July weather, will insist on wearing a four-quart silk hat, a spite-fence collar and a long, black, double-breasted coat."
"There"s only one part of the whole dream that I"d like to believe,"
sighed young Holmes. "I"d be quite willing to have it proved to me that I"m a young millionaire!"
"What would you do if you had the million---right in your hand?"
quizzed Danny Grin.
"I"d transfer it to my pockets," Greg answered.
"What next?" pressed Dan.