Part 36 (1/2)
”Thank you, sir, I didn't like to trouble you. Mr. Murdock was very kind.”
”Have they got the real thief?”
”I don't know, sir.”
”Well, 'all's well that ends well.' You can afford to laugh at it now.”
Mr. Gilbert listened to this colloquy with very little satisfaction.
It seemed to show such a good understanding between d.i.c.k and his employer that he perceived that it would be a very difficult thing to supersede him.
”Mr. Rockwell seems to be infatuated with that boy,” he muttered to himself.
”I think I won't resign just yet,” said d.i.c.k, in a low voice, to the book-keeper.
”You'll be found out some day,” said Gilbert, snappishly. ”Go to the post-office, and mind you don't stop to play on the way.”
d.i.c.k started on his errand, and, in pa.s.sing out into the street, encountered Roswell Crawford, who, attired with extra care, had just come down the street from Broadway. On seeing d.i.c.k, he started as if he had seen a ghost.
”Good-morning, Roswell,” said d.i.c.k, pleasantly.
”Good-morning,” said Roswell, stiffly.
”Your cousin is in the counting-room. I am in a hurry, and must leave you.”
”I thought he was on his way to the Island by this time,” thought Roswell, perplexed. ”What can it mean?”
It occurred to him all at once that d.i.c.k might just have been discharged, and this thought cheered him up considerably. He entered the counting-room with a jaunty step.
”Good-morning, Cousin James,” he said.
Gilbert turned round, and said, in a surly tone, ”You may as well take yourself off. There's no chance for you here.”
”Hasn't the boot-black been discharged?”
”No; and isn't going to be.”
”How is that?” asked Roswell, looking very much disappointed.
”I can't stop to tell you now. You'd better go now, and I'll tell you this evening.”
”Just my luck!” said Roswell to himself, considerably crest-fallen. ”I wish I hadn't said a word to Edward McLean about the place.”
CHAPTER XIX.
ANOTHER ARREST.
Micky Maguire, as the reader will remember, was by no means satisfied with the compensation he received from Gilbert for his share in the plot which came so near proving disastrous to our friend d.i.c.k.