Part 6 (2/2)
”Ralph, I believe he took your twenty-dollar bill!”
”What makes you think that?”
And in his excitement the boy shoved back his books and slate and sprang to his feet.
”From what I overheard down to Mr. d.i.c.ks' store, while I was doing my trading.”
”What did you overhear?”
”His son William waited on me, and while he was doing it his father began to count the money in the drawer, and then asked who had paid in the twenty-dollar bill.”
”And what did Will d.i.c.ks say?” questioned Ralph, eagerly.
”He said he had got the bill from Percy Paget.”
”He did! It must be my bill.”
”So I thought, and came home as quickly as I could to tell you.”
”Percy has lots of spending money, but I doubt if he has twenty dollars at a time,” went on Ralph, walking up and down the sitting-room in his thoughtfulness. ”But to think he would turn pickpocket!”
”Maybe the money fell from your pocket during the quarrel, and he picked it up.”
”It would be just as bad as stealing. He knew it was my money. He saw me put the money in my pocket when he came on the bridge.”
”It would certainly seem that it was your bill.”
”I'll go down and question Will d.i.c.ks about it. Or, perhaps, you did so?”
”No, I only listened to what he told his father, and then came home. If you go down, Ralph, be careful and avoid more trouble.”
”If it is really my bill I am not going to stand being cheated.”
”Remember, Squire Paget is an influential man----”
”I don't believe his influence will count in this case. But I will be careful,” Ralph added, to overcome his mother's anxiety.
Without further words, he put on his coat and hurried down into the village. When he reached Uriah d.i.c.ks' general store he found father and son in the act of putting up the shutters for the night.
”I would like to see you a minute, Will,” Ralph said to the son.
”All right,” returned Will d.i.c.ks, and, leaving his father to place the last of the shutters up, he led the way inside the store.
”I believe Percy Paget paid you a twenty-dollar bill this afternoon,” began Ralph, hardly knowing how to open the conversation.
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