The Tin Box Part 27

You're as green as--as--a gooseberry!"

Harry pitied him, but was unable to offer any adequate consolation.

"Will you give me your name and address?" he said. "And, if I can hear anything of your coupons, or the man that swindled you, I'll write and let you know."

"Will you? I'm obleeged to you," said the farmer, who had formed quite a high idea of our hero's sagacity from his declining the trap into which he himself had fallen. "My name is Simon Jones, of Crabtree Hollow, Connecticut."

Harry entered it in a little memorandum book which he carried.

At length the great city was reached, and the crowd of pa.s.sengers dispersed in different directions.

It was over a year since Harry had been in the city, and he was not very familiar with it, but he had a modest confidence in his ability to get along.

"Shine yer boots, guv'nor?" asked a ragged bootblack.

"How much?" Harry asked. "Seein' it's you, I'll only ask ten cents,"

returned the street boy.

"Thank you. I blacked my own boots before I left home."

"Do you call that a shine?" said the boy, contemptuously, as his glance rested on Harry's shoes, which certainly did not vie in polish with those operated upon by city bootblacks.

"It'll do for me," answered Harry, good-naturedly.

"Mornin' papers--_Herald, Times, Tribune, World!"_ called a newsboy.

"Give me a _Herald,"_ said Harry, who suddenly bethought himself of the tin box, and was anxious to find out whether any allusion was made to the theft in the morning papers.

He opened the paper, and his eyes ran hastily over the crowded columns.

CHAPTER XXI

A REWARD OFFERED

Harry looked over the news columns in vain for an account of the robbery, or some allusion to the tin box which he had seen concealed in the wood.

"There may have been something about it in yesterday's paper," he said to himself. "I must go to the office of publication and buy a copy."

It occurred to him, however, that there might be an advertis.e.m.e.nt offering a reward for its recovery, and he began to search, with this object in view.

Presently his eye lighted on the following:

"Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars Reward.

"On the fifteenth instant, a Tin Box, containing a considerable sum in Five-Twenty Government and Union Pacific Bonds, was stolen from the office of the subscriber. The above sum will be paid for the discovery of the thief, or for information leading to the recovery of all, or the larger part, of the bonds. JAMES P. WHEELER,

"No. 265 Broadway, Room 10."

I do not claim to have given the correct number, for obvious reasons. Of course, the address given in the advertis.e.m.e.nt was accurate.

Naturally, Harry was much pleased at his easy success. He had only to go to the office mentioned and communicate what he knew, and leave Mr.

Wheeler to take the necessary steps for the recovery of the property.

Should he attend first to that, or to the sale of the coupons? On the whole, he decided to go to Mr. Wheeler's office first, as the tin box might be removed at any time, if the suspicions of Vernon or Temple should be excited.

It was, of course, perfectly easy to find any address on Broadway, and not many minutes elapsed before Harry found himself before the door of office No. 10.

Entering--for the door was ajar--he saw a large, handsomely fitted-up office, with a small room part.i.tioned off at one corner.

In this room sat a man of middle age, with a keen face and a brisk air, which indicated that he was a trained man of business.

Outside, at a desk, sat a young man, evidently a clerk, who was busily engaged in writing. It was he who looked up when Harry entered and looked hesitatingly about.

"Well, Johnny, what can I do for you?" said the young man, patronizingly.

"Is Mr. Wheeler in the office?"

"Yes; but he is busy."

"He will see me," said Harry, with quiet confidence.

"Will he?" asked the young man, surveying our hero with some curiosity.

"Who do you come from?"

"From no one. I have business of my own with Mr. Wheeler."

"Who is it?" asked an imperative voice.

"A boy to see you, sir," answered the clerk, respectfully.

"Bring him in, then, and don't waste his time and your own in unnecessary talk."

"Waste his time, indeed," muttered the clerk, who evidently did not regard Harry's time as particularly valuable.

"Well, young man," said the lawyer--for such was his business--as Harry entered his presence. "What is it?"

"I should like a private interview, sir," said Harry, glancing at the clerk, who was hovering near.

"Shut the door, and resume your writing, Richard," said Mr. Wheeler.

Shrugging his shoulders, with a disappointed look, Richard obeyed.

"I came to see you about the advertis.e.m.e.nt," said Harry, coming to the point at once.

The lawyer started, and eyed Harry keenly. Could the boy be one of the thieves, or was he merely acting as a go-between?