brown's cake-shop was out of bounds for the younger boys at marlthorpe college. the boys in the upper classes might go there if they chose; but as it was over a mile from the school, the head had wisely determined that it was too far away for the little lads to be continually running there to spend their pocket-money; especially as there was a very clean and nice shop in the village close by—a shop kept by a kindly old dame, where dr. beverly was certain the boys could not come to harm.
it was quite as good a shop as brown's; but, because it was within bounds, and because the lads were forbidden to go to the town, it was not patronized as it should have been; while brown's received many a secret visit. it was a shame that the upper fellows might go there, when the juniors might not! it was the cause of heartburnings. there were no cakes in all the world like those which brown's sold! the chief inducement to get promoted was that brown's might be visited freely.
of course, it was wrong and foolish; but then,[pg 169] boys are apt to think wrongly and do foolishly; and, therefore, the reason of two small mortals scuttling along the road, and dodging into great stow, with eyes ever on the alert for monitors and masters, was not hard to seek—their destination was, of course, brown's.
a nice pair of young rebels they were. one was small and freckled and sandy, with small eyes, and a decidedly pug nose; and the other was a remarkably fat youth—so fat that it really seemed wonderful that he could run as he did.
they darted along, avoiding the main street, until the noted establishment was reached; then, after a careful and cautious peering in, to make sure that the coast was clear, they dived in, and the door closed behind them.
now, brown knew about these unlawful visits. he was very glad that he was without bounds, for he was quite certain that being so would increase his trade. he encouraged his youthful customers. he called them noble-spirited boys, who refused to bow to harsh rules. he said they were young heroes; and he had a nice little room behind the shop, with the window screened by a thick curtain—rather holey and dirty, it is true—and there was a bell to ring for brown; and little white-topped tables to sit at; and it seemed so grand and "grown-up" to call for the waiter—though it was brown himself who came—and to order a penny bun, or a jam tart, and[pg 170] for brown to say "yes, sir; at once, sir." oh, it was very, very delightful, and it had a spice of adventure about it.
so into the private room dived the two youthful spendthrifts, and ordered tarts and ginger-beer and ices, and then seated themselves at their ease to enjoy this forbidden feast.
"ain't they prime, jimmy?" gloated the fat boy, as he put himself outside a three-cornered puff; and jimmy, with his mouth full of tart, was understood to reply that they were "ripping."
the shop-bell tinkled, and jimmy jumped up. he was not quite sure who might come in, and he squinted through one of those convenient holes in the blind, a fragment of tart still in his hand.
"i say, it is elgert's man!" he said, looking round. "i wonder what he wants here?"
"oh, he doesn't signify. let us enjoy ourselves, for we cannot stay long, and we shall have to run all the way back."
that eating cakes was a good preparation for running a mile is open to question, but the two boys evidently had no doubts concerning the matter; and so they sat there, while the man who had entered talked to brown over the counter, and, seeing that the door was not quite closed, the boys could not help hearing a little of what passed.
"i'll bide my time, brown," elgert's man said. "i will not be impatient, but i will humble that[pg 171] young cub yet! i hate him even more than i do his father. he treats a man like the dirt beneath his feet!"
"so he does," muttered jimmy green to tinkle; "that is quite right!"
and tinkle nodded. he was busy with an ice just at the moment.
"i say," said brown to the man, "if you are not in a hurry, i wish that you would run over to the inn and ask them to change me this five-pound note? it is one which i changed for one of the boys from the school the other day."
two youthful pairs of ears pricked up, two hands were arrested as they conveyed two cakes towards two mouths. a five-pound note changed for a boy from the school! this was exciting!
"i can cash it for you myself," the man said; "i have just been paid my month's money."
"i shall be obliged," said brown. and then followed the ringing sound of money being counted out; the man picked up the note, glanced at it and put it into his pocket.
"i will look in as i return," he said to brown; and away he went.
"i say! think we can get out of brown who changed that note?" said tinkle to green. "it's jolly funny, after what took place to-day!"
"i don't know," answered green thoughtfully. "fact is, tinkle, old man, i don't know that i am[pg 172] anxious to do it. it is awkward to know too much sometimes. there is the chance of having to split on some chap you are friendly with. if you don't know you can't say."
"and if you don't say, some one may stay wrongly suspected," was the retort of tinkle. and then, the shop-bell sounding again, necessitated another going to peep through the blind.
"oh, i say!" gasped tinkle, as he looked through a hole; "if it isn't elgert himself this time, and his crony dobson is with him!"
oh, i say, gasped tinkle
"'oh, i say,' gasped tinkle; 'if it isn't elgert himself
this time.'" p. 172
"well, they won't split," was the philosophic reply. "they will only want to go shares. i know 'em both."
"eat cakes while we pay; and dobson is such a greedy beast!" and tinkle groaned to himself.
"perhaps they are not going to stop," whispered green. "they may only be going to take something back with them."
it seemed like it; for the two boys outside made no attempt to enter the inner room. they both seemed rather flustered and out of breath, and as brown came forward to attend to their wants dobson panted out—
"oh—er—i say, brown. that—that note i changed the other day. i should like—that is—i mean——"
"we want it back!" put in elgert impatiently,[pg 173] pushing his companion aside. "we cannot explain why, but we are very anxious to get hold of it!"
"fact is, we fancy that it is bad, and we don't want you to be the loser, you see," added dobson. and brown smiled slightly and nodded.
"that's very good of you young gentlemen—very good and honourable. but you have no occasion to worry; the note was good enough. i saw to that."
"well, good or bad," elgert said, "i want to get hold of it! and, as you know, i am always willing to pay for what i want. i will give you six pounds for that note, brown!"
the man glanced at him shrewdly. what did this mean? why had they invented that lie about the note being bad; and why were they willing to give a pound extra to get it into their hands again?
"i am very sorry, sir," he said slowly, "but the fact is, i have parted with that note. i changed it only a short time ago."
"changed it!" elgert went rather white, and dobson groaned dismally. "whom did you give it to?" was elgert's quick inquiry. "perhaps he has it still!"
"well," responded brown, "the fact is, i can hardly remember. you see, a lot of money passes through my hands, and i have passed on four or five notes to-day. i should have to inquire of the different people, and find who had the identical note that you require."
[pg 174]
"and will you do it?" cried elgert quickly. "i will not grumble about the price. i want to get the note back, and i am willing to pay well for it. when can you let me know about it?"
"if you came to-morrow, sir, about this time, i'd see what i could do meanwhiles. i may be able to get hold of it again, if it has not been paid into the bank."
there was nothing more to be done. elgert and dobson came away with a horrible feeling of nervous apprehension filling their hearts. if that note was gone, what might not the consequences be for both of them? they were quarrelsome—each blamed the other—each tried to screen himself. but recriminations were of no avail; nothing was of avail, unless it was getting hold of the note once more.
and when the two had gone, the feasters on unlawful pastries came forth from their hiding-place; and having settled their bill with lordly air, they also set out for the school, for there was no time to lose if they were to be back before calling over.
but they had something to think about indeed! why did elgert want that note? and how came it that dobson had possessed one to change at all?
"what are we going to do about this, jimmy?" inquired tinkle, as they ran along, and green answered without the slightest hesitation.
"nothing! that is my advice, tinkle. we can't do anything without owning up to having been out[pg 175] of bounds; and i don't want my name down for punishment now. we don't know that the note is the one which mr. delermain lost. we only know that it is one elgert and dobson want to get hold of for some purpose of their own; they may be trying to trace something about it."
and then brown went to stand at his shop-door, impatiently watching for the return of his companion, and hailing him as he saw him appear round the bend of the road.
"it's curious that they should be so anxious to get that note back" he said, when he told the other of elgert's request. "offered a pound, and said he was willing to go beyond that. well, as you have changed the note, it is your property, and the profit will be yours. of course, you will part with it?"
the man drew the note from his pocket-book, and examined it carefully ere he answered.
"it is quite genuine," he said, and brown laughed.
"of course, it is! i knew that all along. that part of their story was all nonsense. there is something up, but you may as well make your little bit out of it. say i give you six pounds for it, and chance making any more myself?"
"not to-day," was the quiet answer. "you shall have it in a day or two. you can say that you have been promised that it shall be returned."
"but what do you want to do with it for a day or two?" asked brown, with something of curiosity.
[pg 176]
and the man looked him in the face, and replied, with a quiet smile—
"do? oh, nothing! i only think that it may be as well if i have this banknote photographed. you can have it after that, and we will share the profits."
then brown laughed, and clapped him on the back.
"you are a smart fellow!" he cried.
and the man answered.
"there are some people living who will find that out to their cost one of these fine days!"
