“Me?” cried Sim, looking up from his whittling. “Well, I guess, b’ Jim, I’ve gut somethin’ to do with it! I’m an officer of the law, an’ I’m goin’ to ’rest the forger.”
“Why you can’t arrest him for that little thing!”
“Can’t? Well, you don’t know much about law! It’s a State’s prison offense.”
Don gasped, but he quickly decided that the man was trying to frighten him, and he forced a laugh, which, however, sounded faint and unnatural.
“Get out!” he said. “I know better! It’s something for my father to settle with Professor Alden, and you don’t have anything to do with it.”
“Hey? Well, by Jing! I’d like to know what Professor Alden has ter do with it! It don’t consarn him nohow.”
“Why, the excuse was given to him.”
“The what? What be you talkin’ about? I don’t know northin’ about no excuse.”
“You don’t?” cried the astonished boy. “Then what are you talking about?”
“About that check for twenty-five dollars with your father’s name forged onto it,” answered the deputy sheriff.