When the book-keeper entered he was astonished to see Hal at work cleaning up. He had fully expected that the youth would be arrested for the robbery at Mrs. Ricket's, and that Hal was now in jail.
Then he looked back and saw Mr. Sumner at his desk, and his astonishment increased.
"Why, really, Mr. Sumner——" he began.
"I'm early this morning, eh?" returned the broker. "Well, I wanted to get this correspondence off my hands, and I seem to be able to do better work early in the morning."
"You are a hard worker," commented Hardwick, and that was all he said.
When Hal was dusting near the rear Mr. Sumner looked up to see that the book-keeper was not noticing, and then motioned to the youth.
"Don't say anything about my being at the books," whispered the broker, in a low tone.
Hal nodded; and then he went on as if nothing had been said. But the words set him to thinking deeply.
At the end of an hour Mr. Sumner arose.
"I am going out for a couple of hours," he said. "If Mr. Allen comes in tell him to let that Wabash matter rest until to-morrow."