Just before three o'clock Mr. Sumner returned. He walked to the rear office, gave a turn to the knob of the door of his private safe, and then addressed Hardwick:
"Anything new?"
"No, sir."
"Then we might as well close up."
Five minutes later the main safe was locked up, the rolled-top desks closed, and work was over for the day.
Hal spent the evening at his room in the boarding-house, writing to Lawyer Gibson, his only friend in Fairham. The letter finished, he walked to the corner and posted it, and then returned and went to bed.
The next morning he was the first at the office. He was engaged in cleaning up when Hardwick entered. The book-keeper had been out the greater part of the night, and his face plainly showed the effects of his dissipation.
"Come, get at the books!" he growled. "The place is clean enough."
"I will just as soon as I have dusted the rear office," replied Hal.
"Do as I told you!" stormed Hardwick.