"He did, sir," was the answer of the amazed boy, who wondered how it was this person could have learned so much, unless he got the news from Bud Heyland himself.
"Let me see the money."
Fred did not like this peremptory way of being addressed by a person whom he had never seen until that afternoon, but he drew the bill from his pocket.
As he did so he brought several other articles with it, among them his new knife, which dropped to the ground. He quickly picked them up, and shoved them hurriedly out of sight.
Mr. Sutton did not seem to notice this trifling mishap, but his eyes were bent on the crumpled bill which was handed to him.
As soon as he got it in his hands he turned his back toward the setting sun, and placing himself in the line of some of the horizontal rays which found their way between the trees he carefully studied the paper.
He stood full a minute without moving, and then merely said, "Ahem!" as though he were clearing his throat. Then he carefully doubled up the piece of national currency, and opening his pocket-book placed it in it.
"Are you going to keep that?" asked Fred. "It isn't yours."
"He wanted you to get it changed, didn't he?"
"Yes, sir; but he didn't want me to give it away."