“I see you have,” said Tom pleasantly.
“Got something to show you. Maybe it’s not important, but I thought it was, so I hurried here.”
“You are doing me a lot of favors, Bill,” said Tom.
“Glad to,” declared Bill. “Here it is,” and he extended a wrinkled-up object as he spoke.
“Why,” cried Ben, peering curiously, “it’s another of those toy balloons!”
“Yes,” assented Bill. “They’ve been flying around half the morning. After I left here I ran across a crowd of youngsters chasing two sailing aloft. One of the boys had a bow and arrow, and was trying to hit one and bring it down. I’m some on shooting, and asked him for the bow. Missed the first time. Next time, though, the arrow went through the balloon, busted it, and sailed to the ground with it.”
“And this is it?” questioned Tom.
“Yes. The little fellows ran after it and fought over it. I happened to see the tag, and was kind of curious about it. By the time I got it, though, the mob had trampled it in the mud, and their feet had torn away half of it. Here’s what’s left of it. Your name is on it, Tom, and that and the reward——”
“What reward?” inquired Ben quickly.
“It’s on the back of the card,” replied Bill.