“Me. One hundred? Oh, that’s easy—awfully easy,” declared Harry, as if very much pleased.
“I suppose you are ready to supply the amount, cash down?” said Ben.
“On the nail head!” cried Harry, a ring of genuine confidence in his tone. “See here, you fellows, you’ve been the truest chums I ever ran across. I’ve got a hundred dollars, yes, nearly double that, and all you’ve got to do is to take it.”
“I only want to borrow—until my aunt collects her interest money,” said Tom, half hopeful, half doubting that unexpected good fortune was about to materialize.
“Six months, a year—it’s all the same to me,” declared Harry gaily. “I’d give it to you outright if—if I could,” he stammered rather blunderingly. “There you are.”
Ben in his stupefaction and Tom in wonder regarded the strange boy who had so warmly won their friendship during the brief period of their acquaintanceship. Harry had drawn off his rather threadbare coat. Then he reached inside the shirt he wore.
“Well, what next?” interrogated Ben, watching the movement curiously.
“The hundred dollars, of course,” pronounced Harry. “Think I’m fooling?”
He had been fumbling with one hand inside his shirt. Something clicked like a snap of a buckle. Then he drew into view a long snake-like object.
“A belt,” murmured Ben.