“Lost it?” repeated Tom. “Do you think you dropped it here?”
“I don’t know, I’m sure. Maybe I left it at home. I’m so forgetful.”
“We have a telephone here—you could call up your house and ask if it’s there,” suggested Tom.
“So I could. I never thought of that. But I can’t talk very well over the wire, and my sister-in-law can’t hear me as well as she can some persons. Suppose you call up for me? I’ll give you the number. It’s 2256 Back Bay.”
“I’ll call up for you,” said Tom. “Shall I wrap up this book?”
“Yes. I’ll take it, anyhow, and send Mr. Townsend the money. Queer I can’t remember when I last had my pocketbook.”
CHAPTER IV
STRANGE ACTIONS
The experience Tom had once had, as a clerk in a grocery store, where he took orders over the telephone, had made him fairly expert in the use of the instrument. He soon got the aged doctor’s house on the wire, and was inquiring of Mrs. Barton Sandow (which the physician gave as his sister-in-law’s name) whether the pocketbook had been left there.
“Yes, it’s here,” answered Mrs. Sandow shortly. “He forgot it, as usual. Tell him he left it on the breakfast-table. Why, is he in trouble?”
“No; only he wants to buy some books, and he hasn’t the money with him,” answered Tom politely.