CHAPTER XVIII.
Mr. Pagebrook Goes to Work.
When Robert arrived in Philadelphia his first care was to make inquiries with regard to the bank in which his money was deposited. He learned that it had suspended payment about one week before, and that its affairs were in the hands of an assignee. This was all he could find out on the afternoon of his arrival, and with this he was forced to content himself until the next day, when he succeeded with some little difficulty in securing an interview with the assignee. To him he said: "My only purpose is to ascertain the exact state of the bank's affairs, in order that I may know what to do."
"That I cannot tell you, sir. The books are still in confusion, and until they can be straightened out it is impossible to say what the result will be."
"Tell me, then, are the assets anything like equal to the liabilities?"
"That is exactly what the books must show. I can't say till we get a statement."
"You can at least tell me then," said Robert, provoked at the man's reticence, "whether there are any assets at all, or not."
"No, I can make no statement until the books are examined. Then a complete exhibit of affairs will be made."
"Pardon me," said Robert, "but this question is one of serious moment to me. You have been examining this bank's affairs for a week, I believe?"