"Now, Mr. Houston, what have you to tell me about that pearl? If Mr. Vollar has paid me too much for it, it is only right that I should give the money back. I'll do it just as soon as Bob comes."
These words operated very differently upon the two men who heard them. Sam's face grew as red as fire, and the jeweller stepped around the board partition looking his astonishment.
"What is that you had to say about that pearl, Hank?" he asked.
The boy repeated the same request he had made of Sam, adding:
"I gave the whole of my money into Bob's hands, and he has gone away and left my funds in the bank so that I can't get them; but I will make it all right as soon as he comes."
"Who told you that I had given you too much?" asked the jeweller, fastening his angry eyes upon Sam.
"No one told me so, but I couldn't think what else you had to tell me about it, and so I came to find out," said Hank, looking first at Sam Houston and then at the jeweller. He could not imagine what had happened to make the latter so angry at the clerk.
"Well, Hank, you can go home again, and every time you think of that pearl you can tell yourself that it is worth every cent of two hundred dollars," said Mr. Vollar. "I knew what I was talking about when I gave Bob Nellis the money."
"I am glad to hear you say so," said Hank, who was greatly relieved. "You are sure it is worth two hundred dollars?"
"Not only that, but it is worth ten or fifteen dollars more. I shall surely have that much to divide with you."