Before he had taken many steps down the road Joe saw the objects of his search, and then for the first time he began to feel his courage forsaking him. It was only the knowledge of the fact that Hank was not yet of age that kept him up, and then he braced himself and walked forward as though he had something on his mind.
"See how father walks!" said Hank. "He has found out something, or I shall miss my guess."
And he was not long in finding out what it was. His father paid no attention to their civil greetings, but placed himself by Hank's side.
"Look a-here, son," said he, and when Joe addressed him in that way the boy knew that something was coming, "what about that pearl that you found the other day?"
Hank was thunderstruck. His father knew all about it in spite of his efforts to keep it from him. He couldn't say a word.
"Because if you have found one, it isn't natural in you to hide it from me," said Joe. "You see how I want new clothes, and you had oughter give me some of the money. How much did you get for it?"
"Two hundred dollars," said Hank, who had been allowed a little time to recover his wits.
"And how much have you used?"
"Ten dollars."
"And the rest is shut up in the bank where nobody but Bob Nellis can get it?"