"Yes, sir," was the simple reply.
The inspector nodded, then walked into the manager's office. Penton followed him—but that was nothing unusual. The boys returned to their work.
"First shot!" shouted Filter, who had been working on the current ledger balance off and on all day.
Henty stopped licking an envelope, and allowing it to stick to his tongue, whispered hoarsely:
"Loud pedal, Gordon; the inspector's in town."
Filter colored. It must have been quite a relief to his placidly pale face; but his eye caught an unextended balance, and he forgot the offence immediately.
It was six o'clock before Evan had his cash balanced. A money parcel had come in from Toronto, another had to be sent out, and the cash-book had not been able to compare totals until after five.
The inspector and the manager went over to the hotel just before supper, and afterwards to the Penton apartments, where Mrs. Penton had a spread laid for I. Castle.
Three times during inspection Mr. Castle accepted the same invitation. Evan wondered if Mrs. Penton had woven her charms about the inspector; he thought it quite likely. She would do it for her husband's sake. Castle, by the way, was a bachelor. One day he held up a bunch of collateral before a head office clerk who was clamoring for permission to get married and said:
"Look at that; if I had married I would not have this bunch of security."