“No, not that! But I just went to your father’s desk to get a blotter from the drawer, and a large sum of money is missing! It was taken from his desk last night!”
The explanation of Mrs. Manley’s concern came as a relief, rather than a shock, to Teddy and Roy. On that short journey from the corral to the house, their minds had run the gamut of emotions—they did not know what to expect. Since the true character of The Pup was known to them, they had almost feared he had attempted to injure some one within the house.
“How much was it, Mother?” Roy asked, as he reached the porch.
“About four hundred dollars. Your father drew it from the bank the day before yesterday to pay the men with. He must have forgotten to tell you about it, though he may have wanted to wait until he returned before giving the boys their wages. Now it’s gone! The drawer was forced and the money stolen. Do you think any of the men—I don’t like to mention it, but—”
“Don’t worry, Mom, none of the boys did it,” Teddy assured her.
“We know who’s got it; but that won’t help much,” Roy said.
“You do?” Mrs. Manley’s eyes expressed her surprise. “How do you know?”
“Because the money isn’t the only thing that’s missing. That pony dad liked so well is gone, too.”
“The one Belle’s been riding—the one you broke?” A frown came to Mrs. Manley’s face. “Your father will be sorry to hear that. Next to his own horse, he liked that pony better than any on the place. But tell me—who took him? And who took the money?”
“The Pup,” Roy declared, pressing his lips together.