“Well, you can see what he says.”
Ebenezer did not understand that Eben intended to have the boy arrested, and would not have consented to it had he known. But Eben slipped out of the store, and arranged for the arrest without his father's knowledge. Indeed, he did not learn till the trial had already commenced, Eben having made some excuse for his absence.
When Eben returned his father greeted him in a tone very far from cordial.
“Well, Eben, I hear you've gone and made a fool of yourself?”
“I have only been defending your property, father,” said Eben, sullenly. “I thought you'd appreciate it better than this.”
“You've charged an innocent boy with theft, and now all his friends will lay it up agin' us.”
“Were you going to be robbed without saying a word?” asked Eben.
“No, I'm not, Eben Graham; I'm goin' to say a word, and now's the time to say it. You can't pull wool over my eyes. The money's gone, and the stamps are gone, and somebody's got 'em.”
“Herbert Carr!”
“No, it isn't Herbert Carr. It's somebody nearer to me, I'm ashamed to say, than Herbert Carr.”