"What for?" inquired Angelica, her face expressing curiosity.
"You know I want to find him, and some of the papers might throw light on his movements."
"I don't know but you could," answered Angelica indifferently.
"I'll be willing to pay your mother one week's board for the box and its contents."
"Then I am sure she will let you have them. They are worth nothing to her. I only wonder she hasn't used them to kindle the fire with before now."
"I hope she hasn't," returned Bert anxiously.
"No; I know she hasn't, for I saw them in the attic only last week. I'll look them up for you some day when I am at leisure."
"Thank you."
"I wonder Mr. Harding hasn't written to you," he said, a little later.
"Oh, go along! You don't suppose there was anything between me and him?" said Angelica, who liked nothing better than to be teased about the attentions of members of the other sex. Bert was sharp enough to see this, and thought he might make it available in promoting the object he had in view.