"Whew! you are wealthy," said Ward, in surprise. "Let me see!" and he opened his pocket book. "Much as ever," he replied, after investigating the contents. "Here is a five, a two, a silver dollar, and I think I can make up two dollars in small change. It'll take up about all I've got."
"Then perhaps you'd rather wait till I have a chance to get the bill changed," suggested Percy.
"Not much," returned Reginald, with a crafty smile. "'A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,' as somebody says. I am willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of getting the debt paid."
"Oh, well; just as you say," rejoined Percy, secretly glad to get the tell-tale bill out of his possession, and to replace it in his pocket with the smaller bills and silver which Ward proposed to give him.
When the transfer was made, Ward asked, "Where did you raise the twenty, Percy?"
Now it was that Percy looked embarrassed.
"It is some money I had given to me a long while ago," he answered with hesitation.
"Oh!" exclaimed Ward, evidently incredulous.
"I promised not to use it, but to keep it saved up," continued Percy, "and I meant to; but you wanted me to pay what I owed you, and so——"
"You acted like an honest young man," said Ward, finishing his sentence for him.