“He’d be tried, and put in prison.”
This gave Harry something new to think of. The idea of Squire Turner’s being put in prison was certainly a strange and startling one. Probably it made a difference as long as he owned the house himself. Still, if he claimed the insurance money, that again made a difference. Harry felt puzzled again, and in thinking over the matter he made several ludicrous mistakes, among others asking a boy who came in for some molasses how many yards he would have, which led to a mirthful explosion from the young customer, who looked upon it as a brilliant joke.
Not knowing what to do, Harry did nothing. Two days afterwards our hero saw the following placard posted up on the outside of the store, on the left-hand side of the door;—
“One Hundred Dollars Reward!—For information that will lead to the discovery of the incendiary or incendiaries who set fire to the old Jackson farm-house, belonging to the subscriber, which was consumed on the evening of the 11th inst.
“Elihu Turner.”
Harry read this placard with interest.
“I could claim that reward,” he said to himself; “but would Squire Turner think my information worth paying for?”