Ned hesitated a moment. Then he replaced some collars in the box, put it back in the drawer and closed the drawer.
“Nothing much,” he answered finally. “Only someone—only my eight dollars is gone.”
[CHAPTER XI]
THE MISSING MONEY
“Gone!” exclaimed Cal. “Do you mean—”
“I mean it was in my collar-box a couple of days ago and now it isn’t,” replied Ned with a shrug of his shoulders. “Somebody’s cleaned me out for fair.”
“I—I’m awfully sorry,” faltered Cal. “Are you sure it was there? Maybe you put it somewhere else, Ned.”
“Maybe a fish can fly,” answered Ned wrathfully. “I guess I know where I put it, Cal. I always keep it there. There was eight dollars exactly, a five and three ones, all folded up in a wad. It was there two days ago all right.”
“But—but who could have taken it?” asked Cal perplexedly.