“We found the auto as soon as it was daylight,” he said, “but the men who took the model had damaged the engine so that it took me some little time to fix it up. And that’s all, except that here we are, and the model has slipped out of our hands for a second time.”
“Never mind,” said Dr. Tallman consolingly, “maybe you’ll find it again.”
But Tom shook his head disconsolately.
“I guess not, it’s gone for good, I’m afraid, this time. But Dick Dangler here has something he wants to tell you, Dr. Tallman.”
“To tell me?” said the doctor in wondering tones, looking at the eccentric figure of the clown, who was talking apart with Ralph.
“Yes. It concerns Ralph’s identity. If I’m not mistaken, you already suspect him to be more than a friendless orphan lad.”
“Frankly I do,” was the rejoinder. “He has a peculiar mark on his arm in the shape of a wineglass. I never recall having seen such a peculiarity except on one child, an infant named Ralph Melville.”
“Hurray! Glory be!” exclaimed Tom, much to the surprise of the doctor and the lawyer, the latter of whom had started at the name of Melville. “Ralph, you’re rich, or are going to be. It’s all the same! Hurray!”
Of course, until Dick Dangler’s story had been told the rest of the party couldn’t make out Tom’s delight. But it appeared, according to Mr. Bowler, that it would be a difficult matter to prove Ralph’s rights to the Melville fortune and name, and in the meantime much had to be done. The fact that it was Melville who was also concerned in trying to swindle Mr. Peregrine out of his invention was another complication.
A conference was held, at which it was decided that Ralph for the present would remain with Dr. Tallman, his father’s old friend. In the meantime the others would go to Boston and try to get on the track of the patent thieves. Before they departed, however, Dick Dangler was fitted out with an old suit of the doctor’s, and proved to be quite a respectable, kindly appearing man, with a very grave and serious countenance. A clown would have been the last thing you’d have taken him for.