“All of three hundred dollars, in new bills I just got from the bank,” said the man. “I’m in the chicken business, and meant to buy some fancy blue-ribbon stock while at the Fair. But I was wise enough to mark every one of those ten-dollar bills with a couple of little red crosses. I’d know them again if I saw them.”
“Good for you, Hennery Cooper!” called out someone in the crowd. “That was what I’d call a smart dodge. Your chickens will come home to roost yet!”
“Andy, what have you got to say about this accusation?” asked Hugh, as he helped to bring the trembling and white-faced boy to his feet again.
“All I can say, Hugh,” the other replied, with quivering lip, “is that I never did such a thing. Why, I wouldn’t take his pocketbook for anything. I know I’ve got a bad reputation to live down, but I’ve been trying hard to do it. He just turned on me, and accused me. It scared me, and I tried to run before I even thought how bad that would look. But, Hugh, I give you my word as a scout that I’m innocent. You believe me, don’t you, Hugh?”
Hugh still faced the angry man who claimed to have been robbed.
“So far as I can see, sir,” he told him, “you’ve only accused this boy on general principles. Because he looked frightened when you told him so, and tried to run, you say he is guilty. Now you will have to show better evidence than that in court. Did you see him take your property?”
“Well, er, no, I don’t say that exactly; but I’m sure he did!” replied the man.
“There are a good many persons who, if suddenly accused, would be so alarmed that they might lose their heads and run away. Listen to what I’m going to propose to you, Mr. Cooper, if that’s your name.”
“All right, go ahead, then,” said the other, turning to nod to the crowd as if he wanted to be sure of keeping this backing.
“If he took your pocketbook,” continued the scout master, “and you discovered your loss so quickly that he had not left your side, the chances are he’d have it on his person, don’t you think?”