"And wasn't it?" put in Mr. Donovan quickly.
"I don't know," was the innocent retort. "Don't you remember I told you that I hadn't looked inside yet?"
The detective laughed with satisfaction.
"That was a shabby trick of mine, youngster," said he. "It was mean to try to trap you."
"Trap me?" repeated Steve vaguely.
"There, there, sonny!" went on Donovan kindly. "Don't you worry a minute more about this mix-up. Mr. Ackerman, the gentleman who lost the bill book, did not think for a second that you had taken it. He simply was so sure that he had lost it on the bus that he wanted to locate you and find out whether you knew anything about it or not. His name was not inside the pocketbook, you see, and therefore any one who found it would have no way of tracing its owner. What it contains are valuable papers and a big wad of Liberty Bonds which, as your father knows, could quickly be converted into cash. In consequence Mr. Ackerman decided that the sooner the pocketbook was found the better. The omnibus people denied any knowledge of it and you were the only remaining clue."
Mr. Tolman sank back in his chair and a relaxation of his muscles betrayed for the first time that he had been much more disturbed than he had appeared to be.
"Well," he said, lighting a fresh cigar, "the bill book is not only located but we can hand it back intact to its owner. If you can inform us where the gentleman lives, my boy and I will call a taxi and go to his house or office with his property."
A flush of embarrassment suffused the face of the officer.
"Maybe you would like to come with us, Donovan," added Mr. Tolman, who instantly interpreted the man's confusion.