Billy wondered how such an account, fairly accurate, had been managed, and again his desire to do that work burned in him. Yet on inquiry it was simple. The Morning News Company kept photographs on hand of every important and picturesque spot in the State, and the lake was among them.
Through Mr. Streeter they learned the main facts that concerned the boys, and also through him obtained pictures of the boys, Billy and Redtop; for the Scoutmaster’s den was littered with pictures of his admiring boys.
With all the effusiveness of the greetings, Billy divined a reticence, an aloofness, even on the part of some who had been his most demonstrative friends; and on the appearance of Hector he broke away from them to tell his cousin of his difficulty.
“Perhaps I have a key that will fit the lock; those desks are nearly all alike.” Together they went to the library, locking the door behind them.
The lock yielded to one of Hector’s keys.
“There should be over forty dollars there,” Billy said, his voice a little shaky.
“Why, didn’t you bank—”
“It’s gone!” Billy threw up his head and looked blankly at Hector.
“When did you put it there?”
“Last Friday. It was after banking hours when the meeting closed.”