“He seems to know how to run it all right,” observed Ned, as he and Tom prepared to return to the office.
“Oh, yes, he just made that one mistake,” answered Tom. “He’s pretty careful as a rule. But I’ll never forget the look on his face as he sat on the ground after his motorcycle tried to climb a tree. It was the funniest thing I ever saw!” and Tom laughed at the recollection.
Mr. Swift was putting into the great oak chest some of his papers when the young men rejoined him. As Rad closed the lid and Tom snapped the locks, the telephone rang.
“I’ll answer,” offered Ned. “And shall I have Koku come here, Tom, and put that chest in the corner?”
“Yes, you’d better. We can’t budge it.”
“I’ll move it!” rashly offered Eradicate, but a tug at the handle on one end showed him the futility of pitting his feeble strength against the box. “By golly, she suah do stick to de flo’!” he gasped. “But ef I had mah strength I could do it!”
“Hello! Hello!” Ned was saying into the telephone. The room grew quiet and Tom heard his manager exclaim:
“You don’t mean it! No! The hound! Say, wait until I get over there!”
“What is it?” asked Tom, thinking perhaps some accident had befallen Mr. Damon. “What’s the matter, Ned?”
“Dirty work!” was the answer. “Dirty work, that’s what the matter is, Tom! My father has been falsely accused! I must go to him at once!”