Tom and his father affixed their signatures, which were followed by those of the three visitors.
“Well, now that that’s settled,” remarked Thompson, as he rose from his chair, “I guess we’ll have to be getting along. Mr. Bragden and I have to get the night train. Mr. Hankinshaw will stay here for a while to take care of our interests and keep an eye on the work.”
“Just a moment,” put in Ned. “That matter of the initial check for five thousand.”
“Oh, yes,” said Thompson. “How careless of me to overlook that. If you’ll hand me that pen, I’ll fix it up.”
He took out a checkbook and wrote a check for five thousand dollars.
“There you are,” he said, handing it to Ned with a flourish.
Ned scanned it closely.
“The amount is all right,” he said, after an instant, “but the date is wrong. You’ve got it the 27th of May, while this is only the 21st.”
“Sure enough,” replied Thompson, with an air of vexation, as he looked at it. “I made it the 21st, but there must have been a hair on the pen and that made it a seven. Tear that one up and I’ll make you out another. And this time I’ll see that the pen is clean.”
He rubbed the pen carefully and made out another check that was correct. Ned examined it, folded it and put it in his pocket.