"No, don't do that--yet," replied Pollard.
"Mr. Farnum may be away on legitimate business," added Jack slowly.
Hal and Jack rowed Mr. Pollard ashore. After bidding the inventor
good-bye, the two youths decided to go to the shipyard. As they were
about to enter the office they were accosted by a man who was coming
out. He asked them if they were in Mr. Farnum's employ.
"Yes, sir," Jack answered.
"Can you tell me where he is? The office force could give me no
information."
"Mr. Farnum is away at present," said Jack.
"I know that! Where is he?"
"Why should I tell a stranger about my employer's business?" asked Jack
sharply.
"Here's my card." The man was a Mr. Stevenson, the head of a firm of
ship's steel jobbers. "Here's a bill for twenty-five thousand dollars,
and Farnum seems to have disappeared. I can sell this at face value,
but I don't want to."
"Give Mr. Farnum a chance, Mr. Stevenson," pleaded Jack. "We can guess
who is willing to buy that bill from you--for a bonus. The man will
be as eager to buy next week as this."
The man looked shrewdly into the eyes of the two boys for a moment, then,
with a shrug of his shoulders, turned away, saying:
"I guess this can wait awhile."
The boys, after a brief call in the office, went on to town. Mr.
Melville was fond of horses, and still drove a handsome pair.
"There comes Don Melville in his father's carriage.
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