CHAPTER XXVIII
JOSIAH CRABTREE ONCE MORE
When the boys arrived at the hotel that evening the girls had much totell them. Nellie had received a letter from Miss Harrow, in which theteacher had frankly begged her pardon for having suspected the girl oftaking the diamond ring.
"It is a lovely letter," said Nellie. "I never thought that she couldhumble herself in that fashion."
"I've got an idea; in fact, I've had it for some time," came from Tom."I had Royce in this afternoon to see me. He is very anxious to getwork. I've half a notion to ask you to write to Miss Harrow and see ifthey won't take the fellow back at the seminary."
"I am willing to write such a letter, Tom," answered the girl. "And ifthey won't take Royce back, perhaps I can get my father to give himwork at our farm; although I know he is more of a gardener than he isa farmer."
But the most important news the two girls and Dick's wife had to tellwas that on a shopping tour after lunch they had walked into JosiahCrabtree.
"We came face to face with him in front of a show window," explainedDick's wife. "I was so startled for the minute that I did not knowwhat to say. Oh, Dick! he was on crutches, and he did look so pale andthin I couldn't help but feel sorry for him!"
"He has evidently suffered a great deal," put in Grace. "In fact, hesaid as much. He seemed to be utterly downcast. He didn't look likethe dictatorial teacher he used to be at all."
"What did he have to say?" questioned Sam.
"Oh, he was quite confused at first, but he did ask about Dora'smother--if she was well--and then he said he understood that youthree were going into business together. He said he hoped you would besuccessful."
"The idea of old Crabtree saying that!" burst out Tom. "It's enough tomake a fellow think the end of the world is coming."
"Did he say what he was doing, or what he proposes to do?" questionedDick.
"He said he had received a tentative offer of a position in a boys'school in Maine," answered Nellie, "but he did not know whether he wasgoing to take it or not. My idea is that he is too poor to even go toMaine. And he had on such an old, rusty, black suit!"
"Say! Did he say where he was stopping?" questioned Dick, eagerly,struck by a sudden idea.
"No, he did not."
"Too bad! I'd like to see him as soon as possible."
"Why, what's up now, Dick?" questioned Sam.
"I want to ask him if he knows anything about Jesse Pelter--where thefellow has gone to."
"It isn't likely. I don't think those two parted the best of friends."
"Most likely not. Still Crabtree may know where Pelter keeps himself."
"I'll tell you what you might do, Dick," suggested Tom. "You mightsend Crabtree a couple of letters, one addressed to the GeneralDelivery here, and another simply addressed to New York City; thenyou'll run two chances of striking him."
"I'll do that," answered the older brother; and sent off thecommunications without delay. In each of them he asked Josiah Crabtreeto call at his offices as soon as possible.
"Do you think you can make him open up if he comes?" questioned Sam.
"I think so--that is if I make it worth his while. If Crabtree isdown on his luck he will most likely be willing to do anything formoney."
Two days went by, and the boys waited anxiously for some word from thedetective in regard to the whereabouts of the Pelters. But no wordcame in, and they were as downcast as ever. In the meanwhile Dick,aided by the others, stirred around as best he could in an endeavor totake care of their finances.
"I've got the small things all taken care of," Dick said to Tom andSam, on the evening of the second day. "But what I am going to doabout that twenty thousand dollars we must pay the Sharon Valley LandCompany, and that other claim Mr. Powell spoke about, I don't know. Itlooks to me as if we were going to get into a hole, unless I'm able toget some of our friends to help us out."
The one bright spot on the horizon was the news received from home,which was to the effect that their father's health was improving. Hehad gone downstairs and walked around the garden, and also taken ashort ride in the automobile. Moreover, his mind seemed to be muchbrighter than it had been for a long while past.
On the following morning, when the three youths were at the officesdiscussing the situation, Bob Marsh came in.
"A man to see you," announced the office boy. "A man on crutches namedCrabtree."
"Show him in!" exclaimed Dick. And then he added hastily to hisbrothers in a lower tone: "Now let me engineer this, please. I think Iknow how to handle him."
"Go ahead, Dick," responded Tom; and Sam nodded.
Josiah Crabtree hobbled in on his crutches, with his hat in his hand.Evidently he was weak and nervous. His thin face had lost much of itsformer shrewdness and cunning, and he looked quite downcast.
"Good morning, young gentlemen," he said, in a somewhat cracked voice."You sent me a letter. I just got it at the post-office."
"Sit down, Mr. Crabtree," returned Dick, and offered the formerteacher of Putnam Hall a chair.
"Thank you." Josiah Crabtree sank down on the seat, resting hiscrutches against his knee. "You have the same offices that Pelter,Japson & Company had, I perceive," he continued, allowing his eyes torove around.
"Yes, Mr. Crabtree," answered Dick. "By the way, do you know where Mr.Pelter is just now?"
"You said you wanted to see me about some particular business," saidthe former teacher. "Perhaps we had better get at that first."
"Well, I might as well admit, Mr. Crabtree, that what I wanted to seeyou about is this. I want to know if you can tell me where Mr. JessePelter is just now."
"Oh, is that all!" And Josiah Crabtree's face showed hisdisappointment.
"That is all at present."
"Humph! Supposing I don't care to tell you where he is?"
"Now see here!" pursued Dick, earnestly. "If I understand mattersaright, Mr. Crabtree, Jesse Pelter is no longer a friend of yours.When you went to the hospital he practically deserted you, isn't thatright?"
"If is!" exclaimed the former teacher, bitterly. "He left me in thelurch, and not only that, he didn't give me the money that wasrightfully coming to me."
"Exactly so! Now then, why shouldn't you help us to locate him?"
"Well--er--well--er--supposing I did help you?" returned JosiahCrabtree, hesitatingly.
"If you will do that, Mr. Crabtree, I'll make it well worth yourwhile," responded Dick, quickly. "I may as well admit to you that wewish to get hold of Mr. Pelter as soon as possible. We want him toclear up a certain transaction. If you can put me into communicationwith him to-day, I'll give you fifty dollars."
At the mention of fifty dollars Josiah Crabtree's eyes lit up.Evidently he had not seen that amount of money for some time.
"You'll give me fifty dollars?" he repeated.
"I will."
"There is no fooling about this, Rover?"
"Mr. Crabtree, did I ever deceive you?" And Dick looked the formerteacher squarely in the eyes.
"I don't think you did, Rover. So you want to find Jesse Pelter, andyou'll give me fifty dollars if I'll help you do it? All right, I'lltake you up. I don't think Pelter is aware that I know where he is,but I do;" and Josiah Crabtree smiled grimly.
"Where is he?"
"He told Japson that he was going down East, most likely to Boston.But he didn't do any such thing; he hung around New York for awhileand then he went to Philadelphia, and he's down there now, I amthinking, unless he took a boat for Europe."
"What? Was he going from Philadelphia to Europe?" broke in Tom.
"So I understood. Although why he didn't go from New York is amystery--the service is so much better."
"Have you any idea where he is stopping in Philadelphia?" questionedDick.
"He usually stopped with a distant relative of his--a man namedCrowley Pelter."
"Then that's all I want to know for the present, Mr. Crabtree,"announced Dick. "If we can locate him I'll let you know and th
en thefifty dollars will be yours."
"How soon are you going to look for the man?" asked the formerteacher, curiously.
"At once," was Dick's quick reply. "Leave me your address, and as soonas we hear anything I'll let you know." And a few minutes later theboys brought the interview to an end.