mr. roper and jed were having a very enjoyable time at bar harbor. they made trips, chiefly on foot, to the various interesting localities—schooner head, great head, hull's cove and the ovens—being favored with unusually fine and clear weather. they had just returned at four o'clock in the afternoon from a trip to the summit of green mountain when they were informed at the hotel that a gentleman wished to see them.
mr. roper took the card and examined it.
"james peake," he said. "i don't know of any such person. do you, jed?"
"no, sir," answered jed.
"you may bring him up," said roper, turning to the bell boy.
in less than a minute the latter reappeared, followed by a plain-looking man, who scanned[pg 344] both attentively as he entered, but devoted the most attention to jed.
"mr. peake?" said schuyler roper interrogatively.
"yes, sir."
"you have business with me?"
"rather with your young friend. is he known as jed gilman?"
"yes," answered the boy so designated.
"i am a detective from the staff of inspector byrnes of new york."
jed blushed and looked uneasy. this announcement naturally alarmed him.
"am i charged with any offense?" he asked quickly.
"no," answered mr. peake with a pleasant smile. "when i state my business i am inclined to think you will be glad to see me."
"i feel relieved, jed," said mr. roper with a smile. "i took you without a character, and i trembled lest some terrible charge was to be brought against you."
"rest easy on that score, mr. roper," returned the detective. "my mission may [pg 345]involve some one else in trouble, but not your young friend. will you permit me to ask him a few questions?"
"i am sure he will be quite ready to answer any questions you may ask."
jed nodded assent.
"then, mr. gilman, may i inquire your age?"
"i am sixteen."
"what is the date of your birth?"
jed colored and looked embarrassed.
"i do not know," he answered.
"can you tell me where you were born?"
"no, sir," returned jed. "i was left at the age of two years at the scranton poorhouse by a girl who disappeared the next morning. of course i was too young to know anything of my earlier history."
"exactly; and you spent the intervening years at that interesting institution."
jed laughed.
"it didn't prove very interesting at the last," he said. "when my good friends the averys were turned out, mr. and mrs. fogson succeeded them, and i concluded to leave."
[pg 346]
"i am not surprised to hear it. i have seen mrs. fogson," remarked the detective dryly.
"did she give me a good character?"
"quite the contrary. she prepared me to find you a desperate young ruffian."
jed laughed.
"do i come up to your expectations?" he asked.
"not altogether. i may conclude that you have no information in regard to your family or parentage?"
"no, sir. can you"—something in the detective's face prompted the question—"can you give me any information on the subject?"
jed fixed his eyes with painful intensity upon the visitor.
"i think i can," he answered.
"who, then, am i?"
"to the best of my knowledge you are the nephew of sir guy fenwick, of fenwick hall, gloucestershire, england."
both mr. roper and jed looked exceedingly surprised.
[pg 347]
"sir guy fenwick?" repeated roper.
"he is so called, but i have reason to believe he is a usurper, and that the title and estates belong to your young friend, who, if i am correct, isn't jed gilman, but sir robert fenwick."
jed looked dazed. schuyler roper went up to him and grasped his hand.
"my dear jed, or rather robert," he said, "let me be the first to congratulate you. but, mr. peake, are you prepared to substantiate jed's claim to his title and inheritance?"
"i think so. i will tell you how the case stands."
when he had concluded, mr. roper asked, "and where is this nurse whose testimony is so important?"
"at rodick's. i brought her with me to bar harbor."
"and what is your program?"
"i should like to carry our young friend with me to new york to confront the pseudo baronet."
"we will be ready whenever you say. i say we, for i propose to accompany jed—i[pg 348] beg pardon, sir robert—and stand by him at this eventful period."
"call me jed, mr. roper, till i have proved myself entitled to the other name," returned the "poorhouse boy."
