after disposing of his cargo, bob was puzzled to know what to do with the ferry-boat. finally he had an offer of one hundred dollars, from a speculative yankee who had drifted out to st. louis, and gladly accepted it. this sum paid all expenses, including his and clip's return fare, and left him with a handsome sum to his credit, viz.:
1,400 bushels wheat, at $2.25, $3,150
reward, 1,000
———
$4,150
this sum, with the exception of one hundred and fifty dollars, by advice of mr. pearson, he deposited in a st. louis bank, and then started for home.
he could not make the whole passage by steamer, but went part way by railroad, and then engaged a carriage to a point four miles[pg 319] from home. thence he and clip walked. he wanted to surprise not only his mother, but wolverton. he knew now that brown and minton had only been agents of his more crafty enemy, brown having made a written confession, not so much out of friendship to bob as out of spite against wolverton, whom he held responsible for getting him into this scrape.
with soiled shoes and clothes covered with dust, bob and clip entered the village, and purposely walked by wolverton's office.
the latter, spying them through the window, smiled maliciously, and hurried out to meet them.
"aha, my young friends," he said, with a pleased glance at their soiled clothes, "so you have returned?"
"yes, sir," answered bob, soberly.
"and what luck did you have, may i ask?"
"we had good luck at first, but at rocky creek two rascals entrapped us, and stole our boat and cargo."
wolverton laughed outright. so it was true, after all.[pg 320]
"excuse my smiling," he said; "but you seem to have come out at the little end of the horn."
"it does seem so, sir."
"you remember what i told you before you started?"
"what was that?"
"that you were too young for such an expedition. it would have been much better for you to accept my offer."
"it seems so," answered bob again.
"seems so! of course it would have been. but the trouble was, you were so puffed up by your own self-conceit that you thought you knew best."
"i plead guilty to that, sir; i did think so," answered bob, candidly.
"i am glad you admit it. so you had to walk back?"
"you can judge for yourself, mr. wolverton."
"well, you certainly do look like two tramps. the next time you may feel like following my advice."
"i may," answered bob.[pg 321]
it did occur to mr. wolverton that bob's answers were rather unusual, and his manner rather queer; quite unlike his usual tone and manner. but this he readily accounted for. the boy's pride had been humbled. he knew now that he was in wolverton's power, and he had the sense to be humble, in the hope of making better terms.
"but it won't do," said the agent to himself. "he will find that i will have what is mine, and he cannot soften my heart by any appeal to my pity."
"it appears to me you are in rather a scrape," he said, after a pause.
"how is that."
"why, a part of your mortgage comes due in a short time. i hope you don't expect me to wait."
"no doubt you will be considerate, mr. wolverton, remembering what luck we have had."
"no, i won't!" snarled wolverton. "don't flatter yourself so far. i am not responsible for your misfortune, or folly, as i call it."
"still, mr. wolverton—"[pg 322]
"oh, it's no use to talk!" continued the agent, raising his hand impatiently. "you have been a fool, and you must suffer the penalty of your folly."
"has sam got back, mr. wolverton?" asked bob, changing the subject, rather to mr. wolverton's surprise.
"no; have you seen him?" asked the agent, eagerly.
"yes, sir."
"where?" asked wolverton, quickly.
"the fact is, we discovered him on our boat soon after we started."
"you did!" ejaculated the agent, his eyes almost starting out of his head. "why didn't you send him back?"
"because he said you didn't treat him well, and begged to stay."
"young man, do you know i could have you arrested for abducting my nephew?" demanded wolverton, angrily.
"was it my fault that he hid himself on my boat?"
"where is he now?" asked wolverton, abruptly.[pg 323]
"he left the boat at a point on the way."
"where was it?"
"you must excuse my answering that question. sam wouldn't like it."
"what difference does that make?"
"sam is my friend. i think, however, you will soon know, as he means to come back."
wolverton smiled triumphantly.
"i shall be glad to see him," he said, significantly. bob knew what that meant.
"you must excuse me now, mr. wolverton," said bob. "i must hurry home, as mother will be anxious to see me."
"tell her i shall call very soon—on business."
"i will."
when they were out of hearing the boys laughed in amusement. they had a surprise in store for wolverton.
