The Rover Boys in Business; Or, The Search for the Missing Bonds

by Edward Stratemeyer

  CHAPTER XXVI

  IN WHICH THE GIRLS ARRIVE

  Both of the Rover boys stared blankly at the visitor. His announcementhad come very much like a clap of thunder out of a clear sky. For themoment neither of them knew what to say.

  "I am sorry you did not know about this," pursued Mallin Aronson, whenhe saw by their looks how much they were disturbed. "Perhaps your dearfather was taken sick so quickly that he did not have a chance toexplain the situation."

  "He hasn't been well for a long while, but I thought he had turnedover all his business affairs to us," answered Dick. "It is queer thatwe have no record of this Sharon Valley Land Company investment," headded, turning to Tom.

  "Have you gone over all the papers, Dick?" questioned the brother,quickly.

  "The most of them. That is, all that I thought were of any importance.There are a great number that I haven't had time to look at yet. Youknow how numerous father's investments are."

  "If you have no record of the transaction here, can you not ask yourfather about it?" questioned Mr. Aronson, smoothly.

  "He is too sick to be disturbed, Mr. Aronson," answered Dick.

  "Well, if you care to do so, you can stop at my office and look overthe account there," went on the visitor.

  "And you say this twenty thousand dollars has got to be paid a weekfrom to-day?" asked Tom.

  "Yes, Mr. Rover. The management will grant no extension of time."

  "Supposing it isn't paid?" questioned Dick.

  At this suggestion Mallin Aronson shrugged his shoulders and put uphis hands.

  "I am sorry, but you know how some of these land company people are,"he returned. "This money must be paid in order to clear the land. Ifit is not cleared the company has the right to sell your father'sinterest to others. As I said before, he has paid fifteen thousanddollars. What his interest would bring if sold to somebody else, I donot know."

  "Probably not very much," returned Dick, quickly. "Probably some ofthe land company people would buy it in for a song," he added,bitterly.

  "Well, Mr. Rover, that is not my affair," and Mr. Aronson shrugged hisshoulders. "I came in only to serve you notice that the twentythousand dollars will have to be paid one week from to-day."

  "Where are your offices, Mr. Aronson?"

  "You will find my address on the card," was the answer. "If you wishany more information, I shall be pleased to give it to you;" and thenthe visitor bowed himself out.

  It was a great blow, and the two youths felt it keenly. Ever since theloss of the sixty-four thousand dollars in bonds they had beenstruggling with might and main to cover one obligation after another.To do this had taxed about every resource that Dick could think ofaside from borrowing from friends without putting up anysecurity--something the youth shrank from doing.

  "Say, Dick, this is fierce!" exclaimed Tom. "What are we going to doabout it?"

  "I don't know yet," was the slow reply. "I can't understand why fatherdidn't mention this investment to me."

  "He must have felt so sick that he forgot all about it. You don'timagine that there is anything wrong about it?"

  "Oh, no! I guess it is all straight enough. Aronson must know that hecouldn't get any such money out of us unless everything was asstraight as a string."

  "Perhaps Mr. Powell could get the twenty thousand dollars for us."

  "Maybe he could. But that isn't the point, Tom. I told you before thatwe want to 'stand on our own bottom.' Besides, it isn't a fair thingto ask any one to put up money like that without offering goodsecurity."

  "But we don't want to lose the fifteen thousand dollars that fatherhas already invested."

  "I know that, too. It's a miserable affair all around, isn't it?" AndDick sighed deeply.

  When Sam came back from his errand he brought news that under ordinarycircumstances would have interested his brothers very much.

  "I was coming through Union Square Park when whom should I see on oneof the benches but Josiah Crabtree!" he exclaimed.

  "Crabtree!" cried Tom. "Then he must be out of the hospital at last!How did he look?"

  "He looked very pale and thin, and he had a pair of crutches withhim," answered Sam. "I didn't see him walk, but I suppose he must limppretty badly, or he wouldn't have had the crutches."

  "Did you speak to him?" questioned Dick.

  "No. At first I thought I would do so, but he looked so down-and-outthat I didn't have the heart to say anything and perhaps make him feelworse."

  "Do you suppose he has any money?" asked Tom.

  "He didn't look as if he had. But you never can tell with such fellowsas Crabtree--he was a good deal of a miser."

  "What a misspent life his has been!" was Dick's comment. "I am mightyglad that he didn't get the chance to marry Mrs. Stanhope."

  "Right you are, Dick!" returned Tom. "He'd make a hard kind of afather-in-law to swallow!"

  It did not take long for Dick and Tom to acquaint Sam with the newmoney problem that confronted them, and the youngest Rover becameequally worried over the situation.

  "I think we had better write to Uncle Randolph and see if he can findout a little about this land company affair from father without, ofcourse, worrying him too much," suggested Dick. "There may be someloophole out of this trouble--although I am afraid there isn't."

  "All right, we'll do it," said Tom, and the letter was written atonce, and sent to Dexter's Corners with a special delivery stampattached.

  On the following afternoon when Tom and Sam got back to the hotel, asurprise awaited them. Going up to the suite occupied by Dick andDora, the brothers found themselves confronted by Nellie and Grace.

  "Oh, Tom!" was all Nellie could say. And then coming straight forwardshe threw herself into his arms and burst into tears.

  "Now--now, don't go on this way, Nellie," he stammered, not knowingwhat to say. "It's all right. They've got the ring and you arecleared. What's the use of crying about it now?"

  "Oh, but--but I can't help it!" sobbed the girl. "You don't know howI have suffered! I couldn't sleep nights, or anything! Oh, Tom! it wasgrand--the way you got that gardener to confess;" and she clung tohim tighter than ever.

  "And to think he put the ring in the inkwell!" cried Grace. "What aridiculous thing to do!"

  "He must have done it on the spur of the moment," said Sam. "But say,I'm mighty glad that affair is cleared up!" he added, his facebeaming.

  Then all of the young folks sat down, and the story had to be toldonce more in all of its details.

  "I just had to come on! I couldn't stay home after I got the telegramand the letter," explained Nellie, "so I sent a telegram to Dora."

  "We planned to surprise you," put in Grace.

  "And it is a surprise, and a nice one," returned Sam. Soon Dick, whohad been somewhat detained, came in, and then there was moreexcitement.

  "Well, what about accommodations for the girls?" asked Dick, who neverforgot the practical side of matters.

  "Oh, that is all arranged, Dick," answered his wife. "I have a roomfor them, and as your wife I am to be their chaperon;" and she smiledbrightly as she passed her hand over his forehead. "Poor boy, with somuch to do!" she added, affectionately.

  It was a happy gathering, and for the time being the Rover boys didtheir best to forget their troubles. They had a somewhat elaboratedinner, and then Tom and Sam took the newcomers out for a walk up "TheGreat White Way." Dick said he would remain at the hotel with hiswife, as he wanted to write some letters.

  "Might as well let them have their fling," he said, after the othershad departed. "That's the way we wanted it before we were married;"and he gave his wife a hug and a kiss.

  Of course the girls from Cedarville had a great deal to tell, and Tomand Sam had a great deal to relate in return. The two couples strolledon and on, and it was near eleven o'clock before they returned to theOutlook Hotel.

  "And so you are going to be a real business man, are you, Tom?" saidNellie, during the course of the walk.

  "I am goin
g to try to be, Nellie," he answered. "Of course it issomething of a job for a fellow who is full of fun to settle down. Ineed help." And he looked at her wistfully.

  "Oh, Tom, if you would only settle your mind----"

  "There's no use in talking, Nellie, I won't be able to settle down inthe really-and-truly fashion until I am married," retorted thefun-loving Rover. "You have got to be the one to settle me."

  "Tom Rover, if you talk like that I'll box your ears!"

  "All right, anything you say goes, Nellie. Only tell me, aren't wegoing to be married some time this Fall or Winter?"

  "Tom!"

  "Well, aren't we?"

  "Oh, maybe. But you come on! We are out for a walk, and here we arestanding stock-still in the middle of the sidewalk with folks allaround us. Come on! If you don't come I will leave you;" and Nelliestarted on, dragging Tom with her.