I'll bet you didn't come for that. Want a
raise of salary already?"
"Hardly. If you'll give me a chance, I'll tell you, Mr.
Sparling."
"Go on. Say it quick."
"I have been thinking about the fall I got, since I've been laid
up."
"Nothing else to think about, eh?"
"And the more I think about it, the more it bothers me."
"Does, eh?" grunted Mr. Sparling, busying himself with his
papers.
"Yes, sir. I don't suppose it would be possible for me to get
the broken wire now, would it? No doubt it was thrown away."
The showman peered up at the boy suspiciously.
"What do you want of it?"
"I thought I should like to examine it."
"Why?"
"To see what had been done to it."
"Oh, you do, eh?"
"Yes, sir."
"What do you think happened to that wire? It broke, didn't it?"
"Yes, I guess there is no doubt about it but somebody helped to
break it."
"Young man, you are too confoundedly smart. Mark my words,
you'll die young. Yes; I have the wire. Here it is. Look at
it. You are right; something happened to it, and I've been
tearing myself to pieces, ever since, to find out who it was.
I've got all my amateur sleuths working on the case, this very
minute, to find out who the scoundrel is who cut the wire.
Pages:
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208