Page:The Young Auctioneers.djvu/199

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THE YOUNG AUCTIONEER.
183

Then the agent was questioned further, and it was not long before all three were convinced that the pretended doctor was the guilty party.

"If I had known he wasn't square I would not have let him have the cases of goods, that's sure," said the agent meekly.

"I do not doubt that," returned Andy. "But the loss of the horse and wagon is more than we can stand as it is. We will have to hold the railroad responsible for the three cases."

"Can't we go after the thief?" suggested the agent, considerably worried, for he well knew that if the stolen cases were not recovered the loss would come out of his own pocket.

"Have you a horse and wagon?"

"Yes, and I can get it in five minutes."

"What direction did the thief take, do you suppose?"

The freight agent thought for a moment.

"It is my opinion that he either went over to Easton or else up the river."

"It is not likely that he went across the bridge," said Matt. "If it was this Paul Barberry he would be afraid to take that direction, fearing to meet me and my partner on our way here."

"Yes, that's so," put in Andy.