The Essential Edward Stratemeyer Collection. Stratemeyer Edward

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СКАЧАТЬ me! He is certainly on time!" murmured the old gentleman. "It is Mr. Haskers." He looked helplessly at the others. "I--I don't exactly know what to do."

      "We'll get out, if you say so," answered Roger, quickly.

      "Oh, say, can't we stay and face him?" asked Phil, eagerly. "We'll give him the surprise of his life!"

      "Certainly, you can stay!" exclaimed Mr. Fordham, with sudden energy. "I want you to stay. You should not be afraid to say to his face what you have said behind his back."

      Dave looked around the apartment. A bathroom was handy, the door standing ajar.

      "Supposing we step in there for a few minutes, while you and Mr. Passmore meet Mr. Haskers," he cried. "We'll come out when you say so."

      "A clever idea!" cried the rug dealer. "Maybe we'll be able to catch him in a trap!"

      "Mr. Passmore, I'll leave this matter to you," answered the elderly gentleman. "You know those young men better than I do."

      "So I do, and I'll vouch for Roger Morr and his friends," was the answer. "Show the gentleman up," he added, to the bell-boy. "Don't tell him who is here--we want to surprise him."

      As the bell-boy left, the three chums crowded into the bathroom, leaving the door on a crack. Soon there came another knock, and Job Haskers presented himself, silk hat and cane in hand. He was well dressed and evidently groomed for the occasion. He had expected to find Mr. Fordham alone, and was somewhat annoyed on beholding a visitor ahead of him.

      "Good-morning, Mr. Haskers," said the elderly gentleman, politely. "This is my friend, Mr. Passmore."

      "Happy to know you, sir," responded the former teacher, with pretended warmth. "A lovely morning after the storm," he went on, as he drew off the gloves he was wearing.

      "We were just discussing this stock you have been offering to Mr. Fordham," remarked Mr. Passmore, a bit dryly. "The Sunset Company is a new one to me. Did you help to organize it?"

      "Well, I--er--I had a little to do with the organization," stammered the former teacher.

      "You are a regular stock-broker, I presume, Mr. Haskers."

      "Yes, that is my business. But I don't deal in ordinary stocks--I handle only those which are gilt-edged and big money makers," added Job Haskers, with a flourish.

      "Been following the business for some years, I presume."

      "About fifteen, all told. I used to have an office in Wall Street, New York, but I gave that up, as I found the confinement bad for my health."

      "It must be a pretty exacting business," went on Mr. Passmore.

      "It is, sir. When a fellow is in stocks he can't follow much of anything else."

      "I'd hate to follow stocks for fifteen years."

      "Do you mean to say you have been handling stocks for the past fifteen years?" questioned Mr. Fordham, slowly.

      "Exactly, sir--ever since I gave up my position as cashier of a Boston bank," returned Job Haskers, smoothly. "And now, to get down to business, as my time is somewhat limited. I suppose you are ready to subscribe for that stock?" And the former teacher brought forth a paper and his fountain pen.

      "We'll see," mused Mr. Fordham. "Dealing in stocks for the past fifteen years, eh? How long since you gave up your office in Wall Street?"

      "About--er--two years," stammered Job Haskers. He looked keenly at Mr. Fordham and then at Mr. Passmore. "What--er--why do you ask me that question?"

      "Mr. Fordham probably thought it strange that you could be dealing in stocks and teaching school at the same time," answered Bert's father, dryly.

      At this announcement Job Haskers' jaw dropped.

      "I--I don't understand you," he stammered.

      "Well, you will understand in a minute," returned the rug dealer, blandly. He raised his voice. "Boys, I guess you had better come in now!"

      CHAPTER VI

      ANOTHER SURPRISE

      The boys had listened to all that was said, and now they lost no time in filing into Mr. Fordham's bedroom.

      Job Haskers stared at them in amazement, and his face dropped in consternation.

      "Porter!" he gasped. "And Morr and Lawrence! Wha--what does this--er--mean?"

      "Perhaps you know as well as we do," answered Dave, sharply.

      "You have been spying on me!"

      "We are here by permission of Mr. Fordham," returned Roger.

      "How did you know I was to call?"

      "Never mind about that," put in Phil. "We are here, and that is enough."

      "And we know all about what you are trying to do," added Dave.

      "This is a plot--a plot against me--to ruin me!" spluttered the former teacher of Oak Hall. "Oh, you needn't try to disguise it! I know all of you!"

      "We have no plot against you, Mr. Haskers," replied Dave, calmly. "If your business is perfectly legitimate----"

      "Never mind about that!" interposed Job Haskers, hastily. He jammed the paper and his fountain pen in his pocket. "You can't make a fool of me! You have been following me up, and you mean to--to--do what you can to--er--get me into trouble." He backed towards the doorway.

      "What is your hurry, sir?" asked Mr. Passmore, and he quietly placed himself in front of the door.

      "Let me pass! Let me pass!" shrilled Job Haskers, and now he looked thoroughly scared.

      "Don't you wish to talk this matter over?" questioned Mr. Fordham, wonderingly.

      "No, sir. I am not going to stay here to be made a fool of!" cried the former instructor. "Let me pass, I demand it!" he added, to Bert's father.

      "Oh, all right, if you insist," answered Mr. Passmore, and stepped aside. At once Job Haskers threw the door open and retreated to the hallway.

      "Just wait, you young scamps! I'll get even with you for this!" he exclaimed, shaking a long finger at Dave, Roger, and Phil. "I'll show you yet! You just wait!" And with that threat he literally ran down the hallway and down the stairs and out of the hotel.

      "Say, he's some mad, believe me!" was Roger's grim comment.

      "I think he is more scared than anything else," returned Dave. "He acted as if he thought we had trapped him in some way."

      "Just how it struck me," put in Phil. "He certainly didn't lose any time in getting СКАЧАТЬ