ps?"

"I will; but I should like to go to St. Louis to-night."

"We will see about that. Call a carriage for me, Mr. Faxon. Now, stop
him, if you can. Have him arrested! The villain has swindled me out of
seventy or eighty thousand dollars," continued Mr. Collingsby, bustling
about the room, and apparently forgetting that he was a sick man.

Sore as I felt about the reproaches which had been so unjustly heaped
upon me, I was interested for the welfare of the firm. I ran all the
way to the two banks where we did our business. I was too late. At the
two Mr. Whippleton had discounted about twelve thousand dollars' worth
of the paper. I heard of him at several banks and offices, and as the
notes of Collingsby and Whippleton were as good as gold in the market,
he had no difficulty in negotiating them. Though I could not follow him
everywhere that he had been, I was satisfied that he had turned the
notes into cash. I could not find him, and I went to the counting-room
for instructions, for I expected to find the senior partner there.

"Have you seen Mr. Whippleton, Robert?" I asked, when I found that the
entry clerk was alone in the counting-room.

"He was here half an hour ago."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know; he didn't say anything, but he had his overcoat on his
arm."

"Has Mr. Faxon been in?"

"No; only Mr. Whippleton. What's the matter, Phil? Everybody seems to
be in a stew to-day."

"There's an awful row brewing. What did Mr. Whippleton do?"

"He went to the safe, and looked over the pages of one of the books.
What's the matter?"

"He has been using the money of the firm for his own speculations, and
in my opinion he means to run away with all the cash he can put his
hands on."

"Whew!" whistled the entry clerk.

"Didn't he hint where he was going?"

"No; he didn't hint that he was going anywhere; but I thought, from his
having his overcoat, that he was going out in his boat."

It occurred to me that he would be more likely to leave the city in the
Florina than by any other conveyance. He could sail in her when he
pleased, and cover up his tracks very effectually. I promptly decided
to visit the mouth of the river, where he kept his boat, and see if she
was there. In the excitement of the morning, I had almost forgotten the
treasure which Mrs. Whippleton had committed to my charge. I had put it
into a drawer in the safe which was not in use. I had locked the
drawer, and put the key with the othe