help him in this matter. Would the mystery never be solved?

CHAPTER XXIV

MR. CROSSCRAB'S VISIT

Business with the partners went on as usual for several days. There
was a brisk demand for papers, and slowly they saw the little savings
in the bank grow. They began to have visions of a fine stand by
Christmas, and the one they had first considered was still in their
mind, for the owner had not succeeded in disposing of it.

"Dick," remarked Jimmy one night, "I've got a new scheme."

"What is it?" and Dick looked up from the book he was reading at his
partner on the other side of the table. Jimmy was laboriously figuring
on the back of an old envelope.

"Well, you know that weekly illustrated paper that's making such a hit
now? It comes out every Friday, an' lots of the boys sell it."

"Yes, I know the one you mean. What about it?"

"I was thinking we might add it to our stock. If we did, and sold
enough of 'em, we could make quite a bit. There's two and a half cents
profit on each copy, and if we sold fifty each that'd be two dollars
and a half each week."

"Good! You're coming on with your arithmetic," exclaimed Dick. "Why,
that sounds good, Jimmy. Let's do it."

"There's one thing agin it, though."

"What's that?"

"There's no returns. You can't take back what you don't sell, and we
might lose on it."

"Well, I suppose we'll have to take that risk. Business men generally
have to venture something."

"I know, but we ain't got much capital. If we was to lose a dollar in
the week it wouldn't be no fun."

"No; still I think it's worth trying."

"Then I'll do it. I'll order a stock for this Friday, and we'll see
what we can do."

Jimmy was glad his chum had agreed to the scheme, which the older
newsboy had had in mind for some time, ever since he saw how well some
of his companions were doing with the new weekly, which was making
quite a bid for trade.

Accordingly, when Friday came, Jimmy got up early, and purchased one
hundred copies of the periodical. These he divided with Dick, and the
two boys, rather more heavily laden than usual, started out for their
day's business.

If Dick thought he was going to dispose of all his copies of the new
weekly quickly, he was much disappointed. Down in the financial
section he sold his usual number of daily papers, but, when it came to
disposing of the other, he had no luck.

"Why, I get that magazine at home every Friday morning," sai