tigate its contents. What was
in it, he wondered. Well, the top of a Fifth Avenue coach was no place
to be looking through pocketbooks, there was no question about that. Let
alone the fact that persons might be watching him, there was danger that
in the fresh morning breeze something might take wing, sail down to the
Hudson, and never be seen again. Therefore he decided to curb his
impatience and wait until he reached a more favorable spot to examine
his suddenly acquired treasure. Accordingly he tucked the long red
wallet farther down into the breast pocket of his ulster, and feeling
assured that nothing could be done about it at present, gave himself up
to the pleasure and excitement of the drive.

It was not until he had rejoined his father at the hotel and the two
were sitting at lunch in the great dining room that the thought of it
again flashed into his mind.

"Gee, Dad!" he suddenly exclaimed, looking up from his plateful of fried
chicken with fork suspended in mid-air. "I meant to tell you I found a
pocketbook in the bus this morning."

"A pocketbook!"

"Yes, sir. I think the man who had been sitting beside me must have
dropped it when he stooped over to get his bag. At any rate it was lying
there after he got out."

"What did you do with it?" Mr. Tolman inquired with no great warmth of
interest. "Gave it to the conductor, I suppose."

The boy shook his head.

"No, I didn't," was the answer. "I was afraid he might not turn it in,
and as I liked the man who lost it I wanted to be sure he got it, so I
brought it back with me."

"And where is it now?" demanded Mr. Tolman, now all attention. "I hope
you were not so careless as to leave it upstairs in our room."

"No. I didn't leave it in the room," returned the lad. "It is out in my
coat pocket. I meant to take it out and see what was in it; but so many
things happened that I forgot about it until this very minute."

"You don't mean that you left it in your ulster pocket and let them hang
it out there on the rack?"

"Yes."

"You checked your coat and left it there?"

"Why--yes," came the faltering reply.

Mr. Tolman was on his feet.

"Wait here until I come back," he said in a sharp tone.

"Where are you going?"

"Give me your check quickly," went on his father, without heeding the
question. "Hurry!"

Steve fumbled in his jacket pocket.

"Be quick, son, be quick!" commanded Mr. Tolman impatiently. "Don't you
know it is never safe to leave a