ousand questions will be asked me."

They rode uptown in a carriage for the first time since the bank was
opened, and the two girls were delighted. The boys saw them to their
homes and then had a quiet talk over the situation.

"Mr. Allison has been guyed unmercifully about his kids, Bob," Fred
said, "and he has stood by us like a father. Let's give him $5,000
to-morrow as a token of our appreciation of him."

"I am willing," Bob replied. "The old man is our friend."

"Yes, indeed he is."

The next morning, when the old cashier came to the bank, he shook hands
with both of the boys, saying:

"They made it pretty hot for me about my 'kids,' but I guess we have
made it pretty uncomfortable for some of them."

"I think we have, too," Fred replied. "Here's our check to you for
$5,000 for the way you have stood by us."

"The devil!" gasped the old man in dumfounded amazement. "Do you give me
that?"

"Yes, of course."

He grasped their hands again.

"Boys," he said, choking with emotion, "I--I don't know what to say. God
bless me, I don't!" and he jerked out his handkerchief and blew his nose
a half dozen times.

"That's all right, Mr. Allison. We want you to grow up with us."

"Call me pop, boys--call me pop after this--as my other children do,"
and the old fellow had to wipe his eyes and his glasses.

It did the two boys good to watch him. They had touched his heart and
the stern old man of business had softened like a woman. But others
began to come in. The papers told how the two boys had squeezed some of
the strongest men in the street and scooped several hundred thousand
dollars of their money, and men who had seen them often before now came
in to look at them again. But Fred and Bob were quite busy in their
little private office engaged in figuring up the result of the deal,
leaving Allison to answer questions and receive congratulations. Over
in the Stock Exchange the syndicate was busy trying to save further
losses. Bryant was on hand, but Bowles was in the hands of his
physician.

"We were betrayed by somebody," Bryant said. "Those boys were posted by
somebody in the deal and used as a blind."

"That is a serious charge to make, Bryant," said one of the syndicate,
"and we'll have to make an investigation to find out if there is any
truth in it. The charge reflects on us all."

"I have no idea who the guilty one is," Bryant replied. "I don't even
know that the charge is true; but I believe that