"Now then, Mr.
McCarthy," he continued, turning to his companion, "I am going to ask
you to take charge here till I return. I will pay you a full day's
wages, even if you have to stay only an hour."
"You'll pay me nothing!" declared the watchman vigorously. "I'll camp
right in your service as soon as the seven o'clock whistle blows, and
you get on the trail of that missing trunk."
"I intend to," said Bart. "I will get Darry Haven to come down here. He
knows the office routine. In the meantime, we had better not say much
about the burglary."
"Are you going on a hunt for Lem Wacker?"
"I am."
Bart went first to the Haven home. He found Darry Haven chopping wood,
told him of the burglary, and asked him to get down to the express
office as soon as he could.
"If you don't come back by nine o'clock, I will arrange to stay all
day," promised Darry.
Then Bart went to the house where Lem Wacker lived. It was
characteristic of its proprietor--ricketty, disorderly, the yard unkept
and grown over with weeds.
Smoke was coming out of the chimney. Someone was evidently astir
within, but the shades were down, and Bart stole around to the rear.
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