“Do you mean you will give me a whole dollar if I will wait here half an hour?”

“That’s what!” exclaimed the man with the roll of bills.  “But there is a little more to it.  Our friend, Mr. Anthony Simpkins, and we, have an important business transaction in hand, involving fifteen hundred dollars.  My friend and I don’t happen to have more than five hundred dollars with us, while Mr. Simpkins has seven hundred and fifty, and so we want you to hold this money while my friend and I go to our bank and get the two hundred and fifty dollars more, which is our share in the deal.”

“What, me hold twelve hundred and fifty dollars!” exclaimed Bob, as though unable to believe his ears.  “Why, you don’t know anything about me.  I might run off with it.”

“You look honest,” replied the man who had hailed him, “and that’s why we stopped you.  Besides, you wouldn’t be able to run away if you wanted to, because Mr. Simpkins is going to wait here with you until we return.”

“And you will give me a dollar just for keeping the money until you come back?” demanded Bob.

“Exactly.”

“All right.  That’s half as much as I get for working a week.”

“That’s the boy.  I am glad to see that you have the sense of thrift so strongly developed.  Now we will just put Mr. Simpkins’ seven hundred and fifty dollars and our five hundred dollars in this envelope, which you will keep until we return.”

As he spoke, the elder of the New Yorkers counted out five hundred dollars, put it in the envelope, and then asked the countryman for his share.  After verifying the amount, he placed it with the other money, then handed an envelope to Bob, exclaiming: 

“Now you two stay right here, and we will be back within fifteen minutes.”

“All right, sir,” said Bob, as he grasped the envelope.  And as his fingers closed about it, he unconsciously threw back his head, and squared his shoulders, proud of the thought that he had been selected as the custodian of such a large sum of money.

Again repeating their promise to return within a quarter of an hour, the two New Yorkers hastened away, and were soon lost among the people who thronged the thoroughfare.

Oblivious as the people who live in New York are to the presence of their fellowmen, the sight of the man so obviously from the country and the bright-eyed, alert boy, closely clasping the envelope in one hand, while at his feet rested the basket packed with groceries, attracted many a passing glance.

Between Simpkins and Bob, however, no words were exchanged; though each, while apparently gazing at the passersby, kept a sharp lookout upon the other.

Minute after minute went by, without the return of the two men, who had said they were going to the bank for money, and as the time wore on without their re-appearance, Simpkins exclaimed: 

“I wonder what’s keeping them?  I don’t want to stand here all day.”