CHAPTER VIII

THE YOUNG EXPRESS AGENT


Our hero regarded the little pile of account books as if they
represented some long-lost, newly-found treasure.

He was very much astonished at their presence there. They were a
tangible reality, however, and no delusion of the senses, and his ready
mind took in the fact that someone had in an unaccountable manner
rescued them from the burning express shed, and mysteriously restored
them to the proper representative of the express company in the nature
of a vast surprise.

The edges of one of the books was scorched, which was the only evidence
that they had been in the flames.

They were all there, and Bart was very glad. He now had in his
possession every record of the transactions of the Pleasantville express
office since the last New Year's day.

"And the contents of the safe are all right, too, that writing says!"
exclaimed Bart; "now what does all this mean?"

The handwriting of the announcement was crude and labored, and the boy
felt sure he had never seen it before.