"It was a long one of brown leather," replied Jack, describing Ed's
pocketbook and ignoring the question of what was in it. "A friend of
mine dropped it along here, and we're helping him hunt for it. My
sister and Mr. Pennington are going to look in one direction, and
you and I'll look in the other."

Jack tried to make his voice sound friendly, but it was difficult
work.

"You'll look on one side of the road, and I'll keep watch on the
other," he went on.

"All right; I'm agreeable," said Lem with a leer. "I don't believe
we'll find it, though--I ain't never very lucky."

He got into the auto beside Jack, and the two started off slowly.
Cora and Walter also started, and the search for the missing twenty
thousand dollars was continued.

Jack and Lem did not talk much on the way back. Lem Gildy was not
an accomplished conversationalist, and Jack was too anxious to find
the wallet to care for the distraction of talk. Several times he
thought he saw the pocketbook, but each time it was a flat stone or
a clod of dirt that misled him.

They reached Chelton, and Lem asked to be set down in a secluded
street.

"Why?" asked Jack curiously.