nt to leave if you are not satisfied."

"I'm not satisfied; but if you leave, I shall believe that you are a
party to the villany that has been carried on in the counting-room. I
thought you were on very intimate terms with Mr. Whippleton, your
employer, sailing with him, and spending your Sundays on the lake with
him."

"I never was in a boat with him on Sunday in my life, sir," I
protested, vehemently.

"Well, he was out in his boat every Sunday, and I supposed, as you went
with him at other times, you did on Sundays."

"No, sir; I did not. He was very kind to me, and I was grateful to him
for it."

"You seem to be," sneered the dignified senior.

"He treated me with a kindness and consideration which I never received
from his partner; and I shall always thankfully remember that, whatever
else in him I may desire to forget," I replied, smartly, for I was cut
to the soul by the cold and harsh words and manner of Mr. Collingsby,
after I had exposed the rascality of his partner.

"No impudence, young man."

"I should like to leave at once, sir."

"You can't leave."

"I think I can, sir."

"If you do, I will send an officer after you. In my opinion, you and
Whippleton have been altering the books to suit your own purposes."

"It looks so, after I have called your attention to these
invoices--don't it, sir?" I replied, with becoming indignation.

"Why didn't you speak of them before, then?"

"Because I was not sure that anything was wrong till last night."

"Pray what did you discover last night?" asked the senior, with a
palpable sneer.

"I discovered that Mr. Whippleton was very anxious to raise a large sum
of money. This morning I told him squarely what I thought he had been
doing, but he promised to convince me that it was all right this
afternoon. But in spite of all he said, I told you about the invoices
this forenoon."

"You didn't speak soon enough."

"While you are reproaching me, Mr. Whippleton is raising money on the
notes of the firm."

"And you want to desert me!"

"I do, when I am accused of being concerned in his frauds."

"Perhaps I was hasty," added Mr. Collingsby, biting his lip. "I did not
mean to say that you profited by his fraud."

"I think he has exposed the whole thing," said Mr. Faxon.

"We will consider this matter at another time. What's to be done?"

"Go to the banks, the bankers, and the brokers, and find Mr.
Whippleton," I replied.

"Will you assist, Mr. Phili