."

"I've struck something that I imagine will just suit us. Come on and
look at it."

The two hurried to the place Andy had in mind. It was, indeed, a good
store, and just in the right spot, and ten minutes later they were on
the way to hunt up the landlord and rent the place.

It was no easy matter to find the person for whom they were seeking,
and it was well along in the afternoon before the man who owned the
building was found. He agreed to let them have the store for four days
for ten dollars, and the bargain was closed on the spot.

Then they returned to the store and cleaned it up as best they could,
and at a little after five o'clock locked up and started back to
Phillipsburg to ascertain if their cases of goods had yet arrived.

The walk across the bridge did not take long, and the freight depot
was close at hand.

"Why, where is the horse and wagon?" cried Matt, as he discovered
that the turn-out was missing from the place where Billy had been
fastened.

"Well, that's what I would like to know," returned Andy. "I don't see
a thing of it anywhere, do you?"

They looked around, up one street and down another, but neither Billy
nor the gayly-painted wagon came into view.

"I'll ask the freight agent about it," said Matt, and he hurried into
the office.

"Your horse and wagon?" repeated the agent, in reply to his question.
"Why, I guess your man drove off with them."

"Our man?" gasped the young auctioneer.

"Yes; the one you sent around here to get those cases of goods you
were expecting. He took the cases, too."

CHAPTER XXIV.

ALONG THE RIVER.

Matt could do nothing but stare at the freight agent. A man had come
there and driven off with the horse and wagon and taken the cases of
goods with him. It seemed too bold-faced to be true.

"Our man?" he stammered. "We have no man."

"Didn't you send the man here?" demanded the agent, as he stopped
short in his work of checking off packages.

"We certainly did not," returned the young auctioneer. "Andy!" he
called out, as he stepped back toward the open door, and a moment
later Andy Dilks hurried into the depot.

"He says a man came here, got the cases of goods, and drove off with
Billy," cried Matt breathlessly. "You did not send any one here, did
you?"

"Certainly not," returned Andy promptly. "When was this?"

"Less than two hours ago," replied the freight agent, and he was now
all attention. "Do you mean to say the fellow was a