thief?"

"He was!" cried Matt.

"I don't see how he could be anything else," added Andy. "Did he
pretend to have an order for the cases?"

"Yes, he had a written order."

"And the bill of lading?"

"N--no, he didn't have that," was the slow reply. "But I thought it
was all right. He looked like an honest chap. You had better notify
the police at once."

"We will," said Matt. "What sort of a looking fellow was he?"

As best he could the freight agent gave a description of the man who
had driven off with the goods and the turn-out. Matt and Andy both
listened attentively.

"By the boots, I'll bet it was that Paul Barberry!" almost shouted the
young auctioneer, ere the agent had ceased talking. "This is his way
of getting even with us for not taking him into partnership."

"Perhaps you are right," returned Andy. "Did you say anything to him
about the wagon being here?"

"I did." And Matt briefly narrated the conversation he had had with
the corn doctor.

Then the agent was questioned further, and it was not long before all
three were convinced that the pretended doctor was the guilty party.

"If I had known he wasn't square I would not have let him have the
cases of goods, that's sure," said the agent meekly.

"I do not doubt that," returned Andy. "But the loss of the horse and
wagon is more than we can stand as it is. We will have to hold the
railroad responsible for the three cases."

"Can't we go after the thief?" suggested the agent, considerably
worried, for he well knew that if the stolen cases were not recovered
the loss would come out of his own pocket.

"Have you a horse and wagon?"

"Yes, and I can get it in five minutes."

"What direction did the thief take, do you suppose?"

The freight agent thought for a moment.

"It is my opinion that he either went over to Easton or else up the
river."

"It is not likely that he went across the bridge," said Matt. "If it
was this Paul Barberry he would be afraid to take that direction,
fearing to meet me and my partner on our way here."

"Yes, that's so," put in Andy.

"Then he went up the river. There is quite a good road for a number of
miles."

"Well, supposing you get your horse and wagon," said Matt impatiently.
"It will not do to waste time here."

"But what of the police?" questioned Andy.

"We can notify them when we come back--that is, if we are unsuccessful."

"All right; hurry up that wagon, then."

The freight agent at once