He fancied that he could browbeat a
ragged boot-black, but with a gentleman he saw that it would be a
different matter. He did not seem to notice the newcomers, but
began to replace some goods on the shelves.

"Now," said the young man, "point out the clerk that has my money."

"That's him," said Dick, pointing out the clerk.

The gentleman walked up to the counter.

"I will trouble you," he said a little haughtily, "for a bill which
that boy offered you, and which you still hold in your possession."

"It was a bad bill," said the clerk, his cheek flushing, and his
manner nervous.

"It was no such thing. I require you to produce it, and let the
matter be decided."

The clerk fumbled in his vest-pocket, and drew out a bad-looking
bill.

"This is a bad bill, but it is not the one I gave the boy."

"It is the one he gave me."

The young man looked doubtful.

"Boy," he said to Dick, "is this the bill you gave to be changed?"

"No, it isn't."

"You lie, you young rascal!" exclaimed the clerk, who began to find
himself in a tight place, and could not see the way out.

This scene naturally attracted the attention of all in the store,
and the proprietor walked up from the lower end, where he had been
busy.

"What's all this, Mr. Hatch?" he demanded.

"That boy," said the clerk, "came in and asked change for a bad
bill. I kept the bill, and told him to clear out. Now he wants it
again to pass on somebody else."

"Show the bill."

The merchant looked at it. "Yes, that's a bad bill," he said. "There
is no doubt about that."

"But it is not the one the boy offered," said Dick's patron.
"It is one of the same denomination, but on a different bank."

"Do you remember what bank it was on?"

"It was on the Merchants' Bank of Boston."

"Are you sure of it?"

"I am."

"Perhaps the boy kept it and offered the other."

"You may search me if you want to," said Dick, indignantly.

"He doesn't look as if he was likely to have any extra bills. I
suspect that your clerk pocketed the good bill, and has substituted
the counterfeit note. It is a nice little scheme of his for making
money."

"I haven't seen any bill on the Merchants' Bank," said the clerk,
doggedly.

"You had better feel in your pockets."

"This matter must be investigated," said the merchant, firmly. "If
you have the bill, produce it."

"I haven't got it," said the clerk; but he looked guilty
notwithstanding.

"I demand that he be searc