"What's the matter, Sam?" asked Bob, wondering.
"Let me catch my breath," gasped Sam. "I--I've got some good news."
"Then you are welcome. Has your uncle got married?"
"No; nor aunt Sally either," replied Sam. "What do you say to that?" and he drew from his vest pocket a long strip of paper.
"What!" exclaimed Bob, in great excitement. "Not the receipt for the money?"
"That's just what it is," answered Sam, nodding emphatically.
There it was in regular form, a receipt for one hundred and fifty dollars, being the semi-annual interest on a mortgage on Burton's Ranch, dated on the day of Richard Burton's death, and signed by Aaron Wolverton.
"Hurrah!" shouted Bob, waving it aloft. "Then father did pay it, after all, and that mean scoundrel--excuse my speaking of your uncle in such terms, Sam--"
"I don't mind," said Sam, philosophically.
"That mean scoundrel wanted us to pay the money a second time. I'm ever so much obliged to you, Sam. But where on earth did you find it?"
"I'll tell you, Bob," answered Sam, perching himself on the fence. "This forenoon Uncle Aaron started out on business--I don't know where he went."
"I know," said Clip, giving way to a burst of merriment.
"I rowed him across de creek. I was out in de boat when old Massa Wolverton come along and axed me to take him across. I made him pay me a nickel, and he got into de boat," and Clip began to laugh once more.
"I don't see anything to laugh at, Clip."
"You would, massa Bob, ef you'd been dar. We was almost across when de old boat upset, yah! yah! and old Massa Wolverton--it makes me laugh like to split--tumbled into de water, and got wet as a drownded rat."
"Clip, you bad boy, you did it on purpose," said Bob, trying to look stern.
"Wish I may die!" asseverated Clip, stoutly, for he was not an imitator of George Washington. "Didn't de old man look mad, dough? He jest shook his fist at me, and called me a black imp, 'deed he did."
"I am afraid he was right, Clip," said Bob, shaking his head. "But you haven't told me about the receipt, Sam."
"He sent me into his room to get his hat, when right down on the floor by his desk, I saw a piece of paper. I remembered what you told me, Bob, about the receipt, so I picked it up and slipped it into my pocket. I had to be quick about it, for Uncle Aaron is always in a hurry. Well, I took out the hat, and I didn't dare to take out the paper and look at it till he was out of sight."