NO. 61 AND NO. 62.
The stateroom was small, as most staterooms on river boats are. There
appeared to be no means of ventilation. Mr. Waterbury was a stout man,
and inclined to be short-breathed. After an hour he rose and opened the
door, so as to leave it slightly ajar. With the relief thus afforded he
was able to go to sleep, and sleep soundly. Tom was already asleep, and
knew nothing of what had happened.
The number of the stateroom was 61. Directly opposite was 62, occupied
by Milton Graham and his companion.
If Graham did not go to sleep it was because his brain was busily
scheming how to obtain possession of the money belonging to his
neighbors.
"Won't your key fit?" asked Vincent, for this was the name of the
dark-complexioned young man.
"No use, even if it does. Of course they will lock it inside, and
probably leave the key in the lock."
About midnight, Graham, who had not fully undressed, having merely taken
off his coat, got up, and, opening the door, peered out. To his surprise
and joy he saw that the door of No. 61 was ajar. He at first thought of
rousing Vincent, who was asleep; but a selfish thought suggested
itself. If he did this, he must share with Vincent anything he might
succeed in stealing; if not, he could keep it all himself.
He left his stateroom silently, and looked cautiously around him. No one
seemed to be stirring in the cabin. Next he stepped across, and, opening
wider the door of 61, looked in. The two inmates were, to all
appearances, sleeping soundly.
"So far, so good," he said to himself.
He stepped in, moderating even his breathing, and took up a pair of
pants which lay on a chair. They belonged to Mr. Waterbury, for Tom had
merely taken off his coat, and lain down as he was. His belt of gold he
therefore found it unnecessary to take off.
Graham saw at once, from the size of the pants, that they must belong to
the elder passenger. This suited him, however, as he knew from Vincent's
information that Mr. Waterbury had six hundred dollars, and Tom could
not be supposed to have anything like this sum. He felt eagerly in the
pockets, and to his great joy his hand came in contact with a pocketbook.
He drew it out without ceremony. It was a comfortable-looking wallet,
fairly bulging with bills.
"He's got all his money inside," thought Graham, delighted. "What a fool
he must be to leave it so exposed--with his door open, too!"
At this moment Graham heard a stir in the lower berth. There was no time
to wait. He glided out of the room, and reentered his own stateroom.
Immediately after his departure Mr. Waterbury, who had awakened in time
to catch sight of his receding figure, rose in his berth, and drew
toward him the garment which Graham had rifled. He felt in the pocket,
and discovered that the wallet had been taken.
Instead of making a fuss, he smiled quietly, and said: "Just as I
expected."
"I wonder if they have robbed Tom, too," he said to himself.
He rose, closed the door, and then shook Tom with sufficient energy to
awaken him.
"Who's there?" asked Tom, in some bewilderment, as he opened his eyes.
"It's I--Mr. Waterbury."
"Is it morning? Have we arrived?"
"No, it is about midnight."
"Is there anything the matter?"
"I want you to see if you have been robbed.'"
Tom was broad awake in an instant.
"Robbed!" he exclaimed, in alarm. He felt for his belt and was relieved.
"No," he answered. "What makes you ask?"
"Because I have had a wallet taken. It makes me laugh when I think of
it."
"Makes you laugh!" repeated Tom, under the transient impression that his
companion was insane. "Why should you laugh at the loss of your money?"
"I saw the thief sneak out of the stateroom," continued Mr. Waterbury;
"but I didn't interfere with him."
"You didn't!" said Tom, completely mystified. "I would. Did you see who
it was?"
"Yes; it was your friend and late roommate."
"Mr. Graham?"
"As he calls himself. I don't suppose he has any rightful claim to the
name."
"Surely, Mr. Waterbury, you are not going to let him keep the money,"
said Tom energetically; "I'll go with you, and make him give it up.
Where is his stateroom?"
"Just opposite--No. 62."
"We had better go at once," said Tom, sitting up in his berth.
"Oh, no; he's welcome to all there is in the pocketbook."
"Wasn't there anything in it?"
"It was stuffed full."
Tom was more than ever convinced that his roommate was crazy. He had
heard that misfortune sometimes affected a man's mind; and he was
inclined to think that here was a case in point.
"You'll get it back," said he soothingly. "Graham can't get off the
boat. We will report the matter to the captain."
"I don't care whether I get it back or not," said Mr. Waterbury.
Tom looked so confused and bewildered that his companion felt called
upon to end the mystification.
"I know what is in your mind," he said, smiling. "You think I am crazy."
"I don't understand how you can take your loss so coolly, sir."
"Then I will explain. That wallet was a dummy."
"A what, sir?"
"A sham--a pretense. My pocketbook and money are safe under my pillow.
The wallet taken by your friend was filled with imitation greenbacks; in
reality, business circulars of a firm in Marietta."
Tom saw it all now.
"It's a capital joke," he said, laughing. "I'd like to see how Graham
looks when he discovers the value of his prize."
"He will look green, and feel greener, I suspect," chuckled Mr.
Waterbury. "You are certain you have lost nothing, Tom?"
"Perfectly certain, sir."
"Then we won't trouble ourselves about what has happened. I fancy,
however, it will be best to keep our own door locked for the remainder
of the night, even at the risk of suffocation."
"That's a capital trick of yours, Mr. Waterbury," said Tom admiringly.
"It has more than once saved me from robbery. I have occasion to travel
considerably, and so am more or less exposed."
"I wonder if Graham will discover the cheat before morning."
"I doubt it. The staterooms are dark, and the imitation is so good that
on casual inspection the strips of paper will appear to be genuine
greenbacks."
Mr. Waterbury retired to his berth, and was soon asleep again. Tom, as
he lay awake, from time to time laughed to himself, as he thought of
Graham's coming disappointment, and congratulated himself that he and
that young man were no longer roommates.
When Graham returned to his stateroom Vincent, who was a light sleeper,
was aroused by the slight noise he made.
"Are you up, Graham?" he asked.
"Yes; I got up a minute."
"Have you been out of the stateroom?"
"Yes."
"What for?"
"To get a glass of water."
There was a vessel of water in the cabin, and this seemed plausible
enough.
"Any chance of doing anything to-night?"
"No, I think not."
Vincent sank back on his pillow, and Graham got back into his berth.
Quietly he drew the wallet from his pocket, in which he had placed it,
and eagerly opened it. The huge roll of bills was a pleasant and welcome
sight.
"There's all of six hundred dollars here!" he said to himself. "I
mustn't let Vincent know that I have them."
It occurred to Graham that, of course, Mr. Waterbury would proclaim his
loss in the morning, and it also occurred to him that he might be able
to fasten suspicion upon Tom, who, as his roommate, would naturally have
the best chance to commit the robbery. One thing might criminate
him--the discovery of the wallet upon his person. He therefore waited
till Vincent was once more asleep, and, getting up softly, made his way
to the deck. He drew the bills from the wallet, put them in an inside
pocket, and threw the wallet into the river.
"Now I'm safe," he muttered, with a sigh of relief. "The money may be
found on me, but no one can prove it is not my own."
He gained his berth without again awakening his companion.
"A pretty good night's work!" he said to himself, in quiet exultation.
"Alone I have succeeded, while Vincent lies in stupid sleep. He is no
match for me, much as he thinks of himself. I have stolen a march upon
him this time."
It is not in accordance with our ideas of the fitness of things that a
man who has committed a midnight robbery should be able to sleep
tranquilly for the balance of the night, but it is at any rate certain
that Graham slept soundly till his roommate awakened him in the morning.
"Rouse up, Graham," he said. "Breakfast is nearly ready."
"Is it?" asked Graham.
"Instead of sleeping there, you ought to be thinking how we can make a
forced loan from our acquaintances in 61."
"To be sure," said Graham, smiling. "I am rather stupid about such
things. Have you any plan to suggest?"
"You seem very indifferent all at once," said Vincent.
"Not at all. If you think of anything practical I am your man."
He longed to get rid of Vincent, in order to have an opportunity of
counting his roll of bills.