Two Boys and a Fortune Part 41

A troubled look crossed Miles's face.

"No; what do you mean, Rex?"

"Don't you remember what you found out a little while ago-- about the man who left you with the Morriseys?"

"Oh, my father. Has your brother heard anything about him? Is that what you want me for?"

"It's about that; yes. I'm not sure whether your father has been found, but something else has been found that belongs to you."

"And what is that?" asked Miles eagerly.

"A fortune."

CHAPTER x.x.xIII

A QUEER FISH POND PARTY

Miles stared at Rex as though he did not comprehend the meaning of the word.

"A fortune?" he repeated. "What fortune?"

"Why, your fortune, to be sure," returned Rex.

"But I don't understand," went on Miles. "How can I have a fortune?"

"Easy enough, since your father has one. Syd knows all about it.

You're a lucky fellow, Miles. It's somewhere about half a million."

Miles looked very grave for half a minute, then a smile broke out over his face.

"Come, Rex," he said, "I see through your joke, so you might as well drop it. You oughtn't to have made the sum so high if you expected me to believe it."

"It's true, all the same, Miles."

But Miles still shook his head and declared he should wait to believe till Mr. Sydney told him all about it.

"I wonder if Syd will tell him the whole thing tonight?" Rex asked himself, but Sydney was not home to dinner.

There was a note from him to Rex, however, asking that he and Roy and Miles should meet him at the Continental Hotel that night at eight.

This threw Rex into a great state of excitement. He knew that the crisis was at hand.

Roy took things more quietly, but inwardly he was none the less excited.

"Syd wants us to meet him down town," he said as they rose from the table.

He had been waiting for Rex to tell Miles, but the other had not yet brought himself to do it.

"Where are you going?" Jess wanted to know. "To the theater?"

"No, indeed," responded Rex. Then he folded up his napkin quickly and left the dining room.

"Has this visit got anything to do with my father?" Miles whispered to Roy, as they went out into the hall together.

"I think it has, Miles, but I don't know much more about it than you do."

There was not much said by the three boys on their way down town. Rex was in one of his silent moods, and made no effort to get out of it.

Roy tried to talk, but there was such a weight on his mind that he made but poor success of the attempt.

Miles was far too excited, however, to notice the difference in manner of the twins compared with their usual cordiality.

They found Sydney waiting for them in the corridor of the hotel. He was looking very haggard, but he seemed very glad to see Miles.

"I have good news for you, my boy," he said; "good and bad, too. I have found your father, but he is not quite himself."

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Miles, while Roy and Rex looked their interest.

"His mind is affected," Sydney went on. "We hope the sight of you may have a favorable effect, but be careful not to be excited yourself when you see him. Take it quite as a matter of course."

Miles drew in a long breath. It was going to be rather a difficult matter for him to take easily a meeting with the father he had thought never to see.

"Where is he?" he asked in a faint tone.

"Not far from here. Come, we will go there at once."

On the way to Mrs. Fox's Sydney explained that he and the old lady had arranged that she should give a sort of boys' party at which Mr.

Darley should be present. He would then have an opportunity to study Miles quietly, while the latter was engaged in playing games.

"You look so much like him," Sydney added, "that we hope he may recognize you."

Miles appeared to be somewhat astonished when they halted before the odd little home in Seventh Street. But he said nothing, and the next moment they were all being warmly welcomed by Mrs. Fox.

The old lady was so excited that both her hands and voice trembled.

She came near crying when she first saw Miles, but she greeted him exactly as she had the twins. There was a game of Fish Pond on the center table.

"Now, boys," she said, "try your luck."

They all drew up to the table, Sydney taking a rod, too. The old lady stood looking on behind Miles's chair. Presently she went out into the back room and in a few minutes returned, accompanied by a gentleman who did not look to be over thirty-seven. He was dressed very handsomely and his resemblance to Miles was striking.

"Mr. Darley, boys," said Mrs. Fox, as the two came up to the table.

"Go right on with your fis.h.i.+ng; we will watch you."

She had taken up her stand this time behind Rex, who was sitting just opposite Miles.

"Glad to meet you, boys," remarked Mr. Darley, in a pleasant voice.

"How is the market?"

Rex, with an effort, collected himself sufficiently to answer, "Oh, pretty fair, sir."