Cast Upon the Breakers | Page 7

ST. Morton Park
Lots.
"Come to see me at any time," he said, "and we will talk the matter
over."
Here the train boy came along and Rodney bought a copy of Puck,
while the agent resumed the perusal of a copy of a magazine. For an
hour the cars ran smoothly. Then there was a sudden shock causing all
the passengers to start to their feet.
"We're off the track!" shouted an excitable person in front of Rodney.
The instinct of self preservation is perhaps stronger than any other.
Rodney and his seat mate both jumped to their feet and hurried to the
door of the car, not knowing what was in store for them.
But fortunately the train had not been going rapidly. It was approaching
a station and was "slowing up." So, though it had really run off the
track, there was not likely to be any injury to the passengers.
"We are safe," said Adin Woods. "The only harm done is the delay. I
hope that won't be long. Suppose we go back to our seat." They
returned to the seat which they had jointly occupied.
Then Rodney made an alarming discovery. "My casket!" he exclaimed.

"Where is it?"
"What did you do with it?"
"Left it on the seat."
"It may have fallen to the floor."
Rodney searched for it in feverish excitement, but his search was vain.
THE CASKET HAD DISAPPEARED!
CHAPTER IV.
IN PURSUIT OF A THIEF.
"Were the contents of the casket valuable?" asked the land agent.
"Yes; it contained my mother's jewels, all the more valuable because
she is dead," replied Rodney.
"Were they of much intrinsic worth?"
"They must be worth several hundred dollars at least."
"Then they must be found," said Adin Woods energetically. "They have
evidently been taken by some passenger during the five minutes we
were away from our seat."
"Were you inquiring about the casket?" asked a lady sitting opposite.
"Yes, madam. Can you give any information about it?"
"Just after you left your seat the man that sat behind you rose and
reaching over for it went to the rear end of the car and got out."
"I wish you had stopped him, madam."
"He was so cool about it that I thought he might be a friend of the
young gentleman."

"I didn't know him. He must have been a thief."
"What was his appearance, madam?" asked the lot agent.
"He was a thin, dark complexioned man, with side whiskers coming
half way down his cheeks."
"And you say he got out of the rear end of the car?"
"Yes, sir."
"He won't get on the train again," said the agent turning to Rodney. "He
thinks the casket valuable enough to pay him for the interruption of his
journey."
"What shall I do then?" asked Rodney, feeling helpless and at a loss
which way to turn.
"Follow him," said the agent briefly. "He will probably stop over in the
village a day and resume his journey tomorrow."
"Even if I found him I am afraid I shouldn't know how to deal with
him."
"Then I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll stop over with you and help you
make it hot for him. I've had a spite against thieves ever since I had a
valuable overcoat stolen in one of my journeys."
"I shall feel very much obliged to you, Mr. Woods, but won't it
interfere with your business?"
"Not materially. If we succeed in overhauling the rascal I shall feel
sufficiently repaid for the small interruption. But come on, we can't
afford to linger here while he is carrying off the plunder."
"I don't know how I can repay you, Mr. Woods," said Rodney
gratefully.
"You can buy a lot of me when you get rich enough."

"I will certainly do so, though I am afraid it will be a long time first."
"You don't know what good fortune may be in store for you. Did you
notice, madam, in which direction the thief went?"
"Yes, I was looking out of the window. He went over the road to the
left."
"That leads to the village. You will see, Mr. Ropes, that I was right
about his plans."
"Don't call me Mr. Ropes. Call me Rodney."
"I will. It don't seem natural to dub a boy Mr. Now, Rodney, follow
me."
The two passengers set out on the road that led to the village. They
could see the latter easily, for it was not more than a mile away.
"He will be surprised to think we have 'struck his trail' so quick," said
the agent.
"Where shall we go first?"
"To the hotel if there is one."
"The village seems small."
"Yes, there are only a few hundred inhabitant probably. It is not a place
where