The High School Boys in Summer Camp | Page 6

and the number.
"Name of your family physician?" went on the stranger.
"Dr. Bentley."
"Has he always been your family physician?"

"Ever since I can remember," Greg declared.
"Thank you," and Colquitt turned to leave.
"Won't you stay and have an ice with us?" urged Hibbert.
"Too much to do," replied Colquitt, shaking his head and walking out.
Now the high school boys found themselves doubly, trebly puzzled. If
Mr. Hibbert were an amiable lunatic, what of Colquitt? Both had
appeared to know something mysterious about young Holmes.
Tom Reade, also, was thinking deeply. Dave Darrin was frowning. Dan
Dalzell was grinning slightly, while Hazelton was giving his whole
attention to the second ice before him.
Hibbert, however, passed to other topics as lightly as though he had
already forgotten all about fortunes and ears. The time passed
pleasantly until all of the five chums felt that they could hold no more
ices. Then Hibbert, having paid the bill, left the ice cream place with
them.
Outside they encountered Mr. Colquitt once more.
"May I have a word aside with you, sir?" demanded Colquitt.
"A dozen," agreed Hibbert readily.
The two walked apart from the boys, going down the sidewalk together
slowly. But the youngsters heard Hibbert say earnestly:
"I tell you, Colquitt, that is the boy. He has the ear and all. And he'll be
in luck with the money he'll have!"
"And I tell you, Mr. Hibbert, that he isn't the boy at all," retorted
Colquitt, with even greater positiveness.
More was said, but the two passed out of hearing.

"Greg," declared Tom Reade solemnly, "it appears that you're the
million-dollar kid!"
"I know it," grinned young Holmes. "I am! Also it seems equally
certain that I am not!"
"What do you make of the whole business, fellows?" Tom asked,
turning to the other chums.
"I've my own idea," laughed Dave Darrin.
"Give it us, quickly!" begged Danny Grin.
"My idea," Dave declared, "is that Hibbert is a rather harmless lunatic,
yet one who has to be watched a bit."
"Then what about Colquitt?" urged Hazelton.
"Colquitt," guessed Darry, "is Hibbert's keeper."
"The mild lunatic idea," Tom observed, "fits in well with a chap who,
in this sweltering July weather, will insist on wearing a four-quart silk
hat, a spite-fence collar and a long, black, double-breasted coat."
"There's only one part of the whole dream that I'd like to believe,"
sighed young Holmes. "I'd be quite willing to have it proved to me that
I'm a young millionaire!"
"What would you do if you had the million---right in your hand?"
quizzed Danny Grin.
"I'd transfer it to my pockets," Greg answered.
"What next?" pressed Dan.
"I'd hurry to the bank with the money."
"And---then?" Dan still insisted.

"Then," supplied practical Tom Reade, "he'd end our suspense by
paying Dick ninety dollars for our war canoe!"
"I would," Greg agreed.

CHAPTER II
DICK AND SOME HIGH FINANCE
"I feel like a fellow without any manners," complained Dave Darrin.
"What have you done now?" asked Greg, coming out of his
million-dollar trance.
"It's what I haven't done," Darry answered. "It's also what none of us
have done. We haven't thanked our very pleasant, even if slightly
erratic, host for his entertainment."
"We can't very well butt in," declared Reade, glancing down the street.
"Hibbert and his kee---I mean, his friend---are still talking earnestly. I
wonder if they lock poor Hibbert up part of the time?"
Colquitt and young Mr. Hibbert had now turned in at the Eagle Hotel.
Dave glanced at his watch, remarking:
"Fellows, it's ten minutes after six. Those of you who want any supper
will do well to hurry home."
"I'm certain that I can't eat a bit of supper," declared Hazelton, looking
almost alarmed. "I've eaten so much of that cream and cantaloupe that I
haven't a cubic inch of space left for anything else."
Nevertheless the high school boys parted, going their various directions,
after having agreed to meet by seven o'clock. All wanted to be on hand
when Prescott got back to town.
After supper Greg had not been out of the house five minutes when Mr.

Hibbert appeared at the gate of the Holmes cottage, and passed inside.
The caller inquired for Greg's father, met that gentleman, and the two
remained in private conversation for some five minutes.
Ere the first minute was over, however, Greg's father might have been
heard, from the sidewalk, laughing uproariously. Finally Mrs. Holmes
was called into the conference. She came forth again, looking
somewhat amused.
From that meeting Hibbert went back to Main Street, where he fell in
with Tom Colquitt.
"Are you satisfied, now?" demanded the latter.
"I'm puzzled," replied Hibbert, with the air and tone of a man who hates
to give up a delusion.
Colquitt and Hibbert