"When Ed stooped over to fix the mud guard on Cora's car, that day
of the race and the collision, the wallet dropped from his pocket
into the soft dust of the road. I saw it and picked it up, intending
first only to play a joke on him. Ida and Mary Downs saw me,
and--well, I don't know what they thought, but I only did it for
fun."
"Queer fun," murmured Jack indignantly.
"I slipped out the money and bonds," went on Sid, "and then Ed
turned toward me, and I didn't know what to do with the empty
wallet. There was only one chance, and I took it. I dropped it in
the tool-box of Cora's car. I was mean to do it, for I thought it
might make a mix-up and add to the joke."
Jack murmured something inaudible, and Cora shot a warning glance at
her brother.
"Yes, it was a poor joke," admitted Sid weakly, "but I've learned a
lesson. I found out it was going to cost considerable to fix my car,
and as I had some other--er--well, expenses to meet, I just used
some of Ed's cash. I knew I could pay it back later.
"That is, I thought I could, but my folks shut down can my
allowance, and when I missed getting that job which Paul Hastings
got I was in a bad way. I didn't know where I was to get the cash to
repay Ed, and I didn't dare say anything, for fear you'd have me
arrested for stealing:
"Then I got mixed in with Lem Gildy.
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