Henry Ernest Dudeney/Puzzles and Curious Problems/34 - The Banker and the Note

by : $34$

 * The Banker and the Note
 * A banker in a country town was walking down the street when he saw a $\pounds 5$ note on the kerb-stone.
 * He picked it up, noted the number, and went to his private house for luncheon.
 * His wife said that the butcher had sent in his bill for $\pounds 5$,
 * and, as the only money he had was the note he had found, he gave it to her and she paid the butcher.


 * The butcher paid it to a farmer in buying a calf,
 * the farmer paid it to a merchant
 * who in turn paid it to a laundry-woman,
 * and she, remembering that she owed the bank $\pounds 5$, went there and paid the note.


 * The banker recognised the note as the one he had found,
 * and by that time it had paid $\pounds 25$ worth of debts.


 * On careful examination he discovered that the note was counterfeit.


 * Now, what was lost in the whole transaction, and by whom?