silverware, were found upon the two men under arrest. It is supposed that they were frightened away before their work was completed, but a search of the premises both inside and out, failed to reveal a large silver punch bowl, which is missing and the jewelry case of Elsa, the judge’s young daughter. This, it was stated, contained a necklace of pearls valued at nearly a thousand dollars.

An incentive to the capture of the third man is offered by Judge West, in a reward of five hundred dollars, for the return of this precious keepsake.

I just stared at Pee-wee, and he stared at me.

“G-o-o-d night!” I said, “the plot grows thicker.”

G-o-o-d night!

“Those are the very things,” he said; “it’s a mystery.”

“It looks as if we were the third man,” I told him.

“Who?” he wanted to know.

“The eleven of us,” I said.

“How do you explain it?” he asked me, all excited.

“I don’t explain it,” I said; “but I know one thing, and that is, I’m going to get back and tell Harry as soon as I can, before the whole crew of us are arrested. Harry’s going to have a mechanic look the car over this morning. Suppose that mechanic should——”

That was enough for Pee-wee; he started up the street scout-pace, and I guess he must have been pretty excited, because he passed right by an old empty sardine box and didn’t even bother to pick it up.

CHAPTER XIV—WE ARE CRIMINALS

When I got to the hotel sheds, there was Pee-wee standing all out of breath, and Harry and all the rest of them standing around, gaping. Brent was laughing so hard he couldn’t speak, and Harry was saying, “Some scout! Some bullhead!”

Some

Some

“What’s the matter?” I said.

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