ns, or any other kind of
spoons, either, for that matter. I was tired of all this beating
around the bush, and made a straight drive to find out the truth.
Either that boy is innocent, or else he's guilty, and now we can learn
which it is."

"What do you plan to do, now you have the spoon?" demanded Hugh.

"Why," explained Thad, "I thought perhaps you'd agree to take me over
to call on Madame Pangborn, even if it is Sunday. The better the day
the better the deed; and our main object would be to solve the horrible
mystery that's been hanging over poor Owen's head all this while, even
if he doesn't know about it. What do you say to that, Hugh?"

The other boy seemed to consider, while Thad watched his face eagerly.
It was just like Thad to go directly at the heart of the matter, for
his was rather an impetuous nature. After all, perhaps it might be the
easiest way in which to settle the question. Hugh at least would be
glad to lay his burden down, for it had been an uphill fight all the
way. Besides, there was so much need of his being able to pay full
attention to baseball matters, with the first game only six days off,
that he would welcome any means for winding up his self-appointed task.

"Well, it might be best to drop in on the old lady and have her
identify that spoon as one of her set," he finally observed. "Once
that fact was established, we would have some solid foundation to build
on. As it is now, we're just groping in the dark."

"Then you agree, do you, Hugh?"

"Call it a bargain, Thad. I'll take you around to call on the old
lady. She's a nice soul, and will be glad to see us. In fact, when we
were talking about a number of things the last time I was in her house,
and I chanced to mention your name, she asked me to fetch you around
sometime. Of course she knows who you are, but I guess you've never
really met her. She's a wonderful old woman, and heart and soul bent
on getting all sorts of comforts for the wounded soldiers of her
beloved la belle France."

Thad looked greatly pleased.

"Then let's be starting out right away," he suggested. "It might be,
Owen would get home before he expected to, and I'd a heap sooner he
wasn't around when we were on our way to the Pangborn house. Somehow,
I'd hate to look the boy in the face after doing what I did; though you
understand it was done in the hope of clearing up this awful puzzle."

"No need of saying that, Thad, because I know what you