."

"But Ripley was not at school for the last few days, until today,"
broke in Dr. Thornton. "Now, a pin and a watch were missed while
Ripley was not attending school."

"I know it, sir," Dick nodded. "As to those two articles I cannot
offer even the ghost of an explanation."

"I don't like to accuse you of taking Ripley's scarf-pin, nor
do I like to suspect him of putting up such a contemptible trick,"
explained Dr. Thornton, thoughtfully. "As far as the incident
of the scarf-pin goes I am willing to admit that your explanation
is just as likely to be good as is any other."

"Prescott, what did you do with the other pin and the watch?"
shot in Policeman Hemingway, suddenly and compellingly.

It was well done. Had Dick been actually guilty, he might either
have betrayed himself, or gone to stammering. But, as it was,
he smiled, wanly, as he replied:

"I didn't do anything with them, Mr. Hemingway. I have just been
explaining that."

"How much money have you about you at this moment?" demanded Hemingway.

"Two cents, I believe," laughed Dick, beginning to turn out his
pockets. He produced the two copper coins, and held them out
to the special officer.

"You may have more about you, then, somewhere," hinted the officer.

"Find it, then," begged Dick, frankly, as he stepped forward.
"Search me. I'll allow it, and shall be glad to have you do it."

So Policeman Hemingway made the search, with the speed and skill
of an expert.

"No; you've no more money about you," admitted the policeman.
"You may have some put away, though."

"Where would it be likely to be?" Dick inquired.

"In your room, perhaps; in your baggage, or hidden behind books;
oh, there's a lot of places where a boy can hide money in his
own room."

"Come along and show me a few of them, then, won't you please?"
challenged the young freshman.

Mrs. Prescott, who had been hovering near the doorway, gave a
gasp of dismay. To her tortured soul this police investigation
seemed to be the acme of disgrace. It all pointed to the arrest
of her boy---to a long term in some jail or reformatory, most
likely.

"Madame," asked the plain clothes man, stepping to the door, "will
you give your full consent to my searching your son's room---in
the presence of yourself and of Dr. Thornton, of course? I am
obliged to ask your permission, for, without a search warrant
I have no other legal right than that which you may give me."

"Of course yo