ed Mr. Nichols back to the study and indicated a place not
far from the wall safe.

"Mr. Nichols, you don't think that the toy was left by the jewel
thieves?" Mr. Kirmenbach asked in amazement.

"Do you know of any other way the lantern happened to be in this room?"

"No."

"Then we will go upon the assumption that the toy lantern is a clue
left by the thief--a very interesting clue."

"It seems unbelievable!" exclaimed Mr. Kirmenbach. "What would a jewel
thief--a grown man be doing with a toy lantern?"

"It does appear a bit unusual," Mr. Nichols admitted, "but I feel
certain there is a logical explanation."

"I have great faith in your ability, Mr. Nichols," said Mr. Kirmenbach.
"However, I must say that I am unable to see where this clue will lead."

"At the moment I have no idea myself," replied the detective, smiling.
"But I think that this may develop into something."

He declined to amplify his statement further, and a few minutes later
left the house with Penny. They drove slowly back toward Knob Hill.

"Dad, I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Kirmenbach," Penny remarked. "I
don't see what good that toy lantern will do you."

"First I'll have it examined for finger prints," the detective
explained. "However, so many persons have handled it that I don't look
for anything on that score. Next I'll get in touch with Inspector
Harris and have him check on the manufacturers of toy lanterns. I'll
try to find out who bought it."

"But there must be hundreds of toys just like this," Penny protested.
"It doesn't have a single distinguishing feature."

"You're wrong there, Penny. Did you notice the wick?"

"Why, it was just an old piece of cloth."

"Exactly. When the old wick tore away, some ingenious child fashioned
another from a piece of clothing."

"And you hope that it will be possible to trace the cloth?" Penny asked
in amazement.

"That is what I shall try to do."

"You surely don't think that a child committed the robbery, Dad?"

"Hardly, Penny. But the thief may have a child of his own or a small
brother. There is a slight chance that the lantern was left
deliberately, but I rather doubt such a possibility."

Turning in at their own cottage, Penny and her father noticed a strange
car standing by the picket fence.

"It looks as if we have a visitor," the detective observed.

Penny saw a man in a light overcoat standing by the porch talking with
the housekeeper. As she and her fathe