k.

"I knew some wouldn't, but I thought the whole affair would make
such a row that Prescott would never be quite able to hold up
his head in Gridley again," declared Drayne huskily. "But I thought
that it would stop his thinking of going to West Point, anyway."

"Instead of which," muttered Simmons dryly, "you'll get four
years---or more, Drayne at some place that won't be West Point."

"Oh, my father won't quite stand for that," returned Phin, a bit
more loftily. "He has money and some family pride."

"Money doesn't help much for confessed burglars," rejoined Chief
Simmons.

At that moment Heathcote Drayne, who had been roused out of bed
by a policeman, came in, so white faced that Dick and Dave felt
sorry indeed for the unhappy parent.

But Dick didn't remain to see the meeting between father and son.
Prescott and his chum hastened around to "The Blade" office.
Gladly enough would both boys have kept Phin's disgrace from
going before the public, but it was too big a story, locally,
and was bound to come out. So Dick wrote a straight account,
after which he and Dave hurried home to get the fag end of a night's
rest.

Gridley merchants lost but little, in the end, through the series
of burglaries. Most of the plunder was recovered at the junk
shop.

Bill Stevens was sent to prison for a term of eight years. Phin,
being only seventeen, was allowed to plead his youth. In his
case justice was satisfied with his commitment to a reform school
until he should be twenty-one years of age.

And so ended the story of the mysterious burglaries.

CHAPTER XXV

Conclusion

One evening about a week after these events Dick and Dave were
sitting in the former's room chatting, when Greg Holmes and Dan
Dalzell, apparently in great good humor, broke in upon them.

"When do you go to West Point, Dick?" queried Greg.

"I'm ordered to report to the adjutant there on the first of March,"
Prescott replied.

"Mind my running up there with you?" demanded Greg.

"Why, I'd be tickled to pieces, if you can afford the trip, Greg."

"Oh, I guess I can," laughed the other boy. "Dad is going to
pay my freight bill."

"See here, you fellows, you can't have been reading the newspapers
much, since you two were appointed," broke in Dan Dalzell.

"What have we missed?" challenged Dave.

"Why, didn't you know a thing about Senator Frayne and his
appointments?" went on Dan Dalzell. "The Senator doesn't appoint
fro