d down close to the beach, gathering up all of Martin's
garments and the hat and shoes.

"Say, it must be fine to have a pretty well fixed father," murmured
Ted wistfully. "All these duds of Hi's are of the best quality.
I wonder if I'll be able to wear clothes like these when I'm
earning my own money?"

Then he started off, going more slowly than on his two previous
trips, for he felt that he had plenty of time. But at last the
nearing voices of the returning swimmers warned him.

"They can't see me," chuckled Ted. "If any of 'em chase me, I
can make a quick dash for the road and they won't dare follow
me there. They'd be afraid of running into other people."

So Ted even dallied for a while. Some of the angry words uttered
reached his ears and delighted him.

"Hi Martin is hot with wrath, and I'm glad of it," chuckled Ted
to himself. "So he thought I'd spare him, did he! Huh! The
next time he'd better be a little more careful over his remarks
about 'mucker' schools!"

Then Ted walked on again leisurely.

"I believe I'll let these fellows stay here until about dark,
hunting for their clothes, and not finding 'em," reflected Teall.
"Then I'll have Ed Payne drop around and tell 'em just where
to look. They can't thump Payne, for he won't be guilty of anything
but helping 'em. Then maybe Dick Prescott will pitch dynamite
again for me to bat at!"

Teall gained the thicket that concealed the other clothing. Just
as he was about to cast Martin's belongings after the other wardrobes,
he was disturbed by a sound close at hand.

With a start Ted looked up. Then he felt uneasy; frightened,
in fact. At his side stood a shabbily dressed man of middle age.
The man's cheeks were sunken, though they burned with an unhealthy
glow. There was, in the eyes, also a light that made Ted creepy.

"S-s-say, wh-what do you want?" stammered Teall.

"So you are a thief, and at work?" inquired the man, who had
rested a thin but rather strong hand on Ted's shoulder.

"A thief?" Teall repeated indignantly. "No, sir! And nothing
like it, either."

"Is all the clothing in there yours?" demanded the stranger sternly.

"No, sir," Ted answered promptly.

"Then-----"

"You see," Ted went on more glibly, and trying to conceal the
fact that he was very uneasy under those burning eyes, "it's just
a joke that I'm playing on some fellows who are swimming."

"You consider that sort of a joke humorous?" demanded the stranger,
tightening