the thicket. He searched savagely at first, then despairingly.
Not a shred of his wardrobe was to be found.

"What became of my clothes?" Martin demanded, stepping out into
the open. Tears brimmed his eyes now.

"Clothes? Your clothing?" asked Amos Garwood, again coming to
a realization of things about him. "Why, I believe the boy who
yelled and ran away from here carried one armful of things with
him."

"Which way did he run?" throbbed Hi.

"That way." Garwood pointed to the road.

"You fellows get a few things on and run after Teall as fast as
you can go," ordered Hi. "Quick! Don't lose a moment. Do you
hear?"

"Yes," nodded Prescott.

"Hustle, then!"

"Forget it," requested Dick, deliberately drawing on a shoe over
a sock, next doing the lacing slowly and with great care.

"Which one of you will go!" asked Hi, turning appealingly to the
others.

"Hear the echo?" mocked Dave Darrin. "The echo says, 'which one?'"

"Say, you fellows are meaner than poison!" Hi exploded tremulously.

"You have a very short memory, Hi," retorted Greg Holmes.

"Who was it that put up the job on us? Who helped Teall to do
it?" asked Harry Hazelton.

"But I'm sorry for that," protested Hi Martin, tears again coming
to his eyes.

"I believe you," Dick nodded cheerily. "You're indeed sorry---sorry
for the way it turned out for yourself."

"But aren't you fellows going after Teall and my clothes?" insisted
the naked one.

"We're not going to chase Teall," Darrin answered, "if that's
what you mean. But, see here, Martin, I'm not going to be downright
mean with you."

"Thank you," said Martin gratefully. "You always were a good
fellow, Darrin."

"I'm going to be a good fellow now," Dave pursued. "I'm not going
to chase Teall, for we don't know which way he went, and he'll
be hiding. But I'll go around to your house and tell your folks
where you are, and what a fix you're in."

I'll go to-night, just as soon as I've eaten my supper."

"You---you great idiot!" exploded Hi.

"Now, for that insult, I take back my promise," Dave retorted
solemnly. "You needn't talk any more, Martin. I won't do a blessed
thing for you now."

"Dave, you're altogether too rough on a fellow that's in hard
luck," remonstrated Greg, then turned to Martin to add:

"Hi, it's no use to go chasing Ted Teall, but I'll tell you what
I'll do. I'm all dressed now, and I'll go straight to your house
and get some clothes for you, so you can come o