the
pencil, into his pocket, and never given it another thought. During the
evening, however, having occasion to search the pocket for another of
its numerous contents, he came upon it, and drew it out.

"What's that--the _Templeton Observer_?" asked Heathcote, becoming
suddenly serious. "Anything in it?"

"I haven't looked," said Dick, becoming serious, too, and inwardly
anathematising the public press.

"May as well," said Heathcote.

"Perhaps there'll be something about the All England Tennis Cup in it,"
said Coote.

Dick opened the paper, and his jaw dropped at the first paragraph which
met his eye.

"Well," said Heathcote, reflecting his friend's consternation in his own
looks, "whatever is it?"

"Has Lawshaw won it, or Renford?" inquired Coote.

Dick passed the paper to Georgie, who read as follows:--

*The mysterious disappearance of a Templeton boat*.--The boatman
Thomas White was arrested yesterday at Glistow, and will be charged
before the magistrates on Saturday with fraudulently pawning the boat
_Martha_, knowing the same to be only partially his own property. The
case is attracting much interest in the town. No news has yet reached
us of the missing boat, but we hear on good authority that
circumstances have come to light pointing to White himself as the
thief, and we believe evidence to this effect will be offered at
Saturday's examination. The police are reticent on the subject.

"What was the score of sets?" asked Coote, as Heathcote put down the
paper.

The latter replied by handing the paper to the questioner and pointing
to the fatal paragraph.

Coote read it in great bewilderment. Of course he knew all about Tom
White's row and the missing _Martha_. Every Templeton fellow, from
Mansfield down to Gosse, knew it. But why should Dick and Heathcote
look so precious solemn about it?

"By Jove!" said he, "I wish they'd catch the fellow. What's the use of
the police being reticent?"

"Coote, old man," said Dick, in a tone which made the youth addressed
open his eyes, "do you know how the _Martha_ got lost?"

"Stolen," said Coote, "by a fellow who was skulking about on the sands."

"Wrong. She was turned adrift; someone loosed the anchor rope when the
tide was coming in."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I was the fellow."

"And I helped," said Heathcote.

"My eye! what a regular row!" said Coote.

Whereupon the "Firm" swore eternal friendship, and r