boy, but, as he was a
quarter of a mile off, he couldn't say. He never left his beat till one
in the morning. By that time the tide was in. He didn't actually see
Tom White row off in the _Martha_ but neither of them was to be seen in
Templeton next day.

After this piece of conclusive evidence the public looked at one another
and shook their heads, and thought what wonderful men the Templeton
police were for finding out things.

"Have you any questions to ask the witness?" demanded the clerk of Tom.

"Thank'ee, no, sir; it's all one to me," said Tom. "Bless yer! I never
knows nothing about it till a young gentleman says to me, 'They're after
you,' says he; 'scuttle off.' So I scuttled off. Bless you, sir, I
didn't know I was doing harm."

Under this thunderbolt Dick almost collapsed. Fortunately, Tom's short
memory kept him from recognising him in the matter any more than the
other occupants of the seat. He nodded generally to the young gentlemen
as a body--a most compromising nod, and one which included all five in
it meaning.

One of the magistrates who saw it looked up and asked genially:--

"You don't mean to say it was one of those young gentlemen, prisoner?"

"Bless you, sir, likely as not. They young gentlemen, sir, always spare
a trifle for a honest--"

"Yes, yes; we don't want all that! If you have no more questions to ask
the constable, the constable may stand down."

The constable stood down, and a brief consultation again ensued between
the Bench and the clerk which Dick, firmly believing that it referred to
him, watched with terrible interest.

"Yes," said the magistrate, looking up, "we remand the case for a week."

Dick breathed again. The storm had blown over after all. Not only had
he himself escaped punishment for conspiring against the ends of
justice, but Tom White had still another week during which something
might turn up.

The court emptied rapidly as the case ended.

"Rather hot! wasn't it?" said Duffield, as the five found themselves
outside, solacing themselves with the last "go" of the creams.

"Awful!" said the "Firm" from the bottom of their hearts, and feeling
that many afternoons like this would materially shorten their days.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

HOW OUR HEROES TURN THEIR ATTENTION TO THE CHASE.

During the few days which followed their gallant but unsuccessful
attempt to "back up" Tom White, the "Firm" found plenty to think about
nearer home.

Th