oin
in. Nuts and raisins followed the ice-cream, and then the young folks
went back to the sitting room and the parlor to finish their games and
have some music.

"Dora, you must play for us," said Dick, and led her to the piano. Then,
while some of the others gathered around the girl played "Waiting for
the Wagon," "Aunt Dinah's Quilting Party," and a number of other
favorites, and these the crowd sang lustily.

"Guess it is about time for us to leave," whispered Fred to Dick,
presently. "I know you'll like to have Dora play all night for you, but
it can't be done."

Dick looked at his watch.

"Phew! as late as this!" he exclaimed softly. "Yes, we'll have to go."

"Let us sing 'Home, Sweet Home,'" suggested one of the boys, and Dora
struck up the opening chords. They were in the midst of the first verse
when Dick chanced to glance towards one of the windows and stopped
short.

A man was outside peering in at the party.

[Illustration: A MAN WAS OUTSIDE PEERING IN AT THE PARTY.]

It was Merrick!

"Well, I never!" burst out the eldest Rover boy, and his sudden
exclamation caused Dora to look at him curiously and stop playing.

"What is the matter, Dick?"

"Did you see that man at the window? He is gone now."

"I didn't see anybody."

"Who was it?" asked Tom, quickly.

"It was that rascal Merrick!"

"Merrick!" ejaculated Sam. "The fellow who took Uncle Randolph's bonds?"

"The same."

"Oh, Dick, you must be mistaken."

"I was not mistaken--I saw him as plain as day. I am going to look for
him," added the eldest Rover, for the man had now disappeared.

He ran for the hall door, and the other boys followed. The girls
remained in the parlor, much frightened, for it was after midnight.

As Dick reached the piazza he saw a dark form stealing along a row of
bushes near the garden fence.

"There he is!" he exclaimed. "Stop!" he called out, loudly. "Stop, I
tell you!"

"Who did you say it was?" asked John Laning, as he came from the kitchen
with a stout cane in his hand.

"That rascal Merrick, one of the two men who stole my uncle's traction
company bonds," explained Dick.

"What can he be doing here?"

"I don't know. There he goes, over the fence!"

"He is running towards the side road!" exclaimed Sam. "Come on after
him!"

"Wait till we get our hats and coats," said Tom, and ran back to pick up
the articles mentioned. This took a couple of minutes, and by the time
he came back Merrick was o