s, valued at fifteen hundred dollars, had
been left in the committee room next to the principal's office in the
new school building. It being Saturday, the outer doors of the
building were locked--or supposedly so.

Benny Thread, the janitor, was with the four committeemen in the
basement for a little more than half an hour. During that half-hour
Nelson Haley had entered the school building, using his pass key, had
been to his office, and entered the committee room, and from thence
departed, all while the committee was below stairs.

He had been seen both going in and coming out by the neighbors. He
carried his school bag in both instances. The collection of coins was
of some weight; but Nelson could have carried that weight easily.

The committee, upon returning to the second floor and finding the trays
empty, had at once sent for Nelson and questioned him. In their first
excitement over the loss of the coins, they had been unwise enough to
state the trouble and their suspicions to more than one person. In an
hour the story, with many additions, had spread over Polktown. A fire
before a high wind could have traveled no faster.

Uncle Jason listened, digested, and made up his mind. Although a
moderate man, he thought to some purpose. He was soon satisfied that
the four committeemen, having got over their first fright, would do
nothing rash. And Janice had much to thank her uncle for in this
emergency; for he was outspoken, once having formed an opinion in the
matter.

Finding the four committeemen in the drugstore, Uncle Jason berated
them soundly:

"I did think you four fellers was safe to be let toddle about alone. I
swan I did! But here ye ac' jest like ye was nuthin' but babies!

"Jest because ye acted silly and left that money open for the fust
comer to pocket, ye hafter run about an' squeal, layin' it all to the
fust person that come that way. If Mr. Middler or Elder Concannon had
come inter that school buildin', I s'pose it'd ha' been jest the same.
You fellers would aimed ter put it on them--one or t'other. I'm
ashamed of ye."

"Wal, Jase Day, you're so smart," drawled Cross Moore, "who d'ye reckon
could ha' took the coins?"

"Most anybody _could_. Mr. Haley sartinly did _not_," Uncle Jason
returned, briskly.

"How d'ye know so much?" demanded Massey, the druggist.

"'Cause I know him," rejoined Mr. Day, quite as promptly as before.

"Aw--that's only talk," said Joe Pellet, pulling