guess."

"We didn't have enough gasolene to go fast," growled Herring, who
came up at that moment. "We got out without knowing it. We'll
race you for ten dollars to-morrow."

"Oh, we are satisfied," chuckled Billy, while Percival looked
significantly at Jack, and said:

"What did I tell you, Jack? A poor excuse is better than none."

Jack said nothing, and he and Percival went off into the woods.

Within a short time of the supper hour when the boys returned they
were told by Bucephalus that the doctor wished to see them, and
they went at once to the cottage where they found a well-dressed
stranger talking with the principal.

"This is the young gentleman who found the watch," said Dr. Wise.
"Will you describe it to him?"

"It is a lady's watch," said the other slowly, and in well modulated
tones. "It was a present to my wife, and, of course, I am sorry to
lose it, and will give a good reward for its return. It was stolen
from the house where I live a few weeks ago, and I have been trying
to find it ever since. I did succeed in tracing the man whom I
suspected of stealing it, but when he was arrested the watch was not
in his possession. I saw an advertisement in the paper only this
afternoon, which made me think that perhaps this might be the watch
I am in search of."

Jack looked closely at the man who did not have the marks of a bad
character anywhere, being well dressed, well spoken, and evidently
a man of easy means and considerable culture.

There was something about him, nevertheless, that made Jack think
he was not what he seemed, and he tried to think what it was and to
place him in his mind.

"Will you describe the watch, please?"

"Certainly, with the greatest of pleasure," and the man proceeded
to give an accurate description of the watch, not omitting the
slightest detail, giving the name of the maker, the size, the
number of diamonds on the case, and, in fact, everything about it.

"Number, please?" said Jack, still looking fixedly at the man.
"You will know the number of the watch, of course? Persons who
own valuable watches always make a record of the number."

"The number?" said the other. "Oh, yes, to be sure. I have it
in my pocket-book. The rest of the description is accurate, is it?"

"Let me hear the number," said Jack quietly. "Two watches may
be exactly alike, but have different numbers. I have not said
that your description is correct. You have the number?"

"Why