he manager, Mr. Robb?"

Robb made a face.

"Oh, I don't pay much attention to him. Sometimes I feel sorry for
him, and then again I can't help despising him. He's got bank
aristocracy in him, and that makes it hard for him among us common
fellows. I think I insulted him this afternoon--"

Bill interrupted with:

"Wouldn't be surprised if he squealed it to the Big Eye."

The boys called Inspector I. Castle the "Big Eye," because of his
initial and of his facility for seeing things; also for other reasons.

"Oh, no," said the manager, sceptically, "I don't think he's that much
of a cad."

"Well, you know, Mr. Robb, he'd soothe his poor little conscience with
the thought that it is a fellow's duty to report any treason against
head office. That's the policy the bank itself pursues. Why should
Castle have any more honor than he is taught to have?"

Evan pretended to be busy, but he was listening.

Mr. Robb laughed.

"I'm ashamed of you, Watson," he said, and still smiling, walked away.
Once inside his office, however, his face straightened and he looked
steadily at a corner of the ceiling.

When Castle left the bank, about four-thirty, he walked soberly up town
to the Coign Hotel and ascended to his room. It was a nice room for
the teller of a town bank to occupy, boasting a wicker chair, a leather
couch and a brass bed. A couple of rather pretentious pictures hung on
the walls, otherwise decorated with pennants. The pennants were all
Alfred knew about colleges. A desk filled one corner of the room, and
there was the atmosphere of an office over all. The wonder is that Alf
didn't have his bed encaged.

To his desk the nifty bankman turned his eyes. After washing his hands
and adjusting his tie, he sat down to write.

Twenty-four hours after the letter he had written was mailed Inspector
I. Castle received one addressed in his nephew's handwriting.

Before a week had passed Sam Robb enjoyed the privilege of reading a
circular. It dealt with loyalty to the bank. One paragraph read as
follows:

"We wish to warn the managers and staff against the common tendency to
ridicule bank customs and establishments. Some of our employes have
gone so far as to criticize head office indiscriminately in the matter
of salaries, etc. We think it only fair that instances of disaffection
should be reported to us, so that we may ascertain who is and who is
not loyal to the bank, and reward accordingly."

The c