bject. Luke picked it up with
interest.

"Why, it's a watch charm!" exclaimed Dave, coming forward.

"So it is! How did that get in my slipper?"

"What's that?" cried Shadow, coming over, while some of the other
students did the same.

"Luke just found this watch charm stuck in the toe of one of his old
slippers," explained Dave.

"That is Nat Poole's charm--the one he lost from his watch-chain!" cried
Ben.

"Are you sure, Ben?"

"Pretty sure, yes. I've seen it often enough to know it."

"Yes, it looks like Nat's charm," said Roger.

"And was that charm in your slipper?" questioned Shadow, excitedly.

"Yes, it just dropped out."

"Were those slippers taken at the time all our shoes and boots and
slippers disappeared?" continued Shadow.

"Yes. Say, Shadow, you don't think----"

"Yes, I do!" shouted the lad who had the reputation of walking in his
sleep. "I think Nat Poole took those shoes, slippers, and boots, and
then got scared in some way and returned them. And when he boxed 'em up
he caught his watch charm in the slipper, and the charm dropped inside."

"It looks reasonable," was Dave's comment.

"You let me have that charm and I'll find out about this," went on
Shadow. "I'll show him he can't do such a thing and then shove it off on
me, and make folks believe I took the shoes while I was walking in my
sleep!"

"Going after Nat now?" asked Buster.

"Yes."

"Do you want anybody along?" asked Dave. "Better have witnesses to
this."

"All right; Dave, you come along,--and you too, Phil. I guess you want
to know what became of that missing gym. shoe."

"So I do," answered the shipowner's son.

"Where is Nat?" asked Roger.

"I don't know, but I'll soon find out," answered Shadow, with
determination. He had been deeply chagrined over the disappearance of
the shoes, boots, and slippers, and had felt it keenly when he was
suspected of having walked in his sleep once again and made off with the
foot coverings.

The three students left the dormitory, and from another lad learned that
Nat was in the library. They sent a small boy after him, stating that he
was wanted at once at the "den," a room where the students sometimes
congregated, but which just then was deserted.

Wondering what was coming, the money-lender's son soon put in an
appearance. He had not been told who wished to see him, and his face
fell when he saw Shadow, Dave, and Phil.

"What do you want?" he asked, surlily. "I am busy t