his afternoon."

"Nat, is this your watch charm, the one you lost?" questioned Shadow,
holding out the piece in his hand.

"Sure it is!" cried the money-lender's son. "Where did you find it?"

"Found it just where you lost it--in Luke Watson's slipper."

"Eh?" And Nat looked startled.

"Nat, we have found you out!" cried Shadow, sternly. "You needn't
attempt to deny it. You took those shoes, boots, and slippers."

"Who says so?"

"I do."

"I--I did not."

"Yes, you did."

"Don't you know you were seen?" asked Phil, with a wink at his chums.

It was only a chance shot, but it told in a most unexpected way.

"Say, has Tom Hally been talking about me?" roared Nat, in sudden rage.
"If he has I'll--I'll----"

"Now, take it easy," advised Dave. "Nat, don't you realize that this is
a serious matter?"

"I don't care! I'll fix Hally, see if I don't!"

At that moment the door opened, and the boy who had been rescued from
the hole in the snowy hollow came in with several chums.

"Hally, come here!" called Phil.

"Say, did you give me away, after all?" demanded Nat Poole, rushing
forward and catching Tom Hally by the arm.

"Let go of me!" returned Hally. "I don't know what you are talking
about."

"Yes, you do, you sneak!"

"I'm no sneak!" And Tom Hally's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Hally, tell me, did Nat Poole take our shoes and boots and slippers
that night?" demanded Dave.

"He did." Hally grew red in the face. "I wasn't going to mention it, but
now you ask me a direct question I'll not tell a falsehood. He took the
shoes and hid them in the trunk room. I caught him doing it, but I
thought it was only a joke, and so kept silent. Then, after you fellows
rescued me from the hole in the snow, I made Nat send the shoes back. At
first I was going to tell on him, but, somehow, I didn't want to play
the sneak."

"I understand," answered Dave. He turned to Shadow. "This clears you."

"So it does, Shadow, and I am mighty glad of it," put in Phil.

"Yes, it clears me," answered the student who was known as a
sleep-walker. "Or at least, I will be cleared--after I am done with Nat
Poole," and Shadow looked at the money-lender's son in a manner that was
full of grim significance.

CHAPTER XXIX

HOOKER MONTGOMERY'S REVELATION

"What do you want?" demanded Nat, and his voice trembled a little, for
he realized that he was cornered.

"In the first place, I think you'll have to restore Phil's missin