ght to be able to
locate him sooner or later."

"Those slick criminals have a way all their own for keeping out of
sight of the police." Dave paused for a moment. "Do you know I've been
thinking of something. Maybe this fellow, Crapsey, simply used Porton
as a tool."

"I don't quite understand, Dave."

"Why, in this way: when they heard about the miniatures, and Crapsey
heard how much Porton looked like me, and how intimate I and the
Wadsworths were with the Basswoods, it may have been Crapsey who
concocted the scheme for getting possession of the miniatures. And if
he did that, it is more than likely that he will be the one to dispose
of the pictures or send in an offer to return them for a certain
amount."

"You mean and cut Ward Porton out of the deal?" questioned the
senator's son, quickly.

"He may not cut Porton out entirely. But the chances are that he'll
let Porton have as little of the returns as possible. A professional
criminal like this Crapsey isn't going to let an amateur like Porton
in on the ground floor if he can help it."

"Maybe he'll do Porton out of it entirely. Wouldn't that make the
moving-picture actor mad!" and Roger grinned over the thought.

"It is no more than Porton would deserve," answered our hero. "Just
the same, I hope the authorities capture them both and return the
miniatures to Mr. Basswood."

Two days before the time when Dave and Roger were to undergo the much
talked-of examination in civil engineering, there came news from a
country town fifteen miles beyond Hacklebury. A livery stableman there
sent in word that he was boarding a horse which he thought might be
the one stolen from Mr. Bryson. The Crumville liveryman at once
notified Ben and the local police, and the boy and an officer
accompanied him to Centertown. Mr. Bryson at once recognized the horse
as his own, and wanted to know how the Centertown liveryman had become
possessed of the animal.

"He was left here by a man I think was this Tim Crapsey the paper
spoke about," announced the livery stable keeper. "He said he was on
the road to the next town, but that the storm was too much for him,
and that he wanted to leave the animal with me for a few days or a
week. He said he was rather short of cash and asked me to lend him ten
dollars, which, of course, I did, as I thought the horse was ample
security," went on the livery stableman, bitterly.

"Was the fellow alone?" was the question which Ben put.

"He came