within. Like most poor families the Phillips
evidently kept several dogs; indeed, Dock had always been a great lover
of animals, and liked to be strutting along the main street of Lenox
with a string of dogs tagging at his heels.

A harsh voice was heard scolding the dogs, who relapsed into a
grumbling and whining state of obedience.

"That's Dock himself," said Carl. "They mind him all right, you see. I
hope he opens the door for us, and not his father."

Just then the Phillips door was drawn back.

"Hello! Carl, and you too Tom; what's up?"

Although Dock tried to say this with extreme indifference Tom saw that
he was more or less startled at seeing them. In fact he immediately
slipped outside, and closed the door behind him, as though he did not
want his mother or any one else to overhear what might be said.

This action was positive evidence to the mind of Tom Chesney that Dock
was guilty. His fears caused him to act without thinking. At the same
time such evidence is never accepted in a court of law as
circumstantial.

If either of the two boys had ever called at the Phillips' house before
it must have been on account of some errand, and at the request of
their mothers. Dock might therefore be filled with curiosity to know
why he had been honored with a visit.

"We dropped around to have a few words with you, Dock," said Tom, who
had made arrangements with his chum to manage the little interview, and
had his plan of campaign all laid out in advance.

"Oh is that so?" sneered the other, now having had time to recover from
the little shock which their sudden appearance had given him. "Well,
here I am, so hurry up with what you've got to say. I came home late
from the store and I'm not done my supper yet."

"We'll keep you only a few minutes at the most, Dock," continued Tom;
"you take the orders for groceries for the store, don't you?"

"What, me? Why, course I do. Ain't you seen me a-goin' around with that
bob-tail racer of Old Culpepper's that could make a mile in seventeen
minutes if you kept the whip a-waggin' over his back? What if I do take
orders; want to leave one with me for a commission, hey?"

Dock tried to throw all the sarcasm he could into his voice. He had an
object no doubt in doing this; which was to impress these two boys as
to his contempt for them and their errand, whatever it might be.

"We came here in hopes that you might solve a little bit of a mystery
that's bothering Carl's m