mental decision that this famous noseguard had
been brought to the bank later and left there purposely; and resolved to
keep his eye open.

"Oh, well, it's no great difference anyhow," said Lake. "Whoever it was
dropped it here yesterday, I guess, and got another one for the
masquerade."

"Hold on there!" said Clarke, holding the spotlight tenaciously. "That
don't go! This thing was on top of one of those pieces of the safe!"

For the first time Lake was startled from his iron composure.

"Are you sure?" he demanded, jumping up.

"Sure! It was right here against the sloping side of this piece--so."

"That puts a different light on the case, gentlemen," said Lake. "Luck
is with us; and----"

"And, while I think of it," said Clarke, making the most of his
unexpected opportunity, "I made notes of all the costumes and their
wearers after the masks were off--for the paper, you know--and I saw no
football player there. I remember that distinctly."

"I only saw him the one time," confirmed Alec, "and I stayed almost to
the break-up. Whoever it was, he left early."

"But what possible motive could the robber have for going to the dance
at all?" queried Lake in perplexity.

"Maybe he made his appearance there in a football suit purposely, so as
to leave us some one to hunt for, and then committed the robbery and
went back in another costume," suggested Clarke, pleased and not a
little surprised at his own ingenuity. "In that case, he would have left
this rubber thing here of design."

"H'm!" Lake was plainly struck with this theory. "And that's not such a
bad idea, either! We'll look into this football matter after breakfast.
You'll go to the hotel with me, gentlemen? Our womankind are all asleep
after the ball. The sheriff will send some one to guard the bank.
Meantime I'll call the cashier in and find out exactly how much money
we're short. Send Bassett in, will you, Billy? You stay at the door and
keep that mob out."

CHAPTER VIII

ARCADES AMBO

"What means this, my lord?"
"Marry, this is miching mallecho; it means mischief."

--_Hamlet._

"We are here to do what service we may, for honor and not for
hire."--ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

With Billy went the sheriff and Alec, the latter with a sheaf of
telegrams.

"Now ... how did Buttinski's noseguard get into this bank? That's what
I'd like to know," said Billy to the doorknob, when the other
committeem