ard---that
was all, for a moment. But Fred cowered in acute dread.

"Who's in there?" called a steady voice, that filled Fred Ripley
with consternation, He knew that voice! It belonged to a member
of the Gridley police force.

"Talk about your tough luck!" shivered Fred. "This is the limit!
Now, I'm in for it."

For a few moments he crouched close to the boathouse nearly paralyzed
with fright. His consternation increased when a sound over by
the fence indicated that the policeman was trying to mount that
barrier.

Now, Fred's courage returned, or enough of it to enable him to
try to escape. Bending low, he turned and ran swiftly, almost
noiselessly. His speed astonished even himself. He gained the
corner of the fence by which he had entered the yard. Taking
a firm hold, he swung himself around the fence and out of sight
just as the policeman's head showed over the top of it.

Fortunately for the fugitive, the policeman, in climbing the fence,
had made noise enough to drown the slight sounds produced by Ripley's
frenzied flight.

His first thought being of burglars, the policeman drew his revolver
as soon as his feet touched the ground inside the yard. With
his left hand he held an electric pocket flash lamp, whose rays
he flashed into the dark places.

Fred did not stop until he found himself safely within the grounds
of his home. There he halted, fanning himself with his hat and
taking long breaths. If discovered by anyone he could easily
claim that he had found the night too hot to sleep inside and
had come outdoors for air.

The next morning, about ten o'clock, Hiram Driggs, who had already
been visited by Dick & Co., on their way to Katson's Hill, was
called upon by Policeman Curtis of the Gridley force. Curtis,
being off duty, was in citizen's clothes.

"Did you miss anything out of the plant this morning, Mr. Driggs?"
inquired the guardian of life and property.

"Nothing that I know of," Driggs answered. "Why?"

"I thought I heard burglars about here last night, while on duty,"
the policeman explained. "I came up over the fence, and looked
about the place, but couldn't find anything. Yes, I did, too,
though. I'll talk about that in a moment. You see, I went off
duty at one o'clock this morning, so I didn't spend much time
here. I'm on house reserve duty to-day. Now, for what I found
here. I didn't find a living soul in the yard, but on the ground,
near one of the open sheds, I