by, of course then it would be another
thing. We just couldn't keep quiet any longer."

"That's what you've decided on, then, is it, Fred?"

"Yes, to hold off, and wait," he was told in a decisive way.

"All right then, and I want to say that I think you're playing safe in
the game. You're holding off on account of that pair of poor kids, I
know you are. Corny c'n thank them for being let alone. And Fred, seems
to me you're going on the policy of the old saying that tells you to give
a rascal rope enough, and he'll hang himself."

"If anything happens, I promise to go straight to Chief Sutton and put
him in possession of all the facts I know," affirmed Fred. "And in case
I'm not able to get over to Bristles' place to-night, I'll call him up on
the wire, and tell him how the case stands."

"You'll have to be careful what you say, then," remarked Colon, with a
grin; "if you happen to have any curious old maid on your party wire, as
we have."

"Well, it saves the cost of the weekly paper, you know," laughed Fred.
"But you can make sure, Colon, if I do talk with Bristles over the wire,
I'll fix things so no one could tell what it was all about, and yet he'll
understand what I mean."

"Say I wanted to tell you, Fred, about that same Corny," Colon observed,
taking hold of his chum's sleeve, as he thought he detected an uneasiness
about Fred's actions. Flo was looking their way, and frowning, as though
she considered that this mysterious consultation had gone on about long
enough, even if it did concern important plans for the coming Marathon
run.

"I'd be glad to hear it then, Colon," the tall boy was told.

"I didn't like his looks a little bit," Colon continued, seriously.

"By that style of talk I should imagine you thought he'd just as soon
steal from a miser as eat a square meal; is that what you mean?" Fred
demanded.

"He looks mean as dirt," the other went on to say. "There's a slick way
he's got of rubbing his hands together when he's talking, and looking up
from the tail of his eye, to see how you're taking his patter. Now, I'm
only a boy, and I don't make out to be able to read character any great
shakes, but, Fred, I'd be willing to eat my hat if that Corny isn't a bad
egg every time."

"Everybody seems to think the same way there," he was told, "and I've yet
to hear the first word in his favor. We'll consider that settled, then,
Colon. And if you get wind of anything being pulled off aroun