We haven't forgotten anything, I hope?" Bristles observed, as they
arose to their feet, and began to stretch themselves, boy fashion.

Fred carried a little pouch at his side that he did not believe would
interfere at all with his running, though of course even this would be
discarded when the great Marathon test was on. In this he carried
matches, a small but reliable compass, and a few simple remedies that
might come in handy in case any of them happened to be seized with colic
or cramps from drinking water when overheated.

"Nothing that I know of, Bristles," Fred announced, as he touched this
small pouch which, in the woods among old hunters would probably be
called a "ditty-bag," and contain all manner of little odds and ends
likely to be needed from time to time.

Sid was now running. The mere fact that he might be a little behind time
would hardly seem to be sufficient excuse for his starting off in this
way. Fred eyed the newcomer as he approached them. He fancied that Sid
was bringing news of some kind.

Sid was breathing a little fast. That was to be expected in the start,
though when he got his "second wind" he would very likely be good for a
long, hard run.

"Give me five minutes, fellows, to rest up in, so we can all start even,"
Sid went on to say, "and besides, I've got something to tell you."

All of them dropped down again on the fresh green grass that the recent
warm weather had caused to sprout forth luxuriantly in places.

"We're listening," Bristles told him, placing the cup of a hand back of
his ear, as though he wanted to make sure of not losing a single word,
while Colon assumed an eager attitude, with his eyes glued on Sid's
flushed face.

"None of you happened to go down-town this morning, I reckon?" was the
first thing Sid said, and as three heads were vehemently shaken in the
negative, he continued, "Well, then it'll give you something of a
surprise to know that it's happened again."

"Not a fire in the high school?" exclaimed Colon, for a serious event of
this kind had taken place in the near past, that had created something of
a panic in Riverport.

Sid shook his head in the negative.

"This was a robbery," he went on to say, in a way that gave the other
three a severe shock; "just as when old Periwinkle was robbed. This time
it was Mrs. Merriweather, the rich widow, who owns so many houses, and
gets her rents in on the first. Somebody broke in there, and she never
knew