ake
such an astonishing assertion with regard to that tawdry breastpin picked
up in the cave.

"Fred, you c'n see for yourself that while this is a mighty cheap old
thing, it's made in a queer shape," Bristles went on to say.

"All of which is true, I admit," the other confessed.

"Well, you know I've always been a great hand for noticing things," said
Bristles.

"Sure you have," interrupted Colon, who was listening intently, although
it was all "Greek" to him; "and 'specially when they happen to be
connected with a pretty girl."

Bristles grinned as he turned on the tall chum.

"Oh! rats!" he exclaimed, "you're off your base this time, Colon, because
she was a homely little thing, and with clothes on that I'd hate to see a
sister of mine wearing. But I say again, and I'll keep on saying
it---Sadie, if that was her name, was wearing this same brooch the day we
pulled her brother Sam out of the river, when he'd broke into an
airhole."

"You understand what that might mean, don't you, Bristles?" pursued Fred.

"Why, I reckon now you're trying to make me see that the boy'n girl might
have had something to do with the stealing of Mr. Periwinkle's money and
papers," was the way Bristles answered him.

"If the girl was here, the boy must have been, too," said Fred.

"But gee whiz! Fred, that youngster didn't look as if he had half enough
nerve to do a thing like that," urged Bristles, scornfully.

"Oh! he had nerve enough, never fear," Fred went on to remark, "for you
may remember he never gave a single peep himself, and it was the girl who
did the shouting for help."

"Might have been scared too much," suggested Colon, wanting to have some
say in the matter.

"No, I don't think he was," replied Fred, "because the girl told us he
kept urging and demanding that she hold back and not try to help him,
because his one fear seemed to be she would fall in too. But there's one
thing we haven't seemed to figure on before, Bristles."

"Say, I just bet you're going to spring that uncle on ne," remarked the
other, with surprising quickness.

"Why not," demanded Fred, "when we have learned that Corny Ludson has
charge of the boy and girl, and must have been here in this cave with
them. There was a man here, because I've found signs of his smoking
several cheap cigars, throwing the stubs around afterwards."

"What's that?" cried Colon, just then; "say that name again for me, won't
you?"

"Why, Corny Ludson, a ma