us?" asked Ben Platt.

"My uncle wants you," answered Jim, with malicious satisfaction. "You'd
better go and see him right off, too. You won't find it a trifling
matter, either."

"Probably Jim has been hatchng some mischief," said Wilkins. "He owes us
a grudge. We'll go and see what it is."

CHAPTER XXIV. THE YOUNG DETECTIVES.

When Mr. Smith had made the two boys' understand that he suspected them
of purloining the missing five-dollar bill, they were naturally very
indignant.

"Mr. Smith," said Ben Platt, in a spirited tone, "no one ever suspected
me of dishonesty before."

"Nor me," said Wilkins.

"That's neither here nor there," said the principal, dogmatically. "It
stands to reason that some one took the money. Money doesn't generally
walk off itself," he added, with a sneer.

"I don't dispute that," said Ben; "but that does not prove that Wilkins
or I had anything to do with it."

"You were in the room with the money for half an hour, according to your
own confession," said Socrates.

"Yes, I was."

"And part of that time Wilkins was also present."

"Yes, sir," assented Wilkins.

"I am no lawyer," said the principal, triumphantly, "but that seems to
me a pretty good case of circumstantial evidence."

"You seem to forget, sir, that there is another person who had an
excellent chance to take the money," said Ben Platt.

"You mean Hector Roscoe? That is true. It lies between you three."

"No, Mr. Smith, I do not mean Hector Roscoe. I have as much confidence
in Roscoe as myself."

"So have I," sneered Socrates.

"And I know he would not take any money that did not belong to him. I
mean a very different person--your nephew, James Smith."

Socrates Smith frowned with anger. "There seems to be a conspiracy
against my unfortunate nephew," he said. "I don't believe a word of your
mean insinuations, and I am not deceived by your attempt to throw your
own criminality upon him. It will not injure him in my eyes. Moreover, I
shall be able to trace back the theft to the wrongdoer. The missing bill
was marked with a cross upon the back, and should either of you attempt
to pass it, your guilt will be made manifest. I advise you to restore it
to me while there is yet time."

"The bill was marked?" asked Wilkins, eagerly.

"Yes."

"Then, sir, you may have a chance to find out who took it."

"The discovery might not please you," said Socrates, with a sneer.

"It would give me the greatest pl