it was a pretty slick job, too," Thad
went on to say.

"Let's see what you're telling me," Hugh remarked thoughtfully. "If
they took candy and cigarettes and sporting goods it would look to me
pretty much as if the robbery was the work of unprincipled boys,
rather than men."

Thad stared hard at his companion.

"Well, you are a wonder, Hugh, at seeing through things!" he hastily
declared. "Why, that was what Chief Wambold said right away. And,
Hugh, he followed it with the declaration that he guessed he could
put his finger on the guilty fellows without much trouble. You know
who he had in mind, of course, Hugh?"

"It goes without saying that one of them would be Nick Lang," came
the quick reply, while a small cloud crept over Hugh's face.

"Sure thing," continued Thad, shrugging his shoulders. "When a
fellow has built up a nice reputation for himself along those lines
he can't blame folks for suspecting him of every single tricky piece
of work that is pulled off in town. In the past Nick has been
ring-leader in lots of lawless doings, and the Chief was dead certain
he'd get him with the goods on this time, as he called it."

"Perhaps he may, but I hope that for once Chief Wambold will find
himself mistaken," said Hugh soberly, and then adding: "How did you
happen to hear about it, Thad?"

"Oh! I chanced to be out early this morning on an errand for mother,
taking some things over to that sick colored wash-lady we have do our
weekly work, and passing through the public square on my way back I
saw a crowd around Kramer's place. Of course I stayed on the job,
and heard all sorts of things said. But, Hugh, they've got one of
the thieves, all right."

"Who was he, Leon Disney?" asked the other, quickly, as he suddenly
remembered the actions of the boy in question when he twice
approached Nick Lang on the ice during that intermission for rest in
the hockey match; and when he, Hugh, fancied Leon was entreating his
former pal to do something which Nick refused to entertain.

"Just who it is," said the wondering Thad. "The Chief went to his
house and insisted on making a thorough search. He's a shrewd old
duck, is Chief Wambold, for all his faults. He seemed to guess just
where a boy like Leon would hide the spoils of a raid like this.
Under the floor of the old barn on the Disney place he found about
half the stuff that was taken, candy by the wholesale, cigarettes,
two revolvers, and even a pair of ch