's heart--candy, cigarettes, revolvers and sporting
goods.

Chief Wambold suspected one boy from the start, after finding that
the former chief offender in these lines could prove a positive
alibi. This was the third of the bad lot, Tip Slavin.

He had even gone to Tip's humble home and made a thorough search,
high and low, but without the least success. If Tip were guilty he
must have been smarter than his confederate, who had hidden his share
of the plunder under the loose boards of the floor of his folks' barn.

Not having any evidence beyond suspicion the officer did not dare
arrest Tip, who continued to loaf about his customary corners and
look impudently at every fellow who stared meaningly at him when
passing. Hugh himself never once doubted the guilt of Tip Slavin;
though he fancied the authorities might have a hard time catching
him, unless the stubborn Leon at the last, finding himself on the way
to the Reform School, confessed, and implicated his companion.

He and Thad were talking about that very same thing on Thursday
afternoon while on the way home from the park a little earlier than
usual.

"Where do you think that sly Tip could have hidden the stuff, Hugh?"
Thad asked, continuing their conversation.

"Oh! there would be plenty of places, and no one likely to ever run
across it, on one condition," replied the other.

"What might that be?" demanded Thad.

"If only Tip could himself keep away from his cache," he was told.
"That may be his undoing, after all. You know, when an ordinary
thief has done something big, and is being looked for, the smart
police always ask whether he has a wife or a sweetheart; because they
know that sooner or later he is bound to communicate with such a
person, and so a clue may be found to his hiding-place. Well, Tip's
heart will be located where his treasure is. He'll soon get a
_yearning_ to indulge in some of the candy and cigarettes he's got
hidden away."

"Then if Chief Wambold knew his duty," snapped Thad vigorously, "he'd
keep tabs of Tip day and night, and shadow him wherever he went."

"That would be his best move," agreed Hugh.

"You ought to post the Chief on that same sort of clever job, Hugh."

"Well, I did think of that," admitted the other boy, "but somehow I
hated to have a hand in railroading Tip to the Reformatory. It's
true he ought to be there, for he's a terror to the whole community;
but he's got a mother, Thad, and I'd hate to see he