him on every side, he continued hurriedly.

"Well, as I was saying," he went on, "Mr. Mendall did finally succeed in
getting the information he wanted. Then yesterday afternoon I happened
to meet him----"

"Yes, we know all about that," said Betty, dancing with mingled
excitement and exasperation. "Please get to the point."

"Since you insist," Will answered gravely. "The fact is, Mollie, that
all your mother's silver is there--even down to the little sugar bowl."

"Oh!" gasped Mollie, and for a moment she could say no more.

Then the flood gates of speech opened, and her questions poured forth.

"Oh, Will! isn't that wonderful?" she cried. "I didn't dare really to
believe till this very moment. Are you sure everything is there--not a
thing missing? The creamer and teapot? And oh, Will!" she grasped his
arm beseechingly, "did you find the necklace?"

Will looked evasive.

"Why, you see----" he was beginning, when Frank interrupted him.

"The necklace is probably gracing the swarthy neck of some fair gypsy
damsel," remarked the latter, rather flippantly. "Here we offer you a
whole silver service, and you're not satisfied."

Mollie looked from one to the other of her two tormentors in pathetic
bewilderment.

"Please, _please_!" she begged. "Mother'll be wild when she hears about
the silver. But oh, I do want that jet necklace almost more than
anything in the world! Don't tease me any more, please."

At this appeal, Will's heart softened, and, with a quick movement, he
drew his hand from behind him, disclosing to four pairs of incredulous
eyes the precious jet necklace.

"Here it is," he announced triumphantly.

Mollie grasped the heirloom with a little cry of joy. Then she threw her
arms about Betty's neck, and began to laugh hysterically.

"Don't mind me," she gasped, as the boys looked on mystified. "I--I
can't help it! I'm just so--so happy!"

Betty patted her chum's shoulder, soothingly.

"Now, see what you've gone and done," she accused poor Will.

"I--I didn't know----" he was beginning, but he seemed destined not to
finish his sentences that day.

Mollie, a creature of moods, withdrew herself from Betty's arms and
favored the promising young detective with an ecstatic little hug that
amazed and delighted that young gentleman immensely.

"I say, Mollie, do it again," he pleaded, while the other three boys
hastened to demand their share of the reward.

But Mollie had caught Grace about the w