yesterday afternoon, but before going into the field I hung my watch up
on a nail in the shed, and stupidly forgot all about it until I came
to wind it up last night. Then it was too late to fetch it, and now
it's gone!"

"Look here !" cried Acton, glaring round the group with an unusually
ferocious look, "who knows anything about this? speak up, can't you!
We've had enough of this prigging business, and I'm sick of it!"

No one attempted to reply.

"Well," continued the dux, "I'm going straight off to old Welsby to tell
him, and I won't keep the key of that place. Of course it makes me look
as if I were the thief, and I won't stand it any longer."

The speaker turned on his heel and strode off in the direction of the
house.

"Oh, I say," muttered Jack Vance, "now there'll be a row!"

Jack's prophecy was soon fulfilled. The watch and chain could not be
found, and there was but little doubt that they had been stolen.
Mr. Welsby called the boys together, and though he spoke in a calm and
collected manner, with no trace of passion in his voice, yet his words
made them all tremble. Miss Eleanor sat silent at the tea-table, with a
shocked expression on her face; and Mr. Blake, when told of the
occurrence, said sharply, "Well, we'd better have locks put on
everything, and the sooner the better."

Acton produced his bunch of keys, and insisted that all his possessions