rear windows a most realistic crash of glass. With it mingled
another sound, not so easy to determine, followed by a loud yell
and the noise of running feet. Now, out in the street the cry
sounded:

"There he goes! Get him!"

"Throw him down and hold him!" yelled another voice.

"Mercy!" gasped Mrs. Prescott.

"Don't be alarmed, my dear," smiled Mr. Prescott. "It's only
the natural aftermath of Tom Reade's newest startler."

Was it?

Dick Prescott, after yawning twice, and before starting to disrobe,
had decided that his adjustable screen was not fixed in the window
of his bedroom as securely as it should be. In endeavoring to
fix it he found it necessary to remove the screen from the window.
Hardly had he done so when, gazing down into the darkness, he
saw a dimly visible figure flitting over the ground below.

"Who's that?" murmured Dick to himself. "What's up?"

Whoever the prowler was, he was flitting over to the ash cans
set out by a neighbor. One can contained ashes only, the other
contained various kinds of rubbish. It took the prowler but a
moment to find an empty bottle in the second can. Then he came
straight over toward the rear window of the store, which was