under ordinary conditions.

"Why, no, I haven't heard a thing except the church bells ringing,
and people going past our house early this morning for mass. You
know we live on a street that is largely used by those who have to
get out shortly after daybreak Sunday mornings in winter. What's
happened during the night? There couldn't have been a fire, because
I'd have heard the bell, and been out with the rest of the boys."

"Oh! you couldn't guess it in a dozen trials, Hugh. It was a regular
down-right burglary that was pulled off, even if the stuff taken
consisted of candy, cigarettes, and the like, as well as some
sporting goods and several revolvers."

Hugh looked interested.

"From the way you talk, Thad, I should say it might have been Paul
Kramer's Emporium that had suffered; because he's really the only man
in Scranton who keeps sporting goods."

"A good guess, Hugh, because Paul is the chap. They got in through a
back door, and everybody says 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.