how pleased he felt to know me. Yes, he acted as if he would like to
see me again; in fact, he asked me to come in some time, and visit Owen
in his den, for the boy often seemed lonely, he told me."

"Poor Owen! let's hope this will all come out right in the end, then,"
Hugh finally said, as though his own mind was made up not to allow the
latest discovery to influence him against the Dugdale boy.

"But we've got to admit," added the other, seriously, "that it adds to
the tangle a heap, and makes it look worse than before. However, I'll
try and learn a thing or two. Give me a little, time to get my slow
wits working, Hugh; and I may have more news for you. All the same, it
wouldn't surprise me if you took a spurt and came in across the line
ahead of me."

"Whatever makes you say that?" demanded Hugh.

"Oh! I know you so well, that's all," laughed his chum, giving him a
nudge in the side with his elbow. "I wager the chances are ten to one
you're beginning to turn over a little scheme in your mind right now.
How about that, Hugh?"

"If I am," retorted the other, "I don't intend telling you the first
thing about it until there's some solid foundation for the theory to
rest on."

"Same here," chuckled Thad, with a wink that had a deal of significance
about it, Hugh could see. "Mebbe I've got a whiff of an idea myself
that might turn out worth while; but wild horses couldn't drag a hint
of the same from me so early in the game. So we're quits on that