on Mr. Hastings' grounds in Lanton. The finder was to return them
to Andy Foger.

"Does that look as if I lost the keys in your boathouse?" demanded
the bully sneeringly. "I wouldn't have advertised them that way
if I' been trying to keep my visit quiet. Besides, I can prove
that I was out of town several nights. I was over to an
entertainment in Mansburg one night and I didn't get home until
two o'clock in the morning, because my machine broke down. Ask
Ned Newton. He saw me at the entertainment."

Andy's manner was so earnest that Tom could not help believing
him. Then there was the evidence of the advertisement. Clearly
the squint-eyed youth had not been the mysterious visitor to the
boathouse and had not unlocked the forward compartment. But if it
was not he, who could it have been and how did the keys get there?
These were questions which racked Tom's brain.

"You can ask Ned Newton," repeated Andy. "He'll prove that I
couldn't have been near your place, if you don't believe me."

"Oh, I believe you all right," answered Tom, for there could be no
doubting Andy's manner, even though he and the young inventor were
not on good terms. "But how did your keys get in my boat?"

"I don't know, unless you found them, kept them and dropped them
there," was the insolent answer.

"You know better than that," exclaimed Tom.