the costs."

"All right, Dick. My, but old Rick is getting more grumpy every
day! If this railroad knows its business it will soon get another
manager here," was Gilbert Ponsberry's comment, as he led the way
to the telegraph office.

Here a telegram was prepared, addressed to the police officer on
duty at the Middletown station, and giving a fair description of
the thief.

The train would reach the city in exactly forty-five minutes; and
as soon as the message had been sent, Dick, Darrel, and the
constable went off on a tour of Oak Run and the vicinity.

Of course nothing was seen of the thief, and in an hour word came
back from Middletown that he was not on the cars.

This was true, for the train had stopped at a way station, having
broken something on the engine, and the thief had left, to walk
the remainder of the distance to Middletown on foot.

It was not until nightfall that Dick returned to his uncle's
farmhouse.

Here he found that Sam and Tom had already arrived. Tom was lying
on the sofa in the sitting room, being cared for by his Aunt
Martha, who was the best of nurses whenever occasion required.

"Didn't find any trace of the villain?" queried Randolph Rover,