a scrap of waste paper, and I thought I'd found it. Twice now I've
gone over the whole lot, and never a trace have I seen. Oh! what shall
I do about it? I wish I knew."

Jack by now had recognized the boy as Big Bob Jeffries, the heavy-
hitting outfielder of the Chester baseball team, and who was admitted
as standing a first-rate chance to be made the sturdy fullback of the
new eleven in football.

He was filled with curiosity to know what ailed Big Bob. Something he
must have certainly lost which he was now endeavoring to find again,
and, if his lament was to be taken at its face value, without much
success.

Jack was always ready to lend a helping hand to a comrade in distress.
He had proved this on numerous former occasions, so that his first
thought was to speak to Big Bob, and ask what was wrong.

At the sound of his voice the other started as though shot, and Jack
could see that his face, usually florid and cheery, looked white and
drawn. Undoubtedly, then, the Jeffries boy was suffering acutely on
account of some carelessness on his own part. Jack suspected that he
might have lost some money which he had been carrying home for his
mother. As the path was used by a number of persons to "cut corners,"
it would be next door to a miracle if the lost cash were found again,
unless the one who had picked it up proved to be an honest citizen.

"Oh! is that you, Jack?" said Bob, in a trembling tone, as he turned
his flashlight so that its rays fell full upon the other boy. "You
certainly did give me an awful jolt, because I didn't dream anybody