picked it up. He believed he would hear of it if this person, being
honest, delivered the letter at the post-office, and told how he had
come to find it on the vacant lot.

"Well, it's no use looking any further, I guess, Jack," Big Bob now
remarked, in a decidedly dejected tone, after they had gone twice over
the entire width of the three lots, and without any success attending
their efforts.

"I'm afraid not, Bob," the other admitted with genuine regret, because
he felt just as sorry as could be for the poor chap. "I suppose you'll
sleep mighty little tonight, for worrying over this thing. Try your
level best to follow out all you did when in the post-office. Some
little thing may recall to your mind that you certainly did drop that
particular letter in the slot."

"I will, Jack, surely I will," Bob told him, vigorously; "but I'm
afraid it won't do much good. You see, I've become so mixed up by now,
thinking one thing and then another, that no matter what did happen I
couldn't honestly say I remembered it. But I still have a little hope
you'll hear good news from Mr. Dickerson; or that in the morning it
may be handed in at our house, for my dad put his full address on the
back flap, I remember that very distinctly. Yes, I'd be willing to
stand my gruelling and not whimper if only it turned up."

He walked away looking quite down-hearted, Jack saw. Really he felt
very sorry for Big Bob Jeffries. The latter was well liked, having a
genial disposition, like nearly all big boys do, the smaller runts
being the scrappy ones as a rule, as every one knows who has observed
the lads in their play hours, and made any sort of a study of their