frown on his face, and he fixed his glance on Frank as though his eyes were
boring him through and through to discover the missing diamond bracelet.

The wrecking of old Dobbins' house had remained a mystery. Some thought the
rope had been cut, while others were of the opinion that it had broken
because of the heavy strain put upon it.

"Good--we're off!" jubilated Frank, as he waved a last adieu to his aunt
through the open car window, and Tipton faded away in the distance. Then he
settled down in his comfortable seat to enjoy the all-day ride to Bellwood.

Miss Brown had doled out twenty-five cents at the depot news-stand for a
book full of jokes and funny pictures. Frank soon exhausted this literary
fund. Then he bought some oranges from the train boy and had a lively chat
with him. He bought a daily paper and read it through and through, and by
noon the trip began to get a trifle monotonous.

It was about one o'clock when the train arrived at a junction, where there
was a stop for half an hour. Frank was glad to walk about and stretch his
limbs. When leaving time came and he returned to the train he became
interested in studying two passengers.

A husky, farmer-looking man had entered the coach, followed by a stocky-
built lad about the age of Frank. The latter bore the appearance of a boy
sullen and unhappy over some circumstance. Frank thought he had never seen
a more dissatisfied face than that of this lad. He shuffled along after the
farmer in an ungracious fashion, and taking the first empty seat flopped
into it unceremoniously.

"All right," said his companion. "You're probably better by yourself when