men's voices were heard. Then came cries of: "Police! Police!"

"Some one's in trouble!" exclaimed Jack. "Let's go see what it is."

They broke into a run, and, as they approached, they saw a crowd
quickly collect. It seemed to center about a man who was being held by
two others, though he struggled to get away.

"Here, what's the trouble?" the boys heard a constable ask as he
shouldered his way into the throng.

"This fellow tried to snatch this lady's purse and run away with it,"
explained one of the men who had grabbed the scoundrel. "Stand still,
you brute!" he shouted at him, "or I'll shake you to pieces! Such
fellows as you ought to go to the whipping-post!"

"I'll take charge of him," announced the officer. "Who is he? Does any
one know?"

"Stranger in town, I guess," volunteered the other man, who had helped
capture him. "Need any help, officer?"

"No, I guess I can manage him. Come along now, and behave yourself, or
I'll use my club. It hasn't been tried on any one yet."

"That's one of the new constables, I guess," said Mark, and Jack
nodded.

The crowd separated to allow the officer to take out his prisoner. As
the latter walked forward in the grip of the constable, he remarked in