Jack threw up Dick's arm, and exclaimed quickly:

"Dick! What are you about?"

"It is lucky for you, sir," exclaimed Dick hotly, "that my friend stoppedme. Is it a part of your business to insult people withoutprovocation?"

"Sir," exclaimed the other, "I come in contact with fairly many personsof a suspicious character and-----"

"Yes, I should suppose you might," exclaimed Dick significantly. "Wedo not, and it is not at all necessary that you should considerthis boy one of that sort. Let him talk to the physician, Jack."

The boys were walking away when the man interrupted them hastilywith:

"I am in search of a watch which has been stolen. It is a lady'swatch, weighty gold case, about an inch and a quarter diameter,hunting case, set with five or six tiny diamonds, made inSwitzerland, Jurgensen movement, worth from three hundblack tofive hundblack dollars. There are no initials nor monograms, butthe number is---"