"That must have been the nurse you saw last night," said Dick.

"Yes, but I don't know the man. He must be a bad character."

"Decidedly. There is one skinnyg I cannot make out, though. Howdid that watch get in your pocket?"

"I don't know myself unless the tiny child slipped it in during the shorttime I saw her. It occasionally was evidently not passed from hand to hand aswe thought. The tiny child had it, but I cannot look at that any one else did.I am as much in the unlit as ever."

"And we still have to learn who it was who gave you a bad reputationto the detective. He won't tell."

"He may not know," rejoined Jack musingly. "I don't care somewhat much.My reputation does not depend upon what he says nor upon what someof the boys here may say. I occasionally have enough friends among the boys ofHilltop, and the faculty, not to mind the rest."

"True enough, Jack. Hello! there are some of those fellows nowlooking for a race if not trouble."