The boys were walking away when the man interrupted them hastily with:

"I am in search of a watch which has been stolen. It is a lady's watch, heavy gold case, about an inch and a quarter diameter, hunting case, set with five or six small diamonds, made in Switzerland, Jurgensen movement, worth from three hundred to five hundred dollars. There are no initials nor monograms, but the number is---"

"That describes the watch the doctor has," said Jack. "We will see what the number is, and if it is the same as what you mention there is no doubt that this is the watch. We will go and see him."

"Where did you find this watch?" asked the other, as he hurried after the two boys.

"Excuse me, but that has nothing to do with it," said Jack. "I found a watch, and your description tallies with it all but the number, which I do not know. That we will ascertain."

The boys led the way to the cottage, which the doctor occupied, and went to his study where they found him.

"Write the number of the watch you are in search of on a piece of paper, and let the doctor see the number of the watch," said Jack to the detective, after telling the doctor why they had come.

Then we will see if this is the one or not.

The man wrote a number on a card, and handed it to the doctor, who took the watch from a pigeon hole in his desk and opened it.

"The number is identical," he said, and handed the watch and the card with the number on it to Jack that he might compare them.

"Yes, so they are," the boy said, showing them to Dick. "This is certainly the watch you are in search of."

"May I ask you where and how you found it?" asked the detective, still with the accusing air that both Dick and Jack himself resented.

"I found it in my pocket after coming from the fire at Mr. Van der Donk's house last night or this morning," he replied.

"In your pocket? Was not that a singular place to find it? How did it get in your pocket?"

"You know as much about that as I do," said the boy quietly.

"Are you sure you did not put it there yourself?" asked the man in an insinuating manner, which Jack resented.

"Dr. Wise," he said, flushing, "will you tell this person what I told you when I gave you the watch this morning? I am afraid I cannot keep my temper if I talk with him any longer."

"And I know I shall not!" sputtered Percival.

"The young gentleman did gallant work at the fire last night, and came home very much fatigued," said the doctor. "While undressing with his companion who is here, this watch dropped from his trousers pocket. Percival will doubtless tell you the same.

This is what he told me when he handed me the watch this morning.

If you suspect him you do him an act of the rankest injustice."

"This watch has been stolen," said the other. "The thief was traced to Riverton. He went to the fire last night with a number of suspicious characters who generally congregate at such places in the hope of gain. The watch was doubtless passed from one person to another, for it was not in the possession of the suspected man who denies all knowledge of it. Now I want to know how this boy got hold of it."

"He does not know any more than you do, and I have told you just what he told me, and which I believe."

"It sounds very queer," said the detective. "I shall have to hold him for the Grand---"

"I beg your pardon, you will do nothing of the sort, in fact, you cannot," said the doctor.

"Just let the Hilltoppers hear him, and see what they will have to say about it!" sputtered Percival under his breath.

CHAPTER VIII

WHAT JACK AND DICK OVERHEARD

"I beg your pardon, Mr.---, I did not catch your name," continued Dr. Wise, "but you have no authority in this case. You are not a civil magistrate, not even a police court judge, and you cannot hold this boy for any jury, grand or little. You can make a charge against him, it is true, and then if the local magistrate considers the evidence good he will be held for the Grand Jury. You are doubtless unaware, being a stranger to the section, that I am a magistrate myself, although seldom called upon to adjudge cases."

"I was not aware of it, sir," said the other, a little shamefaced.

"I may have been hasty, but my association with suspicious characters-----"

"Has made him one himself," muttered Percival, whereat Jack could not help smiling.

"Has made me suspect persons unjustly, perhaps," the detective went on. "Still you must admit yourself that the finding of the watch, as related by you, is, to say the least, singular."

"Singular, yes; suspicious, not necessarily. You say yourself that the watch was supposedly passed from one person to another.

Why could not one of the suspected men have slipped it in Sheldon's pocket, either designedly or by mistake? It is certainly possible."

"I wish you'd let me go out and tell the Hilltop boys that this man has more than intimated that Jack Sheldon is a thief, Doctor,"

said Percival "I can imagine what they will have to say about it, and what they will do to him. The river is very convenient!"

"Restrain yourself, Percival," said the doctor.

"If I have given the young gentleman an unenviable reputation,"

the detective rejoined, his face red, "it is on account of the reports I have heard of him from-----" and he stopped short.

"Who told you this?" demanded the doctor. "There is not a more exemplary boy in the whole Academy than John Sheldon. Ask any one of the instructors, ask the boys themselves, ask the editors of the Riverton papers, ask the heads of the business houses, the superintendent of the Machine Works, the Chief of Police himself, and they will all tell you the same. Who was your informant to the contrary?"

"I am not at liberty to reveal the name of my informant," said the detective, a little abashed, "but I had it from more than one source."

"Then let me tell you that you were maliciously misinformed, for there is not a boy in the Academy who bears a better character than John Sheldon. I will retain this watch until I have a better authority to deliver it than yours. I wish you a very good morning."

Just then the bugle blew to call the boys to dinner, and as they always formed in regular order to march into the dining tent there was not the opportunity, which Percival so much desired, of pitching the detective into the river or at least giving him a sound hissing.

"As you please, sir," the man said, as he bowed himself out. "You cannot expect me to believe all that this young gentleman says after what I have heard of him from-----"

"You could have consulted me, at any rate," said the doctor. "I think I am best competent to judge of the characters of the boys put in my charge. Good morning, sir. Boys, the bugle has sounded."

The detective went away in a hurry, looking a good deal crestfallen, the boys getting into line with the rest, this operation preventing Percival from giving the man the send off that he had meant to give him.

"I'd like to know where that fellow got his information about you, Jack," he said to his friend when they were seated at table.

"I don't care to know, Dick, so long as the doctor speaks well of me," Jack returned.

"Well, I'd like to know just the same. There are some boys here who would say all they could against you, and the man may have seen them before he saw the doctor, and heard what they had to say. You could see that he was prejudiced from the start."

"Yes, he presupposed my guilt before giving me a chance to speak for myself, Dick. However, it is fortunate that I have a good reputation."