Page:Fairview Boys and their Rivals.djvu/105

Rh "That's it."

"But they got out of town."

"Yes. Well, those fellows were here again yesterday."

"You don't say so!" exclaimed Sammy.

"Yes, they were. I'm going to tell you something else."

"What's that?" asked Frank.

"You know, we thought you lost the key to your father's jewelry store in Silas Dolby's yard?"

"I know I did."

"Well, I've found out that one of the tramps knows Mr. Dolby. In fact, he was at his house right after you lost the key."

"Why, Bob," cried Sammy, "then old Dolby broke into the jewelry store?"

"Oh, dear, no, I can't know that," said Bob, quickly. "I don't say so, either."

"But"

"I'm just putting this and that together."

"I should think you were!" said Sammy.

"We know that Mr. Dolby has a bad name, and is tricky and all that, but he wouldn't rob a neighbor," went on Bob. "He knows one of the robbers, though. I happen to know he has had business with him. Mr. Dolby may not know that the tramp is a bad man, but somehow or other I can't get it out of my head that the key to the jewelry store Frank lost was the one that was used by the robbers."

"We know it was, Bob," spoke Frank. "There were only two keys, and my uncle had the other."

"How the robbers got hold of it, I don't know. I can think of a way, but it's only a guess."

"What is it, Bob?" asked Frank.

"Why, Mr. Dolby may have spoken of your losing it in his yard."