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 lifetime. Yet within a week the adventure was being talked about, and that despite the fact that the Chief Constable of the county, an old friend of Heriot's, had prevailed upon the County Coroner to dispense with the actual evidence of either boy.

Jan asked Chips if he had told anybody, only to meet with an indignant denial.

"I've never said a word, my good Tiger!"

"Well, I haven't, that's a sure thing."

"Then it must be Devereux."

"I thought you'd say that," said Jan, but kept his ears open in form, and actually overheard Evan boasting of the adventure before Haigh came in. Moreover, as he was not questioned about it himself, Jan was forced to the conclusion that Evan was acting on the principle of one good turn deserving another, and leaving out every name but his own.

"Well?" asked Chips when next they met.

"Well, I'm afraid you're right; and I don't know what to think of it," said poor Jan, hiding his feelings as best he could.

"I won't say what I think," returned Chips.

And he never did.