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236 to his father's hotel, and the remainder of it he related inside, from the time of his aunt's departure until they found him scrubbing the lodging-house floor, including his escape down the rope.

"And we have your valise!" exclaimed Fenn. "It's at our hotel."

"I thought some one came along and stole it," Ned replied. "I was afraid to ask about it for fear I'd be arrested. I didn't even dare go for my trunk."

"That's safe at the depot," said Bart, "but you'll have to pay storage charges on it. Well, well, how this thing has worked out!"

"We've solved two mysteries instead of one," Frank remarked. "Here's William ready to go back to his mother," and he told Ned who William was.

"So you're the boy who was watching me this afternoon when Cassidy came for me?" Ned asked. "I was afraid you might be a detective, and so I wouldn't admit who I was."

"We'll start for home in the morning," declared Mr. Wilding.

"And maybe get into more trouble there," put in Fenn.

"How?" asked Ned. "If there's any more trouble I want to get it all over with at once."