Of course the man who had called himself Solus Smithers did not offer any resistance, and he was quickly made a prisoner.  When he found later that one man, assisted by a parcel of Boy Scouts, had captured three desperate characters, he was about as mad as a hornet; but it was too late then to remedy matters.

Paul and Jack immediately started a search for the missing Willie Boggs.  The youngster was discovered fast asleep on a cot, just as the man who had found him in the woods had lain him down.

And when Mr. Pender saw this he nodded his head, and declared that because Solus had shown that he possessed a tender heart, for all his assumed fierceness, he would make it as easy for him when the case to trial, as he could.

After Mr. Pender had searched the place, and accumulated what evidence he needed, all of them got into the car, Willie still sound asleep.  Then they started over the road for Stanhope.

The town was reached at just one o’clock.  At police headquarters Mr. Pender delivered his three prisoners for safe keeping.  After that Paul again took the red car out to bring in the remainder of the patrol, for they were miles away from home.

CHAPTER XXX

FOUND OUT AT LAST

“Why, hello!  Paul!  I didn’t hear you ring.  Did you fly in through the window?”

Jack sprang up from the easy chair he had been occupying in the library of his own home, when his chum suddenly appeared before him.

It was about ten o’clock on the morning following the hunt for the lost boy; and the remarkable occurrences that had accompanied it up in the woods above Stanhope.

“Oh! you know I told you I might slip in by the back door this time; and that is just what I did,” replied Paul, speaking in an unusually guarded tone.

“That’s a fact!” exclaimed Jack, beginning to show signs of excitement; “and I remember that at the same time you promised—­”

“I’d try my best to solve the puzzle about those disappearing old coins, and tell you to-day,” said his chum, breaking in.  “Well, perhaps I may, though my most promising clue has turned out a bit of a fizzle.”

“But you have another up your sleeve, you said?” continued Jack, eagerly.

“Yes, I believe I have,” Paul admitted.  “Some time later, when we get this queer affair off our hands, I want to talk with you about a lot of things connected with this scout movement.  I got some good ideas from a bunch of papers left at our house for me.  Guess who remembered us in such a bully way?”

“Give it up.  I might mention every gentleman in town, and then some,” laughed Jack; “for they’re all watching what we’re doing, with interest.  But go on and tell me who it was, Paul.”

“Mr. Peleg Growdy,” came the surprising answer.

“Well, you don’t say?” exclaimed his chum, delight showing in his voice; “so the old man has really seen a great light, has he?  I guess he’s taking more interest in our troop than anybody else in town.  That night’s work was the best thing that ever happened for the boys of Stanhope, as well as for Peleg.  I take off my cap to him after this, Paul.”