“But wait; that isn’t all.  You know that Si Growdy is a nephew of his?  Well, he’s without a home no longer.  Peleg sent for him, and they had a long talk.  Si told me this morning that he’s really been adopted by his uncle, and is going to make his home with him.  What d’ye think of that, Jack?”

“Just immense, that’s what,” declared his companion, slapping a hand on Paul’s shoulder; “I’m glad we went there and cleaned up the old man’s dooryard.  Some of the boys thought it silly at the time; but they understand things better now.  He was just needing something like that to touch his heart.  Up to then he thought all boys were pests.  We opened his eyes some, eh?”

“That’s right, we did.  But about those coins!” said Paul, smiling once more.

“Yes, first tell me who it was you suspected that has turned out innocent?” asked his chum.

“There he lies yonder, sleeping, with one eye open and watching us!” remarked Paul, pointing across the room.

“What!  Carlo!  You actually suspected him of taking my coins?  Why, Paul, whatever put that notion into your head?” demanded Jack, in sheer astonishment.

“Well,” returned Paul; “perhaps it was silly, but then you’ve taught him to fetch a basket from the baker’s, and do lots of stunts.  I didn’t know but what the sly old chap might be helping himself to your coins, and palming them off on the butcher for a supply of bones.”

“That would have been the limit!” gasped his friend.  “But you found out that he was innocent, did you?”

“I finally went in and talked with Mr. Griggs; but he said Carlo just came in once in a while, looking so pitifully at him, that he didn’t have the heart to refuse a bone.  So none of your lost coins have gone into his till, Jack.”

“Oh! that would have been the queerest thing ever, had he done it.  But now about the other clue you have—­tell me about it, Paul,” continued the anxious one.  Paul had seated himself where he could keep an eye down the street in front of the house.  And while his chum was talking he had smiled as if he might have discovered something out there that pleased him very much.

“Come right up to your den with me, Jack, and leave Carlo shut in here,” he said, rising; “and when we get upstairs open the window to air the room.  Then I shall ask you to let me hide there behind something, while you go downstairs, pass out, and along the street in plain view.”

“Say, that’s a mighty queer thing to do,” ventured the other.

“It’s all a part of my plan.  You must leave the door of the den open too.  And Jack, after you get around the corner I want you to sneak back to the rear of the house, and come up again, crawling into the den here, if everything is quiet.”

“Oh! all right, if you say so, Paul,” Jack observed; “but you’ve sure got me guessing to beat the band, right now.  Here’s the window open.  Now shall I get busy, and meander off?”