“They were taken from there,” went on Dick.  “We missed them several days before the robbery, but I don’t know who took them.”

“Then they must have been taken by some one around here,” concluded the judge.  “It seems to me that the farther we go the more mysterious it gets.  Jack, I think that you had better set your wits to work and see if you can’t clear it up.”

“Very well, Judge,” answered Jack, who had been going over the matter in his mind.  “I think I have a clue that I am going to follow up and see what comes of it.”

“Good,” commented the judge.  “While I do not believe for an instant that any of you young gentlemen had anything to do with the robbery, I would like to see it brought home to those who did it.”

“And I, too,” added the colonel.

“Good night, boys,” continued the judge.  “You have had rather an exciting day, and I think you had better be getting home.  I think you want to look out for Pepper so that nothing more happens to him to-night.”

“Good night, Judge,” responded the boys, Jack adding as they went out, “I won’t leave him out of sight until I have him safe in the house.”

CHAPTER XIX

A NARROW ESCAPE

“Row, brothers, row,” said Gerald “Kape it up, you’re doin’ fine.”

“How are we going?” asked Rand.

“Almost as fasht as Oi c’ud walk,” replied Gerald in his richest brogue.  “Av ye hit it up a bit mebbe ye c’ud be in toime to see the ind av it to-morrow, Oi dunno.”

“But truly, Geraid,” asked Donald, “how are we doing?”

“As weil as c’ud be ixpected av a lot of farmers,” replied the irrepressible Gerald.  “Ye moight do worse, Oi dunno.  Mebbe av ye tho’t ye were hoeing potatoes ye c’ud do betther.  Can’t ye hit up a bit?”

“I guess we can; a little,” replied Rand, who was rowing stroke, slightly increasing his effort.  “How is that?”

“Betther,” responded the other, and the boat shot ahead a little faster.

The Uncas crew were out for a final spin over the course before the race, which had been set for the following day.  Beside the Uncas and the Highpoint, the Alton, from farther up the river, had also entered.  It was not thought, even by their friends, that the Uncas had much chance against the others, whose crews, particularly the Alton’s, were much heavier and stronger.

“Is that better?” asked Rand, after they had rowed a short time.

“’Tis a thrifle betther,” replied Gerald.  “Av ye do as well to-morrow, mebbe we won’t be disgraced intirely, Oi dunno.”

“Come now, Gerald,” pleaded Jack, “tell us how we are doing?”

“Shure, Oi don’t want to discourage ye intirely,” replied Gerald, “but ye didn’t do any betther than three minutes in the lasht moile.”

“Three minutes!” shouted Don; “did we do it in that?”

“Hurrah!” cried Jack; “we’ll be in it yet.”