und."

"Huh! mebbe it wasn't there when we came along, Toby!" suggested Steve.
"Just as like as not that chap he dropped the coin, and ground it
part-way into the cinders with his toe, then managed so little Barbara
should pick it up. There, listen to him now telling her that findings is
keepings, and that the money belongs to her by right of discovery. That
was a smart dodge, wasn't it? I wonder what his game is. Can you guess
it, Jack?"

"I decline to commit myself to an answer," came the reply.

"That means you've got some sort of hazy suspicion, which may and again
may not pan out later on," hinted Steve. "Oh! well, it seems as if we've
run smack up against a great puzzle, and I never was a good hand at
figuring such things out--never guessed a rebus or an acrostic in my
whole life. Tell us when you strike pay dirt, that's a good fellow,
Jack."

"Perhaps I will," chuckled the other, still keeping his eyes glued on
the figures of little Barbara and the stranger, not far distant.

Now the man had evidently said good-bye, for, as she tripped along the
walk, she turned to wave her chubby hand to him, and even kiss the tips
of her fingers to her scarlet rosebud lips as if sending a kiss back.

He stood there staring after her. Jack watching saw him take out a
handkerchief and wipe his eyes several times. Apparently that meeting
with Barbara Badger had affected the man considerably. Jack hoped it
would be for his good, and also for the benefit of Fred Badger, who
seemed to be struggling with some secret that was weighing his young
spirit down.

Then the man turned and looked long and earnestly back toward the humble
cottage home of the widow. He was shaking his head and muttering
something half under his breath; but somehow Jack thought he did not
look very ferocious just then. In fact, after the man strode away and
they were free to once more come out on the walk, Jack had a feeling
that the stranger did not appear quite so much like a desperate city
sport as he had formerly believed.

CHAPTER X

THE WARNING

"Hello! there, Jack, you're wanted!"

The boys were practicing on the following afternoon when this hail
reached the ears of the first baseman, diligently stopping terrific
grounders that came from the bat of substitute catcher, Hemming, the
best man on the nine for this sort of work.

So Jack trotted in toward the group near the bench. A score or two of
boys, with also a sprinkling of enthus