nd the back of the store and try
a new trick on him? It won't hurt anyone; there'll be a crash
of glass, but it won't break any good glass---merely a bottle."

"I think that perhaps our son needs a little enlivening," smiled
Mr. Prescott.

"Thank you," answered Tom. "You won't be startled, will you,
Mrs. Prescott?"

"I don't see how I can possibly be startled, when I've been so
kindly warned," laughed Mrs. Prescott.

Then, as Reade darted from the store, Mrs. Prescott added, to
her husband:

"I think the back of Tom Reade's head contains more pranks than
that of any other boy I ever knew."

"I don't imagine our own son is any too far behind him," replied
Mr. Prescott dryly.

A minute or two passed. Then there sounded under one of the store's
rear windows a most realistic crash of glass. With it mingled
another sound, not so easy to determine, followed by a loud yell
and the noise of running feet. Now, out in the street the cry
sounded:

"There he goes! Get him!"

"Throw him down and hold him!" yelled another voice.

"Mercy!" gasped Mrs. Prescott.

"Don't be alarmed, my dear," smiled Mr. Prescott. "It's only
the natural aftermath of Tom Reade's newest startler."

Was it?

Dick Prescott, after yawning twice, and before starting to disrobe,
had decided that his adjustable screen was not fixed in the window
of his bedroom as securely as it should be. In endeavoring to
fix it he found it necessary to remove the screen from the window.
Hardly had he done so when, gazing down into the darkness, he
saw a dimly visible figure flitting over the ground below.

"Who's that?" murmured Dick to himself. "What's up?"

Whoever the prowler was, he was flitting over to the ash cans
set out by a neighbor. One can contained ashes only, the other
contained various kinds of rubbish. It took the prowler but a
moment to find an empty bottle in the second can. Then he came
straight over toward the rear window of the store, which was
situated directly under Dick's own window.

"There's some mischief afloat," murmured Dick, unable to recognize
his chum in the darkness. "I can't get down in time to catch
him, but I'll mark him so that I'll know him when I overtake him."

Tip-toeing over to his washstand, Dick quickly picked up the water
pitcher. He returned to his window just as Tom crouched under
the store window with a bottle in his left hand and his felt hat
in his right.

Then Tom struck the harmless blo