you said; well, here
it is, on a direct line with Hugh's locker. Get busy with your key,
Leon, and open up!"

Possibly Thad was confident that the other would not venture to do as
he demanded. He may have expected him to invent some handy excuse
for not complying; but then the other had already laid the foundation
for a reasonable sense of disappointment in case no watch was
forthcoming when the locker was opened; since he said he _hoped_ he
might have forgotten it when dressing, and not lost it on the way
home that evening at dusk.

Leon started to obey with alacrity, as though he had no fears. His
key immediately opened the door, and this, upon being swung aside,
revealed a bundle of old athletic garments hastily thrown in without
regard to neatness.

These Leon commenced to eagerly take out, one at a time. He was
careful how he handled them, as though fearful lest he might toss the
silver watch out, to land on the floor with disastrous results.

As he picked up such various articles of wearing apparel as used by
an athlete in training, Leon continued to air his grievances, as
though he meant Hugh to understand how utterly impossible it was for
him to have intended any mean thing by breaking open a locker other
than his own:

"It was silly of me getting those numbers mixed in my head, of
course; but then a figure nine is only a six turned upside down, you
see. I was so worked up over missing my clock that I just couldn't
think straight at all. Well, it isn't under that jersey, anyhow; nor
yet covered by those trunks. I remember now I pushed it away back,
so I couldn't drag it out. There's an old sweater I use when I'm
overheated, and afraid of taking cold; mebbe now it's under that."

Reaching further in, Leon caught hold of the article in question, and
carefully drew it toward him. Then he as cautiously lifted the torn
sweater; and, as Thad turned the glow of the flash-light directly
into the box they all saw the watch reposing in the corner, just as
the boy had left it.

Leon made a clutch for his property. He over-did the matter, Hugh
thought, acting in an exuberant fashion.

"Oh! mebbe I'm not joyful over getting my hands on you again, you
poor old time-keeper!" he exclaimed, as he snatched the silver watch
up and shook it, as though any fault could be attached to the article
in question. "A fine chase you've given me to-night; and playing the
part of sneak-thief in the bargain; but then, of