o men quarreled as to the division of the loot after it was hidden.
But they are both in jail, now--and the monkey, too. But Mr. Monk will
never have a chance to open his master's cell-door again. Now, you'll
hear all about this later, boys, and you will both have to testify when
the case comes to trial. That's all."

"Huh!" exclaimed Short and Long, as he went away with Chet, "looks like
as though! everybody had the laugh on me--eh?"

"How's that?" queried Chet, in some surprise.

"Why, I needn't have made such a Jack of myself as to run away and hide
over there on the island. Father's said a-plenty to me about it. He says
that any boy who runs away instead of, facing the music makes himself
appear guilty right at the start."

"Well--I--don't--know," said his friend, slowly. "Certain sure you
worried your folks a whole lot--and worried your friends, too."

"I never thought of that."

"I s'pose not. That detective chasing you up so, was what scared you."

"And you'd have been scared, too. He said he could put me in jail. Now,
I'd just as soon be half starved over there on Cavern Island as to be in
jail," declared Billy, with conviction.

"Say! One thing you got out of it young fellow," said Chet, suddenly,
with a laugh. "And you wouldn't have got that if you hadn't run away."

"Oh! do you really think they'll give me part of the reward?"

"Of course they will. They'll have to. Father will have his lawyer 'tend
to that for you, Billy. The police sha'n't cheat you out of your
rights."

"Then," cried Billy, delight showing in his face. "I tell you what's
going to happen if I get all that money."

"What?" asked Chet, curiously.

"Alice is going back to Central High to finish out her last year. You
know, she would have graduated two years ago this June if it hadn't been
for her having to stay home to 'tend to the kids. She shall come back. I
know she wants to be a teacher, and without her High School certificate
she cannot go to Normal."

"Well, you're a good kind of a kid, after all, Billy," said Chet
Belding. "Even if you are full of tickle," and he grinned at the small
boy.

"Thanks," sniffed Billy Long. "Did you think that nobody but _you_
appreciates a good sister? Lemme tell you, Mother Wit isn't the only
girl around these corners that's as good as any boy alive!"

Chet laughed aloud at this. "That's sure a backhand compliment," he
said. "Most of the girls of Central High think they're a whole lot
b