ill be able to do a thing," said Jack.
"He'll look wise and ask a lot of questions, and that's all."

A block had been covered when they saw the farmer and the constable
approaching. On his breast Jed Plodders had pinned a bright, silver
star, and he carried a policeman's club in his hand.

"There they are!" cried Isaac Fasick.

"Is them the cadets?" queried the guardian of the peace.

"That's two of 'em. The other two said they'd stay an' watch the house."

"Stop!" cried the constable, and pointed his club at the cadets.

"Are you Constable Plodders?" questioned Jack.

"That's who I be," was the stern reply. "Now then, out with it, young
fellers. You broke into Mr. Ford's house, didn't you? Now, don't try to
fool me, fer it won't wash! You broke into the house, and Mr. Fasick
ketched you at it, didn't he?" And the constable cast what was meant for
an eagle eye on Jack and then on Fred. He had made up his mind that he
would surprise both of the boys into a confession.

The two cadets stared in wonder at the constable, and then a smile came
into Jack's face. The situation was so ludicrous he felt like laughing.
Jed Plodders saw the smile and frowned deeply.

"This ain't no laughing matter, you scamp!" he bellowed. "You broke into
the Ford house an' tried to steal the silverware! Now don't try to deny
it, or it will be the wuss fer you! You done it now, didn't you?" And he
pointed his club at first one cadet and then the other.

"No, we didn't do it!" burst out Fred. "You are a great big chump to
think we did!"

"Hi! hi! don't you talk to me like that!" roared the guardian of the
peace.

"Then don't you accuse us of any crime," came quickly from Jack.

"Didn't Mr. Fasick find you at the house?" demanded the constable.

"He did, but we didn't go there to steal; we went there to see if
everything was all right. He went there for the same purpose."

"Say, don't you go for to mix me up in this robbery," interrupted Isaac
Fasick, hastily. "I didn't have a thing to do with it."

"No more had we," answered Fred. "We just sailed to the place on my
iceboat. We can prove it."

"We are friends of the Ford family; we can easily prove that, too,"
added Jack. "Mr. Ford and his wife both asked us, when we were in this
vicinity, to take a look and see if everything was all right. We found a
strange man in the mansion and we did our best to catch him, but he got
away. What we want you to do is to get busy and try to cat