that
they become dangerous characters. Grace slipped back into the pantry,
swiftly opened one of the linen drawers and drew forth what turned out
later to be a breakfast cloth, which was lucky because it was small and
easy to manage.

When, in the next instant, she had pushed the door open, what she saw
made her blood run cold. Tom Gray had whipped out a small pistol and
pointed it straight at David's head.

"Get out of here, quick!" he said just as Grace opened the table cloth
with a jerk and flung it over his head. A pistol shot rang out, but
David had dodged in time and the bullet was buried in the mahogany
wainscot back of him. The astonished burglar dropped the weapon, and
began to struggle violently to release himself.

Instantly David pinioned his arms from the back. But the fellow might
even then have struggled free, if Reddy Brooks and Hippy Wingate had not
burst into the room, followed by Anne, who had roused them after Grace
had gone. The three boys swiftly overpowered Tom Gray and tied him to a
chair with cord Grace had found in the pantry.

But now, what was to be done? Undoubtedly the noise would awaken Mrs.
Gray and she would have to be told that her nephew was a burglar about
to make off with the family silver.

Perhaps the loss of the silver would hurt less than family disgrace.

In the midst of their council Mrs. Gray herself appeared.

"What in the world is the matter?" she demanded.

No one replied for a moment. It was a very uncomfortable situation for
the young guests of the house party. If only the burglar had not been a
member of the Gray family!

Then Tom Gray himself spoke.

"I must say this is a nice 'ospitable way to treat a guest and a
relation. 'Ere I am taken by a lot of silly children for a burglar. I,
your own nephew, awnt, who 'ad come down stairs on the h'innocent
h'errand of finding some h'ice water."

Mrs. Gray looked from one to another of the silent group. Her eyes took
in the silver piled on the table, the pistol on the floor and the
burglar's tools and lantern.

"You are a burglar," she said, "a wretched, common thief. I knew it as
soon as you entered my house last night. I could not then explain the
feeling of repugnance I had, but I know now what it meant. I shall not
offer hospitality to a coward, for all thieves are cowards. Boys, take
what he has stolen from his pockets."

Reddy and Hippy searched the bulging pockets of the thief's coat and
waistcoat, and br