no one claimed it! Here, then, was a dilemma! It would not be
possible to go to every room, and examine the wardrobe of every
scholar; besides, now it was known that the bit had been found, and
might easily be made to lead to a discovery of the guilty ones, what
more natural than that the dress should be hidden away, or sent from
the academy building to prevent the possibility of detection!

Miss Ashton was disappointed over this failure. She was not much of a
detective, and had less reason for being so than falls to the lot of
many teachers.

She wrote to the principal of the Atherton Academy, inquiring whether
he had given leave to a party of his boys to take a sleigh-ride on the
night of the twentieth of November. She knew Jerry Downer had been one
of them, as he had called on his sister, who was one of her pupils, on
that night.

She received an immediate answer, saying, "He had not given leave for
any sleigh-ride on that night, and was both surprised and sorry that a
boy he had always considered so reliable as Jerry Downer should have
been among them. He would inquire into the matter at once."

And he lost no time; sending for Jerry, he put the question
point-blank, his usual straightforward way of dealing with his
boys,--

"Did you go on a sleigh-ride the evening of the twentieth of
November?"

"Yes, sir," said Jerry unhesitatingly.

"Did I give you leave to go?"

"No, sir; but I supposed the party had asked you, or they would not
have gone."

"Your supposition was entirely erroneous. My leave had never been
asked. Who besides yourself made up the party?"

Now Jerry hesitated: he could take the blame of his own going, but it
would be mean in him to tell the names of his companions.

"Mr.--Uncle John (the principal smiled grimly as he heard this
familiar name), I mean Dr. Arkwright," said Jerry, the color browning,
instead of reddening his sea-tanned face, "I am very sorry, sir; I
thought they had leave; I would not have gone."

"Don't _think_ again; _know_, Jerry Downer: that is the only way for a
boy that wants to do right. You will tell me, if you please, the names
of your companions."

"Would that be honorable in me, sir?" asked Jerry, now looking the
doctor straight in the eye.

A look of doubt passed over the principal's face before he answered,
then he said with less austerity,--

"I must find out in some way who among my boys have broken my rules;
you can help me more directly than any