cky I went up there when I did."

"You are very brave," said Margaret, running up to him and seizing
his hand. "I do not know how to thank you."

"Never mind trying, Miss Margaret," said Jack simply. "I am glad
that I was able to do something. How was the child overlooked?"

"Every one supposed that the nurse had attended to him. She is
always with him at night. I suppose she was frightened and left
him, and then at the last moment thought of him."

The girl nearly fainted again in her excitement, and fell against
Jack's shoulder, Percival raising her and saying:

"There, there, brace up. It is all right, and Jack Sheldon has
shown himself a hero as he has done many times before."

"I shall never forget him!" exclaimed Margaret, and then her father
and mother took her away, and the boys continued their work.

The fire company was getting down to business by this time, but if
the Hilltop boys had not made a good beginning for them they could
have done nothing.

The fire was, before long, under control, and, although considerable
damage had been done, the house was saved.

The boys were presently marched back to the camp, and Jack and
Percival sought their tent, tired out and excited.

"Hello! what is this?" exclaimed Jack, as he was undressing, seeing
something drop out of his trousers pocket.

It was a lady's gold watch.

CHAPTER VI

THE MYSTERY OF A GOLD WATCH

"What have you got there, Jack?" asked Percival, seeing Jack stoop
and pick up something.

"A gold watch, a lady's watch, apparently. How did it get in my
pocket? I don't remember picking it up. It is a very handsome one,
and quite expensive I should judge, although I never bought a gold
watch."

"And it dropped out of your pocket?"

"Yes, that is the strangest thing about it. How did it get there?
I did not put it there, I am certain."

Percival examined the watch, which Jack handed to him, and said:

"Yes, it is a very expensive gold watch, aside from the case,
which is set with diamonds. The watch itself is one of the best
foreign makes, and probably cost anywhere from one to two hundred
dollars for the works alone. Then add the price of the case, and
you have a nice little sum to pay for a little watch such as a
lady carries."

"But how did I get hold of it, Dick? Could I have picked it up at
the fire, and not known anything about it? We were all pretty well
excited, and this might have happened."

"I am sur