you can
prove that we did,--unless you have manufactured some evidence against
us," went on our hero, pointedly, a new idea coming into his head.

"I ain't manufactured no evidence!" bawled Jason Sparr. "Didn't that
young rascal of a Lawrence say he'd get square with me, and didn't all
of you say the same? Wasn't you down to the blowing up of the bridge,
right where they had all that dynamite stored? Wasn't some of the
dynamite sticks stolen? Didn't you fellows come right by the hotel
afterwards? Wasn't the blowing up done by clockwork, made to go off
hours after it was set? You can't tell me! You are guilty. Besides, I
got other evidence--I got a letter," added the hotel-keeper,
shrewdly.

"A letter? About us?"

Jason Sparr nodded.

"Saying we were guilty?"

"Yes."

"Who wrote it?"

"Never mind that. You're guilty, and you know it. Just wait till
Hickson comes back with them others and I'll show you a thing or
two," continued the hotel man, harshly.

"Mr. Sparr, I said I wanted to talk to you, and I do want to," said
Dave, after a pause. "You will find it to your advantage to listen to
me. You have got this whole thing settled in your own mind, but you
are dead wrong. You intend to have us locked up for something we
didn't do. To have us locked up will blacken our characters and
blacken the reputation of Oak Hall. My folks are respectable people,
and so are the folks of the other boys. Do you think they will stand
for this sort of thing? And do you think Doctor Clay will stand for
it? If you do, you are greatly mistaken. If you have us arrested on
this charge, which is absolutely false, I'll get my folks to sue you
for false imprisonment and defamation of character, and I know the
other fellows will do the same. And you can rest assured that the
charges against you will be pushed to the limits of the law."

At this plain talk Jason Sparr's jaw dropped. Several times he was on
the point of interrupting, but thought better of it.

"Well, now--er----" he stammered when Dave had finished.

"My father is a United States senator," said Roger. "You don't suppose
he will let a matter like this pass unnoticed? If you do anything to
besmirch our family name, you'll take the consequences."

"Your father is a United States senator?" faltered Jason Sparr.

"He is, and Dave's father is a rich man, and so is Phil Lawrence's
father. Of course, our money has nothing to do with it, excepting that
it will enable us to