ilbur Poole blow up the hotel and
equally sure that the dictatorial teacher had written the letter to
the hotel-keeper stating he, Dave, and their chums were guilty.

"He thought we'd be locked up, or at least that we'd be sent away from
the school and he would be rid of us," said Phil. "He is growing
afraid of us! Oh, if we can prove that he did it, I'll make it hot for
him!"

"If he did such a thing as that, he ought to be discharged from Oak
Hall," was Ben's comment.

"I'll get my father to sue him for damages," put in Buster.

"Well, don't be hasty," advised Dave. "There may be some
mistake--although I think not."

At Oakdale, Wilbur Poole was turned over to the authorities, who
placed him in a comfortable room attached to the lockup. As it was
known that he was insane, he could not be counted a criminal, and the
majority of the people pitied him and hoped that some day he would be
restored to his right mind.

A telegram was sent to the Poole family, and the next day came a reply
that some men would come to take Wilbur Poole away to a sanitarium. It
was established beyond a doubt that he had used the dynamite to blow
up the dining-room of Sparr's hotel, and, consequently, our hero and
his chums were cleared of that charge, much to their satisfaction.

"I wonder if Nat will come back?" said Shadow. "I should think he
would hate to do it."

"I don't think he will," said Luke.

"What will you do if he does come back, Phil?" asked Gus.

"I don't know, Gus. Of course, I'll let him know what I think of him
for spoiling my plans for a spread. But I hate to be hard on him,
because of this disgrace about his uncle."

"Yes, that's a terrible thing," was Chip Macklin's comment. "I'd hate
to have a crazy man in my family."

"Well, such things can't be helped," put in Polly Vane. "The Poole
family will have to make the best of it."

It was several days later when Nat Poole showed himself. Phil and Dave
did not see him until later, and both were struck by the change in his
appearance. He looked haggard and much older, and his arrogance was
completely gone.

"Got back, eh?" said Phil, walking up to him.

"Yes," returned the money-lender's son, and his voice sounded hollow.

"What have they done with your uncle, Nat?" asked Dave, kindly.

"Put him in another sanitarium, where he will have the best of care
and doctoring."

"I hope he gets well."

"We all hope that." Nat swallowed a lump in his throat and the