ill take too long," Ferd was objecting, when Miss Race
herself, with two or three of the other teachers and Miss Walters, came
hurrying toward them.

"What are you going to do, boys?" asked Miss Walters, looking worried.

The boys explained quickly, and Teddy, turning eagerly to Miss Race,
asked her to go with them as far as the woods and point out the place
where the thief had disappeared.

Miss Race was still white from her fright. But she was angry, too, for
the pocketbook she had lost contained a good deal of money.

"Yes, I'll go," she said, then added, turning quickly to her principal:
"That is, if you don't mind, Miss Walters."

Miss Walters still looked troubled, but she shook her head slowly.

"I think it will be all right," she said, adding as the boys started
eagerly off: "Only be careful, boys, and don't get hurt. The man may be
desperate if he finds himself cornered."

The girls started to follow the boys, but Miss Walters checked them.

"You can't help," she said when they looked at her reproachfully. "And
since I'm responsible for you, you will stay right here."

Meanwhile, the boys and Miss Race were running down the road. Yes, even
Miss Race, who was never _very_ dignified, was running.

Suddenly they came to a trampled place in the road, showing that some
struggle had taken place there.

"It was right here," said Miss Race, her eyes black with excitement.
"And he ran across the road and disappeared in that thick mass of
bushes. Then he covered me with his gun and told me to 'beat it while
the beating was good.'"

"The rat!" cried Chet indignantly. "Come on, fellows! I want to get my
hands on that rascal."

Eagerly the boys started for the woods, but Teddy turned back suddenly
and called to Miss Race.

"You'd better go back now," he said, and Miss Race's eyes twinkled at
his grown-up tone. "There isn't anything more you can do, and if there
are any bullets flying around we don't want you to get them. Please," he
added impatiently, as she did not move.

"No, I'm going to stay right here," she answered him firmly, and when
Miss Race spoke in that tone everybody knew that she meant what she
said. "Go along, but don't take too many risks. Remember the man is
armed."

So Teddy disappeared after his comrades and Miss Race waited nervously
in the road, expecting she hardly knew what.

It seemed a long time that she stood there, dreading any moment to hear
a shot, blaming herself for sendin