ieve it. Maybe you'll
be nice enough to explain things to them to-morrow, Jimmy?"

"Explain nothing!" exclaimed Jimmy. "They'd soon think I was as foolish as
you, and I'd hate to get a rep. like that."

"Harsh words," laughed Bob. "You fellows had better quit saying nice
things about one another, or you'll be mixing it first thing you know."

"No chance," denied Herbert, with a grin. "I'm too hungry to think of
scrapping, and I'll bet Jimmy is too. How about it, old pal?"

"I should say so!" agreed Jimmy. "Thank heaven we're almost home. If we
had much further to go, I guess you'd have to carry me."

They were indeed almost home by this time, and branched off to their
respective houses. Though they were all late, they managed to make up for
lost time in the way of eating and their mothers had reason to be thankful
that they were not late very often.

An interesting bit of information came about this time in the news
conveyed by Mr. Rockwell to Mr. Layton, whom he had chanced to meet on a
train, that the motor boat which had run down Larry and his companions
had been found in a remote inlet some distance down the coast, where it
had evidently been deserted by the men who had stolen it. From sundry
papers that had been left on the boat, through an oversight of the
rascals, it was gathered that they were members of a gang of hotel thieves
who had been "working" the hotels at the summer resorts along the coast,
where a long list of unsolved robberies had been perpetrated. The police
were working on the case, but the thieves had not yet been apprehended.

"Well," said Bob, when he heard the news, "it's good to know that Mr.
Wentworth got his motor boat back anyway. But I won't be satisfied till I
hear that the police have landed the thieves."

"Same here," said Joe. "But it's like looking for a needle in a haystack.
They may be out on the Pacific coast by this time."

The boys worked hard on their big set for the next few days, spending all
the time on it that they could spare from their studies. They found time,
however, to visit Mr. Brandon, as they had promised, and had a royal good
time in his rooms at the hotel. They laughed and joked and talked radio to
their hearts' content. Toward the end of the evening Mr. Brandon called on
Jimmy for some expert advice.

"Jimmy," he said, "I've been thinking that a little--or rather, a lot--of
ice cream and cake would go well. What is your honest opinion on the
subject?"