" shouted Kent. But Old Tilly weighed
things first in his mind.

"That would be a go if we had enough to 'go' round. But you twinnies
wouid have to ride double, or spell each other, or something."

"Spell nobody!" scornfully cried Jot.

"N-o, no, b-o-d--"

"Shut up, Kent! That's all right, Old Till. Benny Tweed'll lend me his
bike just like a book--I know Ben! Besides, he owes me a dollar and I'll
call it square. There!"

Old Tilly nodded approvingly. "Good!" he said. "Then we'll take a trip
off somewhere. That what you meant?"

"Sure! We'll go Columbus-ing--discovering things, you know."

"Like those fellows--what's their names?--who did errands for people,
and had wonderful things happen to them while doing them!" put in Kent,
enthusiastically.

"Errands? What in the world--knights? He means knight-errants!"
exclaimed Old Till, laughing.

"That's a good one--'Did errands for folks!'" Jot mocked.

"Well, what did they do then, Jotham Eddy?"

"Why, they--er--they--they rode round on splendid horses, all armed--
er--aaple-pie--and--"

"Apple-pie--armed with apple-pie!"

Old Tilly came briskly to the rescue.

"Never mind the errands or the pie!" laughed he. "We'll be reg'lar
knights and hunt up distressed folks to relieve, and have reg'lar
adventures. It will be great--good for Jot! We won't decide where
we're going or anything--just keep a-going. We'll start to-morrow
morning at sunrise."

"Hoo-ray for to-morrow morning!"

"Hoo-ray for sunrise!"

"Hoo-ray for Jot!" finished Kent, generously forgetting mockeries.

The plan promised gloriously. When father and mother came home from the
mill they fell in with it heartily, and mother rolled up her sleeves at
once to make cakes to fill the boys' bundle racks. They would buy other
things as they went along--that would be part of the fun.

In the middle of the night Jot got out of bed softly and padded his way
across to the bureau, to feel of the three five-dollar bills they had
left together under the pincushion for a paper weight. He slid his
fingers under carefully. What! He lifted the cushion. Then he struck
a match--two matches--three, in agitated succession.

The money was gone!

CHAPTER II.

Jot gasped with horror. The last match went out and left him standing
there in the dark. After one instant's hesitation he made a bound for
the bed. "Kent! Kent! Wake up!" he whispered shrilly. He shook the
limp figure hard.