areful in your accusations, Mr. Appleby," said
the head master sharply.

"I am, Doctor. I ain't namin' no names, but I brought that pin t' you,
thinkin' you could tell who owned it. Then, when it is knowed who was
sneakin' around my barns, I may be able t' say who sot the fire!"

"Preposterous!" exclaimed Doctor Meredith. "I will not, for one
moment, entertain a suspicion, even, against one of my lads on such
flimsy evidence as this."

"'Tain't flimsy!" retorted the farmer. "There's been men convicted
of serious crimes on less evidence than a gold pin. That's a school
emblem, an' I know it!"

"True enough," agreed the head master.

"Then I ask you to say who owns it?" demanded the incensed farmer.

"That I cannot say," was the cool answer. "This is not a class pin--it
is a hall emblem--that is, any lad in the school is entitled to wear
it, and nearly every one does."

"Then call the roll, an' find out who's lost his pin!" suggested Mr.
Appleby eagerly. "That's an easy way to find out."

"I shall do nothing of the sort!" answered the doctor firmly.

"Then I'll go t' law about it. I tell you, Doctor Meredith, that pin
was picked up near the stack before the hay was found t' be on fire.
It belongs to one of your students, an' I demand an investigation."

"Well, you may demand as much as you please, Mr. Applesauce----"

"Appleby's my name--Jed Appleby."

"Very well, Mr. Appleby. You may demand as much as you please, but I
shall not inflict an accusation on any of my students in general, and
certainly on none in particular, on such flimsy evidence as this. Here
is the pin, you may advertise it if you like."

"Huh! Yes, an' d' ye s'pose th' owner would claim it? Not much. I
don't want th' pin. It ain't mine. But I want t' know who sot that
fire, an' I'm goin' t' find out! One of my men seen a school lad near
the hay early in th' evenin', I tell ye!"

"Can he identify him?" asked the doctor.

"No, I don't know as he kin. It was dark, an'----"

"That will do," interrupted the head master. "I am afraid I have no
more time to listen to you. Good day. I shall keep the pin, since you
refuse to take it," and the doctor, with a curt nod to the farmer, and
a smile at the lads, passed on.

For a moment Tom and his chums stood looking at the somewhat bewildered
farmer, and then Tom spoke.

"You've got a lot of nerve!" he said cuttingly.

"I should say so," added Bert.

"The worst ever," add