her, "I made up my mind to hide them in a different place.
Perhaps it was foolish of me, but I couldn't help it. I'm as bad as some
of the girls, I guess," and he glanced at Betty and her chums, who now,
with flushed cheeks and looking pretty enough for any number of boys to
gaze upon, even if their hair was a bit awry, stood grouped in the hall.

"So I got up," resumed Mr. Nelson, "took the diamonds from the bureau
drawer where I had placed them, and started to take them down cellar.
I----"

"Down cellar!" cried Betty. "What a place to hide diamonds--in the
cellar!"

"It's the safest all-around place," her father said. "I don't believe
any burglars would be able to find them where I was going to put them,
and in case of fire the diamonds would be in little danger. Of course
they might be buried under a lot of rubbish, but they wouldn't go up in
puffs of smoke.

"So I got up as quietly as I could, and took the diamonds, intending to
go down cellar with them, hoping I would disturb no one."

"But where did you get the box?" asked Betty. "That was in my room,
Daddy."

"I know. I went in and took it out."

"And I never awakened?"

"No."

"A fine guard for the diamonds," mocked Will from around the corner of
the hall.

"Go to bed--you boys!" commanded Betty.

"I thought I would take the box, too," Mr. Nelson resumed. "It forms one
of the clues, and I didn't want anything to happen to that. So I decided
to take that, put the diamonds in the secret bottom, and hide all down
cellar. Only Grace rather upset my plans."

"I--I'm so sorry," said the thirsty one, contritely.

"Don't you be!" returned Betty. "You're as good as a watch dog. To think
of _me_ never waking when papa came in my room."

"I was glad you didn't," he said. "I hoped to have it all go off
quietly, and tell you in the morning. But as long as you know it now I
might as well proceed. I'll go on down cellar and hide them."

"And don't forget to tell us where you put them," Betty urged. "If you
go away in the morning, we'll want to know where to run to get them in
case the house does catch fire."

"Oh, don't suggest such a thing!" begged her mother.

Mr. Nelson laughed and went on down cellar, coming back soon to tell the
waiting ones that he had found a little niche in the wall, near the
chimney, and had put the diamonds in the box there. Then the house
quieted down again.

Will and Mr. Nelson left on an early train for Boston, both promisi