ger who said a cup or something had been stolen
while they were getting corn at the capital."

"Hey! what's that you're saying, Jerry?" exclaimed Bluff, startled by
the comparison, "don't you remember they did find the lost thing, and
in Benjamin's pack, too?"

"But it was put there at the orders of Joseph, wasn't it?" demanded
the one who had told the old-time story; "and for a purpose too. But
make your mind easy for they can't play that game on us. The lost cup
isn't at Cabin Point."

"Then you will offer no objections to our making a search, do I
understand?" asked Mr. Dennison, eagerly.

"Rather, we insist on your doing that, sir!" said Will, promptly, for
it galled his proud soul to be under suspicion, especially when such a
thing as the taking of a valuable piece of property was concerned.

Frank immediately led the way to the log cabin. Mr. Dennison paid not
the least attention to the fact that the boys had done so much to make
the forlorn place habitable since taking possession. All he seemed to
be thinking of just then was that missing golden cup, and the
possibility of discovering it somewhere among the possessions of these
young boys, to whom he had taken such a violent antipathy.

They passed inside the old building, which, if the guess of the boys
was correct, had long years before been the home of Mr. Dennison at a
time before he possessed much of this world's goods.

"I call on you to help me in the search, Constable!" said the owner of
the cabin.

"And we will only too gladly do all we can to assist, sir!" declared
Will, who secretly meant to keep hold of his camera, for fear lest it
be knocked to the floor and injured beyond repair.

Upon that every one began the search. Mr. Dennison did not do so much
himself, but he kept those keen eyes of his constantly on the watch,
as though to let nothing escape him.

The constable apparently did not fancy his job. He went about it in
what appeared to be a half-hearted fashion. In fact, when he and Bluff
came together, as the boy emptied his clothes bag, and shook each
individual extra garment, the wearer of the nickel badge muttered
something half under his breath that sounded in the nature of an
apology.

Evidently Mr. Jeems was a believer in boys, if the old hermit was not.
And when Frank afterwards learned that he had seven youngsters of his
own at home, he knew the reason of the constable's sympathy.

By degrees the search included every nook