e's in this frame of mind."

And so Jake, whining and protesting, was taken away. As soon as he was
out of sight and hearing Trenwith's manner changed.

"By George," he said, excitedly, "that's a good piece of work! There's
something mighty interesting coming off here pretty soon. I'm not at
liberty to tell you what it is yet, but I had a long talk on the
telephone with Charlie just before you called me, Eleanor, and there are
going to be ructions!"

"Oh, I suppose we mustn't ask you to tell us, if you've promised not to
do it," said Eleanor, "but I do wish we knew!"

She didn't seem to notice that he had called her by her first name--a
privilege that was not accorded, as a rule, to those who had no more of
an acquaintance with her than Billy Trenwith. But he had done it so
naturally, and with so little thought, that she could hardly have
resented it, anyway. But Dolly noticed it, and nudged Bessie
mischievously.

"Then you really think we're going to find something out from Jake, Mr.
Trenwith?" asked Dolly.

"We'll find a way to make him talk, never fear," said Trenwith. "The
boy's a natural born coward. He'll do anything to save his own skin if
he finds he's in real trouble and that the others of his gang can't help
him. I don't think he's naturally bad or vicious--I think he's just
weak. He was spoiled by his mother, wasn't he? He acts the way a good
many boys do who have been treated that way. He's not got enough
strength of character to keep him from taking the easiest path. If a
thing seems safe, he's willing to do it to avoid trouble."

"You know there's just one thing that occurs to me," said Eleanor,
looking worried. "Jake may have come here with some vague idea of
telling us what he knew. But suppose he has seen Holmes or some of the
others since Bessie got him to promise to go to Charlie Jamieson in the
city?"

"I hoped you wouldn't think of that," said Trenwith, gravely. "I thought
of it, too. You mean he might have been here just as a spy, with no idea
of showing himself at all?"

"The way he acted makes it look as if that was just why he was here,
too," said Dolly. "He was sneaking around, and he certainly didn't seem
very pleased when Bessie found him."

"He did his best to squirm away," said Bessie. "If Zara hadn't been so
nervous while we were eating supper I would never have thought of going
after him, either. But she seems to be able to see things and hear
things, in some queer fashion, w