dition of cleanliness.

Accordingly, Darry first of all picked up the trousers and placed them
on a line in a corner of the room, where they could drip without soiling
the floor, he having spread a newspaper beneath.

Then he proceeded to attend to the coat in the same way.

While engaged in this he felt something bulky in one of the pockets and
smiled faintly as he remembered thrusting that portion of Sim's torn
coat there.

This he had done under the impression that Hank might consider it
conclusive evidence, calculated to convict the young ruffian beyond a
possibility of doubt.

It might just as well hang alongside the other garments, though Darry
did not intend removing the incriminating mud stains from the fragment.

As he drew the offending piece of cloth out he was thrilled to feel
something in the folds, and with trembling fingers he opened it out.

It seemed that with the portion of the coat that had come away in his
hands was one of the pockets, and out of this receptacle Darry quickly
drew something at which he stared as though he fancied he were dreaming.

_His pocket-book!_

Sim had undoubtedly snatched the same from his person as they wrestled
upon the ground, and having no other place in which to hide it at the
moment, had thrust it in the very outside pocket of his coat that a
minute later remained in the grip of the boy he had robbed.

Darry stared at it until he realized the amazing fortune that had so
kindly returned him his property, and then rolling over on the floor he
shook with wild laughter, so that Mrs. Peake came to the door in alarm
to see if he were ill.

CHAPTER XXI

SATISFYING THE MORTGAGE

While Darry was gurgling with laughter, still clutching the fragment of
coat and the precious pocket-book, he felt a hand seize his arm.

Looking up he saw the puzzled and anxious face of Abner's wife.

"What ails you, boy? Did they injure you more than you told me?" she
asked, as if fearful that he were going out of his mind.

To the further astonishment of the good woman the boy climbed to his
feet, suddenly threw his arms around her neck and gave her a vigorous
hug.

"It's all right, mother, after all; they didn't get it!" he exclaimed.

"What's all right? I don't understand at all," she replied, looking at
the dirty strip of cloth he was holding, and the pocket-book as well.

"Why, what do you think, while we were struggling there on the road,
with me underneath part o