week. Why, a rain'd play the dickens with
all our plans for that glorious long run."

"You don't smash a thermometer every time it tells you how hot or cold it
is, do you?" demanded Colon. "Then why d'ye want to blame things on my
leg barometer? Just as if it had anything to do with the weather, 'cept
to warn you ahead. Seems to me I ought to have a gold medal, instead of
abuse. But here's Fred, and looking as if he was in apple pie trim for
making the grand rounds to-day."

Of course all of them were in their running outfits, which consisted of
trunks, sleeveless jerseys, shoes with spikes in the soles, and an excuse
of a hat, though Bristles declined to wear anything on his mop of hair.

"All here but Sid, now, Fred," announced Colon, as the other joined them.

"We're a little ahead of the time that was set," remarked Fred, who
seemed to be unusually sober it appeared to the sharp-eyed Colon, "and
Sid will be along soon. I saw him heading for town, and he called across
lots that he had a little errand, but would join us as soon as he could
get back home, and pile into his running togs. Let's sit down somewhere,
and take it easy, boys."

"A good idea, too," commented Bristles, "because, with a twenty-five mile
run before us, we'll have all the standing on our feet we want. Chances
are it'll be a pretty tired bunch of boys that'll turn up here some hours
from now."

They found a place to settle down, and after a little talk about the
weather, during which Colon was called upon to once more prophesy as to
the chances for rain, he suddenly turned to Fred, to say:

"What's bothering you this morning, Fred?"

"Why do you ask me that?" returned the other, with a little smile.

"Well," Colon continued, "I'm used to watching faces, and it struck me
when you came up, there was a worried look on your face. Hope you're not
feeling anyway off?"

"Never felt in better condition in my life," Fred assured him. "One or
two little bruises from that business of last night, but nothing to
mention, and I don't expect to even think of them again."

"What happened, then?" asked Bristles.

"Only that our house was entered last night!" Fred observed, calmly.

The other boys gave expression to their astonishment in various
exclamations.

"Burglarized, you mean, Fred?" cried Colon.

"Well, yes, I guess you might call it that, though it seems only one
particular thing was carried off," Fred replied.

"You've got us g