tt speaks of Smith's
visit to Roscoe's room, and I met your nephew walking in the opposite
direction. When I entered the room, Platt told me that, half-concealed
by the closet door, he had seen Jim Smith enter and thrust the wallet
into Roscoe's pocket. Soon after, you and Mrs. Smith came into the
room, guided by your nephew, who let you know just where the wallet was
hidden. He had very good reasons for knowing," added Wilkins.

If a look would have annihilated Wilkins, the look directed towards him
by Jim Smith would have had that effect.

"It's a conspiracy against me, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, intent upon
brazening it out. "They're all in league together."

"The testimony of Wilkins doesn't amount to much!" said Mr. Smith. "He
may have seen James in the corridor, but that is by no means a part of
his complicity in this affair."

"Just so!" said Jim, eagerly.

"Ben Platt's evidence ought to count for something," said Hector. "He
saw your nephew putting the wallet into the pocket of my pants."

Socrates was clearly perplexed. In spite of his partiality for his
nephew, the case against him certainly looked very strong.

Hector, however, determined to make his defense even stronger.

"I would like to ask Platt," he said, "at what time this took place?"

"At three o'clock."

"How do you know it was three?" asked the principal, sharply.

"Because I heard the clock on the village church strike three."

"I would like to ask another boy--Frank Lewis--if he heard the clock
strike three?"

Lewis answered in the affirmative.

"Where were you at the time?"

"In the playground."

"What were you doing?"

"Playing ball."

"Was I in the game?"

"Yes."

"How long had the game been going on?"

"Half an hour."

"How long had the game been going on, do you know?"

"From half to three-quarters of an hour."

"Can you remember whether I was with you all the time?"

"You were."

"Now, Platt, will you tell me how long after the wallet was put into my
pocket before Mr. Smith appeared in search of it?"

"Not over half an hour."

"I submit, then," said Hector, in a matter-of-fact manner, "that I was
absent in the playground during the entire time when it was found in
my room. I believe this is what lawyers call an alibi that I have,
fortunately, been able to prove."

"You are a very smart lawyer!" sneered the principal.

The boys were by this time so incensed at Mr. Smith's evident effort to
clear his n