Pud had to make rather a long story of it, but in the end the officer went off without arresting any of them for complicity in the crime and they watched him climb into the patrol wagon with vast relief. By that time the eastern sky was graying and the rain, having subsided first to a drizzle, had ceased entirely. Harmon lighted a fire in the stove again and prepared breakfast from what remained in the larder while Pud and Tim returned upstairs and, as best they could, tidied up. Tim was inclined to be a bit disgruntled and peevish because Pud had not awakened him sooner and allowed him to share in the excitement from the first, but Pud explained and excused until Tim grudgingly forgave him. Harmon’s skill as a cook was not so apparent this morning, since recent events had left him in a highly excited state, but they made out a satisfactory breakfast of coffee, eggs, and toast. Pud closed the outside blinds across the window in the dining-room at which ‘Slim’ Towle had made his entrance by removing a pane of glass, and finally announced that he was ready to leave. But at the last instant he bethought him of something and reëntered the house, to be gone several minutes. During his absence he wrote a note to Aunt Sabrina and left it leaning against the coffee-urn on the sideboard where she could not fail to find it. The note was as follows: DEAR AUNT: We came to see you, but you were not home so we stayed because it was raining and lightning. We slept in the back room and did not hurt anything I hope, and we took some food as we were very hungry. I caught the burglar, and everything he was going to take is in the bag in the closet except some jewelry of yours and Lydia, and the policeman said you would have to go to the police station and claim it. We had a very enjoyable visit, but were sorry not to see you. Good-bye. Your affectionate nephew, ANSON PUDDLESTONE PRINGLE, JR. Then Pud locked the front door and hid the key under the lowest step and, with Tim at his side and Harmon padding along behind, set forth under the first weak rays of the sun to find the Moorehouse Avenue car line. CHAPTER VIII THE RESCUE