There was a moment’s silence. Jim was still staring wide-eyed at the officer. Clem was staring fascinatedly at the three gold coins. Then the Captain’s voice came again. “Of course, if you didn’t give them to him he probably stole them and it’ll be up to us to find out where. It probably won’t be hard, for gold-pieces are scarce and folks who have them miss them if they disappear. I didn’t believe the fellow’s statement, because it didn’t seem likely to me that any of you fellows at the school would have so much money on hand. Judging from the condition he was in when we took charge of him, he must have had considerably more to start with. Anyhow, that’s his story. Says he was looking for work and was strapped and asked you for a loan and you came across with twenty dollars in five dollar coins. He was lying, eh?” Silence again. Clem’s gaze was on Jim. Jim’s was on the bright red carpet. Jim moistened his lips with his tongue and looked again at the questioner. He shook his head. “No, sir, he wasn’t lying,” he said evenly. “I had--forgotten.” “Oh, you’d forgotten.” The Captain’s gaze narrowed. “It’s a bad idea to forget things, Todd, when it’s the police who want to know,” he went on dryly. “You did give him the money, did you? How much?” “Twenty-two dollars--the last time, sir.” “To-day?” Jim nodded. “Part gold, was it?” “Four five-dollar gold-pieces and a two dollar bill,” replied Jim. “Quite a lot of money for you to have, wasn’t it?” “Yes, sir.” The Captain stared at Jim a moment longer. Then his gaze shifted to the collection of coins at his elbow. He wrapped the paper about them again and tossed the packet back in the drawer. “Well, all right,” he said finally. “He says you did and you say you did, and so I guess that settles it. That’s all, Mr. Todd. Much obliged to you.” “He won’t be sent to jail, will he?” asked Jim. “Don’t believe so. He ought to be, for he looks to me like a bad egg. If you like to come over to-morrow about nine-thirty and speak to the Judge, I’ll fix it for you. You might say a good word for the man if you’ve known him so long.” “I’d like to,” answered Jim gratefully. Then, hesitantly, “Could I see him, please, sir?” “I guess so.” He pressed a button on the edge of the desk and, when an elderly man in a police uniform appeared, waved toward Jim. “This gentleman wants to see the nut that was brought in this afternoon; Webster’s the name he’s entered under. Just show him down, Grogan.” Jim followed the turnkey without a glance toward Clem. Ten minutes later Jim emerged from the station. Clem had not waited. Jim made his way back to school alone, hurrying at times, since the six o’clock whistle had long since blown, and at other times slowing to a pace that indicated that his thoughts were concerned with a subject more weighty than supper. CHAPTER XIII MR. WEBB TODD