“And mine’s a blooming failure. What shall I do about it, Frank?” called out Buster, in disgust. “Smooth it off and try again, until you’re satisfied you’ve got a perfect impression of each hand,” answered the master of ceremonies. “What comes next?” “Lay the trays down here on the table so we can all get around. Wait just a minute, fellows. I’ve sent up to borrow Mr. Oswald’s big magnifier. That is going to prove my assertion so that even the scoffers will have to admit its truth. And here comes Alfred with the glass.” Frank took one look at the contents of the tray upon which he had written his own name. Then he handed the glass to Buster. “Examine closely. Note first that there is a considerable difference in width. Then measure the same finger on each hand and you will see they differ in length. Next pay attention to the peculiar markings. No two fingers are alike in that respect, not even your own. Well, is it so, Buster?” asked Frank. “Wow! I’m a misfit all right! Somebody must have got my other hand in the shuffle. The worst of it is, how am I to tell which one really belongs to the Billings family?” lamented the fat student, sighing in pretended distress. So the glass went around. Frank stood still while Lanky followed the movement of the magnifier until every one had taken a look, and was ready to admit the truth of what Frank had said. “No two alike in the whole bunch. I never would have believed it,” admitted Lanky, who had been peering at every impression. Without appearing to do so, he had managed to crowd several of the boys away from the table, and among them Lef; but having seen the wonders of the magnifying glass proven, like most of their type they had suddenly lost interest in the matter, and were already turning their attention toward the parallel bars, the swinging hoops and the punching bags. Left alone at the table, Frank made a pretense of arranging the trays just as he had found them, now and then taking a look through the magnifier. He had his eye on Lef and waited until the other was engaged in some stunt at which he excelled. At first Lef had been debarred even the privileges of the gymnasium on account of his playing a miserable trick upon Frank as the editor of the Columbia monthly paper; but after a bit this order had been rescinded, so that now he was allowed to join his fellows in their muscle-building work. When Frank presently saw the name of Lef Seller written on the white tab of a moulding tray, and discovered that the imprints of the other’s hands were plainly stamped there before him, he eagerly held his glass over the box. At the same time he drew out the paper that had come to Professor Peake, and compared the delicate tracery of lines on the thumb with that which Lef had left behind him in the moulding clay. There could be no possible mistake! The same thumb had made both impressions beyond a possibility of doubt! CHAPTER VIII TOEING THE MARK