Before starting for Cedarville Dick acquainted Dora with the discovery he had made. "We were fortunate," said the girl. "I would not lose Dolly for a good deal." If there was one thing Dick loved it was a good horse, and once on Dolly's back he urged the little mare along at top speed. She was in prime fettle, and flew along the hard road as if she thoroughly enjoyed the outing. Arriving at Cedarville Dick sought out the little police station, for the town had at last taken on a force, consisting of a chief and eight men. The chief, a little fat man by the name of Burger, sat in his office reading the Cedarville Trumpet, the weekly journal of the place. "Want to see me on business, eh?" he said, laying down the sheet. "All right, young man, sit down. What name?" "Richard Rover. I am one of the cadets at Putnam Hall." "Just so. Trouble at the Hall, I presume? Anything connected with that celebration last night?" "No, sir, I--" "Another robbery, then? Captain Putnam seems to have his hands full." "We've had no robbery at the Hall, sir. I came--" "No robbery, eh? Then perhaps it's a fight. Students will fight when they get celebrating. I know we had a fight once at the academy I attended, and it lasted three days." "I hope they called out the fire department," answered Dick, with a grin. "The fire department--Ha! ha! a good joke! No; they called in the doctor, ha! ha! So it's a fight, eh? Does the captain want us to arrest anybody?" "It's not a fight." "What? But you said--" The fat chief paused. "I said I wanted to see you about business." "Just so--and that you were from Putnam Hall, and Captain Putnam had sent you." "No, no. Please give me a chance to talk." "Why, of course. I never interrupt anybody. Go on, but don't take too much time, for my time is limited." "I came from Mrs. Stanhope's cottage, man broke in there last night--" "Ha, a burglary! Why didn't they let us know at once? Or perhaps you have collared the villain already?" "No, we haven't got him, although my brother and I tried to catch him." "Pooh! Two boys, and tried to catch a burglar! Of course he got away." Dick felt disgusted, and arose to make his departure. "If you won't listen to what I have to report, I'll take myself off," he said half angrily. At this Chief Burger stared at him in astonishment. "Really, you are a remarkable boy," he gasped. "Ain't I listening to everything you are saying?" "Hardly. I wish to tell you everything from the beginning." "Just so. Go on, I shan't say a word. What a remarkable boy! But it must be the military training that does it." As well as possible Dick told all that had happened during the night. Chief Burger interrupted him a score of times, but at last the tale was finished. At the conclusion the chief closed one eye suggestively. "And don't you know where this Josiah Crabtree is now?" he asked. "If I did I'd go after him hot-footed," returned Dick.