Meantime Hal had been wondering what his watch was really worth and as he walked to the door of the station he saw a sign “Pawnbroker” with three gold balls over the door. This was just like the place he saw at the University town earlier in the day, and looking around for Hans who was sitting on a bench absorbed in a newspaper, he quietly slipped across the street into the pawnbroker’s shop, and pulling out his watch said to the pawnbroker: “How much will you loan me on this?” He wondered if that was the way people generally talked when they tried to pawn things. [Illustration: “How much will you loan me on this?”] The man took the watch and looked at it carefully. He examined the diamonds with a magnifying glass, he opened the case and examined the works, then he laid it down on the counter and said “Four hundred and fifty dollars.” Hal wondered if he had heard rightly. “How much did you say?” he asked. “Four hundred and fifty dollars,” answered the man. “She’s worth a thousand.” “Thanks,” said Hal, picking up the watch and putting it in his pocket. “I just wanted to know how much it was worth.” “Come in any time,” said the man, as Hal went out of the door. Outside he drew a long breath, took out his handkerchief to wipe the perspiration from his forehead, and started across the street. As he did so, a young fellow who had been standing in the shadow of the doorway stooped down and picked up an envelope which had fallen out of Hal’s pocket when he took out his handkerchief, looked at it, gave a start and went on down the street. [Illustration: “As he did so a young fellow stooped down and picked up an envelope which had fallen out of Hal’s pocket.”] Hal went into the depot, and as he hadn’t been gone five minutes in all, Hans hadn’t missed him. Hal told him where he’d been, also what the pawnbroker had said, and as he named the amount Hans’ eyes opened a good deal wider, for he had no idea the watch was so valuable. Presently Arthur came up and the boys told him frankly how they happened to be in town, and asked him to say nothing about it, which he agreed to, as Hal had now decided to go back to school. Arthur said he had come to town on the morning train to do some shopping. So they went home with Arthur, and having some one who was familiar with the city to pilot them, they weren’t worried about that. Mr. and Mrs. Delvin were glad to have a couple of Arthur’s team mates to dinner, and they went to a vaudeville show, which was a new experience for Hans. They enjoyed the evening immensely and after a two-hour ride on the train got home pretty tired, but none the worse for the experience. CHAPTER IX THE DIAMOND MEDAL There was plenty of excitement in and about Lowell the morning after Hans and Hal returned from Boston. In fact there had been a good deal of excitement the evening before, but of this Hans and Hal knew nothing. They were in Boston having a good time with Delvin.