Con Riley's opinion of Chet increased. The boy had mistaken him for a lieutenant. The mistake was natural enough, perhaps, but it would have to be corrected. "Officer," he pointed out sadly. "Not lieutenant--officer." "Do you mean to tell me that you're not a lieutenant?" exclaimed Chet in well-assumed amazement. "Not yet," replied the officer, leaving the impression, however, that it was only a matter of hours before such promotion should be his in the natural course of events. Chet turned to his companions. "Can you imagine that!" he exclaimed. "There's the police force for you. They keep a solid, brainy man like Riley here on the beat and let fellows like Collig be chief. It's wrong, I tell you. It's wrong." The boys gravely agreed that it was scandalous. "A man's just got to be patient," said Riley, with the air of a martyr, and beginning to feel ill-used. "There's a limit to patience!" exclaimed Chet. "They're imposing on you, Mr. Riley. If I were you, I'd insist on my rights." "Never mind," said Riley darkly. "My turn will come." "You're just right it will. And we'll see that it comes very soon. Let's try to stir up public opinion, fellows, and see if we can't influence the public a little bit. If the public demands that Officer Riley be promoted, he'll be promoted." "Why, that's very good of you," returned Riley pompously. "A few words in the right place mightn't do any harm at all." "Those words shall be said," Chet assured him earnestly. "You may depend on us, Mr. Riley. We will see that your qualities of leadership are recognized. You're the only man who can wake this city up." Con Riley, a trifle dazed by this avalanche of flattery, but nevertheless feeling that every bit of it was deserved and that the boys deserved credit for their perception, beamed with appreciation. "Why, I never had no idea you lads felt like this," he said. "I always thought you had a sort of grudge against me." The boys immediately disclaimed any such sentiments. "We may have been a little bit troublesome at times," agreed Chet regretfully; "but that was because we didn't understand you. After this, you may depend on us. Your time will come, Mr. Riley. Your time will come." With this fine oratorical effort, Chet produced the package from beneath his arm. "By the way," he said, "I wonder if you would mind guarding this package for me, Mr. Riley? You'll be here for the next ten minutes, won't you?" A doubt flashed across Riley's mind. "Why don't your friends look after it?" "We're all going to be together and we didn't care to wait. If a man by the name of Muggins comes along and asks for it, you'll give it to him, will you?" Riley took the package. "I'll take care of it," he promised. "I wouldn't trust it with any one but you," declared Chet solemnly. "You can trust me. I'll look after it. And if your friend Muggins comes along I'll see that he gets it safely all right."