suppose that new boat of

ny, the Sprite has got to cut through the wet a whole lot faster tha

nd Mike and the boys had just f

end caps, will you, while Mike and I run the boat out? Just

ents the Sprite was floating at the pier. Just then Jack came running wildly down

those caps in the table

didn't you

y are no

saw them there this m

there now, that is, not unless I've lost my eyesight, a

back to the house and I'll show you where they

, close at his heels, "I'm

en the drawer, he said, "Some people never can find anything." But the next moment he started

e muttered. "I declare I saw

ack, as he saw the look of

search of the room, and the entire h

red Mike, "them ere caps didn't walk out 'o here

running down the stairs to the back door, where they found Jack on hi

of you go out h

both r

had a hard shower just after dinner and

carefully. "And look here, these tracks were made by some

d Will Jenkins most always we

ack, that you saw one of them at the window of the lab when we were trying them? They must have suspected then that we were up to somethin

down to their place and make 'em h

e, we have no positive proof that they too

made and then our secret is up the flue, because most anyone who knows anything about storage batteries would know tha

minute," said Bob, and then a moment later, "I'm g

work?" a

t those caps back if they haven't thrown

tting into the little canoe, started paddling down the lake. The Jenkins cottage was about three miles from

and hid it in a little clump of bushes near the water's edge. Circling around away from the lake he approached the house from the rear. As he got within

keen-nosed animal had scented him, and with a low growl was approaching. Holding the stone tightly Bob waited for the attack which he saw was inevitable. Just then the moon came out from behind a cloud and by its light, he saw the brute almost upon him and about to spring. Drawing back

d Bob to himself. "Well, it was either h

from the house: "Here, Brav

ed hold of the dead animal and dragged it into some thick bushes. Hardly had he done this and dodged

se that dog went to

one on a chase after it," replied Will, adding a moment later, "Let's go b

r way back through the bushes. He waited till he thought they had had time to get

o his great disappointment he heard nothing for some time and was about to crawl out when he heard a door bang over his head, and the creaking of chairs told him that the boys had come out on the porch. To his delight he found that he could h

take those caps down to the

s the reply, then he added, "If it wasn't

heard Will say; then after a short pause he added: "I suppose those two swell heads will make

hought Bob, "but here's bettin

ou put them?" asked Fred a m

e reply, "in my coat pocket

d I'll go down to the spri

se, while he could hear the other going about locking the windows. Soon the one with the water returned and in a short ti

e looked at his watch and saw that i

watch told him that the hour was up. Going to the back of the house, he carefu

I would turn burglar, but I'm going to have

veral times before, he had never been upstairs and did not know in what room the boys slept. His heart was beating so that he was almost afraid that some one would hear it, as he was beginning to realize that he was engaged in a very se

m the hall. He stood still a moment and listened. The sound of deep breathing in one of the front ro

t, by the head of the bed. It sure couldn't be in a worse p

about an electric boat. Bob's heart seemed to come almost into his throat, but in a minute the regular breathing of the sleeper reassured him and he edged into the closet. There were quit

nd right there, for as he stepped out of the closet his foot caught in something on