"But that scoundrel smashed the rear store window!" "No, he didn't," laughed Mr.Prescott.

"That was Tom Reade, and he was playing a trick on you---with our permission.

Now he's being chased.

Do you want to go out and aid that crowd in capturing him ?" "Of course I don't, sir," replied Dick, who knew full well that such a sturdy high school athlete as Tom Reade was in very little danger of being caught by any citizen runners to be found on the street at that time of night.

"But what did Tom do, Dad ?" "I don't just know," admitted the bookseller.