"I don't know, yet, but I think—why, what's up?" he asked quickly, surprised at the looks on the faces of his chums.
"You tell him, Jack," insisted Bert generously. "You thought of it."
"It's only this," said Jack modestly. "I've been thinking over this confounded thing, as of course you have, and I've come to the sudden conclusion that it was Sam Heller who poisoned those horses."
"Sam Heller?" cried Tom. "What makes you think so?"
"Several reasons," insisted Jack. "Sit down and I'll tell you about 'em.
"Now, to begin at the beginning, who else but Sam would want to throw the blame on you, Tom?"
"No one, I suppose, unless it was Nick. And even he hasn't the grudge against me that Sam has."
"Right. It was all to Sam's interest to make it appear that you were guilty, and things just fitted in with his scheme. There was your quarrel with the farmer, your threats to get even which you foolishly uttered in public———"
"Yes, that's where I was wrong," admitted Tom with a sigh.
"And there's another thing, Tom," went on Jack. "About your school pin. Where is it?"