"Well, take another look for it and report to me again to-morrow," answered Captain Putnam, with a heavy sigh. Then, of a sudden, he added: "Do you suspect anybody of taking the scarfpin?"
"I have no clue whatever to the theft," answered Pepper, slowly.
"But have you any suspicions, Ditmore?" And the master's voice grew a trifle stern.
"Only in a general way."
"Please explain yourself."
"I—er—I hardly know what to say, sir," stammered Pepper. "There may be nothing in it at all."
"In what? Come, out with it."
"Why, you see, sir, some of the cadets in this school are not good friends with me and Major Ruddy, and maybe they thought they would play a trick on us by taking his watch and chain and my scarfpin."
"Humph! a mighty poor trick! Who are those cadets?"
"I don't want to accuse them, Captain Putnam."