"Perhaps he paints his jewels," put in the fun-loving Tom.
"Don't you git funny with us!" growled Aaron Fairchild. "Let's come to the p'int. My store was robbed, an' I'm thinking you fellers done the deed."
"Robbed!" echoed Sam.
"And you think we did it," put in Dick, indignantly. "I like that!"
"We are not thieves," said Tom. "And you ought to have your head punched for thinking it."
"Boys, keep cool," came from Captain Putnam. "Mr. Cotton, hadn't you better do the talking for Mr. Fairchild?"
"I want 'em searched," burst out Aaron Fairchild. "If they robbed my store they must have put the stuff somewheres."
"What makes you think we robbed you?" asked Dick.
"This," and he was shown the memorandum book and the envelope.
"Humph! I lost that book some weeks ago, when I had my fight with Lew Flapp, Rockley, and the rest of that crowd that were dismissed from the academy."