“That, when you returned to the tent, and resumed your garments, you afterwards found the watch gone?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That every search was made, and that, though, as you say, you had suspicions, about which we will talk by and by, that watch was never found?”
“Yes, sir.”
I glanced at Mercer, but he was staring hard at Burr major.
“Now, Dicksee,” said the Doctor, “have the goodness to repeat what you told me a short time back.”
“Yes, sir,” said Dicksee eagerly. “I went up into the big loft over the stable this afternoon, to see if I could find some nice stout pieces of straw in one of the old trusses to make jackstraws with, when I heard somebody coming.”
I started as I remembered fancying I heard some one in the loft.
“Yes; go on.”
“I looked out of the window, and saw it was Burr junior, so I went and hid myself in the straw.”