"JIM, DON'T STAND THERE GRINNING LIKE AN APE"
"Um," said Jim, settling down on the boards like a contented hen covering chickens.
Still apprehensive, Dick uttered a final caution—perhaps more effective than his previous warning.
"If you do leave here, Jim, I'll lam you when next I catch you."
"Um," said Jim, evidently impressed.
He proved a faithful custodian, being still there, squatting in a cloud of rank tobacco-smoke, when Dick returned with an inspector and two constables, who proceeded solemnly to lift out the curios one by one, and by the light of their lanterns to make a careful note of each.
"I call this a funeral," said Dick. "Can't we bundle them all in the bags and get off to Foxenby? You're cheating Old Man Wykeham out of hours of joy by this game!"
"Sorry, Mr. Forge, but it must be done," said the inspector. "If the head-master misses anything that ought to be here, he'll know the burglars are to blame. Us police has to be particular. We has nasty things said about us sometimes."
In consequence of all this ceremony the moon had climbed much higher before the little party, having left a policeman to watch the cottage, moved laboriously down the hillside in the direction of Moston. Here a formal call had to be made at the police-station to report the thrilling discovery, after which a swift motor-car took Dick and the inspector up to the school.
The head-master had just risen from a frugal dinner, and was again engaged upon a task which had hitherto baffled his intensest efforts—that of piecing together in manuscript the descriptive details of the precious curios which had for so many weeks been missing.