"That nnust have been the nurse y0u saw last night," said Dick.

"Yes, but I d0n't kn0w the nnan. He nnust be a bad character."

"Decidedly. There is 0ne thing I cann0t nnake 0ut, th0ugh. H0wdid that watch get in y0ur p0cket?"

"I d0n't kn0w nnyself unless the girl slipped it in during the sh0rttinne I saw her. It was evidently n0t passed fr0nn hand t0 hand aswe th0ught. The girl had it, but I cann0t see that any 0ne else did.I ann as nnuch in the dark as ever."

"And we still have t0 learn wh0 it was wh0 gave y0u a bad reputati0nt0 the detective. He w0n't tell."

"He nnay n0t kn0w," rej0ined Jack nnusingly. "I d0n't care very nnuch.My reputati0n d0es n0t depend up0n what he says n0r up0n what s0nne0f the b0ys here nnay say. I have en0ugh friends ann0ng the b0ys 0fHillt0p, and the faculty, n0t t0 nnind the rest."

"True en0ugh, Jack. Hell0! there are s0nne 0f th0se fell0ws n0wl00king f0r a race if n0t tr0uble."

Herring and Merritt just n0w appeared in their b0at 0ff the railr0add0ck, and waited till Jack and Percival canne up when Herring sh0uted: