1  By  the  way,  you  boys  know  almost  everything
that  goes  on  in  Darewell?  Did  you  happen  to
hear  of  any  one  carrying  off  one  of  the  clock  dials?
We  can  only  find  three  in  the  ruins,  and  there  were
four."

"  I  took  one  home  with  me  last  night,"  said
Frank  promptly.  "  I  wanted  it  for  a  relic.  I
hope  there  was  no  harm  in  that."

1  None  in  the  world,  if  you  still  have  it,"  said
Mr.  Williamson.  "  You  see  we  are  trying  to  find
out  just  what  caused  the  tower  to  be  blown  down
by  the  wind,  and  we  want  all  the  evidence  we  can
get.  Just  keep  the  dial  safely  and,  the  next  time


NED  STARTS  OFF  81

you  come  up  toward  my  store,  leave  it  for  me.
You  may  have  it  back  again  after  we  are  through
with  it,  for  we'll  have  to  have  a  whole  new  clock
I  expect."

Wonder  what  he  expects  to  find  from  the
clock  face?  "  asked  Ned,  as  the  boys  went  back  on
the  campus  to  get  another  look  at  the  fallen  tower.
'  Probably  wants  to  look  into  its  open  coun-
tenance and  ask  questions  about  how  it  feels  to  be
blown  down/1  Bart  replied.
'  I  hadn't  any  idea  they'd  want  that  piece  of
the  clock,  or  I'd  never  have  taken  it,"  said  Frank.
1  Lucky  I  saved  it,  or  someone  else  might  have
carried  it  off  and  they'd  never  get  it  again."

They  took  another  look  at  the  tower,  though
there  was  little  they  had  not  already  seen,  and
then  on  Stumpy's  invitation  to  have  some  hot
chocolate  they  strolled  back  to  the  "  Emporium."
They  found  Jim  still  there,  but  he  seemed  to  have
fallen  asleep.
