of the orchestra reached them, they had to confess

themselves defeated. By that time the crowd had thinned out to a mere dribble of late arrivals and the officer was, or seemed to them to be, eyeing them with growing suspicion. They were glad when they had escaped from his chilly stare.

"I don't see——" began Perry.

"I do!" Fudge interrupted bitterly. "We're a couple of chumps! Why, the orchestra chaps go in the stage entrance, of course! And that's around in the alley off Pine Street! Gee, we're a fine pair of dummies, aren't we?"

There was no denying it and so Perry mutely consented with a sorrowful nod.

"Well, we'll know better next time," said Fudge more cheerfully. "Come on into Castle's and have a soda. Only it'll have to be a five-center, because I'm pretty nearly strapped. Sleuthing makes a fellow thirsty."

Ten minutes later the amateur detectives, forgetting their defeat and cheered by two glasses of cherry phosphate, started for the field.