Page:Ned Wilding's Disappearance.djvu/91

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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 countenance and ask questions about how it feels to be blown down," Bart replied.

"I hadn't any idea they'd want that piece of the clock, or I'd never have taken it," said Frank. "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.

"Put some chocolate near him, and see if he wakes up," suggested Ned in a whisper.

The clerk, at the boys' request, placed a glass of the steaming liquid close to Jim's hand as it rested on the marble counter. Jim opened his eyes, looked at the beverage, glanced at the four chums waiting expectantly and then—closed his