"Yes, I did, to Bert Bascome, and I wondered what had become of it."
"We found it," said Tom. "Was there something in it about a clock.
"Yes, I bought an expensive alarm clock from Bert, but I wrote rather sharply to tell him it wasn't any good. It had the wrong kind of wheels. Bascome was mad at me for not keeping it to pay off some of the money he owes me. That's all there is to tell."
"And it's enough," declared Sid. "I guess that explains everything. Bascome's denial was justified."
"And we thought Langridge had a hand in it," went on Phil. "But there is still the chair and deed to be explained."
"I don't know anything about the chair," insisted Lenton, and they believed him. "But could I have" he hesitated.
"Do you want the clock?" asked Tom.
"I—I just want to take out one of the wheels. I'll put in another just as good," promised Lenton, eagerly. And they let him have the battered timepiece.
"Now, if we could only explain the chair matter as easily, all would be well," commented Phil, when Lenton had gone.
They had not long to wait. A little later a message summoned them to the office of Dr.
