He went straight to the principal's office, and was fortunate enough to find that gentleman still at his desk.
"What is it, Edwards ?" asked the principal, looking up.
"Dr.Thornton, I've had something strange happen to me, or to my overcoat, if you prefer to put it that way," replied Edwards.
"What has gone wrong ?" "Why, sir, relying on the safety of the looker, I left, at recess in one of my overcoat pockets, a package containing a jeweled pin that had been repaired for my mother.

Now, sir, on going down to my coat, I found the pin missing from the pocket." "Did you look thoroughly on the floor, Edwards ?" "Yes, sir; hunted thoroughly." "Wait; I'll go down with you," proposed the principal.
Both principal and student searched thoroughly in the locker.
Dick, as in duty bound, was still there, on guard at the door.
"Mr.Prescott," asked puzzled Dr.Thornton, did any student have admittance to the locker after recess today ?" "None, sir," answered Dick promptly.
"Hm! And you're absolutely sure, Mr.Edwards, that you left the little package in your overcoat pocket ?" "Positive of it, Dr.Thornton." "It's so strange that it startles me," admitted the good principal.
"It startles me a good deal," confessed Edwards, grimly, "to think what explanation I am to offer my mother." "Oh, well, it _must_ turn up," replied Dr.Thornton, though vaguely.
"Anyway, Edwards, there has been no theft.

The door is locked, and the only two keys to it are the one carried by the monitor and a duplicate which is kept locked in my own desk.

You'll probably find it in one of your pockets." "I have been through every pocket in my clothes at least seven times, sir," insisted the dismayed Edwards.

"And that is a rather valuable pin," he added; "worth, I believe, something, like fifty dollars." "Rest assured that we'll have some good explanation of the mystery before long," replied the principal as soothingly as he could.
Edwards went away, sore and disheartened, but there was nothing more to be said or done.
Thursday morning Dr.Thornton carried the investigation further, but absolutely no light could be shed on the missing pin.
But at recess it was Frank Thompson who came upstairs breathless.
"Dr.Thornton," he cried, excitedly, "it's my own fault, of course, but I'm afraid I've seen the last of my watch.