lv wallets Pepper Blake

Lastly, Pepper Blake, Jack's younger brother, who was of a quicker, more nervous, disposition than the others and given to stammering when excited. Impetuous and quick-tempered, he was always getting into difficulties, but always finding a way out. Romantic and imaginative, but with a streak of hard horse-sense beneath.
"Well," observed Rand, when Jack at last rose from his box with a sigh of satisfaction, "what is the exciting thing you have got to tell us this morning? Whose barn is being painted now?"
"Judge Taylor's office was robbed last night," replied Jack laconically.
"What's that!" cried Rand.
"Judge Taylor's office was robbed last night," repeated Jack, enjoying the sensation his news had made.
"W-w-what!" stammered Pepper. "Who did it?"
"That's what we all want to know," answered Jack.
"What did they get?" asked Donald.
"How did they get in?" went on Pepper.
"One at a time, boys," put in Rand. "Come, Jack, tell us the whole story."
"Well, all I know is, Officer Dugan found a window open this morning and the place all upside down. The judge hadn't come down yet, so they don't know what's missing. From the tracks around it looks as if some boys were mixed up in it."
"That's queer," commented Rand. "I wonder who it could have been, and what they were after?"
"Money, of course," said Pepper.
"I don't think so," returned Jack. "If it was money I think they would have picked out a more likely place. I guess it must have been papers, or something like that."
"Pooh!" criticized Donald, "what would anybody in their senses want to steal papers for?"
"There are more unlikely things than that," replied Jack. "I have read of such things."
"Pshaw!" retorted Donald, "that's nothing. I've read of robbers' caves and all that sort of thing, but I've never seen any."
"Which proves there never were any," retorted Jack sarcastically.
"Have you got any dues, Sherlock?" asked Rand laughingly.
"Not yet," replied Jack seriously, "but I am looking for them. They sometimes turn up in the most unexpected places."
"Huh!" sniffed Donald, "your turnips run mostly to tops."
While talking thus, the boys had been putting their supplies and tackle into the boat which they had run out into the river.
"Which way do you want to go?" asked Rand when they were ready to start.
"Up," said Pepper.
"Down," said Jack.
"What do you say, Don?" continued Rand. "Either way," replied Donald. "Let them toss up for it."
Taking the coin he had picked up in the road from his pocket Rand tossed it into the air. "What do you say, Jack?" he asked.
"Heads!" responded Jack.
"Tails it is," announced Rand as he picked it up. "Pepper wins. Up, we go."
"What have you got there, Rand?" asked Jack, who had been eying the coin Rand had tossed; "something new?"
"It's something that I found in the road this morning," replied Rand, handing the coin over to Jack. "Pepper found one, too."
"Found it in the road!" cried Jack, instantly on the alert. "That's serious. Tell me about it."
"There isn't much to tell," replied Rand. "Monkey Rae tried to run us down this morning and we had a near-fight and after he had gone we found them."