"His story may be true," put in Jackson mildly.
"My advice is to follow up the brook and see if you cannot track the thief," went on the young auctioneer. "And do not lose any time in doing it."
"And what will become of you?" sneered the store-keeper.
"That's a good idea," said the constable. "Come, let us start without delay. If we can't find anybody we can take the boy to the lock-up, anyway."
Isaac Marvelling grumbled, but at last consented, and soon all three were down under the bridge. Here it was pitch-dark, and the feeble rays of the lantern only lit up a circle that was less than three yards in diameter.
In hopes of clearing himself, more than for the purpose of aiding Isaac Marvelling in the recovery of the goods, Matt set to work with a will.
"Here is another spoon," he said presently, and he handed over a silver-plated affair, which at the most was not worth fifteen cents, wholesale.
"Here are a couple of knives," added Jackson. "And here is a bit of paper some of the stuff must have been wrapped in."
"Look here!" suddenly cried Matt, as he pointed down into the water. "Here's a man's cap, and it looks as if it had just fallen in, for one side of the peak is not yet wet."
"Let me see that cap," returned the constable quickly.
He snatched it from Matt's hand and turned with it to the lantern. His examination lasted but a few seconds.
"Say, Marvelling, have you seen anything of old Joe Yedley lately?" he asked, turning to the store-keeper.
"Yedley? Why, yes; he was in the store begging, only yesterday," was the reply. "But what has he----"
"Give him anything?" cried Marvelling wrathfully. "Not a cent! I told him to clear out; that I didn't want him to ever come in again. I have no use for beggars."
"Did he go near the case with the cutlery and jewelry in it?"
"Humph! I suppose he did. But what has he to do with this?"
"This is Joe Yedley's cap; I would know it out of a thousand. He is an old offender, and it is more than likely that he is the thief!"
The reader may rest assured that Matt listened with deep interest to the words of the constable. He knew nothing of the man that had been mentioned as the probable thief, but he was willing to believe Jackson's supposition true.