“By an open window—­I was waiting—­”

“Let’s have a closer look at you,” interrupted the newcomer.

Dragging Andy with him, the speaker threw open the parlor door.  That room was lighter, but as he crossed its threshold he uttered a wild shout.

He stood spellbound, staring about the apartment.  Andy stared, too.

The room was in dire disorder.  A cabinet had all its drawers out.  The floor was littered with their former contents.

A stout tin box was overturned, its fastenings were all wrenched apart.

“Robbed!” gasped the man.  “Ha, I see—­you are a burglar,” he continued, turning fiercely on the astonished youth.

“Not me,” dissented Andy vigorously.

“Yes, you are.  All my coins and curios gone!  Why, you young thief—­”

“Hold on,” interrupted Andy, resisting the savage jerk of his captor.  “Don’t you abuse me till you know who I am.  Yes, your place has been burglarized—­I see that, now.”

“Oh, do you?” sneered the man.  “Thanks.”

“Yes, sir.  I saw two men come out of the cellar here an hour ago.  I didn’t understand then, but I do now.”

“From the cellar?  Well, we’ll investigate the cellar.”

“Better not,” advised Andy.  “At least, not just yet.”

“Well, you’re a cool one!  Why not?”

“Because there’s a bear down there.”

“A what?” cried the man, incredulously.

“A bear escaped from the circus.  Say, I just thought of it.  Have the burglars taken much?”

“Oh, you’re innocent aren’t you?” flared out the man.

“I certainly am,” answered Andy calmly.

“Did they take much?  My hobby is rare coins.  With the missing curios, I guess they’ve got about two thousand dollars’ worth.”

“Would the stuff make quite a bundle?” asked Andy.

“With the curios—­I guess!  Five pound candlesticks.  Two large silver servers.  The coins were set on metal squares, and would make bulk and weight.”

“I have an idea—­” began Andy.  “No, let me explain first.  Please listen, sir.  You will think differently about me when I tell you my story.”

“Go ahead,” growled his captor.

Andy recited his chase of the bear and its denouement.  Then he added: 

“If those two men were the burglars, they got in by way of the cellar.  They came out through the cellar window.  I theorize they came down into the cellar with their plunder.  They disturbed the bear, and Big Bob went for them.  When I saw them they were empty-handed.  I’ll bet they dropped their booty in their wild rush for escape.”

“Eh?  I hope so.  Let’s find out.”

The man appeared to believe Andy.  He released his hold on him.  Just as they came out on the front porch Andy spoke up: 

“There are the circus people.  They’ll soon fix Mr. Bear.”

A boxed wagon had driven from the road into the yard.  It held six men.  The chief animal trainer jumped down from the vehicle, followed by the head hostler.  Four subordinates followed, carrying ropes, muzzles, pikes, and one of them a stick having on its end a big round cork filled with fine needles.