STARTLING NEWS
The issue of the Darewell _Advertiser_ that Monday afternoon contained
some startling information. The three chums were standing in front of
the drug store talking of their prospective trip when a newsboy ran past
calling:
"Extra! Extra! Full account of the blowing up of the school tower with
dynamite!"
"What's that he's yelling?" asked Bart.
"He said something about the school tower and dynamite," replied Fenn.
"Trying to sell his papers I guess."
"Let's get one and see if it's a fake," suggested Frank.
"Here boy! Give me one!" cried Bart, and the lad handed him a sheet,
damp with paste from the press.
Staring at the three chums in big black letters was the heading:
SCHOOL TOWER DYNAMITED!
Not Blown Down by Gale of Wind as First
Supposed.
BELIEVED TO BE BOYS' WORK!
Investigation Has Been Ordered by President
Williamson of the Board of Education.
FOUR LADS SUSPECTED!
"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Bart when he had finished
reading the head-lines. "Isn't that the limit?"
"Limit! It's the strangest thing I ever heard of," cried Frank.
"Somebody has been stuffing the reporter," suggested Fenn. "Let's read
the rest of it."
Looking over Bart's shoulders the two other lads read the account. It
told in vivid language how the fact was discovered that the tower had
been blown down by an explosive. Those nearest the tower when the crash
came told of hearing a dull boom, that was not caused by the wind. Then
came the sound as the bricks fell through the corner of the roof of the
auditorium.
"But if other evidence was wanting," the article went on, "it is easily
found in the dials of the clock that was in the tower. The white faces
bear the black marks of powder and an analysis which has been made
shows the stains to have been caused by some powerful explosive, the
exact nature of which is being kept secret by the authorities.
"It is understood from a reliable source, however, that dynamite was
used, a small quantity being placed in the top of the tower. It is said
that part of a dynamite cartridge has been found but this is denied by
the police.
"That the work was that of mischievous boys, who, possibly did not
appreciate the seriousness of their deed, is the opinion of the school
authorities. This is borne out by the fact that a boy confessed to
having carried off one of the powder-marked dials of the clock. Why he
did this has not been disclosed, but Mr. Williamson has secured an
admission from him that he did take the dial from the debris of the
wrecked tower. This dial the president of the board has secured,
together with the other three.
"It is alleged that four boys, who are often seen in each others'
company, and who have, before this, taken part in more or less harmless
tricks, are suspected of blowing down the tower. One of them, it can be
asserted on the highest authority, had the clock dial. An investigation
has been started by the school authorities, and the four boys in
question, including the one who took the dial from the wreckage, will be
called on to tell what they know. If the evidence, after a thorough
sifting, points to them, it is understood that criminal action will be
taken."
"Did you ever hear the like?" cried Fenn.
"Wait, here's something more," said Bart. He pointed to a few lines of
type at the bottom of the article. They read:
"Just as we are going to press we learn that one of the four suspected
lads has hurriedly left town."
"Come on!" cried Bart. "I'm going to make him take that back."
"Make who take what back?" asked Frank.
"Why the editor of this paper. Can't you see who he's referring to in
that last line? He means Ned! He means that Ned's run away for fear
he'll be arrested! He means us when he says 'four boys often seen in
each others' company!' He's accusing the Darewell Chums of blowing up
the tower! Come on, we'll make him deny this if he has to get out an
extra!"
"Go slow," advised Frank.
"Go slow! Yes, that's always your way! Wait and let him say all he wants
to about us! I guess not!"
"I say we'd better wait," Frank went on quietly. "Of course you know,
and I know, none of us had anything to do with the blowing up of the
tower. I don't believe it was blown up. I believe the wind did it, and
some one has imagined all this and given the reporter a story of what he
thinks is the truth. At the same time the school authorities may be
going to have an investigation. It's their privilege. Now if we go to
the editor's office and raise a row folks at once will jump to the
conclusion that we had some hand in the explosion. Besides, it doesn't
say we are suspected."
"It as good as says so," Bart exclaimed. "Everyone will know they mean
us."
"At the same time the article doesn't say so. That editor is cute enough
for that. He doesn't want a libel suit on his hands."
"It might as well call us by the names," Bart insisted. "Besides, that
refers to Ned as plain as can be, and he isn't here to defend himself.
It's our duty to go."
"I tell you you'll only make things worse if you go to the office of the
paper," Frank insisted. "The editor will ask you if you think the
article refers to you. You'll say it does, and he'll say, in effect, 'if
the shoe fits put it on.' These newspaper men are no fools. They have
some basis for what they write. Besides, you know I did take the dial."
"So you did," said Fenn.
"Did you give it back to Mr. Williamson?" asked Bart.
"Yes, I took it to the store as he asked me to."
"But you didn't make any admissions, did you?"
"How could I? There were none to make. You were with me when he asked me
about the clock face and you heard all I said. When I left the dial in
the store he was not there. I haven't seen him since. The reporter is
drawing on his imagination I guess for considerable of this."
"I wonder if they are going to have an investigation?" said Bart.
"Let's go and see Mr. Williamson," suggested Fenn. "We can show him the
article and he can tell us what to do. I think that's the best plan."
The other two chums agreed to this, and, each one having purchased a
paper containing the startling news, they went to the hardware store of
the president of the Board of Education.
Mr. Williamson was talking to some other members of the board, in his
private office, when the boys entered the store. They sent word they
wanted to see him, and in a little while, his visitors having gone, the
president invited the chums in.
"Well, boys," he began, "what can I do for you?"
"This article," began Bart. "It seems to--"
"I have read it," Mr. Williamson interrupted.
"Do you suspect us?" demanded Bart.
"That is hardly a fair question," Mr. Williamson replied. "I shall
probably be called upon to preside at the investigation and I can not
discuss the case in advance of the hearing. I will say this however: We
believe some boy or boys blew up the tower, little thinking of the
terrible danger to which he subjected the entire school and that
audience. We have no direct evidence, as yet, but we expect to get some.
I may add that a hearing will be held to-night, and I would like you
boys to be there. I understand Ned Wilding has gone to New York."
"He went this morning," replied Bart, "but he had planned to go long
before this thing happened. We are going to join him Wednesday."
"Indeed?" and Mr. Williamson looked a little surprised.
"What time is the hearing?" asked Fenn.
"At eight o'clock, in my office here."
"We'll be on hand," spoke Bart.
All the members of the Board of Education, the school janitor, the chief
of police, a detective, the fathers of Bart and Fenn, and Frank's uncle
were at the hearing. There was much testimony in an informal way, to the
effect that the tower was wrecked by an explosion and not by the wind.
So much was easily proved.
The next thing was to discover who had done the deed. The janitor said
he had seen a boy hanging around the tower just before the entertainment
began, but he could not give a good description. It might fit half the
boys in Darewell.
There was no direct evidence against the chums. Bart had bought some
powder in Mr. Williamson's store a few days before the explosion, but he
testified it was for his gun, which evidence was corroborated by Mr.
Keene. The taking away of the clock dial by Frank was dwelt upon, and
there seemed a disposition to make much of it, but the boy's uncle bore
out Frank's statement that the dial had been placed among a lot of other
relics and ornaments in his nephew's room, and was not hidden away as
though Frank wished to conceal any evidence. Ned's sudden trip was
explained, though it was manifest that some of the school commissioners
looked with disfavor on it.
The affair ended, as far as the four chums were concerned, in a sort of
Scotch verdict of "not proven."
"Does that end this inquiry?" asked Mr. Keene.
"For the time being," replied Mr. Williamson.
"Then I demand that this committee issue a statement that there is not
the slightest evidence against my son and his chums."
"We will do nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Mr. Williamson.
"Then I shall take legal steps to compel you to."
"And I will join you," declared Mr. Masterson.
"This investigation will be continued later," Mr. Williamson went on.
"We have not finished. We are going to have some expert detectives here.
Then perhaps we shall discover who perpetrated this outrage."
"You may rest assured it was none of these boys," said Mr. Dent. "I know
my nephew and I know his chums too well even to suspect them."
"That is all at present," the president of the board remarked. "The
meeting is adjourned."
"But it leaves these boys under a cloud," objected Mr. Keene.
"I am sorry but that cannot be helped," was Mr. Williamson's reply.