THE NEXT DAY
"Believe it! Of course we don't believe it. And I do not think that
the Head does, either. You cheer up, old fellow! I know you were only
trying to serve me; but you were silly to go without waking Warren, or
myself."
The speaker was Ralph, and he addressed his chum Charlton, who was a
prisoner. A prisoner, that is, inasmuch as the Head had forbidden him
to go out into the playground until he had thoroughly gone into the
incidents of the previous night.
It was all very well for Ralph to say "cheer up," but Charlton did not
feel very cheerful. His sensitive nature shrank from the position in
which he found himself, and his heart revolted at the wicked falsehoods
which were told so calmly by both Dobson and Elgert. Besides, he was
kept in, and that afternoon he had hoped to get across to see how his
father was getting on.
And though we, who know the truth, may wonder how it was that the Head
should do this, still, the doctor himself did not know the truth, and
he could hardly think that two lads would tell such wicked deliberate
lies; and, moreover, everything pointed to Charlton being guilty.
Dr. Beverly had been sitting up late, deep in a learned work with
which he was greatly interested, when he had heard the noise in his
class-room, followed by the voice of the head monitor, calling from
above, and asking what was the matter; and he had hurried out--to find
Charlton lying half dazed on the floor, having apparently fallen over a
form and struck his head; and in his hand was Ralph's examination paper.
Charlton being a nervous boy, his very manner seemed guilty when the
Head had questioned him; and his story seemed to be false, for upon
Dr. Beverly hurrying upstairs, Elgert was found with only his trousers
on, as if he had just slipped out of bed, and Dobson was the same.
Moreover, the boys in the Fifth declared that Elgert was sitting up in
bed when they were aroused; and even Ralph and Warren had to own that
Dobson appeared as if he had only just woke up.
And both Dobson and Elgert declared that they had never been
downstairs, and that Charlton had invented the story.
So, still under the suspicion, he was kept in, and Ralph and Warren
seized the first opportunity of going to comfort him.
"If the Head knew them as well as we do, he would not be in much doubt
about things," was Warren's verdict. "Don't you worry, old chap! We
know you would not do anything to harm Ralph."
"I wanted to go and see my father this afternoon," sighed Charlton; and
Ralph answered--
"Never mind. I will go. Tom will come with me."
"I am awfully sorry, but I cannot," the monitor put in. "I would in a
minute, but I promised mother to go round for her to my aunt's, and I
must not disappoint her."
"Of course not," said Ralph immediately. "Well, I will go alone, and
explain to your father, old chap; so don't you worry about that any
more. I wish, though, that I could see some way of bringing this home
to those two, but I confess that I don't."
"Wait a bit. Give them a rope long enough and they will hang
themselves!" growled Warren. "Now, buck up, Charlton, and don't let
them think that you are beaten!" And with that the two had to leave
their chum, and Charlton felt decidedly comforted.
And, after school, Tom Warren went off to obey his mother's desire; and
Ralph, true to his promise, started on his journey to the man hiding in
the old ruin away by Crab Tree Hill; and the rest of the boys prepared
to spend their time according to their own inclinations.
Jimmy Green and his chum Tinkle had made their plans. They were going
fishing. It is sometimes a matter for wonder why small boys will go
fishing, seeing that they seldom catch any fish, and don't know what
to do with them if by chance they manage to secure a few. Still, that
matters nothing. Jimmy and Tinkle were going fishing, and were busily
preparing a wonderful and fearful assortment of tackle and bait. Bait!
They had worms several inches long, and what they called paste--a
fearsome concoction of bread and clay kneaded together into little
balls. And they had a landing-net. We mention this for two reasons.
First, because of its size--it would have held a small salmon--and then
because it was destined to aid in landing some queer fish. We may not
say of what kind yet--but the point to remember is that they had the
landing-net.
And Jimmy Green and his chum were discussing the problem of Charlton's
guilt, and their small minds appeared to be fully made up.
"I just believe every word he says!" declared Green; and Tinkle nodded
his fat little head.
"So do I!" he said.
"Those two chaps are awful cads--dreadful cads!" continued Green,
with much warmth; and again Tinkle nodded. He did not believe in the
exertion of talking, unless it was absolutely necessary.
"I wonder," he said slowly, as he pushed back a particularly lively
worm into the bait-tin--"I wonder, Jimmy, if we ought to tell what we
know about that note? I often wonder that." But Jimmy was still firm
upon that point.
"What's the good? If we had the note now we might do it. But suppose
they treat us as they have treated Charlton, and say they did not go
there? How are we to prove it? And we let out that we have been there
ourselves. It ain't no good, Tinkle. I would tell if I thought it was;
but it isn't, and there is no getting away from it."
"I suppose it ain't," was Tinkle's regretful answer. "Well, come on,
Jimmy! I think we have got everything we want, and we may as well have
all the time we can."
"Where shall we go?" inquired Jimmy Green.
"Oh, the pool below Becket Weir," answered Tinkle; "where Elgert nearly
got drowned."
"Very well; come on, and let us see if we have any luck." And the two
young anglers set out, little dreaming what a very queer fish they were
going to catch that day.
And what of Elgert and Dobson? Mean lads that they were, they were
delighted, and congratulated themselves upon their astuteness. True,
they had not got possession of Ralph's papers, and had failed in so far
as spoiling his chances for the medal went; but they had got Charlton
into fine disgrace.
It was wonderfully smart upon their parts, they thought; and, as if to
add to their good fortune, Dobson had a little scrap of paper brought
to him by a town urchin--a message from Brown of the cake-shop, to the
effect that the latter had been successful in obtaining the "article"
he had inquired about; but that the price would be seven pounds for it,
cash down.
Seven pounds! Elgert growled at that, but the note must be got again at
any cost; and so Dobson was given the sum required, and dispatched upon
his errand.
He wanted Elgert to go with him, for company, but Elgert was too
cunning for that. He had kept out of the business all along, and he did
not mean to be seen in it now. To be sure, he had been with Dobson to
inquire about it in the first place, but he had no fear that the man
would betray him. Dobson had done the changing, and Dobson should do
the buying, and bring the note back to him.
"I cannot come," he said, in answer to the boy's remonstrance. "I
expect our man over with a letter from my father, and I want to stay
here to get it. You must go alone. It won't take you long. Hurry back,
for I shall not go out until you return."
"I always have to do the work," grumbled Dobson. "It is a horrid long
way to go alone."
"Get out! Have not I found the money? And as to a long way, you don't
make much fuss about that if you think that you are going to be treated
to tarts. You clear off, and look sharp; and thank your lucky stars
that we have got out of the mess so nicely, for I confess that I did
not think that we were going to manage it!"
So Dobson set off, and Horace Elgert turned back to the playground,
to await his return with what patience he could; and there the Head
himself came upon him, and stopped, and placed one hand upon his
shoulder, looking searchingly into his face.
"I am glad that I have met you alone, Elgert," the doctor said. "For
I want to speak to you very seriously. I want to speak to you about
Charlton."
"Yes, sir?" said the boy inquiringly. It was wonderful how calmly and
innocently he spoke. "What about him, sir--has he owned that his story
is false?"
"Not so, Elgert. Nor am I satisfied that it is false, Elgert. Are you
satisfied that it is?"
"Why, sir, of course I am!" he answered, staring up as if unable to
comprehend the Head's meaning, though he knew it well enough.
"Elgert, there is an old Book with an old law, which says: 'Thou shalt
not bear false witness against thy neighbour.' In face of such a solemn
command, are you still sure that Charlton's story is false?"
"You don't mean to say that I and Dobson were there taking those
papers, do you, sir?" he queried indignantly. "Ah, I see how it is!
You believe his word. I don't think that quite fair, sir. Consider the
difference between his surroundings and mine. Which will most likely
speak the truth--the son of a man wanted by the police, or the son of a
nobleman like my father?"
"You still adhere to your statement, Elgert?" said the Head, taking no
notice of the latter part of his speech. And Elgert answered at once--
"Of course I do, sir!"
"Then," said the Head, "I have no option but to be guided by
circumstances, and they all point to Charlton being guilty." And with
that he turned away.
Elgert felt anxious and angry. What right had the Head to suspect
him of telling lies, or to doubt his honour? It is wonderful how
dishonourable people will talk of their honour. And suppose the Head
got Dobson, and began to question him. He must warn the fellow to be on
guard against that.
The man he expected did not come. Elgert was angry. He told himself
that Dobson was taking double the time he need; and when at last his
companion returned, he asked very shortly--
"Well, have you got it?"
"Yes; here it is, all safe. It is delightful to feel that danger is
past!"
"A danger of your own making," retorted Elgert. "A danger that I have
had to pay for, and that has cost you nothing. And you look here! The
Head has been questioning me. He is suspicious, and preaches about
false witnessing. Mind what you are at if he begins on you; for if you
let anything out I will pay you out for it. You had better clear off
now, to be out of his way."
Dobson complied readily enough. The last thing he wanted was for the
Head to carpet him. And then Horace Elgert, the note safe in his
pocket-book, put on his hat and went out. He was enraged that his man
had not been, and was going home to give him a good rating; and he, to
take a short cut, must go past Becket Weir, where Tinkle and Green had
gone to fish.