CAUGHT IN THE ACT
"Hold on, Thad," continued Hugh, as he put a restraining hand on the
shoulder of his more impulsive chum, "we've got to be careful, or
else he'll learn how we're meaning to spy on him. Bend over, and do
the grand sneak act."
"He's headed straight for the building, Hugh!" breathed the other, as
he complied with the directions given by the one whom he was
accustomed to look upon in the light of a leader.
"That's right, and I guess he's meaning to crawl inside, if only he
can find a window that's been left unfastened. Steady now, Thad;
he's stopped under one right now!"
They continued to crouch there and watch what went on, their eyes
glued upon the dimly seen figure of the unknown. Greatly to the
surprise of Thad, the party stepped to one side, and seemed to be
dragging back a heavy plank, not of any vast length, but sufficiently
long to reach the window when placed on a slant.
"Say, did you notice how he seemed to know just where that plank was
lying, Hugh?" asked Thad deliriously. "Seems like he must have been
spying out the land by daylight beforehand."
"You're right there," whispered Hugh; "and he acts as if he felt
pretty certain that particular window would be unfastened, in the
bargain."
"Hugh, that settles it," added the other sturdily, as though now
fully convinced.
"Yes, settles what, Thad?"
"Why, it's a _boy_, don't you see, and he must have left that
window unlatched on purpose this afternoon when some of the
fellows were shutting up."
"Wait and see," advised Hugh, although almost convinced of the same
thing himself.
The test was not long in coming. They could see the other "shinning"
up the sloping plank, as any athletic boy would be apt to do, without
any particular trouble. Now he had reached the window, and Thad held
his breath in suspense. He sighed as he heard a slight squeaking
sound. Evidently the sash which was supposed to be fastened every
night through ordinary prudence, had given way to his hand, when he
exerted some pressure.
"He's going in, Hugh!" Thad observed, again laying a quivering hand
on the arm of his comrade, and then following these words with a low
exclamation of startled wonder: "Oh! look there, what's that queer
glow mean?"
Hugh understood readily enough.
"Why, he's got one of those little handy electric torches, you see,
and is using it so as to get his bearings inside the building."
"Guess you're right, Hugh," admitted the other; "and there, he's
crawling over the sill now, as sure as anything. Oh! the skunk, what
can he be up to?"
"We'll try and find out," said Hugh, with his usual promptness. "Now
he's gone further from the window let's be moving along. That plank
ought to make it easy sledding for fellows like us."
Indeed, it would be hard to find a couple of more athletic boys than
Hugh and his chum. Their intense love for every type of outdoor
sport had kept them in splendid physical condition, so that their
muscles were as firm as those of an athlete in training. To make
their way up that sloping board and reaching the open window was
likely to prove a mere bit of child's play with such fellows.
Hugh was the first to ascend. When he had raised himself so that he
could peep over the window ledge and see within the building he
apparently found the coast clear; for Thad, coming along just behind,
received a gentle prod with a toe, twice repeated, which he knew to
be a signal that all was well.
By the time Thad arrived the other was already well within the room,
having slipped across the window-sill without making the slightest
sound. All was dark around them, but further on they could see that
weird shaft of light moving this way and that, indicating the spot
where the unknown intruder just then happened to be located.
"He's making for the locker room, don't you see, Hugh?" Thad
ventured, with a perceptible quiver to his low voice.
"Sure thing, and he knows where he's going, in the bargain," the
other went on.
"Of course, it's no hobo, then," continued Thad. "That scamp knows
every foot of ground under this roof. You can see it by the way he
keeps straight on. Hugh, do you think it might be Nick Lang?"
After all, it was only natural for Thad to jump to this conclusion,
because of the evil reputation enjoyed by the boy he mentioned. Nick
Lang had been the bully and the terror of Scranton for years. There
was seldom a prank played (from stealing fruit from neighboring
farmers, to painting old Dobbin, a stray nag accustomed to feeding on
the open lots, so that the ordinarily white horse resembled the
National flag, and created no end of astonishment as he stalked
around, prancing at a lively rate when the hot sun began to start the
turpentine to burning), but that everybody at once suspected Nick of
being the conspirator.
Possibly he may not have always been the chief offender; but give Dog
Tray a bad name and he gets the blame of everything that happens
calculated to outrage the respectability of the law-abiding community.
"I thought of him at first," replied Hugh, "but it strikes me that
chap isn't of Nick's build. You see his light leaves his figure
pretty much in the dark; for he's using it principally to show him
the way, so he won't stumble over any chair, and make no end of a
row."
The two had been stealthily creeping forward all this while, and
were, therefore, gradually diminishing the distance separating them
from the bearer of the electric hand-torch. Thad had evidently been
consulting his memory concerning something, for presently he again
whispered in his chum's ear:
"Then mebbe it might be Leon Disney, Hugh. Seems to me that sneak
would be just the one to try some mean trick like this. And,
besides, I happen to know he bought one of those little vest-pocket
lights down at Paul Kramer's store only three nights ago, because I
saw him testing them and heard him say he'd take it."
"Yes, that looks significant, I must say, Thad. But I'm trying to
make out what he's done with his head. Don't you notice he's got it
bundled up with a sort of woollen comforter or something like that?"
"Why, so he has," replied the other; "I tell you what, Hugh, he's
hoping to hide his face, so if he's discovered prowling around in
here no one can say positively that they recognized him. Leon is up
to all those sly tricks. He gets ideas like that out of the stories
he's so fond of soaking in."
"Keep still now, Thad, and we'll creep closer," warned the other.
They really had their hands full endeavoring to advance upon the
prowler without making any sort of sound that would arouse his
suspicions. Hugh realized that if anything of this sort occurred the
other would instantly throw the full glow of his little electric
torch in their direction, and, of course, immediately discover their
presence. If such a thing happened it might interfere with their
suddenly arranged plan of campaign, and prevent the capture they
contemplated, which would be a grievous disappointment to both boys.
The unknown party had come to a standstill. He stood there in front
of the long row of new lockers in which the boys who meant to take
part in the principal events of the great athletic tournament kept
their possessions, without which they would be more or less
handicapped in their practice work.
Thad had made another important discovery; indeed, it struck him as
so significant that he could not forbear dragging Hugh down so that
he could place his lips against the other's ear and whisper:
"It's _your_ locker he's trying to open, Hugh, don't you see?"
Hugh, of course, had already noted this circumstance, and felt duly
thrilled, for really it struck him as something more than an
accident, and along the lines of a deep design. Doubtless, his
active brain started to wrestle with the problem as to why any one
should wish to open his locker, since the only things he kept there
consisted of his running jersey and trunks and shoes.
Could it be possible that this was only some small piece of
spite-work engineered by his old and inveterate enemy, Nick Lang, and
ordered carried out by one of the bully's cronies; while Nick himself
made certain to be in good company, so he could easily prove an alibi
if accused of the mean trick.
It seemed almost too contemptible to be true, since Hugh could easily
purchase other garments down at the sporting-goods store in Scranton.
Still, some mean natures are small enough to love to give "stabs"
that might annoy the recipient; and boys sometimes grow so accustomed
to certain articles of wearing apparel that being compelled to "break
in" a new pair of running shoes might lose Hugh the great race!
He gritted his teeth as a wave of indignation swept over him. Really
it was high time this contemptible spirit of annoying those he chose
to look upon in the light of enemies was crushed in Nick Lang. He
had carried on with a "high horse" too long already, and, for one,
Hugh felt as though combined action should be taken against him by
the respectable fellows of Scranton High.
But it was far from Hugh's intention to stand there and see his
locker robbed by such an unprincipled fellow as Leon Disney, if,
indeed, the skulker proved to be the party they suspected. Possibly
Hugh moved too soon, for it would have been much wiser had he waited
until the sneak thief actually had the locker open, and disclosed his
full intention.
Urged on to action by his indignation, Hugh started forward. Thad,
realizing that it was his chum's intention to do something radical,
skipped off a little to the right. He fancied that should the
skulker take the alarm and try to flee, making for the open window in
the rear, he was apt to turn aside and try to pass by; so his move
was intended to block this little game.
It turned out to be needless, for so interested was the fellow with
the flash-light in his work of inserting a key in the lock, and
trying to turn it, that he did not appear to notice anything wrong
until Hugh was close at his elbow. Then, as Thad slipped around to
one side to cover all lines of retreat, Hugh reached out a hand and
caught hold of the fellow by the shoulder. At the same time he
exclaimed in a severe voice:
"Well, what are you doing here, I want to know, trying to break into
my locker?"
The other gave a tremendous start, and a low, bubbling cry, half of
fright, and also of disgust, came from his lips. The woollen muffler
fell from about his face, and, although he snapped off the light just
then by a movement of his thumb, the others had glimpsed his features.
Thad had evidently hit the target in the bull's-eye when he mentioned
his suspicions concerning the probable identity of the skulker. It
was Leon Disney!