Part 6 (1/2)
Leaning over, Thad groped around until he managed to find the hand that held the little electric torch. This latter article he tore from the grasp of Leon, and immediately pressed the b.u.t.ton that caused the battery to work. The intense darkness around them was dissipated to some degree. Thad threw the glow directly into the face of the fellow Hugh was holding.
Leon stopped his desperate struggles. He realized that the game was up so far as trying to keep his ident.i.ty a secret; and, being a most resourceful sort of chap, he now resorted to another little scheme which he had undoubtedly thought out, to be used in case he was discovered, and cornered, while on his night mission.
”Oh! is that you, Hugh?” he burst out, in a shaky voice. ”Say, you gave me an awful scare! I thought it must be some old tramp that grabbed me, sure I did. It's all right now, Hugh, and I'm not wanting to clear out, since I know who you are. That's Thad, too, I reckon, holding my little flash-light. How you did startle me, though. I never dreamed anybody was around here when I started to come back after my watch.”
”What's that you say?” gasped Thad; ”your watch? Tell that to the marines, Leon Disney!”
”But it's so, I tell you. Thad, it sure is,” persisted the other tenaciously, as though he had laid all his plans for just such an ”accident,” whereby his attempt to rob Hugh's locker would be held up. ”I believe I must have forgotten to take it out of my locker this evening when I was dressing, after hard work on the field, running, and practising throwing the hammer. I never noticed it till long after supper, and I was afraid of what my dad would say when he asked me for it in the morning, to take back to the store where he got it, to exchange for another. So, Hugh, don't you see, the idea came to me that mebbe I might be able to get in the building out here if a window happened to be unfastened; which turned out to be the case, you know.”
”Yes, the very _first_ window you tackled in the bargain, Leon; how fortunate for you!” sneered the unbelieving Thad. ”And say, you ought to know that this isn't your locker, because the numbers are painted big enough on the door for anybody with only one eye to see.”
Even this did not appear to disconcert the other boy. He was a slippery sort of customer, who always seemed able to find some sort of ready excuse, or a way to ”climb down a tree” when caught in the act.
He turned, and stared at the number 16 plainly on the door. Then he grinned at Thad as he hurriedly went on to explain further; for his inventive faculties seemed without end when they were exercised in order to get him out of any bad sc.r.a.pe:
”Well, that shows my first guess was the right one after all. You see, Hugh, I knew my number was either 16 or 19, and, for the life of me, I couldn't tell which. Of course, if the first belongs to you when my number is 19, I was foolish to change my mind; though, of course, even if the key opened your locker I'd have known my mistake right away. No harm done, I hope, Hugh?”
Thad made a low, growling sound, as though he put not the slightest faith in the story Leon was telling. He knew the other to be utterly unprincipled, and a willing tool in the hands of Nick Lang; indeed, there were some things about the sneaky Leon that blunt, honest Thad hated worse than the bullying propensities of the other boy.
”So you really and truly left your watch in your locker, did you?” he demanded, with a perceptible sneer in his tones.
”I think I did; in fact, I'm certainly hoping so,” Leon hastily replied; ”because if it doesn't happen to be there I don't know where I could have lost it; and I'll get a fine turning over from dad in the morning when he asks me for the same to take back, and exchange for one that keeps decent time.”
”Oh!” continued the still skeptical Thad, thinking to corner Leon, ”then, perhaps, you'll prove your words by showing us the inside of your locker right now? Number 19 it would be, you said; well, here it is, on a direct line with Hugh's locker. Get busy with your key, Leon, and open up!”
Possibly Thad was confident that the other would not venture to do as he demanded. He may have expected him to invent some handy excuse for not complying; but then the other had already laid the foundation for a reasonable sense of disappointment in case no watch was forthcoming when the locker was opened; since he said he hoped he might have forgotten it when dressing, and not lost it on the way home that evening at dusk.
Leon started to obey with alacrity, as though he had no fears. His key immediately opened the door, and this, upon being swung aside, revealed a bundle of old athletic garments hastily thrown in without regard to neatness.
These Leon commenced to eagerly take out, one at a time. He was careful how he handled them, as though fearful lest he might toss the silver watch out, to land on the floor with disastrous results.
As he picked up such various articles of wearing apparel as used by an athlete in training, Leon continued to air his grievances, as though he meant Hugh to understand how utterly impossible it was for him to have intended any mean thing by breaking open a locker other than his own:
”It was silly of me getting those numbers mixed in my head, of course; but then a figure nine is only a six turned upside down, you see. I was so worked up over missing my clock that I just couldn't think straight at all. Well, it isn't under that jersey, anyhow; nor yet covered by those trunks. I remember now I pushed it away back, so I couldn't drag it out. There's an old sweater I use when I'm overheated, and afraid of taking cold; mebbe now it's under hat.”
Reaching further in, Leon caught hold of the article in question, and carefully drew it toward him. Then he as cautiously lifted the torn sweater; and, as Thad turned the glow of the flash-light directly into the box they all saw the watch reposing in the corner, just as the boy had left it.
Leon made a clutch for his property. He over did the matter, Hugh thought, acting in an exuberant fas.h.i.+on.
”Oh! mebbe I'm not joyful over getting my hands on you again, you poor old time-keeper!” he exclaimed, as he s.n.a.t.c.hed the silver watch up and shook it, as though any fault could be attached to the article in question. ”A fine chase you've given me to-night; and playing the part of sneak thief in the bargain; but then, of course, you believe what I told you, now, Hugh, since you've seen that the watch was in my locker?”
Hugh did not care to fully commit himself, it seemed, judging from the way in which he went on to say:
”We've seen you recover your watch all right, Leon; and it was in your locker just as you said; but whether you forgot it, or left it there on purpose, is a question I'm not prepared to settle.”
Of course there was no further excuse for Hugh keeping that grip on Leon's shoulder, so he released his hold, and the other gave a sigh as of relief at this evidence of a change in policy on the part of his captor.
”Say, I wish you'd do me a great favor, Hugh,” Leon went on to say, as though he believed in the old maxim that it is wise to ”strike while the iron is hot.”