Part 21 (1/2)

”Say, kid, where's the liberrian?”

”I'm liberrian.”

”O, come off. Where's the real one? The feller that knows it all, and walks like a seesaw.”

”That's Algy,” said Elsmere, with fraternal recognition. ”Algy's sick.

I'm liberrian.”

His questioner looked at him keenly.

”I say, kids, let's us be liberrians. You put the little feller out.”

The obedient henchmen put the howling Elsmere down from his seat, and exalted their chief.

”I'm it,” said that worthy. ”You pick out books you want, and I'll fix 'em up.”

The others, nothing loath, picked out certain extra-ill.u.s.trated volumes which Algernon did not allow to circulate, and presented them at the desk, where they helped the presiding official to ”fix 'em up” according to methods suggested by intuition combined with a little observation.

”Say, now it's my turn,” said one of the subordinates. ”You git down and let me. Does that chair screw 'round?”

It did, and in the ensuing scuffle, it not only screwed around but the top fell off, carrying three boys and an a.s.sortment of inks with it.

At the same moment, Max and Archie entered to while away an idle half-hour with the daily paper.

The big boys were prompt, but the little boys were prompter. The back door swung on its hinges and Max and Archie, puffing, e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. and wrathful, gave over attempts at capture for efforts at repair, Max going off to hunt up Algernon, while Archie gathered up scattered cards and mopped up the ink with dust-cloths.

Seeking Algernon, Max ran across Mrs. Osgood making calls. Hearing his tale, she went back with him to the scene of disaster, and her capable fingers soon brought about some appearance of order, though the intricacies of card systems were beyond her.

”I'd like to know who the rascals are that did it,” she said with emphasis; ”and I can't see how they got in. Where do you suppose Algernon is?”

”He caught cold yesterday,” Archie told her, ”but it doesn't seem possible that he would send down anybody who would go off and leave the place open. I saw the little Weed boy, but I didn't know the other two.

They lit out like lightning, and I didn't care to chase them all up Main Street. I was going to the Smiths' to have a cup of tea!” Archie looked ruefully at his soiled garments and dark blue hands. ”I wonder if we couldn't get Bertha to come in here. She knows the ins and outs of all these fancy arrangements.”

”Berfa isn't to home,” remarked a clear sweet voice from the closet.

”Fat's why I had to be liberrian!”

Max threw open the door. Elsmere, on the wood-box, was contentedly jiggling the velvet birds, which had been the first cause of all the excitement.

At the sight of Max's angry face, he jumped up. ”I got to go,” he said hastily. ”I'm awful busy. Must find my cat-p.u.s.s.y. I losted her when she scratched me.”

”Sensible cat,” growled Archie, taking Elsmere by the collar. ”I wish she had losted you. Here, Mrs. Osgood, this seems to be the key to the mystery. At least it's the key to something.” He lifted the key dangling from Elsmere's blouse.

”Algy sewed it on me,” explained the child.

Mrs. Osgood sighed. ”So Algernon is sick, and he sent you after Bertha, and she wasn't at home. I see. Max, you and Archie needn't wait. I'll take the responsibility of closing the library for to-day, and I'd like a private talk with this young gentleman, if you are willing.”

Elsmere's eyes brightened.