Part 47 (1/2)
”Don't you know you were seen?” asked Phil, with a wink at his chums.
It was only a chance shot, but it told in a most unexpected way.
”Say, has Tom Hally been talking about me?” roared Nat, in sudden rage.
”If he has I'll--I'll----”
”Now, take it easy,” advised Dave. ”Nat, don't you realize that this is a serious matter?”
”I don't care! I'll fix Hally, see if I don't!”
At that moment the door opened, and the boy who had been rescued from the hole in the snowy hollow came in with several chums.
”Hally, come here!” called Phil.
”Say, did you give me away, after all?” demanded Nat Poole, rus.h.i.+ng forward and catching Tom Hally by the arm.
”Let go of me!” returned Hally. ”I don't know what you are talking about.”
”Yes, you do, you sneak!”
”I'm no sneak!” And Tom Hally's eyes flashed dangerously.
”Hally, tell me, did Nat Poole take our shoes and boots and slippers that night?” demanded Dave.
”He did.” Hally grew red in the face. ”I wasn't going to mention it, but now you ask me a direct question I'll not tell a falsehood. He took the shoes and hid them in the trunk room. I caught him doing it, but I thought it was only a joke, and so kept silent. Then, after you fellows rescued me from the hole in the snow, I made Nat send the shoes back. At first I was going to tell on him, but, somehow, I didn't want to play the sneak.”
”I understand,” answered Dave. He turned to Shadow. ”This clears you.”
”So it does, Shadow, and I am mighty glad of it,” put in Phil.
”Yes, it clears me,” answered the student who was known as a sleep-walker. ”Or at least, I will be cleared--after I am done with Nat Poole,” and Shadow looked at the money-lender's son in a manner that was full of grim significance.
CHAPTER XXIX
HOOKER MONTGOMERY'S REVELATION
”What do you want?” demanded Nat, and his voice trembled a little, for he realized that he was cornered.
”In the first place, I think you'll have to restore Phil's missing gym.
shoe,” remarked Dave dryly. ”How about it, Phil?”
”That's so,” answered the s.h.i.+powner's son.
”I've got the shoe in my closet,” growled Nat. ”It dropped out when I was packing the box. I'll get it now.”
”No, you don't!” cried Shadow. ”You can get the shoe any time. We will settle the rest of this affair before you leave.”
”I--er--I don't understand?” stammered the money-lender's son. ”You've got your shoes back. What more do you want? Can't you stand for a joke?”