Part 1 (2/2)

”That will do! That will do!” interrupted Mr. McCloud so sharply that John started. A number of the pupils turned in their seats to gaze at Stumpy, who looked painfully self-conscious.

”There's something in the wind,” whispered Ned to Bart.

”I'm not going to take all the blame,” persisted John, ignoring the princ.i.p.al's command to remain silent. ”Fenn Mast--”

”I said that would do,” and Mr. McCloud spoke so decisively that John remained silent. ”I know what you would say,” the professor went on.

”I have looked into that matter thoroughly. No one is to blame but yourself, and your effort to s.h.i.+ft the punishment to some other boy does not do you any good. You should not have attempted to mention any pupil's name. I will not refer to it again, except to say that no one is involved but yourself. I am fully satisfied on this point.”

Frank noticed that Fenn seemed much relieved at the professor's announcement, and he wondered what connection there could have been between his chum and John Newton.

”You have been given several opportunities to reform,” the princ.i.p.al went on, ”but you have refused to profit by them. You are a dangerous element to have in this school. Therefore, we return you to your friends,” and, with a wave of his gla.s.ses toward the door to emphasize his remark, the princ.i.p.al indicated that John Newton might go. That ended it. John was expelled.

The pupils went to their various cla.s.ses, and, though there was considerable whispering back and forth during the morning session as to what caused John's expulsion, and what his reference to Fenn might mean, there was no chance to discuss the matter until the noon recess. Then questions and answers flew thick and fast.

”Now Fenn, tell us all about it,” said Ned Wilding when he and the two other boys who had remarked Stumpy's apprehension, were gathered in the bas.e.m.e.nt where lunches were usually eaten. ”What was John driving at?

What were you afraid of?”

”Didn't you hear Professor McCloud say it was all ended and he was satisfied I had no hand in it?”

”Yes, but that doesn't satisfy us,” said Bart. ”We want the whole story.”

”There isn't much to it,” Fenn declared. ”You must promise not to repeat it.”

”We'll promise but I guess John will tell it all over town,” said Frank.

”You know John and I used to be pretty friendly,” Fenn began, getting his chums off into a corner. ”He lives near me and I used to go fis.h.i.+ng with him once in a while. But he got down on me because I wouldn't lend him my best reel one day, though for a while I didn't know he wasn't friendly.

”He's always playing some kind of tricks in school, but most of 'em aren't any worse than those we get up. But this last one was the limit.”

”What was it?” asked Ned.

”He'd been reading some book on India, and how they catch tigers by smearing bird-lime on the leaves near the water-hole. He made some of the lime. I helped him. Got some of the stuff from the laboratory. Then he put it all over the papers in Mr. McCloud's desk, one night after school, and they got so fastened together they couldn't be separated.”

”You don't mean to say you helped him do that?” asked Frank.

”Who said I did? I only helped make the bird-lime. He told me we could catch rabbits with it. I didn't know what he was up to or I wouldn't have done that much. When he learned he was discovered, for he left his knife in the desk, he said he was going to make me take part of the blame for helping him make the lime. That's what I was afraid of this morning, when I heard he was going to be expelled.”

”He did try to give you away,” interrupted Bart.

”Yes, rather mean, too. But it seems Mr. McCloud had been investigating, though I didn't know it. He must have found out that I didn't have any hand in putting the stuff in the desk, even if I did help John make it.”

”Lucky for you that he did,” commented Ned. ”Do you think John will try to do anything more to make trouble for you?”

”I hope not,” Fenn replied.

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