Part 8 (1/2)
”What said he? How explain?” demanded Tony, visibly excited, his dark eyes glittering with wrath.
”Not a word. Just grinned and turned away as cool as a glacier and mosied off. Said I: 'Well, what are you after?' But he made no reply and beat it.”
”If this isn't the limit!” Bill exclaimed.
”It'll be his limit! Come on! The Doctor is an early riser and we'll see him at once,” Lambert urged.
”But we aren't going to squeal on a--” Bill's loyalty to school practices was extreme.
”Oh, yes you are in this case! This is no prank. It's a crime, and it would be another to keep it to myself. Loyalty to the school demands that we squeal. To be sure we have only circ.u.mstantial evidence----”
”No, actual,” said Gus, holding up the hammer. ”Let's get the man and we'll do the rest with some ink, a piece of paper and a magnifying gla.s.s.”
”Glory! That's the cheese! I never thought of that,” Lambert said, leading the way out of the building and to the office, discussing the case further on the way. The boys met the Doctor returning from an early morning walk, which was a habit with him, and within the office he heard Lambert's report calmly.
”We cannot call in any of the teachers, or the janitor, as hardly anyone is up yet. We shall have to handle the case without gloves and depend on you boys. You will understand my position, so I will ask you, Lambert, to bring Malatesta here at once, saying I wish to see him. Wake him, if need be.”
”But if he refuses at this hour?” asked the senior.
”But will he, if it is at my request?”
”Very likely. I know him. Rage, scare, ugly, even knife; no telling!”
Tony declared.
”Then we had better wait for the janitor. Go call him.”
”No, Doctor, please,” urged Gus. ”I'll go with Lambert and we'll fetch him here. And he won't hurt anybody.”
”But can you be sure of this? We always try to avoid publicity in matters of this kind. It would be best to have Malatesta here this early, before most of the boys are up and about, but there must be no trouble.”
”You may be sure there will be no trouble,” Gus insisted. ”Bill can tell you why. It's really quite simple.”
”Well, at least call on Malatesta and tell him. I will call the janitor.”
Gus and Lambert hastened away. Bill, also eager to have the Sicilian apprehended at once, and knowing Gus would put it over, sought to detain the Doctor. Tony, like-minded, aided in this. In a few minutes Lambert was knocking on Malatesta's door, Gus having gone to his own room.
There was no response at first; then, a sleepy grunt. The time was yet an hour or more before the first rising bell, so this early summons might properly be resented. But when Lambert called in a low voice: ”I have a message from Doctor Field,” the Italian's roommate, Johnston, a morose, dull-witted chap whose whole mind was bent on keeping up with his cla.s.ses, made reply:
”Who do you want?”
”Both of you,” said Lambert, which was true, for he knew he could not enter without seeing Johnston also.
At that Johnston got up, opened the door and Lambert entered, in his hand a paper which he made a pretense of consulting, as though it were a memorandum of his errand, his real purpose being to hold off until Gus appeared. Somehow the senior had faith in this quiet, smiling, precise freshman.
Then Gus came swiftly along the hall and through the room door, advancing near the bed still occupied by the Italian. Lambert, rather inclined to dodge trouble, stepped back a little. Said Gus:
”Malatesta, Doctor Field wants to see you at once. He wants no fuss, Johnston, he said, so please let on to know nothing about it. Come on!”--this to the Sicilian.
”What to see me about?” demanded the Italian, angrily. ”Well, I will presently see him--go tell him that! It is not yet the time for school.
I am yet wis.h.i.+ng to sleep a little. Good day to you.”