Part 53 (1/2)
_JOB HASKERS, Publisher,_
ALBANY, N. Y.
”It's the same paper!” cried Dave. ”He tore the corner off so that just the letters '_blisher_' remained.”
”That's pretty good evidence,” said Roger.
”I should say it was!” cried Ben. ”Wonder what he will have to say about it, when we confront him with it?”
”Let us look for more evidence, while we are at it,” came from Buster.
And then the midnight search continued.
CHAPTER x.x.x
THE EXPOSURE--GOOD-BY TO OAK HALL
”Doctor Clay, we must see you about something that is very important.”
Thus spoke Dave, the next morning, as he and his chums filed into the doctor's private office after the opening of the school. Job Haskers was not at his cla.s.s, but in his room, straightening out his things, while some men had been sent up, to get rid of the tree-top and repair the window. The storm was a thing of the past, and no other damage of importance had been done.
”Very well, boys,” returned the master of the school, kindly. ”Come in and let me know what it is.”
The students came in, rather awkwardly it must be admitted, for they had much on their minds and did not know just how the worthy doctor would take it. But they had decided on a course of action, and they had given their word to stick together to the end. Dave, as the natural leader, had been chosen spokesman.
”Doctor Clay, we want to bring up a subject of great importance,”
said Dave. ”Important to us, and to you, and to the whole school. The boys have asked me to speak for them and for myself.”
”About what?” demanded the master, somewhat shortly.
”About Mr. Haskers and how he has treated us.”
”What has he done now?”
”It isn't what he has done now, Doctor Clay, it is what he did some time ago--did his best to get us into grave trouble,” answered Dave, warmly. ”You'll remember the letter Mr. Sparr got, stating we were guilty of trying to blow up his hotel. We are now satisfied that Mr.
Haskers penned that letter--in fact, we have the evidence to prove it.”
”Impossible!”
”No, sir, it is true, and I dare him to deny it. It is an absolute fact, Doctor Clay, and we have come here this morning to inform you that we can no longer attend a school where he is a teacher,” went on Dave, firmly.
”But--but you--er--you astound me, Porter! Tell me what you know, or think you know.”
In a plain, straightforward manner Dave mentioned the letter and the printing that had appeared on it. Then he told how he and his chums had searched the bedroom after the tree-top crash and found the sheets of paper with that same printing, and he produced them.
”And we also found these, in a corner of the broken writing-desk,” he continued. ”Some writing by Mr. Haskers, in which he practiced backhand. This writing is just like that which appears in the letter Mr. Sparr got. Compare the two and you will see we are right. Wilbur Poole said Mr. Haskers saw him blow up the hotel, and he told the truth, even if he is weak-minded.”
”But why should Mr. Haskers do such an outrageous thing?” asked the master of Oak Hall.