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“Sure not,” agreed Frank.
His suspicions lulled to rest, Fenn led the way to the shack in the back yard.
“I haven’t fed ’em yet,” he remarked. “I was just going to when you chaps came along. I haven’t had my breakfast yet.”
“Oh, it’s awful to have to pay these social calls on young ladies!” mocked Bart, pretending to yawn. “It keeps you up so late, and morning comes too soon.”
“Aw, cut it out,” advised Fenn, with an injured air, but he blushed. “Now, no poking the turtles,” he stipulated, as he opened the shack door.
“Visitors are politely requested not to feed or annoy the animals,” quoted Bart, from some menagerie sign. “Do they eat much?” he asked of Fenn.
“Oh, not much, especially in cool weather. They’re sort of sluggish then. I haven’t got many yet, but I expect to – ”
By this time Fenn had the door open, and the sight that met his eyes almost bereft him of speech.
For, to his small collection had been added nearly all the reptiles from the High School. Snakes reared up their heads and hissed at him. From the corner of one cage a large mud turtle stuck out its leathery neck. A fat toad, one of many, squatted on the box of worms Fenn kept for his “pets,” and two alligators, like twins, waved their long tails to and fro.
“For the love of Mike, what have you here?” cried Bart, pretending to be frightened.
“Good land! You never said you had so many!” added Ned.
“Is it safe to go in? Let me hide behind you, Stumpy. You’re so fat and juicy that they’d grab you first,” said Frank.
For a moment Fenn did not speak. Then he understood the joke that had been played.
“You fellows think you’re awful smart; don’t you?” he demanded. “Well, all I’ve got to say is – ”
“That you’re stung! Eh, Stumpy, my lad?” cried Bart good naturedly, clapping his chum on the back. “Take your medicine like a man. You’re stung good and proper. We thought your animals would be lonesome, so we added a few for luck. Pretty, aren’t they?” and, at the sight of Fenn’s bewildered face, Bart went off in a paroxysm of mirth, finally lying down on the ground outside the shack, and rolling over and over.
Frank and Ned joined him, and their howls brought Mrs. Masterson to the back door to see what was the matter. As soon as she saw the four chums she knew, without being told, that it was some joke.
“It wouldn’t be them, if they weren’t up to something,” she observed, as she went on getting breakfast.
Fenn was not long proof against the infectious laughter of his chums. The frown faded from his face, and a smile replaced it. Soon, he too, was laughing heartily at the joke played on him.
“All I’ve got to say,” he remarked, “is that you fellows went to a lot of work to get a laugh. You must have brought nearly all the school collection,” for he recognized the professor’s specimens.
“We did,” admitted Bart, “but it was worth it all; eh, fellows?”
The boys paused to admire Fenn’s “pets” as well as to take a more careful view of the reptiles they had “borrowed” from the school. Then Bart and his two chums put back into the bags the snakes, lizards, turtles, toads and alligators belonging to the professor, and hurried back with them to the school. They were lucky in escaping observation by the janitor, and soon the science-cabinet cages held their former tenants.
There was a football game that afternoon, in which the four chums took part, playing hard and well, their team winning the contest by a narrow margin. They took a short walk, Sunday, discussing the game, and talking rather vaguely of the possibility of going to a winter camp that year.
“I think it would be just the cheese, fellows,” observed Bart.
“It would, and the crackers, too,” conceded Ned. “But I don’t see how we can manage it.”
“Maybe we can,” declared Frank indefinitely.
When the four chums went to school the following Monday morning they were made aware that something unusual had taken place. It was not so much in what was said, as in an indefinable air of expectancy on the part of several members of the faculty. After the usual opening morning services, Principal McCloud advanced to the edge of the platform in the assembly hall, and remarked:
“Young gentlemen, I have something to say to you. After I have finished, Mr. Long, the science teacher, has a few words to add.”
At once Bart cast apprehensive looks at his chums. Had the “borrowing” of the specimens been discovered? It looked so.
“Some time between Friday night and this morning,” went on the principal, “this school was entered, and some objects were taken from the science cabinets.”
There was no doubt about it. The blow had fallen. Bart, Ned and Frank prepared to “take their medicine.”
“It has been discovered,” continued Mr. McCloud, “that several specimens of snakes, lizards, toads and alligators were surreptitiously removed from Professor Long’s cabinet. This would not have been so serious, for, whoever took them, brought them all back again – that is all save one. I regret to report that one of the finest and largest specimens of mud turtles is missing. Now Professor Long has a word to say.”
Mr. Long, who was a small man, with a bustling, nervous manner, came briskly to the edge of the platform.
“I can only confirm what Professor McCloud has said,” he began. “While I regret exceedingly that any persons, least of all pupils of this school, whom I may say we suspect, could so far forget themselves as to run the risk of damaging my collection of reptiles, that is not the worst I have to speak about. The loss of the mud turtle is serious, for it was a rare kind, but there is something else missing. It is a valuable diamond bracelet, belonging to my wife. She gave it to me, as she was going away on a little trip, to take to the jewelers to have the setting of some of the stones tightened, and I placed it in the cabinet with the reptiles for safe keeping, until school should be closed, Friday. I forgot all about it until this morning, and when I went to look for it, I discovered that my collection had been disturbed.
“It was easy to see,” went on Mr. Long, “that some one had taken the reptiles out, and placed them back, for they were not in their proper cages. It was also easy to see that my wife’s diamond bracelet was missing. It is valued at over a thousand dollars, and I presume was taken by accident, or, perhaps, for a joke. In either case I shall be glad to have it back.
“I might add that I have certain clews as to who were the midnight visitors to the school, for one of them dropped his knife, and it has his name on it.”
Bart frantically felt in his pocket, and then, conscious that many eyes were on him, sat still, but a guilty flush suffused his face.
“If the bracelet is returned to me,” went on Mr. Long, “all will be well. If not, I must take – ” he hesitated a moment – “strenuous measures,” he added. “I will await in the principal’s office, any one who may wish to see me,” he concluded significantly, after a pause.
“You are dismissed to your classes,” said Principal McCloud. “Any one who wishes to see Professor Long has permission to do so.”
The boys arose, and filed from the assembly hall; the girls were on the floor below. Bart looked at Frank and Ned. Then Fenn whispered:
“Maybe the missing turtle is in with mine.”
“Maybe,” Bart whispered back. “But what of the diamond bracelet? We never took it!”
“The man – the stranger – who was in the school just before us?” replied Ned. “Fellows, I guess we’d better make a clean breast of it to Mr. Long!”
CHAPTER III
A FRUITLESS SEARCH
There was much buzzing and whispering among the pupils as they marched to their classrooms – whispering which the teachers and principal thought best to ignore under the circumstances, for the morning announcement had been an unusual one.
Bart, Fenn, Ned and Frank were in the same grade, and their first morning period was taken up with a Latin recitation. All four were doing some hard thinking as they got out their books in Mr. Kenton’s room. Bart Keene was the first of the four chums to make up his mind. He felt a certain responsibility, since he had proposed the joke.
“Mr. Kenton,” he asked, “may I be excused for a moment?”
“What for, Keene?” inquired the Latin instructor.
“I wish to – to speak to Professor Long.”
There was an audible gasp of astonishment from Bart’s classmates at this. Ned and Frank started to their feet, to utter a protest. They saw Bart’s motive, but they were not going to let him bear the brunt of the punishment alone. There was a curious look on the face of Fenn.
“You may go, Keene,” went on the instructor.
“May I also?” exclaimed Frank, and again there was a buzz of excited whispers. The other lads knew what Bart’s request meant.
“Silence!” called Mr. Kenton, sharply. “One at a time is enough,” he added grimly. “We will proceed with the lesson. Ned Wilding, you may begin to translate.”
Discipline held sway once more, and the boys settled back into their seats. Bart, conscious that the eyes of every lad in the room were on him, walked out. He found Professor Long in the chemical laboratory, preparing for some class work.
“Ah, Keene,” remarked the science instructor, as he mixed some unpleasant-smelling liquids in a test tube. “Did you wish to see me?”
“Yes – yes, sir,” stammered Bart. “You said – that is – I – er – I was the one who took the collection of reptiles,” blurted out the uneasy lad. “But I didn’t take the diamond bracelet! We didn’t see anything of it! I hope you’ll believe me! You don’t know how unpleasant it is to be accused. At one time I – that is my chums and I – were accused of blowing up the school tower with dynamite, and – ”
“Yes, I remember that happening,” went on Mr. Long, gravely. “You were innocent on that occasion.”
“And we are innocent now!” burst out Bart. “We – that is I – took the turtles and the alligators, but we – that is I – never saw the bracelet. Are you sure it was in the cabinet, Mr. Long?”
“Very sure, Bart. But you might save yourself some embarrassment by telling me all the details. I’m glad to see you willing to bear all the blame, but, if you were alone in the escapade, how is it that I found Ned Wilding’s knife, and this handkerchief with Frank Roscoe’s name on it,” and the instructor, with a smile, held up the articles he mentioned.
“I – I dropped Ned’s knife,” replied Bart. “I had borrowed it.”
“And Frank’s handkerchief?”
“I – I didn’t have that,” and Bart looked confused.
“I think I can guess how it was,” said Mr. Long at length. “You were all four after my collection, and – ”
“Not all four!” interrupted Bart. “Fenn wasn’t there. You see we were playing a joke on him,” the lad went on, in a burst of confidence, realizing that it was useless to try to shoulder all the blame. “Ned, Frank and I came in here Friday night and got the things. I knew I had lost Ned’s knife, but I didn’t think I’d dropped it here. But Fenn wasn’t along. We took the things to his house, and put them in the pen with his reptiles. He is making a collection.”
“So I understand,” remarked Mr. Long. “Therefor I have a proposal to make. It is barely possible that in gathering up the toads, alligators and turtles from my cabinet that you boys picked up the bracelet with them. You may have dropped it in the place where Fenn keeps his collection. Perhaps if you go there and look you will find it, and also the missing turtle, which I value highly. But, of course, the bracelet is more valuable, and as it was a birthday present to Mrs. Long she will feel the loss very much. Will you kindly go and look? I am sure Mr. McCloud will excuse you.”
“I’ll be glad to make a search!” exclaimed Bart, eagerly. “Perhaps if Ned and Frank – ”
“Just what I was about to propose,” interrupted the instructor. “I’ll request the principal to let you four boys leave your classes this morning, to make a hunt for the missing bracelet – and the turtle. Don’t forget that.”
“I’m – I’m very sorry – sorry we disturbed your collection, Professor Long,” stammered Bart, “but I know we never touched, or saw, the diamond bracelet.”
“I know you didn’t mean to take the bracelet,” went on Mr. Long, a bit stiffly. “Of course it was a foolish, and, at the same time, a risky trick to play, and, while I believe you had no intention of keeping the bracelet, I cannot but believe that in some way you removed it from the cabinet, either in catching up one of the reptiles hurriedly, or otherwise. I shall be glad to talk with Ned and Frank. But now I suggest that you go to Fenn’s house and make a search.”
“We never took or saw the bracelet, Professor!” declared Bart, with great earnestness. He felt, somehow, just as he did the time the unjust accusation of blowing up the school tower was made against him and his chums, as related in a former volume of this series.
“Well,” remarked the teacher, “I can only say that you boys were the only ones in the school after the closing hours Friday. Some time between then and this morning, the reptiles were taken and returned – that is all but one large turtle – and the diamond bracelet belonging to my wife. There can be but one conclusion, and I – ”
“We were not the only ones in the school between Friday night and this morning!” exclaimed Bart, and instantly his thoughts reverted to the stranger who had acted so mysteriously.
“What do you mean?” asked the instructor, quickly.
“I mean – the janitor,” replied Bart, with a sudden change in his tone. He had started to mention the man, but concluded not to. He had several reasons for this, as will develop presently.
“There is where you are mistaken,” declared Professor Long. “The janitor, and two assistants whom he hired, cleaned out the school late Friday afternoon. I know, for I remained here to go over some of my class records. It was late when I left, and the janitor had finished before I was ready to go. I know this because Riggs asked me to be sure and close the front door and put the spring lock on when I came out. I was the last person to leave the school Friday night, and I locked the door. Riggs had gone. The reason why he did his cleaning work Friday night, and not Saturday, as is usual, was because he wanted to go away over Sunday. He did go, I understand, so you see you boys were the only ones in the school.”
“And did you lock the front door after you?” asked Bart with a sudden suspicion in his mind, as he thought of the mysterious man.
“I did, certainly. Why do you ask?”
“Oh – nothing – only I thought – I – ” Again Bart was about to speak of the midnight visitor to the school, and again he refrained.
“By the way, how did you boys get in the school?” asked Professor Long, suddenly.
“I – er – we – that is – ”
“Never mind,” hastily interrupted the instructor, “I should not have asked that. I have no wish to pry further into this matter than is necessary. Believe me, I appreciate your motive in making a clean breast of it. I do not care to know all the details. Boys will be boys, I suppose. Only get me back the diamond bracelet and the turtle. I will see Mr. McCloud at once, and I’m sure he will let you make a search at Fenn’s house.”
Bart’s opportunity had passed. If he only had mentioned the fact that he and his chums found the front door open, and had seen a mysterious man enter the school, things might have turned out differently, and much trouble have been averted. But now it was too late. Mr. Long hurried to the office of the principal, and returned shortly with permission for the four chums to go and make a search.
“But why didn’t you tell him about the man we saw?” asked Ned, as they were on their way to Fenn’s house.
“Because,” answered Bart.
“That’s a regular girl’s reason,” objected Frank.
“Well,” answered Bart desperately, somewhat weary and nervous over the ordeal through which he had gone, “the chief reason was that if I told that, I’d have to tell why we didn’t notify the police. That’s where we made a mistake. If that fellow was a thief, and took the bracelet, we should have called the police.”
“We didn’t know he was a thief – we don’t know it yet,” declared Frank.
“No, but when we saw a stranger sneaking into the school, we should have had gumption enough to notify the authorities,” insisted Bart. “That’s where we were slow. I didn’t want to make it any worse. If we find the bracelet, all right; we won’t have to tell how silly we were.”
“And if we don’t find it – which is very likely to be the case – what then?” asked Fenn.
“Well, we didn’t take it, that’s certain,” decided Frank. “Neither by accident nor intentionally – did we take that bracelet.”
“Then the man we saw, did,” said Ned.
“Yes, and he’s far enough off by now,” observed Frank. “Fellows, I’ll bet he was the thief!”
“How could he be?” asked Bart. “He didn’t know the bracelet was in the cabinet. Besides, no ordinary person would think of looking among a lot of reptiles for anything valuable.”
“Well, if we don’t find it I think we’d better tell about the man,” was Fenn’s opinion.
“It will be too late then,” insisted Bart.
“Too late? Why?” Frank wanted to know.
“Because if we come back without the missing turtle and bracelet, and tell about having seen a mysterious man enter the school just before we did, on Friday night, every one will say we made up the story to shield ourselves. No, the best way, if we can’t find that diamond ornament, is to keep mum about the man.”
“And let them accuse us?” cried Frank, indignantly.
“For a while – yes,” replied Bart. “It won’t be the first time, and probably not the last. But I don’t mean by that for us to sit still under the accusation.”
“What do you mean?” asked Fenn.
