Leslie finished with an expectant smile, as though he really believed he must have struck the bull’s-eye the first shot. He was surprised to see Dick shake his head in the negative.
“Better try again,” the other told him.
“Oh! if it’s as deep as all that I’ll have to throw up the sponge, and own myself beaten,” admitted Leslie. “That’s about the only thing I can think of; unless you’ve got something to tell me about that Deacon Nocker scrape the other night. Did he drop over and see your mother, Dick, after sending your cap to you by one of his store boys?”
“Not a word has been said,” replied Dick, “and I was beginning to wonder what had come over Mr. Nocker, because he’s usually so bitter toward boys. But the mystery has all been made clear since I met Mr. Holwell, the minister, about half an hour ago.”
“Did he coax the old deacon to go easy with us, Dick? It would be just like Mr. Holwell, for he’s the best friend the boys of Cliffwood ever had.”
“Yes, it happened that Mr. Holwell and Harry Bartlett were talking on the morning after Hallowe’en when they saw the deacon heading for police headquarters. He told them what had happened, and how he knew who three of the boys were who had dared to enter his house at midnight and tried to give him a terrible fright.”
“Whew! is that a fact, Dick? I can guess what Mr. Holwell and Harry did then.”
“Yes, they were worried for fear of what the consequences might be, and finally managed to talk the deacon into giving up his idea of having us arrested for trespass and breaking into his house. Then the two got to talking over matters, and the result was a secret meeting held that night at the parsonage.”
“Why, my Uncle Henry was out that night, and I couldn’t get him to tell me where he’d been!” exclaimed Leslie. “He looked mighty mysterious too, and told me to just hold my horses, and in good time I might hear something drop.”
“Well,” continued Dick, impressively, “at that meeting, so Mr. Holwell has just informed me, for it isn’t going to be kept a secret any longer, they decided to form a Junior Department of the Y. M. C. A. so as to keep the younger boys of the town off the streets nights, by supplying them with all sorts of entertainments in the headquarters building of the association.”