An angry murmur rose on all sides. Uric heard it and turned paler than ever. He looked round, and saw that he was watched by hundreds of scornful, indignant eyes.
But the letter—the boy said it was lost! Where was the proof against him? All at once Scudder braced up.
"This kid has a grudge against me," he said, "and he’s trying to soak me. The whole story is a lie from start to finish."
"It’s the truth!" again asserted the boy. "He wrote and told the other fellow how Fardale was practising secretly, and that he thought he’d be able to find out all about the plays in a short time."
"That was what he was doing the day he climbed the tree and got pelted with eggs," said somebody.
The boy grinned.
"Yes," he said, "he was spying then, and I done the pelting when he got caught and hung by the seat of his trousers. I had a grudge to settle, for he kicked me one day and chucked me into the drink."
"You see what kind of a fellow he is," said Uric. "He says he has a grudge against me."
"Oh, I guess I came pretty near getting even that day!" grinned the youngster. "I did soak you good and hard."
"He certainly was good to him!" said Teddy Smart, who had forced his way toward the center of the crowd. "How now, Hen Fruit? You seem to be enjoying yourself. You look very happy."