“Come up to my room,” he commanded.
Oliver did not demur. He saw Frank’s friends regarding him with looks of accusation, but, knowing he was not guilty of any wrong-doing, he quietly ascended the stairs and entered Merriwell’s room.
At that moment, panting, yet trying to still his breathing and his thumping heart, Roland Packard was listening behind the closed door of another room near Merriwell’s, into which he had darted. He had seen the door slightly ajar, and had leaped in there as he fled with the stolen message.
As Oliver, surrounded by Frank’s friends, entered Merriwell’s room, Roland opened the door the least bit and cautiously peered out. His ears had told him something of the truth, and he chuckled to think that his brother had appeared just in time to fall into the hands of the pursuers.
“He’s all right,” thought the young scoundrel. “And he turned up at just the right moment to divert suspicion from me long enough for me to get away. My last blow at Merriwell will be effective, and I’ll make a ten-strike at the same time.”
He saw Merriwell’s door closed by some one who meant to make sure that the captured suspect should not break away and escape. Then Roland stole swiftly out from the room and hastened down the stairs, chuckling with evil triumph.
Oliver Packard was in a bad scrape, and somehow his face seemed to indicate that he felt guilt. Still he persisted in being told what had happened. When he heard the story, he firmly said:
“This is a mistake, Merriwell—I swear it! I left this room ten or fifteen minutes ago in company with Hock Mason, as I can prove. I left Mason outside and came back. I was just in time for you to rush out and grasp me on the stairs. This is the truth, as Heaven hears me!”
There were murmurs of doubt on all sides. Many of Merry’s friends had never trusted Oliver fully, being inclined to judge him by the conduct of his brother. Some of them had remonstrated with Frank for his friendliness with Oliver. These were the ones who now muttered their incredulity on listening to the words of the suspected student.
Oliver turned pale as he heard that muttering.