Sidney began to whimper.
“What’s this?” exclaimed Rattleton, drawing a handsome cigarette case from Gooch’s pocket. “It’s marked with a monogram, ‘P. P.’”
“It’s mine!” cried Pierson. “It was taken from my room within two days!”
“And what is this?” said Frank, taking a ring from the captive’s pocket. “That’s a queer place to carry a diamond ring.”
“Let’s look at it!” said Pierson, catching it from Frank. “By Jove! It’s Emery’s! He lost it yesterday!”
“Fellows,” said Harry, “we have the thief!”
Down on his knees Gooch dropped.
“Don’t tell on me, fellows!” he begged, shivering like a leaf. “Don’t expose me! It will ruin me! It will kill my mother! Just think what it will mean to me! I will be disgraced for life!”
“You deserve it!” came pitilessly from Pierson. “We can’t keep still now.”
“And we won’t!” cried Rattleton.