"And is that all you can say about it?"
"Everything, sir."
The dean turned to Prof. Babbitt and said:
"I can't deny that the discovery of a paper under such circumstances is very suggestive, but I take it for granted that you have some explanation of your own to offer as to how Merriwell got possession of it?"
"Indeed I have, and that is just why I brought Mr. Harding here," replied Babbitt. "Tell the dean what you saw, Mr. Harding."
"I suppose," said Harding, "that it was simply some harmless prank of students at first, for we who live in New Haven are quite accustomed to such things, don't you know."
"I don't think I do," replied the dean, sharply, "for I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about."
"Come right to the point, Mr. Harding!" added Babbitt.
"Well, sir, I live in the house next to the one occupied by Prof. Babbitt and some of the students.
"One day I was astonished, as I happened to be looking out of my window, to see a young man climb out of the big chimney at the top of Prof. Babbitt's house.