"He went around on the roof for a moment, looking for some way to get down, and at last caught the limb of a tree which bent under his weight until he could drop safely to the ground.
"Then he hurried away through an alley that led to another street. There was no doubt that he was trying to escape observation."
"Had you ever seen this student before?" asked the dean.
"Many times, though I never knew his name until now——"
"I was the student," interrupted Frank, quietly.
"The impudence of that confession," exclaimed Prof. Babbitt, hotly, "is enough to drive a man crazy! The great chimney in that house, dean, hasn't been used for many years, and the fireplaces have been boarded up, but an athlete like Merriwell could go up and down easily and you can see how he could effect an entrance by going into the fireplace of the room under mine, which is occupied by one of his friends, and so climbing up through the chimney to my room——"
"May I ask a question?" interposed Frank.
"Certainly," responded the dean.
"Mr. Harding," said Frank, "what day was it when you saw me climb out of the chimney on the roof?"
Harding was silent a moment, and then said: