"He needn't fear that I shall invade the chimney again," responded Frank; "I'm only too glad that the matter has turned out so that there is no doubt about me.
"Well," said the dean, thoughtfully, "you ought to learn some kind of a lesson out of the experience, I suppose. Let's take it for granted, Merriwell, that you'll give your mathematics a little more attention this year."
Frank, smiling, assured the dean that he would do so, and there the matter ended.
At a later time Page asked Frank why it was that he had insisted on the fireplace being kept secret until after the examination.
"Because," said Frank, "I had got a tip there that was too valuable to lose. If you had shown the opening to everybody, it struck me that perhaps Babbitt would hear you. With his suspicious nature, he might conclude at once that we had good papers because, somehow, we got into his room and found the questions.
"As it happened, you see, the showing of the fireplace resulted in even worse than I feared. It gave Ford his opportunity, and one of the reasons why I insisted on studying in your room was to prevent any such thing by having your room occupied all the time.
"That scheme failed, because Ford watched his chance and got in while we were at dinner."
"I'll have my door fitted with a combination time-lock!" exclaimed Page; "he could have unlocked it as it is now with a button hook."
"You'd certainly better put on a better lock if you think of keeping pets in the chim——"
"Oh, come off, Frank! I thought I'd heard the last of that."