“But you did, and you’re just as deep in the mud as I am in the mire. You can’t peach now without giving yourself away.” He grinned as he said this, and, with an angry growl, Don hastened into the academy, fully expecting to be called up before the professor and questioned about the forged excuse.
To his surprise, nothing of the kind happened that afternoon. After school he went directly to the football field with the others of the team, where the usual amount of practice was obtained; but Don continued to worry, which made it impossible for him to appear at his best. Bentley kept away from the field, and still Dick Sterndale remained silent about the letter that had been prepared for the undoing of Renwood.
Puzzled, apprehensive, distressed, Don came down from the field and encountered Simeon Drew, who seemed to be waiting for him. The boy’s heart gave a heavy thump as the officer spoke to him.
“I won’t detain ye but jest a minute,” said Drew; “but I want to talk with ye private. Jest come over here to Robinson’s barn.”
Don followed, feeling both dread and wonder. He could not understand how the deputy sheriff might be concerned with the affair of the forged excuse, yet he feared that somehow he had done something that brought him beneath the ban of the law.
“Set down,” invited Drew, when they were in the barn, the door of which stood wide open. “I want to ax ye a few questions.” He pointed to a feed-box, while he picked up a stick, took out his knife and leisurely planted himself in the most comfortable position possible for him to assume upon a saw-horse, which he tipped down on its side.
Don remained standing. “What do you want of me?” he asked, nervously.
“I want to find out what you know about this here forgin’ business,” explained Sim, beginning to whittle. “I’ve kinder figgered it out that you know somethin’, an’ you might jest as well tell all ye know. It’ll be the best thing to do.”
It had come at last, and the boy braced himself to meet the emergency.
“I’d like to know what you have to do with it, anyway,” he said.