“Yes,” said the colonel.
“You do, eh?” shouted the irate man. “Maybe you sent them to do it, eh?”
“No,” the colonel denied. “I only told them to go to your garden, but as long as they found it necessary to go into your house I’m glad of it!”
The elder Gates became purple in the face and Arthur stepped forward. “Look here, Colonel Morrell, this is no joking matter. I’m going to have these boys locked up!”
The colonel only smiled. Melvin Gates rapped the desk with his cane.
“So you teach your boys housebreaking, do you, colonel?” he cried.
“Why no,” said the colonel, thoughtfully. “That isn’t part of the program. But we do teach them to play the game of life honorably and to put forth every ounce of their strength to find out the truth and do the square thing!”
“Oh, what nonsense are you talking now?” growled Melvin Gates.
The eyes of the colonel blazed as he reached under his desk and brought up the silver cup. “This is the preaching that speaks for itself, Gates. After you have taken a good look at the bottom of this cup I want to hear you say that you intend to lock my boys up!”
The faces of the two turned pale when they saw the inscription on the bottom of the cup. Melvin shot an angry glance at his son.