He took down the receiver and called up the number which Bucephalus had given him, waiting a moment for an answer.
“Hello, who is this?” he presently heard over the wire.
“John Sheldon. I was told to call you up. Who is this and what do you want of me?”
“This is Jones, down at the station. There is an express package for you here that has to be signed for. Better come after it.”
“Can’t you send it?” asked Jack, who thought that the voice sounded rather too near to come from the station below.
Furthermore, it seemed to him that it sounded suspiciously like that of Peter Herring, the leading bully of the Academy.
He had not had much conversation with the fellow, but what he had had was sufficient to make him remember the voice, and he had a good memory for all voices.
“No, I can’t send it now. Haven’t got any one to send. You can take a short cut through the woods as you leave the Academy and get here in a few minutes. It’s shorter than by the road. Take the turn on the right after you get out of sight.”
“Is there any hurry?”
“Yes, I gotter go to supper, but I’ll wait for you. Hurry up!” and Jack heard the sound of the receiver being hung up on the other end.