"Hush, Roger," whispered Dave.
"Oh, so it's you! Where have you been, and what did old Haskers do to you?"
In a few brief words Dave and Phil explained what had taken place.
"We'll tell you the rest in the morning," said Phil, and then he and Dave hopped into bed and under the warm covers. Less than a minute later, however, Dave sat up and listened intently. He had heard the front door of the school building bang shut in the rising wind.
"Phil!"
"What is it now, Dave?"
"I think I just heard Doctor Clay come in."
"Oh, bother! I'm going to sleep," said the shipowner's son, with a yawn. "I don't think he'll trouble us to-night."
"I'm going to see what happens," answered Dave, and got up again. Soon he had on a dressing gown and slippers, and was tiptoeing his way down the hallway. He heard a murmur of voices below, and knew then that both the doctor and Mr. Dale had arrived. Then he heard Mr. Dale walk to the rear of the lower floor, and heard somebody else come out of the library.
"Mr. Haskers, what is it?" he heard Doctor Clay say.