"Will anybody answer?" stormed the teacher.
There was utter silence, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Dave looked at Gus Plum and Nat Poole, but neither budged.
"I shall call the roll, and each boy must answer for himself," went on Job Haskers. "Ansberry!"
"I can tell you nothing, Mr. Haskers," was the reply, and the pupil dropped back into his seat.
"Humph! Aspinwell!"
"I can tell you nothing, Mr. Haskers."
"Babcock!"
"I can tell you nothing, Mr. Haskers."
"This is—er—outrageous! Beggs!"
"Sorry, but I can tell you nothing, Mr. Haskers," drawled the fat youth.