"But what made Plum so afraid, or dumbstruck, or whatever you may call it?" asked Ben. "It was no small thing, I can tell you that."
"Perhaps he got scared, thinking he was at Rockville with Jasniff at the time of the robbery," answered Dave. "He knows Jasniff is a kind of outcast just now. Perhaps he himself suspects Jasniff."
The students speculated over the affair for some time. At first Dave thought it might be best to let Dr. Clay know, but finally concluded to keep quiet and see what the next few days would bring forth.
The bully of the school was certainly ill at ease that day and also the next. He missed nearly all his lessons and was sharply reprimanded by Job Haskers.
"I've got a headache," he said. "It has ached for several days. I wish you would excuse me." And this getting to the ears of the doctor, he was told to take some headache tablets and retire.
Some of the students who were of a mechanical mind had built themselves ice-boats and these were now being used on the river whenever the opportunity afforded. Messmer and Henshaw had a boat, and one afternoon after school they asked Roger and Dave to go for a sail down the river. Ice-boating was something of a novelty to Dave, and he accepted the invitation gladly and so did the senator's son.
The ice-boat built by Messmer and Henshaw was about twenty feet long, with a single sail, and was named the Snowbird. It was by no means a handsome craft, not being painted, but under favorable conditions developed good speed, and that was all the builders wanted.
"We didn't build her for beauty, we built her for service," Henshaw explained.
"Well, as long as she'll go that's all we want," answered Roger. "I shouldn't give a cent for a boat that was good-looking and couldn't get over the ground."
"Did you ever see a boat get over the ground, Roger?" asked Dave, quizzically.