“We are in for it, Jack.”
“So it would seem, Pep. Do you really think Reff Ritter and his crowd came back here and fastened the trap door?”
“I think Reff came back. I don’t know about the others. You’ll remember Reff is just aching to do something to get us into trouble.”
“Wonder if we can’t pry the door up in some way.”
“We can try. But what is there to work with?”
Cautiously the two cadets allowed the light from the lantern to flash around the interior of the belfry. They had to be careful, for fear somebody below would see the light and wonder what it meant, for the belfry was never illuminated. An investigation by the sexton or some officers of the church might lead to arrest. Once some students from Pornell Academy had painted the porch of the church red and this had caused a great commotion in the community, and arrests might have been made had not one of the pupils’ fathers come forward, paid for repainting the porch, and made the church a handsome donation in the bargain. But even with this, some folks were still “sore,” and ready to pounce down on any boys who might do the property an injury.
Jack and Pepper knew well enough that they had no right to touch the bell clapper, and I am not upholding them in their actions. But they were wide-awake boys, always ready for fun, and saw no great harm in what they proposed to do. Sooner or later the clapper would be returned to its proper place—in fact it looked now as if it would be returned much quicker than originally intended.
The two boys allowed the rays from the lantern to sweep the floor and walls of the belfry, but without bringing to view anything with which to pry up the trap door. Then they set the lantern down and both got hold of the iron ring in the door.
“Pull with all your might!” exclaimed the young major.
“All right, here goes!” cried Pepper.