"Say! What's the matter with you?" asked Sam, sleepily and angrily. He was doing his best to pull his wits together, and thus overcome the effects of the strange vapor.
"There is nothing the matter with me!" roared Professor Sharp "The matter is with you, Rover. You have been drinking too much."
"Me? Drinking?" stammered Sam, "No, sir!"
"Rover, you may as well admit it," came from Professor Blackie. "It is a sad state of affairs."
"But I haven't been drinking."
"We know better. Look at the evidence!" roared Abner Sharp, pointing to the bottles. "Why, your very clothing smells of rum!" he added, smelling of Dick's shoulder.
"Sam has told you the truth. We haven't been drinking," said Dick.
"Rover, it would be better if you did not add falsehoods to your other shortcomings," said Professor Blackie. He was usually a very mild man, and had little to say outside of the classroom.
"You are mistaken," murmured Dick. It was all he could say, for he was still too bewildered to make a clear note of what was going on.
"This one seems to be the worst of all," said Abner Sharp, turning to
Tom. "He must have drunk more than the others."