“Put it in some water and it will let go quick enough,” suggested Fred presently.
“Yes, give him a chance to swim around in a bathtub,” added Randy quickly, when he saw Stowell make a move toward the washbowl in one corner of the room. “That isn’t big enough for a good healthy turtle.”
“Oh, oh! I’ll have the law on you for this!” yelled the sneak, and then bolted for the door and ran down the corridor in the direction of the nearest bathroom.
As it happened, at that moment Job Plunger, the school janitor, was coming along the corridor carrying an armful of old magazines which he had been ordered to store away in the attic. As my old readers know, Plunger, who had been nicknamed “Shout,” was quite deaf, and with eyes in another direction he did not see Codfish coming. The two collided violently, and the janitor was sent over backward, scattering the magazines in all directions, while Codfish came down on top of him.
“Hi you! what you mean by knockin’ me down that way?” shrilled the janitor, when he could regain his breath.
“I—I didn’t mean to do it,” stammered the sneak, as he arose to his feet. “I was in a hurry.”
“You ain’t got no right to race through these halls like a crazy horse,” went on Plunger. “I ought to report you.”
“I told you I was in a hurry,” explained Codfish.
“Worry?” queried Plunger, not hearing aright. “Ain’t I got a right to worry if a feller like you sends me sprawlin’?”
“I didn’t say worry—I said I was in a hurry. A snapping turtle had me by the finger, and I wanted to get rid of it.”