A clever stroke or two with the landing-net, and then the little square of glass was in their hands. It was scratched somewhat, but unbroken. Tinkle laid it on the grass carefully.
"That is one," he said. "Now let us try for the others."
He weighted his line heavily, and started. He fished and fished, and at last he was rewarded—up came the pocket-book; and soon after, up came another book with a stone tied to it.
"It is a crib," pronounced Tinkle. "Come on, Green; we are in an awful mess, and we are in for a caning, I suppose; but we have caught our fish, and I don't care a bit."
The two boys raced back to the school, and they were accosted in the playground by Warren.
"Hallo, you two kids! Where have you been, and how did you get into that state?" the monitor asked. "You are over an hour late. Have you seen anything of Rexworth?"
"No, Warren. Isn't he in? We wanted him. Oh, we have got something to tell him!"
"You will have something to tell the doctor," answered Warren grimly. "He is bound to want to know what you have been up to."
"Don't go, Warren. Do listen to us. It concerns Rexworth and Charlton. We know about Elgert."