"Mike," said Ward sharply to the janitor, whom he met alone in the hall on Friday afternoon, "our room is stacked every day and you're no good as a watch. I believe some one has taken the key to my room from your ring. Look and see, will you?"
The "professor of dust and ashes" fumbled at the huge bunch he carried, and very much crestfallen at last said, "Indade and yer right, Mister Ward. The key's not here at all, at all."
"That's what I thought. Now see if 'twenty-three' is gone too." Twenty-three was the number of Little Pond's room.
"Be jabbers and that's gone too. Ye'll not be after tellin' the principal, will yez?" said Mike anxiously.
"I don't know. I'll see about that later. Mike, can you put a new lock on my door and on Pond's this afternoon? I mean while we're here and no one will see you at the work?"
"Indade, and I can that," replied the anxious janitor.
"Well, do it then right away. I've got a plan for catching the rascals and I want the new lock on right off. If you can do that now, it will help me and I sha'n't have to see the doctor."
Mike departed and returned with two new locks, which he at once placed on the doors, Ward meanwhile keeping watch to see that the work of the janitor was not discovered, and cautioning him about keeping his duplicate key.
With a feeling of elation, Ward at once prepared to put his newly formed plan into execution.
CHAPTER IX