Ward Hill, the Senior

by Everett T. Tomlinson

AN INTERVIEW WITH JACK

Ward at once left his room and went to search for Little Pond. He met the lad coming across the campus, and in response to his invitation, the little fellow immediately returned with him, and for a long time they sat together in Pond's room and talked over the plan which Ward had formed.

"You see it's this way," said Ward. "We can't let this thing go on forever, for it's beginning to tell on us already. What with setting the room to rights and never knowing what to expect, it doesn't leave very much time for studying, and that's what I want this term. Now Mike has put a new lock on my door and on yours too, so these fellows won't be able to break in for a day or two, anyway."

"Then I don't see what you can do," said Pond. "If they can't get in, they can't do any mischief, and if they don't do any mischief, you can't catch them."

"That's all true; but what I want is to find out who the fellows are. I know well enough now, but I want the proof, you see. Now, my plan is this. They won't have any keys to the new locks, so they can't get in now if they try, and I don't think they'll try to-day. But to-morrow is Saturday, and in the afternoon we don't have any recitations, you know. Well, I'm going off up to the glen to-morrow afternoon and I'll take pains to let it be known that I sha'n't be in my room. That'll leave the coast all clear, you see, and I think somebody will be pretty sure to come up and try to get in while I'm away. Then I want you to stay in your room and keep watch. You can have your door just a little bit ajar, and whenever you hear any one coming up the stairs, you can keep an eye on them. You can see them without being seen yourself, and if they go and try to get in my room, or come up to yours, why, then we'll know who it is that's doing the work, though I don't think there's any difficulty now in picking out the ones who have been the prime movers in it."

"All right, Ward," replied Pond; "I'll do it."

"You see it's as much to your advantage as it is to mine," said Ward, as he rose to depart. "We don't want this thing kept up any longer, and I think if we can catch the fellows now, we'll put an end to it, though it may break out somewhere else in a worse way."

Satisfied with what he had done, Ward ran down the stairs, and just as he was unlocking the door of his room, Henry and Jack Hobart came up together into the hall. Ward's first impulse was to turn and leave the building. He had no desire to meet Jack then, but quickly changing his purpose, he unlocked the door and waited for the two boys to enter.

"Hello, Ward!" said Jack. "We've been talking about you, and finally decided we'd better stop that and come straight over here and talk to you."

Ward made no reply, and as Henry was apparently busied in arranging the papers and books on his table, Jack felt that the burden of the conversation was resting upon himself.