Ward was puzzled and his manner clearly betrayed the fact. The silence in the room was decidedly awkward for all concerned, and the boys shifted uneasily in their seats.
Jack was the first to speak, as he said: "It looks queer, I know, Ward, but I don't want to tell you who took the keys. There's something crooked, and I'm going to help you out of the scrape if I can. I'd tell you in a minute, I would honestly, who took the keys from me, but I am just sure he didn't stack your room. But I'll help you find out and I'll help you straighten out the fellow too."
"I think the 'Tangs' may have had something to do with it," said Ward.
It was the first time the name of the secret organization had been mentioned since he had left school at the close of the preceding year. Somehow it had been a tabooed subject and neither had referred to it in their letters or conversation. Jack had considered it a subject on which Ward might be somewhat sensitive, and Ward had been uncertain as to what Jack's plans would be.
"What makes you think the 'Tangs' had anything to do with it?" said Jack, after a pause of a moment, in which the uneasiness of the boys was still marked.
"Because I received one of their gentle little epistles before this trouble began."
"I haven't heard a word of the 'Tangs' since I came back to school," said Jack thoughtfully. "I didn't know they'd started up again, and I'm sure I hoped the thing was dead. It is dead so far as I'm concerned, for I've washed my hands of the whole business. I told Tim so before I came back to school, and if he knows when he's well off he'll let it alone too. He's got enough to do to keep himself straight with the faculty without going into the 'Tangs' again. But, Ward, I mean just what I say; I'm going to take off my coat and help you to find out about this matter, and if we once catch the fellow we'll give him a dose that'll cure him, I know."
"Thank you."
"You don't appear to be very enthusiastic," said Jack quietly.
It was evident that he was hurt by Ward's apparent lack of confidence in him; but his affection for his friend was so genuine and strong that he plainly was not to be put off by any of Ward's rebuffs.