“Blake,” blurted out Hicksley, as though he did not want to say it but had to yield to force.
Bobby was thunderstruck, and for a minute the room seemed to be whirling around him.
“It isn’t true,” he cried, recovering himself.
“It’s a—a whopper!” shouted Fred fiercely. “I was sitting right beside Bobby, and he didn’t throw it.”
“Keep quiet, Martin,” commanded Mr. Leith. “Blake, come here.”
Bobby went forward and stood in front of the desk.
“Why did you do a thing like that?” asked Mr. Leith.
“I didn’t do it,” replied Bobby stoutly. “I was as surprised as any one else when it happened.”
Mr. Leith beckoned to Fred.
“You say that Blake didn’t throw it,” he said. “Were you looking at him at the time?”