“This is perfectly all right,” asserted Paul. Picking up the pencil, he pretended that he was copying down the title of a book.
The boys were eager to get out, yet they could not very well show haste without making the professor suspicious. So they lingered for an additional twenty minutes, discussing colleges and college life. At last they escaped. As soon as they were outside the door, Bobolink opened his mouth to ask a question. But Paul cautioned him. “Sh! Let’s wait until we are further away from the house.”
Some distance away, Bobolink finally asked his question. “What was that card you picked out of the basket?”
Paul took it out of his pocket and showed it to them—a white card, blank on both sides, and three by two inches. “You have your card, Jack?” asked Paul. “Mine is home.”
“Yes, here it is.” And he produced it.
The cards were compared; they were identical. “Well, now what do you think of that!” exclaimed Bobolink.
“In every case,” whispered Paul seriously, “the same person. This is becoming terrible.”
“Yes,” agreed Ken. “I’m coming to look at it from your point of view. And from now on we have to take it more seriously and do something.”
“What can we do?” asked Bobolink.
“You know what?” remarked Paul. “If I didn’t think we would be laughed at, I would tell the police.”