Had old John gone home yet? Would all the lower doors of Central High be locked? These were the questions that puzzled him.
Purt ran into the side gate of the boys’ recreation ground and fumbled at the basement door, by which he knew the janitor usually left. It was locked; yet, as he rattled the knob, he thought he heard an answering sound within.
He scuttled away to the corner and there waited to watch the door. Nobody came out.
After half a minute of uncertainty the lad crept on to the boys’ entrance. The outside doors were closed and locked. He ran around to the street and entered the girls’ yard. The outer vestibule door was opened here and he ventured in, creeping along in the darkness and fumbling for the doorknob.
And just then Purt Sweet got the scare of his life. A strong hand clasped his wrist and a sharp voice demanded:
“What do you want here? Are you waiting for those girls, too?”
“Oh, dear me!” gasped Prettyman Sweet, his knees trembling. “Now I’m in a fix, sure enough!”
[CHAPTER XIX—MARGIT AND MISS CARRINGTON MEET]
It was several seconds before Purt realized just what manner of person had seized him by the arm in the vestibule at the girls’ entrance of Central High. It was so dark that Purt only knew it was a girl.
“Who—who are you?” he stammered.