“Well, I declare, you do wonderful things, Frank! I never heard of anything quite so clever as that. Did you accuse him of it when he went in the lunch room?”
“Yes. Of course he denied it first. Then I told him how I knew. He knocked the tray that carried the imprint of his hands, on the floor, and defied me; but I simply stated that he could be made to show the print of his thumb at any time by the Head!”
“Good! What did he do then?” continued the eager Ralph.
“Knuckled down and pleaded with me not to give him away. Promised to turn over a new leaf and all that,” said Frank, shrugging his shoulders.
“But you surely didn’t believe him?”
“No, but you see I couldn’t find it in me to tell on him, as it would mean his being expelled. But Lef knew that he was in my power just so long as I held that paper with the thumb-print on it.”
“I see. And, slippery customer that he is, he hired that other scamp to steal it out of your pocket. That was an easy thing for Asa to do, if all they say about his palming is true. Then it’s gone, as you say!” dolefully remarked Ralph.
“It seems so. And that accounts for his perky airs this morning. He was laughing at me, partly because he felt he could snap his finger in my face, and then because Minnie had gone riding with him. Oh! well, I’m not going to bother my head about Lef Seller and his evil fortunes. If Minnie—but the least said about that the soonest mended, I guess,” and Frank closed his lips resolutely.
“Then perhaps you won’t mind going back to my affairs again, eh?” insinuated the freshman.
“I declare I must ask you to forgive me again, Ralph, for being so neglectful of your interests. I only wanted to see you to say that father has heard from Uncle Jim, and that he writes he is coming up here to Columbia and will see you personally. Uncle Jim also says that——”