Nan Bobbsey breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Bert might have been sent somewhere by the principal. The Bobbsey boy had often gone on errands for the head of the school, and this, of course, always excused one from being marked tardy.
Miss Skell went on calling the roll, and soon the boys and girls marched to the big assembly hall where the morning exercises were held. Mr. Tarton was in charge, as usual, and as Nan looked at the principal, up on the platform, she wished she could ask him whether or not he had sent Bert on an errand.
Miss Skell, however, seemed to know what was going on in Nan’s mind, for when the class was back in its room the teacher said:
“Nan, you may go to Mr. Tarton’s office to ask whether he sent Bert on an errand. Then come back and tell me.”
The Bobbsey girl hurried down the stairs and into the office where Mr. Tarton sat at his desk. Many books were in cases about the room. The principal’s office was rather a solemn place, and especially so for any of the boys or girls who were sent there when they had done something against the rules. However, Nan was easy in her mind on this point, though she was worried about her brother.
“Well, Nan, what is it?” asked Mr. Tarton. Though he had a large school, he knew nearly every pupil in it by his or her first name. “Did Miss Skell send you with a note to me?” he went on.
“No, sir,” answered Nan. “But she said I might come to ask about my brother Bert.”
“What about Bert?” asked the principal, with a smile. “Has he been throwing any more snowballs? I won’t ask if he has broken any more windows, for, even though Sam Todd says Bert did it, I have doubts in my mind on that point. But what about Bert?”
“Did you send him on an errand?”
“Why, no, Nan. What do you mean?”