[CHAPTER XII]
THE FIRST GAME
The three chums looked at each other. Phil felt of Sid’s curiously stiffened hand.
“I don’t see how it could be the liniment,” he said. “I’ve used it right along. It’s the same thing doc gave me. You must have hurt your hand worse than you thought.”
“I guess I did,” admitted Sid. So skilfully had Gerhart carried out his dastardly plot that even his unusual visit to the room of the trio attached no suspicion to him. The breaking of the bottle of liniment destroyed one link in the chain against him, and it would be difficult to trace anything to Gerhart now.
Dr. Marshall looked grave when he saw Sid’s hand.
“That is very unusual,” he said. “It must have been something you put on it. The muscles and tendons have been stiffened. There is a drug which will do that, but it is comparatively rare. It is sometimes used, in connection with other things, to keep down swelling, but never to soften a strain. Are you sure you used only the liniment I left for Clinton?”
“That’s all,” declared Tom.
“Let me see the bottle,” said the physician, as he twirled his glasses by their cord and looked puzzled.