“That’s so, he did go into town,” replied Tom. “He left a note to tell me—but that was all straight—he had permission. It can’t be that.”
“Well, we’ll hear in chapel,” said Teeter.
“Ah, it’s you is it, Matson?” asked the doctor, as our hero entered the study. There was a curious note in the master’s voice, and he glanced narrowly at Joe. “Come in. I am sorry to have to summon you on such an unpleasant and important matter, but I have no choice. As you probably know, the Founder’s Statue was overturned last night.”
He looked questioningly at Joe.
“I just saw it from my window,” was the simple answer.
“It was done last night,” went on the doctor with a look at a teacher who acted as proctor. “It was a disgraceful, vile piece of vandalism. The guilty one will be severely punished. Doubtless you are wondering why we sent for you. It was on account of this, which was picked up by one of the janitors in front of the statue, when he discovered its fallen position this morning.”
Dr. Fillmore held out to Joe the telegram our hero had received from his father the night previous!
“Is this yours?” asked the doctor.
“Ye—yes, it came to me last night. It’s from my father.”
“What did you do after you got it?”