“Same here,” added Sid.
“Oh, I can’t wait!” cried Tom, impatiently. “I’ll go out and see what I can learn. You fellows come when you get ready. We’ve got plenty of time before grub.”
Tom’s first act was to seek out Wallops, one of the assistant janitors, or messengers, about the college. From that youth he inquired whether he had seen anyone taking the chair away, or whether he had heard of it being removed in a joke.
“What, you mean that old big chair that was so—so——” and Wallops hesitated, evidently in embarrassment.
“Yes, that’s the one—the old rattletrap!” exclaimed Tom. “Don’t be afraid to say it, Wallops. The chair was pretty well bunged up, but we think a lot of it, and we wouldn’t have it lost for a good deal. Can you give us a clew?”
“Well, Mr. Parsons, I didn’t see any one take it, but there was a second-hand dealer around the college to-day. He comes every once in a while, to buy up the things the students don’t want any more. He was here, and he took away a wagon-load of stuff.”
“He did!” cried Tom. “Why didn’t you say so before? Was our chair on the wagon?”
“I didn’t see that one, though he had some small chairs, and a bureau.”
“Who was he? Where’s his place? I’ll go see him at once!” cried the pitcher. “I’ll wager he sneaked in our room, and took it while we were out. Who was he?”
“Isaac Komsky,” replied Wallops. “He has a second-hand store on Water street, in Haddonfield. But I don’t think——”