“I dunno,” said the farmer, gracelessly. “They wander a good ways now——”
“I believe you are in league with that girl!” and she pointed her finger at Dorothy.
“Miss Dorothy? My goodness, no!” gasped Jake. “I’m dead sure she ain’t in it,” he added.
“Why not, sir?”
“’Cause she ain’t never into no such practical jokes——”
“Jokes!” cried Miss Olaine. “She’ll find it’s no joke. It—it is a crime! She should be instantly dismissed. Oh, if Mrs. Pangborn were only here——”
Jake retreated, shaking his head. The class was in a buzz of excitement. Dorothy was angry enough to reply in heat to Miss Olaine; but she had bethought herself now that she was likely to make the real culprit more trouble if she “fought back.”
Of course that “real culprit” was Tavia. The practical joke had assumed rather serious proportions, however. Tavia looked commiseratingly at Dorothy. When she caught her friend’s eye she mouthed:
“I’ll tell her I did it, Doro.”
“Don’t you do it!” snapped Dorothy, almost out loud. “Let her find it out herself—if she can.”