“He was taken suddenly ill,” grinned Chipper Cooper. “Wonder if he has had a doctor?”
Stone felt a chill at the mention of his enemy’s name. He was congratulating himself over Hayden’s absence when something like a shadow seemed to come over him, and he looked up quickly to discover the fellow in the open doorway.
“Eliot,” called Bern, stepping into the room, “I want a few private words with you.”
CHAPTER XIII.
HAYDEN’S DEMAND.
As he passed, the fellow cast a single malignant glance of hatred in Stone’s direction. Through the door which opened into the big, long main room of the gymnasium he strode, grimly inviting Eliot to follow him.
“Gee!” sibilated Sleuth Piper. “I scent trouble. Bern is mounted on his high horse.”
“Some folks who ride high hosses git a fall,” drawled Sile Crane, making a wry face as he pushed his left foot into a cleated shoe. “Drat that corn! If it don’t stop botherin’ me purty soon, I’ll whittle the whole toe off.”
After hesitating a moment, Roger Eliot slowly followed Hayden, who had paused with an air of impatience to wait for him in the big room. Through the open doorway Ben saw them standing close together, Hayden beginning to speak in low tones in a manner of mingled demand and threat.