"On the ground that I will not furnish any clue whatsoever."
"I shall deal with your case later."
"Very well, sir."
"Macnooder," continued Mr. Tapping, "what do you know about this?"
"I refuse to answer, sir."
At each demand, the same refusal.
Tapping, repulsed in his first attempt, hesitated and reflected. Above all things he did not wish to perpetuate last night's humiliation, and to continue the combat meant an accusation en bloc against the Dickinson House before the head master.
"Hicks, Macnooder and Reiter, wait here," he said suddenly; "the rest may go."
He walked up and down before the three a moment, and then said: "Reiter, you may go; you, too, Macnooder."