At half past four he had sold the last of a lot of two hundred and fifty amid scenes of excitement worthy of Wall Street.
At five o'clock, Hickey received a summons to Foundation House. There to his delight he found the head master in the company of Mr. Tapping.
Hickey entered with the candour of a cherub, plainly quite at loss as to the object of the summons.
"Hicks," said the head master in his solemnest tones, "you are under very grave suspicion."
"Me, sir?" said Hickey in ungrammatical astonishment.
"Hicks, it has come to my knowledge that you are selling as souvenirs bits of the clapper that was stolen from the gymnasium."
"May I ask, sir," said Hickey with indignation, "who has accused me?"
At this Mr. Tapping spoke up severely:
"I have informed the Doctor of facts which have come into my possession."