"Sir," said Hickey, addressing the head master, "Mr. Tapping has honoured me with his enmity for a long while. He has not even hesitated to threaten me. I am not surprised that he should accuse me, only I insist that he state what evidence he has for bringing this accusation."
"Doctor, allow me," said Mr. Tapping, somewhat ill at ease. Then turning to Hickey he said, with the air of a cross-examiner: "Hicks, are you or are you not selling souvenirs at one dollar apiece, in the shape of small silver clappers?"
"Certainly."
"Made out of the original clapper?"
"Certainly not!"
"What!" exclaimed the amazed Tapping.
"Certainly not."
"Do you mean to say that two hundred and fifty boys would have bought those souvenirs at a dollar apiece for any other reason than that they contained a bit of the stolen clapper?"
Hickey smiled proudly.
"They may have been under that impression."