“And that means that Broadwood will get the pole-vault,” Dan mused. “Say, fellows, I guess it would have been just as well if we hadn’t gone on that little expedition that night!”
“You’re mighty right,” agreed Alf, grimly. “I guess we were the April fools, as it has turned out.”
They discussed the affair for some time longer, until Dan and Arthur had to leave for recitations, but without discovering any silver lining to Arthur’s cloud. Nor could their speculations bring to light any plausible explanation of Mr. Collins’s sudden knowledge. The explanation was simple enough, but it was Gerald who advanced it.
“I’d give a dollar to know how he found out,” said Arthur in Gerald’s room after dinner.
“Do you mean that you don’t know?” asked Gerald, in surprise.
“No, do you?”
“Why, of course. Don’t you remember the talk we had in your room that afternoon when you let out to me about the thing?”
“Y-yes, but—” Arthur stopped, a light breaking over him. “The little rascal!” he exclaimed. “He heard every word we said, didn’t he? I’ll go over there and—and——”
“We mentioned Alf and Dan several times,” said Gerald, thoughtfully. “Evidently he didn’t want to get them into trouble; it was just you he had it in for. And to think that you saved his life last year!”