So Tom started in and read all they had written, growling now and then over some illegible writing or mis-spelled word, and the others suggested changes or corrections. Finally the sheets were bundled together and given to Alf to convey to the printer on the morrow; and with sighs of relief the Editorial Force sought their beds. Dan, in his capacity of Business Manager of The Scholiant, had rounded up the boys whose work it was to deliver The Scholiast, and had found them very willing to earn a little more money by performing similar duties. He didn’t tell them what it was they were to deliver, but made them promise to say nothing about it nevertheless. There were only two of them, both Third Class fellows, and young enough and sufficiently in awe of the football captain to keep still tongues. The copy went to the printing shop Wednesday afternoon, and on Thursday Tom and Alf went over and read proof, and didn’t leave until the first copy of the paper had been “pulled” from the press.
[CHAPTER VII]
THE SCHOLIANT
At half-past ten the next forenoon the two carriers toiled up the hill with the papers under their arms. Their instructions were to deliver a copy to each Scholiast subscriber, and this they proceeded to do. Oddly enough, the first copies to reach their destinations were those for Dr. Hewitt and the library. The Doctor’s was left in the Office, and the library copy was placed, as usual, on the periodical table. As the Doctor was engaged with a class at the time, and as the library was empty, these copies found no readers until much later in the day. Meanwhile the paper had been delivered at the rooms of the two societies upstairs, and the two boys left Oxford and began their tours of the dormitories.
The first discovery of the hoax is credited to a Preparatory Class youth named Wilkes, who at the time was enjoying a slight attack of German measles, in his room in Merle Hall. It was Wilkes who, contrary to the doctor’s instructions, threw up his window and hailed a friend excitedly some ten minutes after the delivery of The Scholiant had begun.
“Oh, Billy!” sang out young Mr. Wilkes. “Oh, Billy! Have you seen The Scholiast?”
Billy paused under the window and deliberated.
“Is it a joke?” he asked finally and suspiciously.
“No—yes——”