“I was in my room in Whitson, sir. I was doing some geometry.”
“Well occupied,” answered the Principal with a smile. “And your roommate was with you, I presume?”
“Why, no, sir, he wasn’t,” stammered Toby. “Arnold was at a football conference.”
“Oh!” Doctor Collins sounded disappointed. “Then between nine and, say, a quarter-past nine you were quite alone? Did any one come into your room about that time?”
“No, sir.” Toby’s heart sank. “I think it was a little after eight when I came down from the third floor, and I studied until—I’m not just certain, but I think it was about a quarter-past, sir.”
“Where were you on the third floor?”
“I went up to see George Tubb. He rooms in 31.”
“But that was, you say, shortly after eight. At what time did your roommate return?”
Toby hesitated. Arnold had been in the room when he got back from that second visit to Number 31, but how long he had been there Toby hadn’t asked. Finally: “He was there a little before ten, sir.”
“Well, between the time you finished studying and his return where were you, Tucker?”