“He oughtn’t to have done it the way he did, though. I mean it was sort of rotten to have some one else hold Frick while——”
“Huh! That’s the joker, Tucker!”
“What do you mean?”
“There wasn’t any other fellow! Sheehan got as sore as a pup when I said something about that. Says he was alone and that every time he knocked Frick down he had to lift him up again! Says Frick was game, all right, but had to beg off finally. Then Sheehan found his cap for him and went with him almost to the top of the Prospect because he was pretty wobbly on his pins.”
“What do you know!” exclaimed Toby. “But why——”
“Because he didn’t want any one to know that he’d been licked in a fair fight. And, another thing, Tucker: I asked Sheehan if Frick knew who he was fighting with, and Sheehan said, sure he did, that he took pains to tell him! So, you see, friend Frick lied all the way through. When he got to thinking things out he saw that if he could put the blame on you he’d get you off the team and probably get your place.”
“I guess so,” agreed Toby. “I’m most awfully much obliged to you, Tubb. You’re a perfect brick to take so much trouble and——”
“Ginger! I enjoyed it. I tried to find you this morning the first chance I got, but you were off somewhere. So I went right over to the Office and waited around and saw the Doctor and told him the whole yarn. I offered to get Sheehan up here if the Doctor would agree not to make trouble for him. Sheehan was sort of afraid he might be arrested or something, I guess. But the Doctor said he’d take my word for it. After that I looked for you again, but you had a class, I guess, and then it was time to come over here. And that’s the whole business. How do I stand as a Sherlock W. Holmes?”
“A1,” laughed Toby. “But, listen, what about Frick? What did the Doctor say about him?” Toby looked around in search of that youth but couldn’t see him.
“No use looking for him,” chuckled Tubb. “He went out five minutes ago. Some one came to the door and called him. Don’t believe we’ll see him again for awhile! He will be lucky if they let him stick around. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got fired, though. It might be just as well for him if he did,” Tubb added grimly, “because if he’s around here the day after to-morrow he’s going to be awfully sorry for some of the things he’s done!”