“No, sir,” he answered in low tones, “on the outside.”
“Strange,” mused the head master. “Do you know who locked it?”
“No, sir.” He gave a sigh of relief. That, at least, was no more than the truth.
“You may sit down.” Satterlee 2d sank into his seat.
“Which of you locked that door?” The doctor’s gaze swept the schoolroom. Silence followed. Then two youths were on their feet simultaneously. One was Burtis, the other was Satterlee 1st. The doctor turned to the former.
“Am I to understand that you had a hand in this, Burtis?” he asked, surprise in his voice.
“No, sir. If you please, sir, what I want to say is that the school as a whole had nothing to do with this hazing, sir, and we—we don’t like it. And if those that had a hand in it don’t own up, sir, I’ll give their names. That’s all, sir.”
He sat down. Young Mr. Sears signified excited approbation by clapping his hands until he found the doctor’s gaze upon him, whereupon he subsided suddenly with very red cheeks. The doctor turned to Satterlee 1st.
“Well, sir?”