“Must have been pretty warm in there—with the door closed,” suggested Dunk.
“It was hot. The door swung shut when I was away back in a corner trying to fish out that bat, and I didn’t want to climb back and open it. Well, I guess I’ll go clean up. I’m all dust.”
Truth to tell, he was rather disheveled, his clothes being spotted in several places with dust and cobwebs, while his face and hands were also soiled.
“Well, I guess he fooled us,” commented Andy. “I can’t understand it, though. We came down this hall right after him, and there’s no stairway going up or down from this end. How could he give us the slip?”
“Easily enough,” said Mortimer. “He could have slid into some empty room, locked the door on the inside and waited until you fellows rushed past. Then he could come out and go down the stairs behind you without you seeing him.”
“That’s what he did then, all right,” decided Dunk. “We might as well give it up. Report your loss, Frank.”
“Yes, I will. Whew! Another quadrangle robbery to add to the list. I wonder when this thing will stop?”
No one could answer him. Mortimer switched off the light in the store room, remarking that he’d have another look for the bat later. Then he accompanied Andy and the others on their way back down the corridor. Gaffington departed to his own dormitory, while Frank went to report to the Dean, and Andy and Dunk turned into their room.
“Well, what do you think of it?” asked Andy.
“I don’t know,” responded his roommate. “Mortimer’s explanation seems to cover it.”