“Don’t speak to me!” she exclaimed. “Who was it found out all about the bell business? It’s your duty to write at once to Dr. Manning.”
“Yes,” said Val, quietly. “I should be glad to have you do that.”
But Mrs. Dryer had a good deal more to say, and she said it without missing a word, in spite of the Doctor’s frequent attempts to interject ideas of his own.
At last, however, Val was released, to find Zebedee Fuller waiting for him at the gate, while Dr. Dryer was retained a close prisoner in his study until he had actually written that letter to Bar Vernon’s “Guardian.”
“I don’t see what more we can do about it,” said Zeb, as he and Val walked off towards the Academy, for it was at the noon recess. “The bell business has gone all to pieces.”
“I’m half sorry for that,” said Val. “It looks as if it would all have to come out one of these days.”
“It certainly will,” replied Zeb, “unless we can set the Ogleport people to thinking about something else. Even then it’ll be hard to make Dorothy let up on George. At all events, we mustn’t allow him to suffer.”
“He won’t,” said Val. “She can’t do him a bit of hurt.”
“Still,” said Zeb, “I do wish we had Bar Vernon with us. The man that invented that bell business must be up to other things.”
“Indeed he is,” said Val; “but don’t you be afraid. He’ll turn up here again some fine morning.”