Part 32 (2/2)
”He hasn't any permit. This is private land----”
”But can't he search the island for a lawbreaker?” asked Dorothy.
”I don't know that he has a right to, without a warrant.”
”But if we try to stop him,” said Laura, slowly, ”won't he suspect that we don't want him to search the island?”
”Say!” exclaimed Lil, angrily. ”What do _we_ care?”
”We don't want him to find that poor fellow,” said Bobby.
”Why not?” repeated Lil, sharply.
”After he saved Short and Long's life?”
”Humph! should we pa.s.s a vote of thanks to him for _that_?” demanded Lil, with, sarcasm.
”Not for that, perhaps,” Laura said, gently. ”But think of the old professor.”
”Old Dimple!”
”The old Prof?”
”What about him?”
The chorus rose loud and general. Laura flushed, but held her ground.
”Our loyalty to Central High ought to be enough to prompt us to help one of our teachers. In some way the old professor is connected with this young man who is in danger of arrest. I don't mean that we should actually thwart the officer of the law. But I, for one, certainly will not help the officer.”
”You are right, Mother Wit!” cried Bobby. ”I'll go a step farther.
I'll try to keep that man from landing here with his dogs.”
”I know nothing about the right or wrong of the case,” said Mrs.
Morse; ”but I am afraid of those awful beasts. There are five of them!”
”And Barnacle will only get into a fight with them if they land,”
declared Jess, rather amused. ”Let's go down to the lake in a body and refuse to allow the dogs to come ash.o.r.e.”
Liz Bean had listened from the cook-tent, but said nothing. Her plain face was as expressionless as ever.
Now, when Mrs. Morse and the girls of Central High started down the slope on the northern side of the knoll, Liz slipped into the woods to the west, and quickly disappeared in the thick underbrush.
The big mainsail of the barge had been dropped and the men with the sheriff were paddling the craft in to the sh.o.r.e. Now and then a hound would lift its head and utter a mournful bay. Then Barnacle would strive to bark his own head off!
Laura recognized one of the paddlers with a start of surprise. It was the vicious farmer who had set his dog on Short and Long, on Bang-up Creek!
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