Part 12 (1/2)
PRETTY POLLY UNDER SUSPICION
”h.e.l.lo! Thad, that you?”
”n.o.body else, Hugh. I rather thought I'd hear your voice when I stepped over to the 'phone. What's doing this fine Sunday afternoon?”
”Are you in for a little walk with me, Thad?”
”Just what would please me a heap, Hugh. Anything particular moving?”
”There you go suspecting that I've got something on tap just because I call up and invite you to cover a few miles, when the weather is so fine. But for once you've hit the nail on the head, my boy.”
”That settles it, then. I'll rush right over, and join you, Hugh.”
”Be careful and don't break your neck in your hurry, Thad. My news can keep; and what would poor Scranton High do for a catcher in the game next Sat.u.r.day if you fractured your collar-bone?”
Whether Thad took the advice to heart or not, he certainly made his appearance at the home of his best chum in an incredibly brief s.p.a.ce of time, flushed in the bargain, and with an eager light lurking in his eyes.
”Nothing doing until we get safely out of town,” said Hugh, firmly; ”so you'll have to put the brake on your impatience.”
”Huh!” grumbled Thad, ”that sounds as if what you had to tell me was of vast importance, so that you didn't want to run any risk of others cribbing the news. Now you have got me guessing to beat the band, Hugh. I wonder if those Belleville fellows have been up to any dodge to learn our signals, and how our pitchers are practicing certain pet b.a.l.l.s?”
”Oh! I'll relieve your mind that far by telling you it has nothing whatever to do with the game next Sat.u.r.day; for that matter it's not about baseball at all. You're doing those fine chaps at Belleville a gross injustice to even hint at their thinking of spying on us.”
Thad grinned as though he had won a point.
”Well, I take it all back, then, Hugh,” he hastened to say, contritely.
”And now that point's settled, there's only one more thing it could be about.”
”Notice that shrub bursting into bloom, will you?” remarked Hugh. ”No one ever saw a prettier sight than that is right now.”
”Have you learned anything more about----”
”We'll take a turn here, and walk along the ca.n.a.l toward the big mill-pond,” interrupted Hugh. ”That's always a favorite walk of mine; and, to tell the truth, I haven't been out to the mill-pond for a long time. The fis.h.i.+ng there hasn't been very good this season, some of the boys told me. Besides, I've been kept so busy with my studies, baseball matters, and several other things I'm interested in, that I haven't had much time for fis.h.i.+ng this spring. n.o.body loves it more than I do, either, as you happen to know.”
Thad heaved a sigh, and shook his head.
”No use trying to coax you, Hugh, when you've made up your mind not to let out even a little peep. A fellow might wheedle until he fell over, and you'd still be as hard as adamant. Yet it's right. Makes me think of the old saying that a single man can lead a mule to water, but a dozen can't make him drink--not comparing you to a mule, of course.”
They chatted as they walked, until presently the town had been left behind them.
”Now I'll open up and tell you what's been worrying me,” announced Hugh, suddenly. ”The fact of the matter is, I was called over to Madame Pangborn's this morning after getting home from church. She told me a third spoon has disappeared!”
”Great guns! is that so, Hugh? And, say, was Owen there on the day it went glimmering?” demanded Thad, frowning.
”I'm sorry to have to say yes to that,” returned Hugh, slowly. ”It was yesterday it happened. She persisted in leaving the spoons just where I saw them. I advised her to do that, for if they were hidden away we might never discover the thief. As on the other occasions, Owen came in with a bundle for the Red Cross, sent by the same lady who had intrusted him with a package twice before.”
”All I can say is, it's getting a heap serious for our new friend, Owen. Hugh, do you think the poor chap might be what they call a kleptomaniac; that is a person who has an irresistible inclination to take things that don't belong to him, or her, and generally has no use for them after stealing the same? It's really a disease, I've read.
Some very rich people are affected by it, particularly queer old ladies.”
”You're jumping ahead too fast, Thad,” remonstrated Hugh, chidingly.