y one mentioned in it?"

"Yes, sir. Mr. Remsen was mentioned. And Outfield West, and my brother,
and father."

"Is this your letter?" Professor Wheeler extended it across the desk,
and Joel took it wonderingly.

"Why, yes, sir. But where--I don't understand--!" Again he looked toward
Professor Durkee in bewilderment.

"Nor do I," answered that gentleman dryly.

"March," continued the principal, as he took the letter again, "this was
found this morning, after the accident, on the floor of the bell tower.
Do you know how it came there?" Joel's cheeks reddened and then grew
white as the full meaning of the words reached him. His voice suddenly
grew husky.

"No, sir, I do not." The words were spoken very stoutly and rang with
sincerity. A silence fell on the room. Professor Wheeler glanced
inquiringly at Professor Durkee, and the latter made a grimace of
impatience that snarled his homely face into a mass of wrinkles.

"Look here, boy," he snapped, "who do you think dropped that letter
there?"

"I can't think, sir. I can't understand it at all. I've never been in
the tower since I've been in school."

"Do you know of any one who might like to get you into trouble in such
a way as this?"

"No, sir," answered Joel promptly. Then a sudden recollection of
Bartlett Cloud came to him, and he hesitated. Professor Durkee
observed it.

"Well?" he said sharply.

"I know of no one, sir."

"Humph!" grunted the professor, "you do, but you won't say."

"If you suspect any one it will be best to tell us, March," said
Professor Wheeler, more kindly. "You must see that the evidence is much
against you, and, while I myself can not believe that you are guilty, I
shall be obliged to consider you so until proof of your innocence is
forthcoming. Have you any enemy in school?"

"I think not, sir."

The door opened and Remsen appeared.

"Good-morning," he said. "You wished to see me, professor?"

"Yes, in a moment. Sit down, please, Remsen." Remsen nodded to Joel and
the secretary, shook hands with Professor Durkee, and took a chair. The
principal turned again to Joel.

"You wish me to understand, then, that you have no explanation to offer
as to how the letter came to be in the bell tower? Recollect that
shielding a friend or any other pupil will do neither you nor him
any service."

Joel was hesitating. Was it right to throw suspicion on Bartlett Cloud
by mentioning the small occurrence on the football field so long b