o try it. He wanted to see if it was open, probably thinking it
was left ajar and he may have seen the light from the window, pulled it
open then and there he was--pretty much through the door before I closed
it. Well, I just surprised, I guess."

"Who, who?" from Bill.

"Why, Malatesta, of course," said Gus, with positive finality.

"Say, young fellow, you've got it. Good guesser. He must have some
grudge against----"

"What said he? How explain?" demanded Tony, visibly excited, his dark
eyes glittering with wrath.

"Not a word. Just grinned and turned away as cool as a glacier and
mosied off. Said I: 'Well, what are you after?' But he made no reply and
beat it."

"If this isn't the limit!" Bill exclaimed.

"It'll be his limit! Come on! The Doctor is an early riser and we'll see
him at once," Lambert urged.

"But we aren't going to squeal on a--" Bill's loyalty to school
practices was extreme.

"Oh, yes you are in this case! This is no prank. It's a crime, and it
would be another to keep it to myself. Loyalty to the school demands
that we squeal. To be sure we have only circumstantial evidence----"

"No, actual," said Gus, holding up the hammer. "Let's get the man and
we'll do the rest with some ink, a piece of paper and a magnifying
glass."

"Glory! That's the cheese! I never thought of that," Lambert said,
leading the way out of the building and to the office, discussing the
case further on the way. The boys met the Doctor returning from an early
morning walk, which was a habit with him, and within the office he heard
Lambert's report calmly.

"We cannot call in any of the teachers, or the janitor, as hardly anyone
is up yet. We shall have to handle the case without gloves and depend on
you boys. You will understand my position, so I will ask you, Lambert,
to bring Malatesta here at once, saying I wish to see him. Wake him, if
need be."

"But if he refuses at this hour?" asked the senior.

"But will he, if it is at my request?"

"Very likely. I know him. Rage, scare, ugly, even knife; no telling!"
Tony declared.

"Then we had better wait for the janitor. Go call him."

"No, Doctor, please," urged Gus. "I'll go with Lambert and we'll fetch
him here. And he won't hurt anybody."

"But can you be sure of this? We always try to avoid publicity in
matters of this kind. It would be best to have Malatesta here this
early, before most of the boys are up and about, but there must be no
trouble."

"Yo