their best to get ahead of the faculty, and if I've succeeded, what's the harm? It isn't hurting you fellows, and no student ever tells on another."
He said this with a haughty air, as if to imply that they would be beneath contempt if they should report his doings to the faculty.
"We're not going to do any tell-taleing – I mean tale-telling," blustered Rattleton. "We're here to make you do that."
"What do you mean?"
"I tell you," said Browning, slowly, and there was a dangerous glitter in his eyes, "I'm not above telling tales in a case like this, and if you don't go straight to the dean and tell him the truth, I'll go and lay the matter before him, and what's more, Master Ford, I'll give you such a thumping that you'll carry the marks as long as you live."
Browning spoke quietly, but there was a businesslike ring in his tone that Ford could not misunderstand.
The others were very quiet, and they looked at Ford, awaiting his answer.
"You take a mighty high attitude," he muttered.
"Shut up," muttered Browning, savagely. "I for one won't hear any argument about it; you've got to do what we say, or take the consequences. And to make certain of those consequences, I'm going to give you a licking now!"
Browning pulled off his coat, threw it upon the floor, and advanced upon Ford. The others stood aside, their eyes glistening, and their fists fairly itching to take a share in Ford's punishment.
As to the latter, he retreated to a corner, and placed a chair between himself and Browning.
"Hold on," he said, huskily. "You've got the best of me because there are so many of you – "
"I propose to lick you alone!" interrupted Browning.
"All the same," suggested Dismal Jones, slowly, "when Browning gets through with him, I think the rest of us will take a turn one at a time."
Ford was thoroughly frightened.
"I give it up," he stammered. "You force me to it I'll do what you say, and I guess my standing in the class is good enough, as I never have done anything before this – "
"Never been caught at it," interrupted Diamond, sarcastically.
"Don't waste any talk," said Browning; "he's going with us to the dean's office now; Merriwell is probably there at this minute trying to make Babbitt believe in a student's honor."
Saying this, Browning put on his coat and unlocked the door; then he turned to Ford.
"Come along," he said.
Trembling like a leaf, Ford crossed the room, picked up his hat from the table, and went out into the hall.
The other students followed closely after.
As he came to the stairway Ford made a leap. In his excitement he probably hoped that he might be able to run away from these angry fellows, and possibly escape making the confession that they wished him to make.
With an angry laugh they all leaped after him and caught him as he was two steps down the stairs.
The result was that the whole pack of them went tumbling down the flight and landed with many a bruise in a heap at the bottom.
When they got up Browning had his strong hand clinched in Ford's collar until the miserable rascal was almost choking.
In this way he was fairly pushed across the campus, to the great astonishment of all the students who happened to be there at the time.
He was marched straight up to the dean's office, where the students entered without knocking.
The dean was still talking with Babbitt and Mr. Harding.
Frank, in the adjoining room, wondered what all the commotion was about. The dean wondered, too, and said sharply:
"Gentlemen, gentlemen, what does this mean?"
"It means, sir," said Browning, respectfully, "that an infamous outrage has been attempted, by which an honorable student is made to suffer. Ford will explain."
Ford did explain with many cringing appeals for mercy, and with many protests against the violence with which the students had treated him.
The dean listened with growing indignation, while even Babbitt was stirred to anger against his favorite student.
The upshot of the matter was that Babbitt withdrew his charges against Frank, and even went so far as to make a sort of apology for having suspected him.
Ford's case went before the whole faculty at its meeting that evening, with the result that he was suspended for one year.
"I never was so relieved in my life, Merriwell," said the dean, as he shook Frank's hand, "for if it had been proven that you had done this thing, I am afraid I should have lost all faith in students, but – "
And there was a sly twinkle in his eye.
"I think we shall have to recommend that Prof. Babbitt stuff his chimney with bricks and mortar, or else move to a new room."
"He needn't fear that I shall invade the chimney again," responded Frank; "I'm only too glad that the matter has turned out so that there is no doubt about me.
"Well," said the dean, thoughtfully, "you ought to learn some kind of a lesson out of the experience, I suppose. Let's take it for granted, Merriwell, that you'll give your mathematics a little more attention this year."
Frank, smiling, assured the dean that he would do so, and there the matter ended.
At a later time Page asked Frank why it was that he had insisted on the fireplace being kept secret until after the examination.
"Because," said Frank, "I had got a tip there that was too valuable to lose. If you had shown the opening to everybody, it struck me that perhaps Babbitt would hear you. With his suspicious nature, he might conclude at once that we had good papers because, somehow, we got into his room and found the questions.
"As it happened, you see, the showing of the fireplace resulted in even worse than I feared. It gave Ford his opportunity, and one of the reasons why I insisted on studying in your room was to prevent any such thing by having your room occupied all the time.
"That scheme failed, because Ford watched his chance and got in while we were at dinner."
"I'll have my door fitted with a combination time-lock!" exclaimed Page; "he could have unlocked it as it is now with a button hook."
"You'd certainly better put on a better lock if you think of keeping pets in the chim – "
"Oh, come off, Frank! I thought I'd heard the last of that."
Frank laughed pleasantly, but from that time on he never mentioned the subject.
"It's just as well," he said. "I think we are lucky to get out of the affair so easily."
"Right you are," answered Browning. And then, after a pause, he continued: "Got a letter this morning. Important news."
"Of what?" asked several.
"About
