up for lost time, when there came a peremptory knock at the door.
" Come in!" yelled Don, not troubling himself to get up from
his couch, supposing the visitor to be some underclassman. Im
agine his surprise, then,, to see two policemen, followed by the
town constable, stalk into the room. His exclamation of surprise
brought Hal to his feet in a jiffy.
" Is this Mr. Venner ? " asked the constable, speaking directly
to Don.
" That is my name," he answered.
"And your room mate's name is
" Haswell," interrupted that worthy, advancing to Don's side.
" Then I have a very unpleasant duty to perform, gentlemen.
I must place you both under arrest."
The culprits started. Though they had thought of this before
hand, it was very sudden and came like a stab in the dark.
" I suppose you have warrants ?" said Don, interrogatively.
" Certainly," replied the constable, drawing from his pocket a
folded document with the impress of a seal in one corner. He
opened it and handed it to the two boys. They read it over
slowly.
" We shall be ready to go with you in a moment," said Don, as
he returned the paper.
It was a curious procession which wound its way down the nar
row street; Don, flanked by the officers, and Hal and the constable
bringing up the rear. Both boys attempted to put on a bold
front and to treat the matter as a huge joke, but they failed in
gloriously. The friends whom they met on the street passed them
with smiles and inquisitive glances which irritated them beyond
measure.
" How long will we be in the toils, Mr. Officer ? " asked Don,
trying not to look miserable. " DOn't you think the affair could
be smoothed over by returning the property, with a few dollars for
the trouble we have caused? "
" I doubt it," said the officer. " You see, her mother is almost
frantic with grief and her father is determined to punish you-the
abductors, I mean—to the full extent of the law."
Don listened with growing amazement.
" Her mother—punish us—abductors "—he repeated, slowly.
" Say, what are you talking about, anyway ? " Then a light
dawned suddenly upon his benighted mind. He stopped 'short
and laughed uproariously.
The Free Lance
[JANUARY,