THE VINDICATION OP THE PREX
could reach beneath and grasp the iron tongue. As he was about
to place a block of wood under the rim to hold it upturned, his
alert ear caught the sound 'of stealthy footsteps on the stair below.
In an instant he had turned the bell noiselessly back to its place
and snuffed out the candle. Then, gathering his tools in one
hand he moved on tiptoe to the stairs. Imagine his terror at
hearing the footsteps now but a few yards away. Escape by the
staircase was impossible. There was but one thing to do, and
that was to hide himself in the bell-room.
He turned quickly and thrust his tools into a niche in the wall,
so as not to be hampered by them. Then noiselessly, and lithely
as a cat, he climbed up the wall and pressed his body close against
one of the vertical timbers of the tower. Nor was he a moment
too soon. Barely had he gained a comfortable position than two
forms entered the room below him. One of them carried a
bucket of water and a bull’s-eye lantern. The other had a bag of
something in one hand and various tools in the other.
As the Prep, from the beam of which he stood so safely en
sconced, noted these miscellaneous articles, a smile broadened on
his face,
“ Great Caesar !, ” he said to himself. “ I’ll be darned if those
Sophs aren’t after the clapper, too.” But he could not compre
hend the purpose of the bucketful of water and the bag. How
ever, he was not long kept in suspense.
“ Well,” whispered the Optimist, ” here we are.”
“Yes,” replied the other,
Iyet’s get to work and have it done
waste. ’ ’
Placing the lantern so that its light should fall upon their work,
the two turned to the bell. Tipping it slightly over, the Optimist
grasped the tongue. Then aided by his comrade, he braced it on
one side and set to work to loose the clapper. But before he had
begun to force the hook open, the Pessimist touched him warn
ingly on the arm.
Immediately the lantern shutter was closed to a fraction of an
inch. For, to their sensitive ears, doubly sharpened by their rather
perilous situation, was borne the echo of a light footstep ascend
ing the lower stairway.
The Prep, leaning far out, saw the Optimist pick up the bucket
ful of water and poise it on the edge of the overhanging balus-
“ but I hope it won’t be for long.
You know there’s no time to