THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG

As the boys were nearing the camp on their way back they suddenly heard the sound of angry voices, and Percival whispered: 

“Wait a minute, Jack.  Some of the boys are having a quarrel, and I believe I know who they are.”

“I told you to let my boat alone, you idiot!” the boys heard Herring say just ahead of them.

They were in the woods adjoining the camp, and the two quarreling boys were very close to them.

“Well, I didn’t hurt it!” they heard Merritt say angrily.  “You are making a lot of fuss over an old tub that isn’t any good anyhow.  Look how little Smith beat us this afternoon, and he the smallest boy in the Academy.  I didn’t hurt your boat.”

“I say you did, and I told you not to go out with it.  You’ve busted the engine.”

“No, I didn’t.  It wasn’t any good anyhow.  You tried to put Sheldon’s boat out of business, but you couldn’t.”

“You had as much to do with that as I did!” sputtered Herring.

“Well, you started it, same as you started telling that detective that Sheldon had a bad name in the Academy, and—–­”

“Shut up!  Somebody will hear you.   You had as much to do with
that as-----”

Percival suddenly let out a great bellow, such as a calf in search of its mother might make.

“Gracious! what’s that?” cried Herring in alarm, making a dash for the camp, the lights of which could be plainly seen.

Merritt followed in hot haste, frightened out of his wits, and Percival broke into a hearty laugh, not caring if the two conspirators heard him or not, and greatly enjoying their terror.

They may have done so, but they did not pause until they reached the camp, and were challenged by the sentry.

“That’s good!” laughed Dick.  “And we have found out something as well.  Now we know who it was who tried to put your boat out of commission.  I have always suspected those rascals of having had something to do with it, and now I am certain.”

“Yes, but that was not as bad as-----”

“As trying to make you out a bad character.  No, it is not.  I had my suspicions on that score, too.  If you had asked me to name the fellows who were most likely to do a thing of that sort I would have named them in a moment.  They are just mean enough.”

“Well, it does not matter,” said Jack.  “No one would believe them who knows me.  It is not worth thinking about.”

“But I think it is!” said Percival hotly.  “You don’t know how far a thing of that sort might go.  Suppose the detective had arrested you before he saw the doctor or you had a chance to explain?  It would have taken a long time to explain things away.”

“I do not think so,” Jack replied.  “I have friends enough in town to say nothing of the Academy.  Besides, who is going to arrest me in any such peremptory fashion as all that?  Do you suppose I would submit to it?”