CHAPTER XIII
STARTLING NEWS
The issue of the Darewell _Advertiser_ that Monday afternoon containedsome startling information. The three chums were standing in front ofthe drug store talking of their prospective trip when a newsboy ran pastcalling:
"Extra! Extra! Full account of the blowing up of the school tower withdynamite!"
"What's that he's yelling?" asked Bart.
"He said something about the school tower and dynamite," replied Fenn."Trying to sell his papers I guess."
"Let's get one and see if it's a fake," suggested Frank.
"Here boy! Give me one!" cried Bart, and the lad handed him a sheet,damp with paste from the press.
Staring at the three chums in big black letters was the heading:
SCHOOL TOWER DYNAMITED! Not Blown Down by Gale of Wind as First Supposed. BELIEVED TO BE BOYS' WORK! Investigation Has Been Ordered by President Williamson of the Board of Education. FOUR LADS SUSPECTED!
"Well, what do you think of that!" exclaimed Bart when he had finishedreading the head-lines. "Isn't that the limit?"
"Limit! It's the strangest thing I ever heard of," cried Frank.
"Somebody has been stuffing the reporter," suggested Fenn. "Let's readthe rest of it."
Looking over Bart's shoulders the two other lads read the account. Ittold in vivid language how the fact was discovered that the tower hadbeen blown down by an explosive. Those nearest the tower when the crashcame told of hearing a dull boom, that was not caused by the wind. Thencame the sound as the bricks fell through the corner of the roof of theauditorium.
"But if other evidence was wanting," the article went on, "it is easilyfound in the dials of the clock that was in the tower. The white facesbear the black marks of powder and an analysis which has been madeshows the stains to have been caused by some powerful explosive, theexact nature of which is being kept secret by the authorities.
"It is understood from a reliable source, however, that dynamite wasused, a small quantity being placed in the top of the tower. It is saidthat part of a dynamite cartridge has been found but this is denied bythe police.
"That the work was that of mischievous boys, who, possibly did notappreciate the seriousness of their deed, is the opinion of the schoolauthorities. This is borne out by the fact that a boy confessed tohaving carried off one of the powder-marked dials of the clock. Why hedid this has not been disclosed, but Mr. Williamson has secured anadmission from him that he did take the dial from the debris of thewrecked tower. This dial the president of the board has secured,together with the other three.
"It is alleged that four boys, who are often seen in each others'company, and who have, before this, taken part in more or less harmlesstricks, are suspected of blowing down the tower. One of them, it can beasserted on the highest authority, had the clock dial. An investigationhas been started by the school authorities, and the four boys inquestion, including the one who took the dial from the wreckage, will becalled on to tell what they know. If the evidence, after a thoroughsifting, points to them, it is understood that criminal action will betaken."
"Did you ever hear the like?" cried Fenn.
"Wait, here's something more," said Bart. He pointed to a few lines oftype at the bottom of the article. They read:
"Just as we are going to press we learn that one of the four suspectedlads has hurriedly left town."
"Come on!" cried Bart. "I'm going to make him take that back."
"Make who take what back?" asked Frank.
"Why the editor of this paper. Can't you see who he's referring to inthat last line? He means Ned! He means that Ned's run away for fearhe'll be arrested! He means us when he says 'four boys often seen ineach others' company!' He's accusing the Darewell Chums of blowing upthe tower! Come on, we'll make him deny this if he has to get out anextra!"
"Go slow," advised Frank.
"Go slow! Yes, that's always your way! Wait and let him say all he wantsto about us! I guess not!"
"I say we'd better wait," Frank went on quietly. "Of course you know,and I know, none of us had anything to do with the blowing up of thetower. I don't believe it was blown up. I believe the wind did it, andsome one has imagined all this and given the reporter a story of what hethinks is the truth. At the same time the school authorities may begoing to have an investigation. It's their privilege. Now if we go tothe editor's office and raise a row folks at once will jump to theconclusion that we had some hand in the explosion. Besides, it doesn'tsay we are suspected."
"It as good as says so," Bart exclaimed. "Everyone will know they meanus."
"At the same time the article doesn't say so. That editor is cute enoughfor that. He doesn't want a libel suit on his hands."
"It might as well call us by the names," Bart insisted. "Besides, thatrefers to Ned as plain as can be, and he isn't here to defend himself.It's our duty to go."
"I tell you you'll only make things worse if you go to the office of thepaper," Frank insisted. "The editor will ask you if you think thearticle refers to you. You'll say it does, and he'll say, in effect, 'ifthe shoe fits put it on.' These newspaper men are no fools. They havesome basis for what they write. Besides, you know I did take the dial."
"So you did," said Fenn.
"Did you give it back to Mr. Williamson?" asked Bart.
"Yes, I took it to the store as he asked me to."
"But you didn't make any admissions, did you?"
"How could I? There were none to make. You were with me when he asked meabout the clock face and you heard all I said. When I left the dial inthe store he was not there. I haven't seen him since. The reporter isdrawing on his imagination I guess for considerable of this."
"I wonder if they are going to have an investigation?" said Bart.
"Let's go and see Mr. Williamson," suggested Fenn. "We can show him thearticle and he can tell us what to do. I think that's the best plan."
The other two chums agreed to this, and, each one having purchased apaper containing the startling news, they went to the hardware store ofthe president of the Board of Education.
Mr. Williamson was talking to some other members of the board, in hisprivate office, when the boys entered the store. They sent word theywanted to see him, and in a little while, his visitors having gone, thepresident invited the chums in.
"Well, boys," he began, "what can I do for you?"
"This article," began Bart. "It seems to--"
"I have read it," Mr. Williamson interrupted.
"Do you suspect us?" demanded Bart.
"That is hardly a fair question," Mr. Williamson replied. "I shallprobably be called upon to preside at the investigation and I can notdiscuss the case in advance of the hearing. I will say this however: Webelieve some boy or boys blew up the tower, little thinking of theterrible danger to which he subjected the entire school and thataudience. We have no direct evidence, as yet, but we expect to get some.I may add that a hearing will be held to-night, and I would like youboys to be there. I understand Ned Wilding has gone to New York."
"He went this morning," replied Bart, "but he had planned to go longbefore this thing happened. We are going to join him Wednesday."
"Indeed?" and Mr. Williamson looked a little surprised.
"What time is the hearing?" asked Fenn.
"At eight o'clock, in my office here."
"We'll be on hand," spoke Bart.
All the members of the Board of Education, the school janitor, the chiefof police, a detective, the fathers of Bart and Fenn, and Frank's unclewere at the hearing. There was much testimony in an informal way, to theeffect that the tower was wrecked by an explosion and not by the wind.So much was easily proved.
The next thing was to discover who had done the deed. The janitor saidhe had seen a boy hanging around the tower just before the entertainmentbegan, but he could not give a good description. It might fit half theboys in Darewell.
There was no
direct evidence against the chums. Bart had bought somepowder in Mr. Williamson's store a few days before the explosion, but hetestified it was for his gun, which evidence was corroborated by Mr.Keene. The taking away of the clock dial by Frank was dwelt upon, andthere seemed a disposition to make much of it, but the boy's uncle boreout Frank's statement that the dial had been placed among a lot of otherrelics and ornaments in his nephew's room, and was not hidden away asthough Frank wished to conceal any evidence. Ned's sudden trip wasexplained, though it was manifest that some of the school commissionerslooked with disfavor on it.
The affair ended, as far as the four chums were concerned, in a sort ofScotch verdict of "not proven."
"Does that end this inquiry?" asked Mr. Keene.
"For the time being," replied Mr. Williamson.
"Then I demand that this committee issue a statement that there is notthe slightest evidence against my son and his chums."
"We will do nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Mr. Williamson.
"Then I shall take legal steps to compel you to."
"And I will join you," declared Mr. Masterson.
"This investigation will be continued later," Mr. Williamson went on."We have not finished. We are going to have some expert detectives here.Then perhaps we shall discover who perpetrated this outrage."
"You may rest assured it was none of these boys," said Mr. Dent. "I knowmy nephew and I know his chums too well even to suspect them."
"That is all at present," the president of the board remarked. "Themeeting is adjourned."
"But it leaves these boys under a cloud," objected Mr. Keene.
"I am sorry but that cannot be helped," was Mr. Williamson's reply.