Page:Baseball Joe on the School Nine.djvu/235

221 "It was picked up near where the vile work went on," said the doctor bitterly. "It is evidence that even if you had no actual hand in the dastardly horseplay, that you might have witnessed it, and you can tell us who did it. That is what we now call on you to do, Matson. Tell us who did it."

"But I don't know!" cried poor Joe. "I didn't see anything of it. I got in a little late, and went at once to my room. That telegram may have dropped from my pocket at any time, someone may have picked it up and put it—I mean dropped it—as they were passing the statue—either before or after it was pulled from^ the base."

"That is hardly likely," said the doctor. "I am very sorry, Matson, but I must conclude that even if you had no hand in the vandalism, that you know who did it, or suspect."

"But I don't!" cried Joe eagerly. "Someone may have put this telegram there to make it look"

He stopped in some confusion. He never had been a "squealer," and he was not going to begin now.

"I think I know what you mean," said the proctor quietly. "You mean that some enemy of yours may have had an object in making it appear