Page:Stanwood Pier--Harding of St Timothys.djvu/92

70 "All right. But remember! If you don't keep it this time, the school's done with you."

Doctor Vincent went slowly down the stairs, and then, with a faint smile on his face, walked up to the locked door, and stood there, putting on his gloves. He did this very deliberately, enjoying the thought of the consternation he must be causing the culprits within.

For a moment, kind-hearted man though he was, he had a boyish impulse to open the door, just for the fun of seeing how scared they would be. But he contented himself with chuckling at the thought as he left the house.

He climbed into the buggy and drove rapidly away, but at the bend in the road he stopped his horse. Rupert Ormsby and Francis Stoddard were passing, and Doctor Vincent had an idea.

"Ormsby," he called, "may I have a word with you?" And then, as Stoddard was considerately walking on, he added, "No, you too, Stoddard, please." But he addressed his words to Rupert.

"I've just been making a call at the Pie