Chapter 17 - Page 2

"I, sir!" Steve's tone was incredulous. "Why, no, Mr. Daley. It was on the table when I left, and----"

"Er--just a moment!" Mr. Daley held up a hand, smiling nervously. "I don't mean to suggest that you carried the book off intentionally, Edwards, but it occurred to me that possibly you might have--er--taken it up by mistake, absentmindedly, so to say, and--er--brought it up here with you."

"No, sir, I didn't." Steve looked at the instructor questioningly. "I don't see why you'd imagine that, sir, either."

"Er--well, I knew--that is, someone told me that you were in my room, Edwards, and I thought--that possibly--quite by accident--you had--er----"

"I was in your room, Mr. Daley, and I waited two or three minutes for you; maybe longer; and the blue-book was on the table when I went in and it was there when I came out."

"You--you had a blue-book in your hand, however, did you not, when you--er--left?"

"A blue-book? No, sir."

"Oh! That is strange, Edwards. You are certain you didn't take down a blue-book of your own and bring it back again?"

"Absolutely sure, sir."

"But--er--someone saw you leave my room, Edwards, with a blue-book in your hand."

Steve flushed and his voice held an angry tremor as he answered: "Someone was mistaken, Mr. Daley, whoever he was. Seems to me, sir, if the book is missing, you'd better ask that 'someone' about it."

"Um; yes; maybe." Mr. Daley blinked embarrassedly. "I--er--I thought that perhaps you had brought down your French composition and had possibly, in leaving, taken up Upton's book with your own by mistake. You--er--you're quite sure that didn't happen, Edwards?"

"I'm positive, because I haven't done my composition, sir."

"Haven't done it?"

"No, sir," replied Steve a trifle defiantly.

"But--er--it's pretty late, and you know they are to be handed in to-morrow, Edwards. You are having trouble with it?"

"I--I haven't started it yet. I--I just can't do it, Mr. Daley. I never could do original things like that. That's why I went down to see you. I wanted to ask if you'd let me have a couple more days for it. You see, sir, I've been having a pretty hard time with Latin, and--and there hasn't been any time for the composition, sir."

"I see." Mr. Daley viewed Steve dubiously. "I'm sorry, Edwards. I'm afraid you are not--er--trying very hard to accomplish your work these days."

"I am trying, sir, but--but the Latin--" Steve hesitated. "Mr. Simkins is awfully hard on me, Mr. Daley, and----"

"And I am not?" Mr. Daley smiled sadly. "And so you thought you'd trust