“I was coming along,” began George, “when Tom ran into me and
knocked------”

“Never mind those horrible details,” advised Tom, reflectively rubbing that portion of his anatomy that had come in contact with George.  “Cut along faster.”

“Well, I was coming to tell Tom that I saw Sam Heller being taken to the doctor’s office by old Appleby,” went on George.

“Get out!” cried Bert, incredulously.

“Sam Heller!” gasped Jack.  “I wonder if Appleby’s found out that it was Sam who poisoned his horses, and set the hay on fire?”

“That’s it, I believe,” said George.  “That’s why I came to tell Tom.  You’re cleared all right now, old man.”

His chums looked at him, but Tom only shook his head.  “No such luck,” he said in disappointed tones.  “Sam may have been corralled by the old farmer, but it’s for something else besides the fire and poisoning.”

“What makes you think so?” asked Jack.  “Why won’t you believe Sam Heller guilty, Tom.”

“Because I know he isn’t.”

“You do?  Then you must know who is.”

“No, that doesn’t follow.”

“Look here!” cried Jack, coming close to his chum, and placing his hands on his shoulders, the while looking him squarely into the eyes.  “I can’t understand you.  Here you go and say Sam isn’t guilty, and you know it.  And yet you say you don’t know who did the business.  You didn’t do it yourself, I’m sure, and yet------”

“Say Jack,” spoke Tom gently.  “Believe me, if I was sure of what I only suspect now I couldn’t really tell who poisoned those horses.  There’s a mystery about it, and I’m trying to get to the bottom of it.  I want my name cleared more than anything else in the world, but I want it done in the right way.  I don’t want to cast suspicion on the wrong person.  Now, George, tell us all you know about Sam being caught.  It may help some.”

“Well, I don’t know an awful lot,” went on George, as he accepted a chair that Jack pushed out for him.  “I was coming in from a little trip to town when I saw, coming across the campus, two fellows—­at least I thought they were two of our fellows, but when they got under one of the lights I saw it was Sam and the old farmer.  And, believe me, Appleby had hold of Sam as if he was a thief and him the constable.”

“As if Appleby was the thief?” asked Bert.

“No, as if Sam was.  What’s the matter with you fellows, anyhow, that you can’t understand United States talk?” and George looked around half indignantly.

“The trouble is that you mix up your pronouns,” said Tom.  “Go ahead.  We got as far as that Appleby had hold of Sam as if Sam was a thief.”

“Yes, and Sam was demanding to be let go, while the old farmer was saying:  ‘Now I’ve got ye!  Consarn ye!  I’ll teach ye t’ come sneakin’ around my place!  I’ll have ye up afore th’ doctor’!”

The boys all laughed at George’s realistic imitation of the farmer’s talk, for it was quite correct.