“How innocent!” muttered Jones.

Ditson elevated his eyebrows.

“What’s that?” he demanded.  “Why shouldn’t I be innocent?  I am not on the crew, and the men are training and practicing secretly.  I have had no way of finding out what they were doing.”

“But some sneak has!” cried Rattleton, fiercely, “and he’s been and blowed all he found out!”

“Unless somebody on the crew has done the blowing,” suggested Roll, exhaling a great puff of smoke.  “That is barely possible, you understand.”

“Possible!  No!” cried Frank.  “There’s not a man on the crew who would do such a thing!”

“Oh, well, I suppose you know.  But I understand there are two who are kept in form as substitutes.  One of them thinks he should be on the crew.  He is rather jealous of somebody who fills his place.  He might be the one who has talked too much.”

“You don’t mean—­”

“Rattleton ought to be able to guess who I mean,” craftily said Ditson as he arose.  “I’m not calling names, for I don’t know anything certain.  If I had proof—­but I haven’t.  Never mind.  You ought to know enough to watch a certain fellow who thinks his place is filled by a person not his equal.  He says there is favoritism in the matter.  I rather think I have spoken plainly enough.  Wish you success, Merry, old man.  Evening, fellows.”

Ditson departed.

Our hero, Rattleton and Jones sat and looked at each other in grim silence for several minutes.

“Well?”

Frank broke the spell, looking keenly at Jones as he spoke.

“I dunno,” mumbled Dismal, falling into the manner of speaking that had been habitual with him from his childhood.  “I dunno—­hanged if I do!”

“You thought you knew when you came in, my boy.”

“That’s right; but I dunno but I was off my trolley.  And still—­”

“Still what?”

“I don’t like the man I suspected, but I never thought the fellow shrewd enough to play a double game.”

“Perhaps it is because you do not like him that you suspected him.”

“Oh, it may be—­it may be.  And I don’t suppose that is a square deal.  I didn’t have absolute proof.”

“You were going to name him when Ditson came in.”

“I was, but I will not call any names now.  I propose to look into this matter somewhat.  Likely it’s too late to prevent the traitor from completing the damage, but he can be exposed.  It will be some satisfaction to see him held up to public scorn.”

“That is true, Dismal, and I want you to do your best to find out who the man is.  Make a sure thing of it.  Get positive proof, if possible.”

“Whoever he is his sin is sure to find him out.”

There were footsteps on the stairs and the sound of laughing voices.  The door burst open and several freshmen came trooping in, as if they felt quite at home there.  Lucy Little was at their head, and his face showed excitement.