“See here, Teall,” Dick called, “you needn’t pick that up as a pointer for the way to serve me with a home-made ball at our game to-morrow.  The trick I played on you wasn’t dangerous, but this chlorate racket is.  Mr. Johnson, what would happen if a fellow should hit a ball with his bat, and that ball was packed with chlorate of potash?”

“I’m not sure that the fellow with the bat would ever know what happened,” answered the druggist.

“Is it as bad as that?” gasped Teall.

“Worse,” replied the druggist grimly.

“So, Teall, if you had any thoughts of playing a trick like that,” interposed Chief Coy, “take my word for it that such a trick would be likely to land you in a reform school until you were at least twenty-one years old.”

“Oh, if it’s as bad as that-----” muttered Ted reluctantly.

“What did you and Darry say, when the explosion came off?” asked Dan Dalzell, as Dick & Co. walked on again.

“I don’t remember just what Darry said,” Prescott confessed reluctantly.  “As for me, I remember just what I said.”

“What?”

“I said just what the man on the clubhouse steps said.”

“And what was that?” pressed Dalzell.

“That’s what you’re going to find out if you win the game from South Grammar to-morrow.”

“Then the game is as good as won already,” declared Tom solemnly, “for we’re in that frame of mind where we’ve got to know what the man on the clubhouse steps said.”

Through the evening, and the long night that followed, Chief Coy had two of his policemen out searching the woods where Garwood had last been seen.  Mr. Winthrop added three detectives to the chase.  When morning came the “queer” inventor was still at large.  He had not even been seen since Dick and Dave had lost sight of him.

“The last time that I put this class on honor,” announced Old Put, when the morning session began, “we had one of the best records of good behavior during the day that I can remember.  I will, therefore, announce that this class is on honor again to-day, and that, no matter what the breaches of discipline, no pupil will be kept after school to-day.  All will be allowed to go and see the great, the glorious game.”

Then, after a pause, Old Dut added dryly: 

“I haven’t the heart to keep any one after school to-day.  I am going to the game myself.”

At this statement a laugh rippled around the room.  Then every boy and girl settled down to the serious business of the day.

At three o’clock Old Put announced: 

“If Captain Prescott so desires, he may withdraw now with his team, in order to have time to dress and get oiled up on the diamond.”

“I thank you, sir, for that permission,” responded Dick, rising at once.  He was followed by the other players.

“Go out a little more quietly, if you please—–­that’s all,” called Old Dut.