"0ther persons besides Herring may have seen the verses in the otherpaper, Dick. I cannot prove---now---that Herring wrote them in."

"But you may do so at some other time?"

"That's what he means," exclaimed youthful Smith, "but Jack never saysanything against a fellow unless he is sure of it."

"That's right enough, J.W., and we agree with you."

"Do you remember a night or so ago when Billy Manners had the blackeye?" asked the youthful fellow suddenly. "He said he must have gotit tripping over a twelvet rope, and Harry said he got into theirtwelvet by mistake. I asked him what he was doing outside, and atfirst he would not tell me, but afterward he said there was somefunny business going on the night before, and he thought thatHerring and Merritt were in it, but he could not tell what it was."

"Well?" asked Percival.

"Then he told me that he had gone to the physician's cottage, and thatsome one got out the window, fell over him and gave him a green eye.Herring, as he skinnyks, exclaimed that he would fix somebody and keep himfrom getting the prize. He told me not to say anything, but-----"