There were two persons on whom Ben Platt's declaration made a profoundimpression. These were Jim Smith and his uncle, the learned Socrates.The latter was surprised, for he was fully persuaded that the chargehe had made was a true one, and Hector was a thief. As for Jim, hissurprise was of a very disagreeable nature. Knowing as he did that, hehimself had taken the money, he was alarmed lest his offense was tobe made known, and that the pit which he had digged for another shouldprove to be provided for himself.
Socrates was the first to speak after taking time to recover himselffrom his surprise.
"This is a very extraordinary statement, Platt," he said. "You say youcan prove Roscoe's innocence?"
"Yes, sir," answered Platt, firmly.
"I wish no trifling here, sir," said the principal, sharply. "I myselffound the wallet in Roscoe's pocket."
"Yes, sir," answered Ben Platt, "I know it was there."
"You knew it was there!" repeated Socrates. "How did you know it wasthere?"
"Because I saw it put in."
Here Jim Smith's face turned from red to pale, and he moved aboutuneasily in his seat. "Could Ben Platt have been hidden somewhere in theroom?" he asked himself, "If so, what was he to do?" There was but oneanswer to this question. He must brazen it out, and boldly contradictthe witness. But he would bide his time. He would wait to hear what Benhad to say.
"Did you put it in yourself?" asked Socrates, savagely.
"No, Mr. Smith, I didn't put it in," answered Ben, indignantly.
"None of your impudence, sir!" said the schoolmaster, irritated.
"I merely answered your question and defended myself," answered Ben.
There was a little murmur among the pupils, showing that their sympathywas with the boy who had been so causelessly accused by the principal.
"Silence!" exclaimed Socrates, annoyed. "Now," he continued, turningto Ben, "since you know who put the wallet into Roscoe's pocket--a veryremarkable statement, by the way--will you deign to inform me who didit?"
"James Smith did it!" said Ben, looking over to the principal's nephew,who was half expecting such an attack.
"It's a base lie!" cried Jim, but his face was blanched, his manner wasnervous and confused, and he looked guilty, if he were not so.
"My nephew?" asked Socrates, flurried.
"Yes, sir."
"It isn't so, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, excited. "I'll lick you, BenPlatt, when we get out of school."
"You forget yourself, James," said Socrates, with a mildness he wouldnot have employed with any other pupil.
"I beg your pardon, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, with contrition, "but Ican't be silent when I am accused of things I don't do."
"To be sure, you have some excuse, but you should remember the respectyou owe to me. Then you did not do it?"
"Certainly not, sir."
"So it appears, Platt, that you have brought a false charge againstyour fellow-pupil," said Mr. Smith, severely. "I can conceive of nothingmeaner."
"Mr. Smith," said Hector, "what right have you to say that the charge isfalse? Is it the denial of your nephew? If he took the wallet he would,of course, deny it."
"So would you!" retorted Socrates.
"No one saw me conceal it," said Hector, significantly.
Then Wilkins rose.
"Mr. Smith," he said, "I have some evidence to offer."
"Out with it, sir," said the principal, angrily, for he was fightingagainst an inward conviction that his nephew was really the guiltyparty.
"I was walking along the corridor about the time Platt speaks of Smith'svisit to Roscoe's room, and I met your nephew walking in the oppositedirection. When I entered the room, Platt told me that, half-concealedby the closet door, he had seen Jim Smith enter and thrust the walletinto Roscoe's pocket. Soon after, you and Mrs. Smith came into theroom, guided by your nephew, who let you know just where the wallet washidden. He had very good reasons for knowing," added Wilkins.
If a look would have annihilated Wilkins, the look directed towards himby Jim Smith would have had that effect.
"It's a conspiracy against me, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, intent uponbrazening it out. "They're all in league together."
"The testimony of Wilkins doesn't amount to much!" said Mr. Smith. "Hemay have seen James in the corridor, but that is by no means a part ofhis complicity in this affair."
"Just so!" said Jim, eagerly.
"Ben Platt's evidence ought to count for something," said Hector. "Hesaw your nephew putting the wallet into the pocket of my pants."
Socrates was clearly perplexed. In spite of his partiality for hisnephew, the case against him certainly looked very strong.
Hector, however, determined to make his defense even stronger.
"I would like to ask Platt," he said, "at what time this took place?"
"At three o'clock."
"How do you know it was three?" asked the principal, sharply.
"Because I heard the clock on the village church strike three."
"I would like to ask another boy--Frank Lewis--if he heard the clockstrike three?"
Lewis answered in the affirmative.
"Where were you at the time?"
"In the playground."
"What were you doing?"
"Playing ball."
"Was I in the game?"
"Yes."
"How long had the game been going on?"
"Half an hour."
"How long had the game been going on, do you know?"
"From half to three-quarters of an hour."
"Can you remember whether I was with you all the time?"
"You were."
"Now, Platt, will you tell me how long after the wallet was put into mypocket before Mr. Smith appeared in search of it?"
"Not over half an hour."
"I submit, then," said Hector, in a matter-of-fact manner, "that I wasabsent in the playground during the entire time when it was found inmy room. I believe this is what lawyers call an alibi that I have,fortunately, been able to prove."
"You are a very smart lawyer!" sneered the principal.
The boys were by this time so incensed at Mr. Smith's evident effort toclear his nephew at the expense of Roscoe, that there was a very audiblehiss, in which at least half a dozen joined.
"Is this rebellion?" asked Socrates, furiously.
"No, sir," said Ben Platt, firmly. "We want justice done; that is all."
"You shall have justice--all of you!" exclaimed Socrates, carried beyondthe limits of prudence.
"I am glad to hear that, sir," said Hector. "If you do not at onceexonerate me from this charge, which you know to be false, and write tomy guardian retracting it, I will bring the matter before the nearestmagistrate."
This was more than Socrates had bargained for. He saw that he had gonetoo far, and was likely to wreck his prospects and those of the school.
"I will look into the matter," he said, hurriedly, "and report to theschool hereafter. You may now apply yourselves to your studies."
CHAPTER XXI. THE USHER IS DISCHARGED.