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CHAPTER XXX – THE TRAP SPRUNG
“Whatever are you doing, pard?” asked Brad Buckhart, as he found Dick at work on the hinges of the door to their room.
“Sh!” cautioned Dick. “I’m setting a trap.”
“Hey? A trap?”
“I said so.”
“What for?”
“A spook.”
“What?” The Texan was astonished.
It was three days after the game with New Era. The mystery of the spook remained a mystery. Nor had Chester Arlington been able to explain how Abe Gorman’s watch happened to be found in his pocket.
Chester was under a cloud. It was known at the school that he had spent money so freely that his recklessness had left him “broke.” It was known that money had been refused him by his parents. It was known that he had resorted to desperate measures to “raise the wind.” He had pawned clothing and trinkets to get money to bet on the game between Fardale and New Era. Had New Era won, his condition would have been worse than ever; but the victory of the home team had eased the strain somewhat. Arlington realized that he was suspected, but he carried his head high and proclaimed his innocence.
Buckhart became interested in Dick’s work.
“What sort of a trap is it?” he asked.
“I’m fixing the door so that it will swing to whenever it is opened.”
“What of that?”
“I am going to put an extra spring-lock on it.”
“Oh, I see; you’re fixing it to keep the spook out.”
“No; I’m fixing it to keep the spook in!”
“Hey? Great horn spoon! What – what if – I don’t understand, anyhow.”
“I’ll explain.”
“Go ahead.”
“I shall put the spring-lock on the door, but it will not be used in the daytime. I shall fix it so that it will work at night.”
“Still I don’t see – ”
“Wait. When we go to bed at night I shall leave the regular lock on; but I have a method by which I can cause the spring-lock to work if the door is opened and closed during the night. If Mr. Spook takes a fancy to come in here, the spring in the hinges of the door will cause it to close behind him, the spring-lock will fasten it, and Mr. Spook will be trapped.”
“But you think – ”
“I think our spook is some fellow who has keys to fit the doors of a number of rooms. He can open the ordinary lock on this door, for he came here and carried off your penknife, which Chester Arlington afterward dropped.”
“Arlington is the spook.”
“Perhaps so. It seems that way. I did not tell you that, after the New Era game, while the crowd was pawing me over, another note was thrust into my hands, did I?”
“No.”
“Well, that was what happened. Of course, I couldn’t tell who put it there.”
“What did it say?”
“It said ‘Search Chester Arlington’s room and see what you will find if you wish to clear mystery of the spook.’”
“Great tarantulas! And you – what did you do?”
“I waited. Since then several articles stolen from fellows here have been returned to them in a mysterious way.”
“Which makes you think – what?”
“Arlington returned them. Perhaps he became frightened. Perhaps he felt that he didn’t need them any longer after Fardale defeated New Era and he won his bets.”
“He’s a skunk, pard! I reckon he’s a regular kleptomaniac.”
“But the robberies have started up again. I want you to help me spread the report that we think it strange we have not been robbed of anything valuable. I want you to say that we don’t take much stock in it, as we leave things lying around every night that are worth taking. I will say the same things. Get the fellows to repeating it. I want the spook to visit us.”
“I see, pard,” nodded Brad. “I’ll do it.”
This plan was carried out by them, and two nights later the “spook” paid them a visit. Dick it was who heard him moving with a rustling sound in the room. As Merriwell sat up the spook went rustling toward the door. Dick jumped out of bed and saw a white form at the door.
“Hey, Brad!” he shouted. “We’ve got him! Come on!”
The Texan rose, uttering a snort.
The white object seemed trying to open the door, but it resisted his efforts.
“No use,” declared Dick triumphantly. “The trap is sprung, and you’re caught!”
He advanced on the spook, who turned, uttering a low snarl. Dick saw an uplifted hand, dodged, clutched a very real wrist, held fast and closed with the fellow.
“Light up, Brad!” he cried.
Buckhart struck a match and lighted the lamp. The spook fought desperately, and Buckhart hastened to aid Dick to subdue him. They smashed against the furniture and walls, overturning chairs and making a great racket.
The noise aroused others, and there came a heavy knocking at their door, while many voices demanded admittance.
“We’ve – roused – the whole – ’cademy!” panted Buckhart.
“All right,” panted Dick, as he skilfully tripped the spook and they all came crashing to the floor.
They pinned him down and subdued him. He was covered by a sheet. Having secured the fellow, Dick directed that the door be opened, and Buckhart opened it. Into the room came a dozen cadets.
“Dear me!” said Ted Smart. “How quiet you are! I can’t sleep, it is so still!”
“What is it?” was the general question.
“It is the spook!” triumphantly said Dick. “Take a look at him. We captured him, but he made it lively for us. He tried to stick me with that knife there on the floor.”
“A fellow with a sheet over him!” grunted Bob Singleton.
Dick tore the sheet off and got up, permitting the captive to rise. Miguel Bunol stood before them! The spook was unmasked at last.
“To the guard-house with him!” cried Dick. “His hash will be settled in the morning.”
Bunol looked at Dick with intense hatred.
“Fool!” he hissed. “I give you chance to destroy your worst enemy and you do it not! You hate him; I hate him. I want you to disgrace him, but I do not understand that you be such a fool.”
Then he was marched away.
Bunol was expelled and turned out of the school in disgrace. He tried to strike Arlington before leaving by seeking an opportunity to tell things against him, but no one would listen to him, and his revenge failed.
