The Cock-House at Fellsgarth Part 42

"None. And Yorke, when he hears of it, will report it to the doctor."

"No, don't let him do that. What's the use? If I can stay here it's all right."

An hour later, about the time that the young mountaineers were beginning to look out for their second wind on the lower slope, Dangle came across in a vicious temper.

He had not come to look for Corder, the sight of whom in the sanctuary of a Cla.s.sic study took him aback.

"That's where you're sneaking, is it?" said he. "I'm not surprised."

"Not much need to sneak from _you_. It's three against one I object to," said Corder. "But if you like to fetch Clapperton and Brinkman over here, we can have it out comfortably now."

"You must think yourself uncommonly important if you suppose we're going to trouble about an a.s.s like you," said Dangle. "I never once thought of you."

"What have you come for, then?" said Fisher. "Hadn't you better wait till you're invited before you come where you're not wanted?"

"I've come on club business, and I've a perfect right to come. You fellows, I hear, have taken it into your heads to dissolve the club."

"What of that? Why didn't you come and vote against it if you didn't like it?"

"Thank you. It wasn't quite good enough. What I want to know is, what is the treasurer going to do with the money? I suppose that's hardly going to be treated as a perquisite for him?"

Fisher major looked troubled. He had dreaded this awkward question for days. For the lost money was still missing.

"You know it's nothing of the kind."

"What are you going to do with it, then?"

"That's for the club to decide. If you'd come to the meeting you could have proposed something."

"It's funny how sore you are about that precious hole-and-corner meeting of yours. How much is there on hand?"

"You'll know presently."

"I dare say--as soon as you've hit on a dodge for getting over that little deficiency of four or five pounds--eh?"

Fisher major looked up in astonishment. How had the fellow heard about that?

Dangle laughed.

"You thought it was a snug little secret of your own, didn't you?

You're mistaken. And you're mistaken if you think we aren't going to get at the bottom of it."

Fisher major rose to his feet.

"Look here, Dangle," said he; "do you mean to insinuate that _I've_ taken the club money!"

"I never said so."

"Or that I was going to cook the accounts so that it should not be known?"

"I didn't mean _you_ were."

"Whom did you mean? Me?" said Denton.

"No; I didn't say anybody," said Dangle, beginning to feel himself in a fix. "All I meant was, we want to know what's become of the money?"

"You don't want to know more than I do," said Fisher major. "I'd have handed over the money days ago, if I could only have found it."

"Do you suspect any one?" said Dangle.

"Suspect? No. No one comes here that would be likely to take it."

"You leave it about, though. I've noticed that myself. Who's your f.a.g?"

"As honest a man as you, every bit, and that's saying a good deal for _you_," retorted Fisher major, hotly.

"Keep your temper. Who's study is that next yours?"

"That's Yorke's."

"No: on the other side."

"That's Rollitt's. I suppose you're going to insinuate--"

"Stop a bit," said Dangle, suddenly, turning to close the door before he proceeded. "When did you first miss the money?"

"You're uncommonly interested in the accounts," said Fisher; "if you want to know so much, it was ten days ago."

"I'm interested because I've an idea. When did you get in the subscriptions?"

"They were all in a week before the first Rendlesham match, the match where you--"

Fisher major stopped.

Dangle took no notice of the broken taunt, and said--

"Look here, Fisher. There's no love lost between you and me, and it doesn't affect me."

"Or me."

"For all that, I don't care to see you or the clubs robbed without giving you a friendly hint."

"You're very kind. Who is the culprit? The doctor?"

"No; _Rollitt_. Stay," said he, waving down the interruption, "I shouldn't be fool enough to say it unless I was pretty sure. Tell me this, Fisher; when you go out and leave money about do you lock your door?"

"No. We don't have to do that this side."

"Did you ever see Rollitt in here?"