The Mystery at Putnam Hall Part 37

"Maybe I can send for them."

"Hardly, since the dentist is at Ithaca. Oh, what a wretch, to take my teeth! I cannot go to the cla.s.sroom without my teeth. I would be the laughing-stock of the entire school! It is a dreadful state of affairs!"

"I don't see how I can help you out, sir," answered George Strong, sympathetically.

"I shall have to stay here until something is done. See if you can't find the cadet who took the teeth."

"I will do what I can," answered George Strong, and left the room.

Josiah Crabtree was walking up and down nervously, when there came a timid knock on the door. He opened it to confront Mumps.

"Well, Fenwick, what do you want?" demanded the teacher, harshly. The sneak of the school generally had some tale of woe to tell, and he was just now in no humor to listen to any such recital.

"Please, Mr. Crabtree, did you lose anything?" asked Mumps, nervously.

"Ha! what is that? Come in! What do you know?" cried Josiah Crabtree, and caught Mumps by the arm.

"I didn't do it--really and truly I didn't!" cried the sneak, in sudden terror. "I--I only found it out by accident."

"About my--er--my teeth?"

"Yes, sir."

"What do you know about them, Fenwick? Quick; out with it!"

"Oh, sir, please don't hurt my arm so!"

"Tell me what you know."

"I--I know where your teeth are, sir, I--I saw them put there last night."

"Where are they?"

"Hanging on the chandelier in Cla.s.sroom Eight."

"And who put them there?" roared the teacher, in amazement.

"Pepper Ditmore, sir. But, oh, sir, please don't say I told on him or he'll hammer the life out of me!" cried Mumps, in alarm.

"How did he get them?"

"I don't know that, sir. I--I went downstairs to--er--to put away a book for another cadet and I saw Pepper Ditmore sneak into Room Eight. I watched him, and he threw a string with the teeth on 'em up over the chandelier. I thought they might be yours, so I came here to find out."

"Did you get the--er--the teeth?"

"Oh, no, sir. They are too high up. You'll have to get a ladder to get them down."

"The rascal!" howled Josiah Crabtree. "Oh, wait till I get my hands on him! But I must get the teeth first." He thought for a moment. "Fenwick, find Snuggers and send him to me at once."

"Yes, sir."

"And don't say a word of this to any one," added the teacher, as the sneak hurried off.

It took Mumps fully five minutes to locate Peleg Snuggers. Wondering what was wanted, the general utility man hurried to the teacher's apartment.

"I want you to get my set of teeth," said Josiah Crabtree. "I am told they are fastened to the chandelier in Room Eight. Get a ladder and get them down immediately. And do it as quietly as you can."

"Yes, sir," answered Snuggers, and left to do the errand. "Teeth on the chandelier!" he murmured, "Wot an idee! Bet some o' the cadets did thet trick! How funny he did look without his grinders in!"

Pepper had not told any one about his trick, but on a blackboard in the hall he had chalked the words:

_Set of Teeth For Sale!

See Chandelier in Room No. 8.

Crabtree, A.M., O.I.C._

This scrawl had attracted the attention of fully a score of cadets, and one after another they entered the cla.s.sroom designated to find out what it meant. When they saw the teeth dangling in the air they set up a roar.

"h.e.l.lo, look at the set of teeth!"

"They must belong to old Crabtree!"

"Wonder what he wants for them?"

"I reckon teeth come high, by the look of things!"

The crowd of cadets kept growing larger, until the room was crowded.

Then one cadet took a blackboard eraser and threw it at the teeth. This was a signal for a general discharge of all sorts of things at the dangling object.

In the midst of the excitement George Strong came in.

"Boys! boys! Be quiet!" cried the teacher. "What is the meaning of so much noise?" And then he, too, caught sight of the dangling teeth. "Who placed those there?" he asked.

There was no reply, and he was on the point of sending a cadet for a step-ladder when the door opened and in came Peleg Snuggers with the very thing wanted.

"Mr. Crabtree sent me to git 'em," explained the general utility man.

"Hurrah! Peleg to the rescue!" cried Andy.

"Now, Peleg, do the great balancing act," said Fred Century.

"I will hold the ladder for you, Snuggers," said Mr. Strong. "Boys, stand back," he added, afraid that some of the lads might attempt some joke while the general utility man was in the air.

The step-ladder was placed in position and Snuggers mounted cautiously to the top. He could just reach the chandelier and the teeth, and it took him some time to cut the teeth loose.

"I'll take 'em right to Mr. Crabtree," he said on coming down. "He's in a mighty big hurry for 'em."

"Very well," returned George Strong.