“Three good cheers for the motor boys!” cried Frank, and the room echoed with the sound that followed.
It was a week after the big game when Ned, his face showing his excitement, came mysteriously to his two chums.
“I’ve found it! I’ve found it!” he cried.
“The typewriter on which the note that gave us away about the picture stunt was printed.”
“The proctor’s! Look, there’s a specimen of work from his machine and here’s the card with our names on it.”
Ned laid them down side by side, and, as he told how he had secured the sample by the use of a little subterfuge, his two chums noted the similarity of slight marks in letters that seemed to prove the point. And, a little later, it was proved positively.
For the proctor sent for our heroes one day.
“I understand you think that a certain student here gave information to the faculty to the effect that you three took down the founder’s picture. Never mind how I found it out, but do you hold that belief?” he asked.
“We did,” answered Ned, “but we don’t now.”
“I am glad of it,” the proctor said, “for it was I who saw you. As I was too late to prevent your carrying your prank to completion to save Dr. Boxwood’s portrait from desecration, I wrote the note and put it on the flagpole.”
“How did you find it out?” asked the proctor.
“We respectfully decline to tell,” and Ned bowed, smiling.
“Very well. But don’t try such tricks again.”
“And so that mystery is solved,” observed Jerry, as they came out of the office. “I wonder what will happen next?”
And what did will be related in our next volume, to be called, “Ned, Bob and Jerry on a Ranch; Or, The Motor Boys Among the Cowboys.”
“Boys, I want to congratulate you on your basketball victory,” said Professor Snodgrass, some days after the diamond championship had been decided. “I understand that the eleven did well.”
“Yes,” answered Jerry, trying not to laugh, “we did.”
“Well,” remarked Bob a few days after this, as he lay sprawling on a couch in his room, “this is no fun, fellows. Let’s do something.”
“What?” asked Jerry from his apartment where he and Ned were playing checkers.
“Exactly!” agreed Bob, and Ned had to dodge the book the stout lad heaved at him.
But they presently went off to the dining hall, and there we will take leave of Ned, Bob and Jerry.