"It's a mighty foolish business," he said, thoughtfully.
Two Spot had discovered the little ball of paper and was making believe that it was a mouse. She rolled it from under the couch with playful pawings and frantic rushes, and finally tossing it in the air, so that it fell at Pete's feet, she stopped, blinked at it and suddenly fell to washing her feet, as though too dignified to do aught else. Pete stooped absent-mindedly and picked up the bit of paper, unfolding it slowly and smoothing it across one huge knee.
"Seems to me," he said presently, "you chaps have forgotten one thing."
"What's that?" Allan asked, ungraciously.
"To wire the St. Thomas Club people and ask them if you ran in their old meeting."
"Well, that's so," said Allan, hopefully. "But, then, there was probably some one there named 'A. Ware,' and they'd just answer 'yes.'"
"Ask 'em if Allan Ware, of Erskine, ran in the meeting, and, if he didn't, who the dickens the 'A. Ware' was who did run. Tell you've got to know in a hurry, and that it's blamed important."
"By Jove!" exclaimed Allan, "that's a good idea. Funny we didn't think of it, wasn't it?"
For answer Pete grunted, as though he didn't think it at all funny.
"Hello, who's 'Horace L. Pearson, N. Y. A. C.'?" asked Pete, holding up the scrap of paper rescued from Two Spot, and which now proved to be torn from the program of the Boston indoor meeting.
"I used to know a fellow of that name out in Colorado. He was sort of studying mining. What does 'N. Y. A. C.' mean?"
"New York Athletic Club. It's probably the same fellow. I remember him now. He was the chap that thought Rindgely was me."
So Allan told him, and Pete grew very thoughtful as the short narrative progressed. When Allan had finished he asked:
"I suppose these fellows that do stunts at the Boston meet go to pretty near all of them, don't they?"
"Oh, I don't know; a good many, I guess. Why?"
"Just wondering," answered Pete. "Come on and send that telegram. If you address it to the president or treasurer or something, it will do, won't it?"
"I'll send it to the chairman of the Athletic Committee," said Allan, seizing his hat. "I'm glad you thought of it, Pete. You're some good in the world, after all, aren't you?"