“Well, that’s what I said,” responded Chester, “but Perkins is sure he didn’t take the key out of the door. And when we went up there afterwards the door was locked fast. I guess he put the key in his pocket and forgot it. He can’t find it, though. I gave him fits for letting you get away.”
“Well, don’t worry about the key, Chesty. Here it is.” Sam dug it out of his pocket and passed it over.
“But――but you said you got out by the window!”
“I said that? You must be dreaming. I went out by the door, of course.”
“Was it? Funny I didn’t notice that. Are you sure?”
“Of course I am!” responded Chester puzzledly. “How _did_ you get out, Sammy?”
“No,” answered the other eagerly. Sam leaned across and whispered in his ear.
“Tied my shoe laces together and lowered myself to the ground! Quite simple, you see.”
“Tied your――――Oh, cut it out, Sammy, and tell me!”
“All right, Chesty. After I ate my dinner I hid myself in the sugar-bowl, drew the lid on and Perkins carried me out on the tray. He never suspected, Chesty!”
“Oh, don’t be a fool!” said Chester crossly. “Can’t you tell a fellow?” Sam shook his head.
“No, Chesty,” he said solemnly, “that’s something you’ll never know.”
That afternoon, the school baseball supremacy settled for the year, the School Team reassembled, Towners and Boarders together, and settled down to practice again. On Wednesday the Charlemont High School came out, and was beaten, 12 to 4, in a six-inning game. Sam pitched four innings and Prince finished. As Tyler Wicks was back in left field, Jack spent the afternoon looking on. Cook went in for two innings, but Jack’s turn didn’t come that day.
Midget Green almost wore himself out during that game, chasing the fouls that went into Finkler’s meadow, and the visitors had several sarcastic things to say about Maple Ridge’s baseball field. Four balls were lost utterly, a circumstance that caused Chester Harris, as manager, much annoyance. Chester had supplied himself with only a half dozen balls, and in the fifth inning was forced to send back to the gymnasium for more. Balls are expensive, too, and after the game Chester remarked gloomily that if Finkler would only sell his meadow it would pay them to buy it and quarry it for baseballs.