"I will, kind sirs," answered Tom, this time in a deep bass voice. "I
went to the room and remained there about an hour. Songbird went out
on a still hunt, Max with him. The two overheard Jerry Koswell and his
cronies talking, learned Jerry did the trick, came back and told me,
and--"

"You told the president," finished Sam.

"Not on your collar button," answered Tom. "I waited. The president
sent for me. I went. He tried to get me to confess, and then the
telephone rang, and that did the biz."

"Say, Tom, are you crazy?" demanded Dick.

"Crazy? Yes, I'm crazy with joy. Who wouldn't be to get free so
easily?"

"But explain it," begged Sam.

"I can't explain it. As I said, the president tried to make me
confess, and of course I had nothing to confess. When the telephone
rang I heard one voice and then two others, one after another. I think
they belonged to Koswell, Flockley and Larkspur, but I am not sure.
The voices talked to Doctor Wallington about ten minutes. He got mad
at first and then calmed down. I heard him ask, 'In Professor Sharp's
room?' and somebody said 'Yes.' Four times he asked for names, but I
don't think he got them. Then he went out of the office and was gone
about a quarter of an hour. When he returned he said, 'Now, on your
honor, for the last time, Rover, did you mar that photograph?' and I
said 'No,' good and hard. Then he said he believed me, and was sorry