"Some day I shall prove my innocence," declared Frank firmly.
"You don't have to prove it--with your friends," flared up Bob. And just then the chapel bell called them to the duties of the hour.
Frank did not pass a very happy day. He mingled of necessity with the Banbury groups during the studies, but only for an occasional glowering look from Gill Mace's discolored eye and some suppressed sneers from Banbury, Durkin and others of their crowd, there was no allusion made to the cause of the fight.
However, there were mysterious whisperings going on at times. Some boys with whom Frank was not well acquainted shied off from him at noon time, and Frank knew that the poison of Mace's insinuations was working among the general school group.
Frank was in his room at four o'clock, and promptly at the hour Ned Foreman put in an appearance. Frank set aside his troubles and greeted him in a friendly manner. He locked the door and gave his visitor a comfortable chair.
"Tell me about yourself, Ned," he said. "How you got here from Tipton, and about your plans, and all that."
It was not much of a story, but its details showed again the homeless lad was set and sensible in his resolve to gain an education.
"I like you, Ned," said Frank, "and you know it, and I wouldn't be acting as a true friend if I didn't say just what was in my mind, would I, now?"
"You'll never say a thing to hurt a fellow's feelings, I'll risk that,"
returned Ned with a smile of confidence.
"I hope not. I've been thinking about you, and I'm interested in you. Say, is that your best suit of clothes you're wearing?"
"Best and only," acknowledged Ned bluntly. "Why?"
"Well, I've got a suit that will just about fit you, and I want you to sort of tog up when you have time to come out and join our crowd. Not that I would ever be ashamed of you no matter what you wore, but we all have a little pride."
"I'm not going to let you rob yourself to do a kindness for me," declared Ned.
"Rob myself?" repeated Frank with a laugh. "Say, let me tell you something, and you'll see how you are helping me out. I've been living with an aunt at Tipton who is a caution in some ways. She ordered a suit for me about six months ago. Well, she's a great bargain hunter, and then, too, there was some of the same cloth left, and taking two suits she could get a reduction. Here's the one I was measured for first."
Frank opened the wardrobe and showed a light checked suit he did not often wear.
"The other suit," he continued, "is this one," and he indicated the clothes he had taken from his trunk that morning. "The tailor didn't have enough cloth, and the suit is too short for me. My aunt packed it in my trunk, thinking I could wear it out knocking around Saturdays, but it won't do at all. It is nearly new, and you are a little smaller than I am, and I believe it will fit you. There are a few spare neckties and such that go with it, and there you are."
"Mine, eh?" said Ned with a smile, getting up and looking over the clothes.
"It will make me dreadfully proud and dressy, Frank. I never had such an outfit before."
"You don't know the relief I have in getting rid of it," said Frank, smiling. "It's settled, then--you'll lug it away with you."
"I'll carry it away as the finest present I could possibly get," responded Ned warmly. "You don't know how I appreciate it."
There was no false pride or affectation about Ned Foreman, and Frank liked him better than ever for his manly actions. He did up the bundle for Ned.
Then they had a general talk. An hour drifted by before they knew it.
"Saturday, remember," said Frank as they parted. "I want you to get in on some of the games and know all the good fellows who train with Dean Ritchie."
Frank sat alone at the window after Ned left him, reflecting very seriously.
"I couldn't tell him," he murmured; "at least, not yet. How do I know that I am right? Maybe I'm guessing it all out. Oh, dear, how I miss my father to go to with all my troubles and perplexities. I'd have a talk with President Elliott, only I don't want to bother him and make a lot of talk about things that may naturally right themselves in time. Hello, there's Bob."
Frank got up to greet his friend, who swung down the corridor and into the room, whistling.
"The very fellow!" exclaimed Frank. "I say, Bob, I want to ask your advice."
CHAPTER XVI
THE FOOT RACE
"You want my advice?" asked Bob in some surprise.
"Just that, Bob," responded Frank Jordan.
"Huh--no one ever asked that before. I'm afraid I'm not much in that line, but I'll do the best I can."
"All right. Sit down while I tell you a little story," directed Frank.
Bob had come into the room red and perspiring, as though he had just been indulging in some very violent exercise. He soon settled down to steadiness from sheer interest as Frank proceeded to talk.
Frank began at the beginning of quite a lengthy narrative. He recited the episode of the diamond bracelet. He described his first meeting with Ned Foreman. Then he brought his recital down to what he had seen and heard in the lonely hut the night of the hazing and while Bob had been fast asleep.
"You're some story-teller, and that all sounds like a story-book romance,"
commented Bob, when Frank paused in his narrative.
"I only hope it will end in the good story-book way," observed Frank. "This is all secret between you and me."
"Surely," assented Bob.
"I had to tell it to somebody, for it was worrying me dreadfully,"
confessed Frank. "You see, I'm in a dilemma."
"I do see that, Frank," nodded Bob seriously.
"I can't see it any other way, but this tramp and his friends, Jem and Dan, among them stole that diamond bracelet."
"I think so, too," said Bob. "Anyhow, judging from their talk you overheard they know where it is now."
"What had I better do? I am awful anxious to prove my innocence to the world."
"Why, I shouldn't hesitate a minute to have those three fellows arrested,"
exclaimed Bob.
"That wouldn't help the case any."
"Why wouldn't it?"
"They evidently haven't got the stolen bracelet with them."