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Now that the search had narrowed itself down to Outwood's house, the rest was comparatively easy. Perhaps Sergeant Collard had actually recognized the boy. On reflection he dismissed this as unlikely, for the sergeant would scarcely have kept a thing like that to himself; but he might very well have seen more of him than he, Downing, had seen.
I've been making inquiries of a stout sportsman in a sort of Salvation Army uniform, whom I met in the grounds he's the school sergeant or something, quite a solid man and I hear that Comrade Outwood's an archaeological cove. Goes about the country beating up old ruins and fossils and things. There's an Archaeological Society in the school, run by him.
Barlow," he said, as the butler appeared, "kindly go across to Mr. Outwood's house and inform Smith that I should like to see him." "If you please, sir, Mr. Smith is waiting in the hall." "In the hall!" "Yes, sir. He arrived soon after Mr. Adair, sir, saying that he would wait, as you would probably wish to see him shortly." "H'm. Ask him to step up, Barlow." "Yes, sir."
Barnes was among those present, but of the other two representatives of Outwood's house there were no signs. Barnes, questioned on the subject, had no information to give, beyond the fact that he had not seen them about anywhere. Which was not a great help. Adair proceeded with the fielding practice without further delay. At breakfast that morning he was silent and apparently rapt in thought. Mr.
The first over was a maiden, six dangerous balls beautifully played. The fieldsmen changed over. The general interest had now settled on the match between Outwood's and Downing's. The fact in Mike's case had gone round the field, and, as several of the other games had not yet begun, quite a large crowd had collected near the pavilion to watch.
He had got as far as finding that his quarry of the previous night was a boy in Mr. Outwood's house, but how was he to get any further? That was the thing. There was, of course, only a limited number of boys in Mr. Outwood's house as tall as the one he had pursued; but even if there had been only one other, it would have complicated matters.
Outwood's house had been seen breaking in after lights-out; but it would have been very difficult for the authorities to have narrowed the search down any further than that. There were thirty-four boys in Outwood's, of whom about fourteen were much the same size and build as Mike. The suddenness, however, of the call caused Mike to lose his head.
In a neat wooden frame in the senior day-room at Outwood's, just above the mantelpiece, there was on view, a week later, a slip of paper. The writing on it was as follows: OUTWOOD'S v. Outwood's. First innings. J. P. Barnes, c. Hammond, b. Downing's did not bat. Outwood's rollicked considerably that night. Mike, if he had cared to take the part, could have been the Petted Hero.
On this occasion, however, reckless of possible injuries to the crease of his trousers, he raced down the road, and turning in at Outwood's gate, bounded upstairs like a highly trained professional athlete. On arriving at the study, his first act was to remove a boot from the top of the pile in the basket, place it in the small cupboard under the bookshelf, and lock the cupboard.
He made the strategic error of sliding rapidly down the pipe, and running. There were two gates to Mr. Outwood's front garden. The drive ran in a semicircle, of which the house was the center. It was from the right-hand gate, nearest to Mr. Downing's house, that the voice had come, and, as Mike came to the ground, he saw a stout figure galloping toward him from that direction.
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