The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 70: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

64 and the bank clerks, after stopping at least half-a-dozen innocent people who haf presented genuine cheques, began to relax their vigilance. At length they were rudely roused from their lethargy. A cheque for forty-seven pounds some odd shillings was presented by a middle-aged man one day, and, after a careful examination, cashed. The next day a youth about fourteen, well dressed, and representing himself as one of the boys of Lexicon College, called for the doctor’s pass-book, which was at once given up to him. A few hours afterwards the reverend gentleman received it, and a note to the effect that a forged cheque for forty-seven pounds, &c., had been pre- sented, cashed, and the cancelled cheque abstracted from the pocket in the cover of the book. This time the doctor did not make any public announcement of the fact, but sent for an experienced detective. As soon as Dr. Whackley had related the case,a grave shakeof the head showed him plainly that the experienced officer saw great difficulties. “Very poor chance, out anything.” ‘¢ How so?” “Why, don’t you see, sir, even if I knew pretty well who did it, I ain't certain that it would be safe to arrest him. He’s a cute chap, whoever he may be.” ‘You are not afraid of one of my boys?” “T fear no living human being, if it comes to a fight.” “Then what do you mean by saying that it would not be safe to arrest him ?” “If I arrested a man or boy and placed him in the dock on a charge of forging a cheque, I might be asked— ‘Where is the cheque you say he forged?’ He has destroyed the evidence against himself by that artful dodge of getting hold of the pass-book; there’s nothing to prove the forgery but that anonymous letter, and you are man sir, of finding THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN? of the world enough to know how much that would be worth in a court of law.” “Then what can be done?” ‘Nothing at present.” “ Nothing!” “When I say nothing, I mean no- thing openly.” “ But you will endeavour to make some discovery?” ‘“‘ Of course, sir.” ‘¢ And when you have found the cul- prit you will tell me?” ‘‘T am not so certain of that; I must learn a little more about you before I promise. I don’t know whether you can keep a secret.” 7 | ‘¢ Let me know if I can do anything to help you.” ‘Yes, Let me have a specimen of every boy’s handwriting, and the letter that was sent back with the pass-book. It will be something to find out who wrote that.” Doctor Whackley immediately gave up possession of the letter that had accompanied the pass-book, and, a few hours later, furnished the detective with specimens of the handwriting. of most of his pupils. The officer then made inquiries about the assistant-masters. His thief-hunt- ing mind regarded every man as a rogue till the real culprit could be found. | Having thus obtained all the evidence he could, Mr. Sharp walked down into the town, and put himself in com- munication with the chief of the Balls- bury police. a From him he learnt that the pupils of Lexicon College were rather a dare- devil set of youths, addicted to prac- tical jokes, field and in-door sports, and rather fond than otherwise of a jolly row with the apprentices and other young men about the town. “Are they allowed to visit any of the taverns?” asked Sharp. “I believe it is against the regula- tions, but they do so openly,” replied the inspector, who then gave a catalogue of the places most resorted to by the | senior pupils—our friends. EO JOC EO mn