The Bobbsey Twins at Snow Lodge | Page 9

did it a chance to confess. If they will admit it, and apologize,
I will let the matter drop. If not I will punish them severely. Now are
you ready to tell, boys? I may say that I have a clue to at least one boy
who had a hand in the trick."
Mr. Tetlow paused. There was silence in the room, and the boys looked
one at the other. Who was guilty?

CHAPTER IV
THE ACCUSATION
For what seemed a long time Mr. Tetlow stood looking over the room
full of pupils. One could have heard a pin drop, so quiet was it. The
hard breathing of the boys and girls could be heard. From over in a
corner where Danny Rugg sat, came a sound of whispering.
"Quiet!" commanded the principal sharply. "There must be no talking. I
will wait one minute more for the guilty ones to acknowledge that they
rolled the big snowball on the steps. Then, if they do not speak, I shall
have something else to say."
The minute ticked slowly off on the big clock. No one spoke. Bert
glanced from side to side as he sat in his seat, wondering what would
come next. Many others had the same thought.
"I see no one wishes to take advantage of my offer," said Mr. Tetlow
slowly. "Very well. You may all go to your class-rooms, with the
exception of Bert Bobbsey. I wish to see him in my office at once. Do
you hear, Bert?"
There was a gasp of astonishment, and all eyes were turned on Bert. He
grew red in the face, and then pale. He could see Nan looking at him
curiously, as did other girls. Bert was glad Flossie and Freddie were not

in the room, for the kindergarten children did not assemble for morning
exercises with the larger boys and girls. Flossie and Freddie might have
been frightened at the solemn talk.
For a moment Bert could hardly believe what he had heard. He was
wanted in Mr. Tetlow's office! It did not seem possible And there was
but one explanation of it. It must be in connection with the big
snowball. And Bert knew he had had no hand in putting it on the school
steps.
There was a buzz of talk, many whisperings, and some one spoke aloud.
It sounded like Danny Rugg, but poor Bert was so confused at his own
plight that he could not be sure.
"Silence!" commanded Mr. Tetlow, as the boys and girls marched to
their various rooms. "Bert, you will wait for me in my office," he added.
Poor Bert looked all around. He met many glances that were kind, and
others, from Danny Rugg's friends, that were not. Nan waved her hand
at her brother as she passed him, and Bert smiled at her. He made up
his mind to be brave. Bert went to the principal's office, and sat in a
chair. There was another boy there, who looked at Bert in a questioning
manner.
"Are you here to get some writing paper, Bert?" asked the other boy.
"Miss Kennedy sent me for some."
"No," answered Bert." I only wish I was. I guess Mr. Tetlow thinks I
had something to do with the big snowball."
"Did you?"
"I did not!" exclaimed Bert quickly.
The principal entered a little later, gave to the other boy the package of
writing paper Miss Kennedy had sent for, and then sat down beside
Bert.
"I am sorry to have to do this, Bert," he said, "but this is a serious

matter and I must treat it seriously. Now again, I ask if you have
anything to say to me? Perhaps you were too worried to stand up before
the whole school."
"No, sir," answered Bert, "I don't know that I have anything to say, if
you mean about the big snowball."
"Then you deny that you had anything to do with it?"
"Yes, sir. I never helped roll it on the steps." "Do you know who did?"
"No, sir. I haven't the least idea."
"And you were not anywhere near it?"
"No, sir."
"Ahem! Let me ask you, have you a knife, Bert?"
Without thinking Bert's hand went to his pocket, and then, as he
recalled something, his face turned red, and he said:
"I have one, but I haven't got it now."
"Is this it?" asked Mr. Tetlow, suddenly holding out one.
Bert did not need to give more than a single glance at it to know that it
was his knife. It had his name on the handle and had been given him by
his father at Christmas.
"Yes, that's mine," he said slowly.
"So I thought. And do you know where it was found, Bert?"
"No, Mr. Tetlow, I