"I don't mean to suggest that you carried the book off intentionally, Edwards, but it occurred to me that possibly you might have--er--taken it up by mistake, absentmindedly, so to say, and--er--brought it up here with you." "No, sir, I didn't." Steve looked at the instructor questioningly.

"I don't see why you'd imagine that, sir, either." "Er--well, I knew--that is, someone told me that you were in my room, Edwards, and I thought--that possibly--quite by accident--you had--er----" "I was in your room, Mr.Daley, and I waited two or three minutes for you; maybe longer; and the blue-book was on the table when I went in and it was there when I came out." "You--you had a blue-book in your hand, however, did you not, when you--er--left ?" "A blue-book?
No, sir." "Oh! That is strange, Edwards.

You are certain you didn't take down a blue-book of your own and bring it back again ?" "Absolutely sure, sir." "But--er--someone saw you leave my room, Edwards, with a blue-book in your hand." Steve flushed and his voice held an angry tremor as he answered: "Someone was mistaken, Mr.Daley, whoever he was.

Seems to me, sir, if the book is missing, you'd better ask that 'someone' about it." "Um; yes; maybe." Mr.Daley blinked embarrassedly.

"I--er--I thought that perhaps you had brought down your French composition and had possibly, in leaving, taken up Upton's book with your own by mistake.
You--er--you're quite sure that didn't happen, Edwards ?" "I'm positive, because I haven't done my composition, sir." "Haven't done it ?" "No, sir," replied Steve a trifle defiantly.
"But--er--it's pretty late, and you know they are to be handed in to-morrow, Edwards.