ve the police investigate
this whole matter," said Mr. Stevens, "but I am afraid that that would
get us nowhere, for as you say, it would be pretty difficult for you to
identify those men and we couldn't even prove that it was at Chuan Kai's
place that you were held prisoner. I guess the next thing for us to do
is to wait for some word to come from Tracey Campbell."

But no word of explanation came. For a few days Tracey Campbell lay in a
semiconscious condition; he then grew rapidly better and at the end of
the week was removed to the Campbell home.

The leather dealer, who had been away on a business trip at the time of
the Ridgley-Jefferson game, had, of course, been summoned back to
Greensboro by telegram. Twice he came to Ridgley School for a conference
with Doctor Wells. His attitude on the occasion of his first visit was
one of indignation and arrogance. He indicated to the Head that Ridgley
School was responsible for the whole tragic incident and that
explanations were in order. When he learned that his son was under
accusation and that there was evidence to give weight to the case, his
attitude underwent somewhat of a change. He was still in a warlike mood,
however, and left Doctor Wells with the promise of getting at the root
of the whole matter and exonerating his son. On the occasion of his
second visit, however, his attitude was quite different. He now wished
to hush up the whole affair and treat the thing as an unfortunate
incident which could not be too quickly forgotten. Tracey Campbell would
not return to Ridgley School. As soon as he recovered sufficiently to
travel his father intended to send him to Florida. From certain remarks
that the leather dealer made, it was evident to Doctor Wells that Tracey
had confessed his part in the theft of the trinkets and money. In regard
to the charge of being implicated in the kidnapping of Teeny-bits, Mr.
Campbell declared that nothing had been proved against his son and in
his opinion it was doubtless "all a story made up by that young
Teeny-bits fellow in order to curry favor and win popularity."

And so the matter was left as far as the Campbells were concerned,
though it was said that Mrs. Campbell called Doctor Wells on the
telephone and in her shrill voice denied vigorously that her son had
acted in any manner unbecoming to "the son of a gentleman" and that for
her part she thought that the school was a poor one and that she wished
they wouldn't have such g