"Hears of WHAT?"

"Well, I just couldn't stand it, I got so curious; and I thought of
course if Miss Spence HAD become a little unbalanced it was my duty to
know it, as Penrod's mother and she his teacher; so I thought I would
just call on her at her apartment after school and have a chat and see
and I did and--oh----"

"Well?"

"I've just come from there, and she told me--she told me! Oh, I've NEVER
known anything like this!"

"WHAT did she tell you?"

Mrs. Schofield, making a great effort, managed to assume a temporary
appearance of calm. "Henry," she said solemnly, "bear this in mind:
whatever you do to Penrod, it must be done in some place when Clara
won't hear it. But the first thing to do is to find him."

Within view of the window from which Mr. Schofield was gazing was the
closed door of the storeroom in the stable, and just outside this door
Duke was performing a most engaging trick.

His young master had taught Duke to "sit up and beg" when he wanted
anything, and if that didn't get it, to "speak." Duke was facing the
closed door and sitting up and begging, and now he also spoke--in a
loud, clear bark.

There was an open transom over the door, and from this descended--hurled