Sue snatched something up and bolted for her house. She ran like a hare, and although Hodge started forward, she beat him to it.
"I'll take it to the Head's house," she shrilled back to us.
What it was she had found I didn't know, but I took heart, and Archie and I fairly galloped towards the house, carrying the guy.
Hodge and his pals held us up for a bit, but we managed to get by; and no sooner had I dumped the guy, than I yelled to Sue.
"Hallo," she said, coming to the fence.
"What was the clue? Let's see," I urged. It might be something I can recognise."
"Smart work, Sue," said Archie grudgingly.
We expected Sue to hold up at least something, but she held up only empty hands.
"I didn't find anything," she said, smiling. "It was bluff."
We blinked and stared, amazed. Of all the stupid ideas!
"Bluff!" choked Archie. "What good's that?"
"You can't bluff the Head," I frowned.
But Sue winked.
"Boys have no brains," she said. "Meet me in the road in a minute. I've got a wonderful idea. I'm going to put something in an envelope - - they won't know what it is."
It was just baffling, and certainly beyond our brains. I looked at Archie, and we both gave short laughs that were near to being scoffing. For really! What a bluff!
"And when the Head opens it - - what then?" asked Archie.
"It may never reach the Head - - that's the idea," smiled Sue. "Hodge thinks I have a clue. When I take a large envelope and you come to escort me to the Head, what will he do?"
"Try to seize it?" I frowned.
"Exactly," said Sue.
"And if he does seize it?" I asked.
"That will prove his guilt. Why else should he try to seize it?" she asked.
Without giving us a chance to argue, she darted into the house. We went to get our bikes. A few minutes later she came out with a foolscap envelope into which something had been tucked.
On the far side of the road were Hodge and his pals, seemingly looking for a lost coin, but obviously watching.
"I've got the clue in this envelope," said Sue to us very loudly, so that Hodge could hear. "You'd better escort me to the Head, chaps."
Archie and I had known from the start it was a soppy idea that could come to nothing; but we hadn't expected Hodge to ride straight off home; he lives only a short way away, and he called to his pals that he was off and would see them later.
But when he had gone home, and Sue looked a bit dismayed, Hodge's pals rallied. A burly chap named Stevens came forward. Hodge had said something to him, and Stevens was acting according to plan.
"Have no fear, Sue," he said mockingly. "We'll escort you."
"We'll look after you, Sue," said another chap.
They marched across the road, completely blocking it so that it was impossible for us to cycle past.
Every time we tried to ride past they blocked the way, but they certainly didn't try to seize the package.
Suddenly we heard a bell, and Hodge came back.
"Hurry - hurry to the Head," he urged us. "You're not going fast enough - - "
Then - without warning - he whipped the envelope from Sue's hand.
Next moment his pals in a mob tried to get it and pass it from one to the other like a rugger ball.
It was a terrific scrimmage and by bad luck who should suddenly come driving down the road in his car but the Head.
The gang stopped, and to my amazement Hodge gave the package back to Sue.
The Head stepped from his car, furious.
"What a disgraceful scene!" he exclaimed. "Hodge, you appeared to be the ringleader."
Hodge doffed his cap.
"Sorry, sir," he said. "I was rescuing Miss Sonning's clue."
"Clue?" said the Head, baffled, while Archie, SUe and I looked on in amazement - and anxiety.
"Yes, sir. She is convinced that these chaps. Jenkins and Wiles, didn't put the gown on the guy, and she found a clue which she was taking to you, sie. None of us likes to think that the wrong chaps might be blamed, sir."
Sue went a little pink. The last thing she wanted was to give the Head her "clue"!
"Is there a clue? Let me see it," frowned the Head. "You found this in the field?" he asked Sue, and took the envelope from her nervous fingers.
Archie and I groaned. For the bluff had failed. Whatever it was in the envelope meant nothing, and the Head would think we were trying to make a fool of him.
As the Head started to open the envelope, we gathered round and I saw Sue go white.
"I shouldn't touch it, sir," she said anxiously. "J-just look!"
But the Head tipped the contents out onto his hand.
It was a mere clod of earth with some grass on it! Sue, at the sight of it, gasped. And so did the Head; he gasped and glared.
"A clod of earth - a clue? Is this a joke?" he demanded, reddening. "Sheer impertinence. I - - "
Sue interrupted him; she was quite excited.
"Oh, but that isn't the right thing - the envelopes have been changed," she said wildly. "I see it all - - that's why Hodge went home, to get an envelope!"
Hodge had swapped envelopes!
It was likely enough; it was the kind of trick Hodge would play; but Sue had no proof of it. She was really and truly in the soup, and she hadn't helped us. But she didn't look at all downcast.
She looked around for Hodge and asked where he was. Then she grabbed the Head's arm.
"Oh, please," she said in her earnest, pleading way. "Do take me in your car after him. This proves he is the culprit and he was frightened. You see, the clue - - "
"But what is the clue?" asked the Head angrily.
"I put in some cottonwool soaked in printing ink; if he's taken it out his hands will be purple," said Sue excitedly. "And he won't have gone far round that bend without opening the package. Why should he open it, if he's not guilty?"
The Head hesitated, and then beckoned to her, and got into his car and drove off. Hodge's mob went after them, and Archie and I followed too. We had just rounded the bend when we saw the Head's car halted. Hodge was in the middle of the road and the Head was stepping from his car.
"Show me your hands, Hodge," he barked in his sternest tone.
Hodge hesitated, but there was no way out; his right hand was absolutely purple, and in the gutter lay some purple cottonwool.
"Proof enough!" rapped the Head. "It was you who put the mortar-board and gown on the guy, Hodge. Why should you scheme to prevent my seeing the supposed clue in the envelope if you are not guilty?"
Hodge was cornered; the game was up and we were cleared. I grabbed Sue and hugged her; Archie grinned.
"Good old Sue!" I chortled happily. "What a wheeze!"
And Sue's eyes shone like stars with happiness and pride.
* * * * *
It was a wizard fireworks display. We burned the guy - and the old hat and sports coat which Hodge had admitted hiding (and had had to tell us where). Sue let off some rockets, although Archie wouldn't let her handle the real bangers. But it was a giant success. I reminded Archie that but for Sue we couldn't have proved our innocence, and like a sport he admitted it.
So we all parted pals, and pals I hope we'll all be for ever.
