True Blue: Stirring Stories of Naval Academy Life — page 30: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

28 TRUE BLUE. “I don’t approve of-lead weights myself, and I didn't approve of that crowd all the way here, where they dis- robed.”’ *So ? *» “lL got suspicious, so to speak.” “You are trying to lead up to something, I can see that,” said Clit. “You're clever—I am.” “And now give it/a name!” “Well, then, getting suspicious, it struck me—as it seems to have struck you—that those fellows lied when they talked about simply scaring a fellow.” “Good logic!” Because, they must have known what I plainly see.” That is?” “You aren't of the scary kind.” “Thank you.” “IT made up my mind I would keep track of them,” “Did you do it?” “I tried.” “Good tor you!” “Guess the clothes are safe here. You come along. [ reckon it's only right and proper, since you have acted so handsomely, to put my clew in your hands.” “Oh! you have a clew ?” “If it hasn't failed, for I intended to follow them up when I had leisure.” “What is it?” “A spool of thread.” “Show me.” “You come.” Clif spurred up magically. He was working good re- sults out of handling his innocent assailant just right. The man led the way out from among the bushes to the clear routeway of the glen. “I fixed that,” he said. “I see,” murmured Clif. A spool of fine white thread had been so attached to the loop of a flexible branch that it would pay out on pressure slick as a ball of string from an oiled pivot, _ It was nearly paid out to the nubbin now, and was sta- tionary. r oo F, req ; “Well?” insinuated Clif, guessing, but not sure.