Macdonald Hall #3: Beware the Fish!

Euclid is Putrid

Bruno Walton crawled out of bed late on Sunday morning and went listlessly over to Elmer's video broadcast machine. He flicked the On button.

* * *

The head of Mighty Mouse disappeared from Sergeant Featherstone's TV set, to be replaced by the familiar fish.

Thanks to a certain somebody, the audio crackled, Operation Popcan was a complete and total disaster with absolutely no redeeming features.

A great feeling of elation surged through Featherstone. All the misery and discomfort had been worth it. He had foiled Operation Popcan!

The voice went on. The Fish Patrol has decided that activities cannot go on unless this certain somebody is out of the way. Be warned. The Fish will have revenge!

Featherstone was stunned. They were planning to dispose of him! He rushed into the bathroom to dictate his report.

* * *

"Bruno, why do you keep doing that?" asked Boots, who had also slept in that morning. "You know no one can hear it."

"It's an outlet for my frustrations," said Bruno. "Miss Scrimmage is driving me crazy."

"How are you going to get her out of the way ?" asked Boots. "You can't murder her."

"Much as I'd like to," muttered Bruno. He wandered to the window and lifted the blind. "Will you look at that!"

A long line of girls stretched from Dormitory 3 all the way across the road to Miss Scrimmage's. At the door of the dormitory stood the Headmistress herself, supervising the removal of the pop cans and casting an occasional fuming look at Mr. Sturgeon who had established himself in a lawn chair and was watching the proceedings with great interest.

Boots came to the window. "There go our pop cans," he observed with mixed emotions.

Bruno nodded sadly. "But we're not dead yet. There are lots of ways to get publicity."

The door opened and Elmer Drimsdale climbed in over Boots's bed and made his way around the equipment to his newest device. "Good morning," he said. "I was just down the hall getting some things I need from Larry's radio. Since Sidney broke it anyway, Larry said I could have the parts."

"Great," said Bruno. "Get to work. But first, tell us what you want us to do with your plants and stuff."

Elmer whipped out a sheaf of papers half an inch thick. "I've prepared a booklet outlining your duties," he said, handing the papers to Boots.

Bruno and Boots sat down to read their instructions as Elmer commenced tinkering on his remote-control machine.

Bruno looked up helplessly. "Elmer, how am I supposed to tell the difference between Aspidistra 7 and Boston Fern 3?"

"The fern has serrated leaves," explained Elmer, "while the aspidistra's leaves are green and white striped. Besides, the names and numbers are marked on the pots."

"Oh."

"I'll do the ants," offered Boots. "Ants are my specialty."

The three boys set out to complete their respective tasks.

* * *

Sergeant Harold P. Featherstone, Junior, watched and waited. It was after noon when the tall thin man with the long nose came out of room 14, got into his car and drove away. Silently Featherstone crept out of his room and stepped over to the next ddbr. From his belt he produced a long, narrow object which he inserted carefully into the lock, moving it painstakingly. Five minutes passed. The click which his training had told him to expect was not forthcoming. He jiggled for another few minutes, reflecting that the entire population of Chutney had by then had enough time to spot him crouched before the door of room 14. Frustrated, he stood up and kicked the wall. There was a click and the door swung wide. Removing the lock-pick, he dashed inside and shut the door.