Macdonald Hall #7: The Joke's on us

The Discus Thrower

Sector Watch Inc. sent a team of troubleshooters to locate the glitch in Miss Scrimmage's security system. Six technicians combed the school, searching for the one trouble spot that was keeping the Fortress Ultra-Deluxe off-line.

They began by checking all the fuse and junction boxes for broken circuits. They found nothing. The next step was a thorough examination of all the door and window connections. Everything was secure.

"Oh, good," said Miss Scrimmage. "So there's nothing wrong."

"Well, not exactly," the crew chief admitted. "We know there's a break in the loop but we don't know where it is."

Miss Scrimmage looked alarmed. "My word, what shall we do?"

He smiled kindly. "Don't worry. We'll find it. But first we have to shut down everything." "Gracious! Why?"

The chief's eyes widened. "Why? That kind of tinkering could set off the alarm!"

"Well," chided Miss Scrimmage, "that's not the end of the world." "No," said the man through clenched teeth. "It just sounds like it." Miss Scrimmage tittered. "Oh, you fellows are so full of fun."

***

Cathy and Diane also watched the progress of the work crew, Cathy in amusement, and her roommate in growing panic.

"Cathy, this is horrible," she quavered. "Those poor workmen have been tearing the whole school apart for hours and we could show them the problem in three seconds!"

Cathy shrugged. "They get paid."

"That's not the point," Diane insisted. "This is wrong!"

Cathy smiled serenely. "What's wrong is keeping three hundred tender young ladies in a prison camp. So if they never find that broken wire, it'll be too soon for me."

She watched benignly as a technician crawled down the hall, training a flashlight along the baseboard, following the wire that was stapled there.

"Hi, ma'am," Cathy greeted the young woman warmly. "I just got a package from home. Want a cookie?"

The technician looked up and smiled. "Yeah, thanks." She savored the chocolate chip cookie and accepted another. "These are delicious. Your mom's a great cook."

"I'll tell her," said Cathy. Actually, this stash had been baked in Miss Scrimmage's kitchen and was destined for Rex. " 'Bye."

When the technician resumed her painstaking check of the loop, she began on the other side of their door — past the break in the wire that the girls had concealed under the carpet.

***

In the main foyer of the Faculty Building, Wilbur and Boots held the top of the giant art board and Chris Talbot unrolled his poster.

Bruno gawked. "It's beautiful! It's perfect!"

TORONTO INDOOR TRACK & FIELD MEET SKYDOME DECEMBER 4 & 5

blazoned the heading in big, red letters.

Below this was a painting of the famous Greek statue of the Discus Thrower. The nude marble figure was viewed from behind and it was definitely not Chris's best work. This was as per Bruno's instructions. The artist had deliberately drawn the hips more than twice the normal size. The result was that the Discus Thrower was positively pear-shaped, with a gigantic hind end that seemed to stare back at the viewer.

Wilbur emitted a low whistle. "Man, check out the size of that butt! It looks like the back end of an aircraft carrier!"

"It's colossal!" agreed Boots with reverence.