"John D. Fitzgerald - The Great Brain At the AcademyUC - 4" - читать интересную книгу автора (Fitzgerald John D)

Tom was as flabbergasted as a duck who discovers it
can't swim. "Do you mean to tell me you would inform on
your own brother?" he asked.

"I can't help it," Sweyn said. "I promised Mom and
Dad that I would keep an eye on you. And if you get into
any trouble they are going to blame me."

Tom munched on his bar of candy while he put his
great brain to work. "I sure feel sorry for you if you do
tell," he finally said. "That would force me to tetl all the
kids at the academy that my big brother is a tattletale. And
that, S.D., will make you about as popular as a skunk in a
parlor."

Sweyn was beat and knew it. "That's blackmail," he
said. "But all right. I want a signed statement from you that
any trouble you get into at the academy is your own fault.
I'll need it to show to Mom and Dad when you get ex-
pelled."

"That is fair enough," Tom said.

He got down his suitcase and removed a notebook
and pencil from it. Holding the suitcase on his knees he
wrote:

To Whom It May Concern:

No matter what happens to me at the Catholic
Academy for Boys I take all the blame personally.
T. D. Fitzgerald

He tore the page from the notebook and handed it to
Sweyn. "Does that satisfy you?" he asked.

24

Sweyn read the note. "I'm satisfied," he said.

Tom was no dummy. He handed the pencil and
notebook to Sweyn. "Now write what I tell you," he said.
"To whom it may concern: I promise not to interfere with
anything my brother does at the Catholic Academy for
Boys. And sign it."

Sweyn wrote the statement and handed it to Tom.
"I'm not interfering," he said. "Just giving you some
brotherly advice. Every once in a while they have an in-