CHAPTER XXI THE BOYS "HOLD THE FORT"
Quarter of an hour passed, and still Josiah Crabtree and Peleg Snuggersremained in the vicinity of the gymnasium, while the boys, from behindthe window shades, watched all of their movements.
"They are cold enough," was Dale's comment. "See them slapping theirarms."
At last the crabbed teacher could stand it no longer. Leaving the generalutility man to remain on guard, he started back for the Hall at a briskpace.
"He is coming!" whispered Jack. "Now, boys, don't make a sound."
Reaching the door, Josiah Crabtree tried the knob.
"Humph! Who could have locked that?" he asked of himself. "Certainly Idid not. Snuggers must have the key."
"Ain't got no key an' I didn't lock the door, Mister Crabtree," said thehired man, on being questioned.
"Well, it is certainly locked now."
"Ain't nobuddy come here neither," said Peleg Snuggers. He was growingtired of waiting around in the cold.
"I'll try the other doors," came from Josiah Crabtree, and he hurried offonce more. Of course he found everything tight shut.
"Somebody has locked us out," he muttered. "It must have been those boys.Perhaps they saw Snuggers and myself going to the gymnasium. Confound theluck!"
Again he walked around the Hall, trying all of the doors, and when he haddone so, called to Snuggers:
"Have you a key?"
"No, sir."
"They have locked us out."
"You don't say so! Who did it?"
"I don't know."
Josiah Crabtree pondered for a moment and then, walking back to the maindoor of the Hall, pulled the bell.
Ordinarily the bell pealed loudly, but now no sound came forth, for theclapper had been bent back by one of the cadets.
"Ha! they have disconnected the bell!" growled Josiah Crabtree. "Theyoung scamps! I'll fix them for this! Just wait till I get inside." Andthen he began to thump on the door with his fist.
"He's getting warmed up," whispered Andy, grinning broadly.
"Never mind, it will keep his blood in circulation," answered Jack, andall of the cadets present snickered.
"Are you going to open that door?" roared Josiah Crabtree, at last. "Youyoung villains, open the door, I say!"
"My, but he's getting complimentary, I must confess," said Dale.
"Do you think the noise will wake up Mrs. Green?" asked one of the boys.
"No, she sleeps like a cow," answered another. "Besides, her room is atthe top of the building, and all of the upper doors are shut."
"Open the door!" bellowed Josiah Crabtree.
"Open the door!" echoed Peleg Snuggers.
"Shall we answer?" asked Joe.
"Not yet," returned Pepper. "Wait till he tries to break in. Then I'vegot another scheme to work on him."
Finding he could do nothing at the door, Josiah Crabtree hurried to oneof the windows.
"Now, fellows, is your chance!" cried Stuffer. "A little water from oneof the pitchers--"
"Whoop!" came from Hogan. "It's a bath he's afther nadin', sure!" And upthe stairs he bounded. Water pitcher in hand, he approached a window overthe one the teacher was trying to open. Then down came the water on theteacher's head, wetting him thoroughly.
"Ouch!" roared Josiah Crabtree, and began to dance around. "Oh, the waterhas gone down my back! It's ice-cold! Oh, I'll pay you for that!"
"Thank you, no payment requoired!" said Hogan, softly, and closed thewindow again.
"Emerald, you're a gem!" said Andy. "Won't old Crabtree feel fine with awet back on such a bitter night as this?"
"If you don't let me in I'll--I'll have the law on some of you!" yelledJosiah Crabtree. "This is--er--preposterous! Open the door!"
"All the winders is tight shut," said Peleg Snuggers, who had been makingan examination. "I must say, I dunno how we are to git in, Mr. Crabtree."
"We must get in," fumed the teacher. "Why, my back feels like a--er--anicicle."
"Sorry, sir."
"If I stay out here I'll catch my death of cold."
"I've got an idee, sir. I might get a ladder and put it up to thesecond-story winders."
"Yes, yes. Get the ladder at once."
The general utility man hurried off to the carriage house and presentlycame forth carrying a long ladder.
"It's all I can do to lift it, sir," he said. "You'll have to help meraise it."
"I can do that."
"They've got a ladder!" whispered Jack. "They are going to try to getinto one of the upper windows."
"Come on upstairs," returned Pepper. "Say, has anybody got a blankcartridge left?"
Several had, having saved them from the encampment, and they were passedover to Pepper, who placed one in his gun. Then Andy loaded up likewise.
"Put on your caps, boys," said Pepper. "Pull 'em down over your eyes, soCrabtree can't recognize us in the dark."
This was also done, and a score of students crowded into the room whichthe teacher and Snuggers expected to enter.
They had scarcely done so when there came an unexpected crash. In tryingto raise the heavy ladder both Josiah Crabtree and Snuggers had allowedit to slip, and the end came through the window sash, shattering thewindow panes into a thousand pieces.
"Phew! That's the time they did it!" exclaimed Henry Lee. "There will besome glass to pay for when this adventure is over."
"Well, that wasn't our fault," came from Harry Blossom. "They should havebeen more careful with the ladder."
"Snuggers, have a care!" roared Josiah Crabtree. "You have broken thewindow."
"Twasn't my fault!" howled the hired man. "Why didn't you keep her fromslippin'?"
"Hold the bottom of the ladder while I go up," ordered the teacher,ignoring the question. "Be careful now. I don't want to break my neck."
"I'm a-holdin' tight enough," grumbled the hired man.
With caution Josiah Crabtree started to come up the ladder.
"Here comes the burglar, boys!" shouted Pepper, in an assumed voice. "Hehas broken the window. He deserves to be shot!"
"Yes, yes! shoot the burglar!" came in a shout. "Shoot him!"
"We'll teach 'em that they can't rob Putnam Hall even if Captain Putnamis away."
"Stop!" screamed Josiah Crabtree. "I am no bur----"
"Take careful aim," commanded Pepper, loudly. "All ready?"
"Boys, I am no bur----"
"All ready?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Boys, I command you to sto----"
"Fire!"
Bang! bang! bang! went three of the guns, the cadets shooting high upinto the night air. With a wild scream of terror, Josiah Crabtree sliddown the ladder, on top of Peleg Snuggers' head, and both sank to theground.
"There goes Mr. Burglar!"
"Run away, you robber! If you don't we'll give you another dose!"
"Oh, my poor head!" groaned Snuggers.
"They are shooting at me!" moaned Crabtree, scrambling up.
"They be takin' us for burglars!" went on the general utility man.
"There are two of them," came from above. "Shoot them, fellows! They mustbe regular desperadoes to try such a game as this."
"Let us run!" screamed Peleg Snuggers, and set off at his best pace, withJosiah Crabtree at his heels. Neither stopped until he was safe in theshelter of the barn.
"There they go!" laughed Pepper. "I'll wager they won't come back in ahurry."
"Shove the ladder off," commanded Jack, and this was done, the ladderfalling out across the campus.
"Of course they'll come back," came from Dave Kearney. "What shall we donext?"
"Sure an' there is plenthy av water," suggested Hogan.
"That's the ticket. Put the guns away, or we may arouse Mrs. Green afterall, or somebody living at a distance."
The guns were restored to the racks on the lower floor of the Hall, andthis done, two students stationed themselves at each window upst
airs,each with a pitcher of cold water.
"Here is where somebody is going to get a fine ducking," said BartConners, with a merry twinkle in his eyes. Bart did not do much talking,but he was as full of mischief as the average cadet.
Soon they saw Josiah Crabtree and Peleg Snuggers sneaking toward one ofthe lower windows. The hired man had an ax.
"They surely mean business this trip," whispered Pepper. "Give it tothem!"
Down went one pitcherful of water after another, and in a trice both theteacher and the hired man were thoroughly drenched. They set up a howl,and Snuggers dropped the ax as he ran off with Crabtree by his side.
"Haven't we had about enough?" questioned Jack, after a wild burst oflaughter.
"Let's go to bed, and be as mum as oysters," said Andy, and this wasagreed to. All of the upper windows were closed, and then some of thecadets unlocked the door below that had been open, and fixed the doorbell.
"Now, then, not a word from anybody, on his life!" said Jack, and theword spread rapidly. Inside of five minutes every cadet was in bed, thelights were put out, and all became as silent as a tomb inside of PutnamHall.