CHAPTER XV WORDS AND BLOWS
The meeting at the boathouse lasted for nearly an hour, yet no definiteconclusion was reached. Some of the boys wanted to wait and see whatdeveloped, while others were for taking the most drastic actionimmediately. At last it was voted to wait, and to leave the matter ofwhat was to be done in the hands of a committee of five, of which Jackwas the chairman. The other four members of this committee were Pepper,Dale, Bart Conners and a cadet named Barringer, a youth who had thedistinction of being the first cadet enrolled at the Hall, and whosefolks were warm personal friends of Captain Putnam.
“I am sure if we act with care and fairness Captain Putnam will upholdus,” said Frank Barringer. “But there must be no rowdyism. If there is Ishall withdraw from the committee and from whatever is done.”
“I shall not favor rowdyism,” answered the young major. “But neithershall I allow Crabtree or Cuddle to walk over us.”
“Oh, I agree on that, Major Ruddy. Both of those teachers have been fartoo dictatorial. But it was a mistake to throw potatoes and bread aroundthe dining room, and it was vile to throw an inkwell at Crabtree,” addedFrank Barringer.
During the afternoon Josiah Crabtree drove to Cedarville in CaptainPutnam’s coach. When he returned he had with him three men, burlyindividuals who looked like dock hands—and such they were.
“What are those men going to do here?” asked Andy of his chums.
“I can’t imagine,” answered Pepper. “If they were going to do some workthey wouldn’t come at this time of day.”
“Let us see if Peleg Snuggers knows anything about it,” suggested Dale,and he and the others walked down to the barn, where they found thegeneral utility man putting up the team the teacher had used.
“Come to help me, young gents?” asked Snuggers, with a grin.
“Peleg, we want to know what those three men came for?” said Dale.
“Oh!” The general utility man shrugged his shoulders. “Better go an’ askMr. Crabtree—he brung ’em.”
“You mustn’t say ‘brung,’ Peleg,” said Pepper. “It’s bad geography. Youought to say bringed or brang.”
“Well, you see, I ain’t never had much schoolin’,” was the reply, as theman scratched his head. “Say,” he went on, with a grin, “you had highjinks this mornin’, didn’t you? I wanted to laff right out, but I didn’tdast.”
“Are those men going to work here, Peleg?” demanded Jack, sternly.
“Why don’t you ask Mr. Crabtree? He brung—no, bringed, no brang ’em.”
“Are they here to keep the peace?” asked Andy, suddenly.
“Mr. Crabtree said as how I wasn’t to say nuthin’ about it,” stammeredthe general utility man.
“Then he brought them here for that purpose?” demanded Jack.
“Yes—but don’t let on as how I told ye!” whispered Peleg Snuggers. “Hean’ Cuddle got scart, I reckon, and Crabtree said he was goin’ to gitsome special policemen to keep the peace.”
“Well, if that isn’t the limit!” cried Pepper.
“The next thing you know he’ll be marching the whole school down to theCedarville lock-up,” came from Dale. “That is—if he can!” he addedsignificantly.
“Now please don’t let on I said a word about it!” pleaded PelegSnuggers. “If ye do it may cost me my place.”
“We won’t utter a syllable,” answered Jack. “Remember that, fellows,” headded, and the others nodded.
“Crabtree is awful mad,” went on the man of all work. “He an’ that newteacher have got it in for all of ye! Better watch out!”
“We will,” said Pepper; and then he and his chums walked away.
It was now time for the afternoon dress parade, and the cadets had tohurry to get ready. Soon the drum sounded out and the cadets gathered onthe campus. Jack got his sword and took command, and put the boysthrough a drill that would have done any army officer good to behold.Only a few boys, like Ritter, Coulter and Paxton took advantage of thefact that Captain Putnam was absent, and to these the young major andthe other officers paid scant attention. Ritter hoped he would be“called down,” so that he might have a chance to answer back, and itmade him sour when this opportunity was denied to him.
It was whispered around what the three Cedarville men had been broughtfor, and loud were the denunciations of Josiah Crabtree in consequence.
“He wants to give Putnam Hall a black eye,” said Stuffer. “If he was agentleman he would let us settle this matter among ourselves.”
“If those men try to do anything I fancy there will be a pitchedbattle,” said another.
As was the custom, Jack marched the battalion around the grounds andthen into the mess hall, and here all sat down to the tables for supper.They saw the three strange men sitting at a side table, in company withthe gymnastic instructor, and near at hand were half a dozen heavycarriage whips.
“Jack, did you notice the men and the whips?” questioned Pepper, in alow, excited voice.
“I did—and I think Crabtree and Cuddle are crazy,” was the equally lowresponse.
“Young gentlemen!” called out Josiah Crabtree, from his place at thehead of a table. “This noon we had a most outrageous scene enacted here.Such a scene must not be repeated. We must have order—no matter what thecost.” And he allowed his eyes to wander toward the three strange menand the gymnastic instructor and then to the whips.
No more was said, and the waiters began to bring in the food. There wasbread and butter, some very thin slices of cold roast beef, tea, andsome exceedingly small pieces of plain cake.
“What a supper!” murmured Pepper. “Does he take us for fairies?”
“I could eat three times as much as this,” said Andy. “Poor Stuffer,this will just about finish him!”
“It’s an outrage!” cried Dale, but in a low tone.
“Mr. Crabtree!” The call came from Stuffer, who had arisen.
“What do you want, Singleton?” snapped the teacher.
“I want more to eat.”
“You have all you are going to have. Sit down, or else leave the room.”
“I am hungry, and——”
“You boys all eat too much,” interposed Pluxton Cuddle. “Hereafter youare to have what is proper for you and no more.”
“I tell you I am hungry,” insisted Stuffer.
“Sit down, or leave!” cried Josiah Crabtree.
“I want some more too,” put in Andy.
“So do I!” added Henry Lee.
“We are entitled to more,” came from Dave Kearney.
“Our folks pay for it,” said Reff Ritter.
“Will you be quiet,” stormed Josiah Crabtree. “Mr. Cuddle and I knowwhat is best for you.”
“Mr. Crabtree!” called out Jack, getting up. “In the name of this schoolI demand that you listen to me.”
He spoke in a full, ringing voice that penetrated every corner of thedining hall. Instantly every eye was fastened on the youthful major.
“Ruddy!” gasped the teacher. “How dare you talk to me in this fashion!Sit down! Sit down instantly!”
“Not until I have had my say. Mr. Crabtree, the cadets of this schoolhad a meeting this afternoon, and we resolved to——”
“Ruddy, sit down and be quiet, or I’ll have you put out!” burst outJosiah Crabtree, purple in the face.
“We resolved that we would not stand this treatment any longer. Acommittee was formed, of which I have the honor to be chairman. Thiscommittee is willing to have a conference with you and Mr. Cuddle,and——”
Jack got no further, for, wild with rage, Josiah Crabtree had motionedto two of the strange men and these fellows now came forward, each witha whip in his hand.
“Don’t strike Ruddy!” called out Pepper. “If you do, you’ll rue it!” Andhe caught up a plate from the table.
“Put those whips down!” came from a dozen boys, and on the instant themess hall was in an uproar. Nearl
y every cadet armed himself with aplate, cup or saucer.
The strange men who had come close to Jack halted, and then slunk back.They saw that the cadets “meant business” and as a consequence they wereafraid to act.
“Boys, keep quiet!” called out Jack, in the midst of the din, and whenthe tumult had somewhat subsided, he went on: “Mr. Crabtree, do not gotoo far, or the consequences will be on your own head. We are willing todo what is fair and just. But you must treat us fair and just, too, andwe want the same kind of food, and the same quantity, that we had whenCaptain Putnam was here.”
“I would like to ask one question,” put in Frank Barringer. “Did CaptainPutnam authorize anybody to cut down our food?”
“He authorized Mr. Crabtree and myself to manage the school,” snappedPluxton Cuddle.
“That isn’t answering the question,” said Jack. “Did the captain sayanything at all about the food?”
“I am not on the witness stand,” snarled Cuddle.
“We intend to manage this institution as we deem best,” said JosiahCrabtree. “I command every student present to put down the dish he isholding.”
“Then make those men retire and put down the whips,” cried Andy.
“Yes! yes!” was the cry. “Take the men and the whips away!”
Again the tumult arose, and in the midst of the uproar a plate whizzedthrough the air and struck Pluxton Cuddle on the shoulder, causing himto utter a cry of pain and alarm. Then a saucer landed on JosiahCrabtree’s bosom.
When the first plate was thrown the men with the whips sprang forward,and in a twinkling half a dozen cadets felt the keen lashes. But thencame more dishes, and one man was hit on the nose and another on thehand.
“Hi! we can’t stand this!” called one of the men. “We’ll be killed! Comeon!” And dodging a sugar bowl, he ran out of a side door, and the othermen, including the gymnasium instructor, followed him. Then, shaking hisfist at the students, Josiah Crabtree backed out also, and PluxtonCuddle followed.
“Hurrah! We have vanquished the enemy!” cried Andy.
“Boys, stop that plate throwing!” called out Jack. And then graduallythe excitement died down. Only the cadets and the waiters were left inthe mess room. The waiters were so scared and perplexed they did notknow what to do.
“Let us have some more eating,” exclaimed Stuffer. “We may not getanother chance like this in a hurry.” And he gave a waiter an order tofill. Then came more orders, and the waiters went off, grinning from earto ear, for at heart they sided with the students.
While waiting for more food the cadets talked the situation over fromevery possible point of view. Many condemned the plate throwing, whichhad been started by Ritter and Coulter. Yet all were glad that the menwith horsewhips had been routed. What to do next was a question nobodywas able to answer.
“I know one thing we ought to do,” said Jack. “Telegraph to CaptainPutnam to come back at once.”
“That’s it!” cried Dale. “Do it before old Crabtree sends a message.That will show the captain we are not afraid to leave the case to him.”
“We’ll have to get his address first,” said Henry Lee.
“I have it,” answered Frank Barringer, “and I’ll send him a telegramto-night. But I don’t think he’ll be able to get back here inside ofseveral days.”