CHAPTER V.
A SCENE IN THE SCHOOLROOM.
In the meantime, what of affairs in the dormitory? Was all going asquietly as Tom had anticipated?
As soon as Tom went below Dick locked the door, then turned again to thewindow. Sam was trying to climb from one room to the next, but could notget a satisfactory hold.
"Here, give me your hand," cried Dick softly, and reaching forth he soonhelped his brother to a position of safety.
"Say, aint it dangerous?" asked Tubbs anxiously, as he gazed to theground, twenty feet below.
"You've got to run some risks, Tubbs," said Dick. "Quick, or you may betoo late."
Fearful of a fall, the rich youth put out one foot and a hand. Dicktried to reach him, but was unable to do so.
"A little further, Tubbs," he said encouragingly.
A PERILOUS CLIMB._Rover Boys in the Mountains_.]
"I--I'm afraid I'll fall," was the trembling answer. Then the richyouth let out a cry of alarm. "Somebody is coming!"
"Come," cried Dick, and reached out a trifle further. As Tubbs gave theeldest Rover his fingers Dick hauled him from the window and literallyswung him into the dormitory. Then, as Tubbs landed in a heap on thefloor, Sam closed the window and locked it.
"Now you must clear out to another room!" cried Dick. "Whoever wascoming will find that window wide open, and guess you have escaped inthis direction."
"But where can we go to?" asked the rich youth.
"Go to Dormitory No. 6. Only young Adler is in there, and Hemmingway,and they are on a vacation until after Christmas. The closet is a bigone, and you can both hide on the upper shelf. Quick! I'll bring yousome supper."
All three left the dormitory, and Sam and Tubbs scurried off in thedirection indicated. As for Dick, he lost no time in reaching the messhall.
"Sorry, sir," he said to the under-teacher. "The bell couldn't have rungvery loud."
"It rang as loud as usual," was the answer, and no more was said, theteacher's head being just then full of other matters.
Glad to get off so easily, Dick lost no time in eating his supper. Whilemaking way with the food he stowed a goodly portion in his pockets, ina couple of spare napkins, and by some silent motions from Tom learnedthat his brother was doing the same.
Just as the students were finishing the meal, Jasper Grinder came in andwalked down the aisles between the tables. He looked both angry andperplexed. As he came close to Tom he paused.
"Excuse me, Mr. Grinder, but won't you let Sam out of the stone cell?"asked Tom, to avoid being questioned.
"You be silent Rover," muttered the teacher, and passed on withoutsaying more.
After the supper hour it was usual for the students to have half an hourto themselves, during which they might read, play games, or do as theypleased. But now Mr. Grinder called them together in the main classroom.
"I wish to talk to you young gentlemen," said the teacher, when all wereseated.
"We're going to catch it now," whispered Tom to Dick. "Don't you givethe secret away."
"Indeed I won't," answered the eldest Rover. "I intend to lay the wholecase before Captain Putnam as soon as he returns."
"Silence!" thundered Jasper Grinder. "I want you boys to stop talkinginstantly."
"I didn't say anything," murmured several in an undertone.
"Silence, I say!" repeated the master, and then all became so quiet thatthe ticking of the clock could be heard distinctly.
The teacher gazed around at the scores of faces and looked more stemthan ever.
"I am going to question all of you separately, and I trust each of youwill tell the truth. The question is, Do you know what has become ofSamuel Rover and William Tubbs? or Do you know what they have done? Ishall start with the first boy. Hickley, what have you to say?"
"I don't know anything about them," answered the boy named Hickley.
"Brainard, do you know?"
"No, sir."
"Parkham?"
"I know they had a little set-to in the gymnasium, but that's all. Thewhole thing was a friendly bout, I guess."
"I am the best judge of that. It was a disgraceful fight. What have youto say, Griggs?"
"If you say it was disgraceful I suppose it was, sir. I thought it wasonly a friendly dispute----"
"Stop! I want you to answer the original questions, yes, or no."
"No."
"No, what?"
"No, to both original questions."
"No, sir!" and Jasper Grinder stamped his foot.
"Oh! All right, sir. No, sir, to both questions, sir."
There was a titter at this, which caused Jasper Grinder to grow red inthe face.
"Boys, be quiet!" he shouted. "If you do not be still I will keep all ofyou in to-morrow."
As this would have spoiled the chances for a good skate and someexciting races, the boys immediately subsided. Then the questioning wenton until Dick Rover was reached.
"I don't know where Sam and Tubbs are now," said Dick. "Perhaps they arefrozen stiff."
"Did you aid them in escaping from the stone cell and the storeroom?"
"No, sir."
"Have you seen them since I placed them there?"
"Yes, I have," answered Dick boldly, seeing it was useless to beat aboutthe bush longer.
"Oh! Then you did aid them to escape?"
"Not from the stone cell and the storeroom. I met them after they hadescaped."
"Where did you see them last?"
"I decline to answer that question."
"Decline!" thundered Jasper Grinder.
"I do, sir. As soon as Captain Putnam arrives I shall lay this wholematter before him, and learn if you have any authority for placing mybrother in a place where he is liable to catch a cold which may give himpneumonia and be the cause of his death. As it is, my brother suffered agreat deal, and so did Tubbs, and if they get sick from it you may besure that you will be held legally accountable. It was an inhuman thingto do."
As Dick finished there was a murmur, and then a number of the studentsbroke out into applause, while Tom clapped his hands as hard as hecould. Jasper Grinder stood at his desk dumbstruck, with his facegrowing paler each instant.
"Silence! silence!" he exclaimed, when he could control his voice."Silence, I say, or I will cane you all! This is--is most unseemly--itis--er--mutiny! Silence!"
"I mean just what I say, Mr. Grinder," went on Dick, when he could beheard. "You are master here, and we are bound to obey you, in certainthings. But you shan't keep my brother in an icy room all night, and ona supper of stale bread and cold water. Such treatment would almost makea mule sick."
"Rover, will you be silent, or must I get the cane?" gasped JasperGrinder, almost beside himself with rage.
"If you get your cane, sir, you won't hit me more than once with it."
"Won't I? We'll see who is master here."
"My gracious! Is he really going to try to cane you, Dick!" exclaimedTom.
"I suppose he is," was the cool answer. "He is so angry he doesn't knowwhat he is doing."
Rushing from the classroom Jasper Grinder presently reappeared, carryinga cane which looked as if it might hurt a good deal, if vigorouslyapplied.
Tom could not help but grin. Dick was almost as tall as theschool-teacher, and probably just as strong, and the idea of a caningappeared ridiculous in the extreme.
Caning was not allowed at Putnam Hall, but evidently Jasper Grindermeant to take matters in his own hands.
"Richard Rover, come up here," he thundered.
"What for, sir?"
"To receive the punishment you so richly deserve."
"Mr. Grinder, you haven't any right to cane me. It's against CaptainPutnam's rules."
"I don't care for the rules--I mean, you have acted in such anoutrageous manner that I must do whatever I think necessary to upholdlaw and order."
"I am willing to stand whatever punishment Captain Putnam sees fit toinflict. But I shall not take a caning from you."
r />
"Won't you? We'll see."
As Jasper Grinder spoke he leaped from the platform and strode rapidlytoward the spot where Dick was standing.
The eldest Rover did not budge, but remained where he was, eying theenraged school-teacher determinedly.
"Don't you dare to strike!" he said warningly, as the cane was raisedover his head.
"I will!" cried Jasper Grinder, and was about to bring the cane downwith all force when Tom caught it from behind and wrenched it from hisgrasp.