“You needn’t tell his name. If Mr. Marsh asks you, you can say you don’t wish to mention any names. He will probably let you off. He understands how one fellow feels about telling tales on another.”
“Well, I guess I’ll do as you say,” sighed Teddy. “I’d been thinking that I ought to, but I wanted to see you first. I’ll go to him to-morrow afternoon. You know he will see any of the boys from five until half-past. I’m afraid he’ll hear about it before I have a chance to tell him myself, though. Next time I’m sent on an errand maybe I’ll know enough to go on about my business. That is, if there is any next time. I’ll get a bunch of demerits for this, even if I don’t get discharged, and all for a dinky old ball.”
[CHAPTER XVI]
ALL IN THE DAY’S WORK
Teddy’s fears that the news of yesterday’s madness would reach Mr. Marsh’s ears before he had an opportunity to make a confession, were only too well grounded. While the boys were lining up for inspection the next morning, Mr. Marsh walked into the assembly room, with a grave face that spelled trouble for someone.
Teddy, standing next to Harry, gave his chum a frantic nudge that sent him against the boy next to him, eliciting a grunt of disapproval from that lad. Harry returned the nudge with less force, but with as great significance.
Mr. Marsh waited until his assistant had formed the line into its usual order. Every pair of boyish eyes was fixed on him. It was unusual for him to be present at the daily line-up.
“Boys,” began Mr. Marsh, in his pleasant, direct fashion, “something very disagreeable has happened. Yesterday afternoon two boys of the store messenger force decided to play a game of ball on the balcony. What they were doing up there remains to be seen. Certainly they were not attending to business, or they would not have done what they did do. One of them couldn’t have been a very skilful catcher, for he missed the ball and it flew over the balcony rail and hit a man on the head who was going about the store’s business. If it had hit him squarely on the head, it might have injured him seriously. It just grazed his head, however, but caused him intense pain. Now, I know that two of our boys are guilty. An employee of the store saw the whole thing from the first floor, but could not describe the boys. Those boys must be made to understand that we cannot tolerate such conduct. If they are manly boys, they must be very sorry by this time for their fault. What I came here for this morning is, the whole truth of the matter. I am going to put you on your honor. Will the two boys who were playing ball on the balcony yesterday step out of line?”