"Let’s all have a hand in it. Bring out ink and paper and the things needed, Fletch. Let’s get right down to work."
So, in a very few moments, these three youthful schemers were hard at work framing a protest against Dick Merriwell being excused from drill that he might practise on the football-field. They stated, as well as they could, that it was not fair to others of the class to favor a certain one in such a way, taking care, as they thought, to make their language impressive without being offensive.
"There!" cried Scudder, when it was finished; "that ought to be a regular bombshell!"
"If it doesn’t raise a rumpus, I’m no prophet," chuckled Fletcher.
"Merriwell will be angry," said Watson faintly.
"What the dickens do we care!" said Uric.
"His brother will be sore when he hears of it."
"His brother is nothing to us. Besides, it will be a good thing to show Mr. Frank Merriwell that he does not run things here at Fardale."
"Who signs first?" questioned Jim timidly.
"Scudder," said Fletcher positively.