“It looks very much like it,” nodded the colonel, pocketing the book. “A very unfortunate way to feel, to put it mildly. I’m glad you found that book, Thompson, though I’m sorry it had to be just the way it looks.”
Before anything more could be said the class bell rang out and the cadets started for their classes, talking it over between them. Vigorous resentment was felt against the rival school.
“Too bad those fellows have to be such poor sports,” growled Terry, as a group of the third class men made their way down the hall.
“They can’t seem to take defeat graciously or even without crying about it,” Don said, regretfully.
“Did you fellows see the date on that rule book?” Jim asked.
“No, what was the date?” Vench asked.
“I was near enough to see it plainly. It had 1938 on it. Isn’t that a pretty old rule book for a Dimsdale student to be carrying?” Jim asked.
“It does seem odd, if you look at it that way,” Don assented. “You are sure it was a 1938 book?”
“Oh, yes. I saw it at close range.”
The school buzzed with the news all day and knots of cadets talked it over from every angle. The colonel was unusually silent and in the late afternoon he sent three seniors as a committee to Dimsdale to protest and lay the matter before the school authorities there. When they came back there was a session with the colonel and then more and eager talk around the building. Hudson had been on the committee and he entertained a big group in his room just before study period. The cadets stood around or sat on his bed and drank in his words.