Jack only smiled and then without further notice attacked his enemy and administered what he had promised, a sound thrashing.
In a very few minutes he forced Herring to cry for a respite and to acknowledge that he was beaten.
“I could make you apologize before the doctor and the whole school,” said Jack, as he heard the bell ring to call the boys back to their duties, “but there is no shaming a fellow who is without shame and the way I have taken is much more efficacious and you will remember it.”
Then Jack left the barn and went back to the building, meeting Percival and Billy Manners at the door.
“Where have you been, Jack?” asked Dick.
“Wrestling with a passage from Cæsar,” said Jack, with a laugh.
“Did you get the best of it?”
“I think I did.”
“Yes, but you are not studying Cæsar. What do you mean?”
“I’ll tell you later if you don’t guess,” and Jack passed on and into the room and took his accustomed seat.