“Oh, well, you don’t need to get mad about it. I was only joking about it.”
“I don’t see anything funny in any such jokes,” returned Billy, “and I would advise you to take them to a market where they are better appreciated than they are here.”
“Ah, you think Sheldon is a lot,” sneered Herring, “but he isn’t any better than any one else.”
“Maybe not. It depends who the any one else is,” laughed Billy.
From the words that the bully dropped to his associates, however, it was clear that he meant mischief to Jack and would pay off his supposed debts as soon as opportunity offered and there was the least chance of detection.
There were examinations coming on and Jack was getting ready for them, devoting all of his spare time to studying so that he would be able to pass with the greatest credit to himself and his instructors.
The next number of the Hilltop Gazette would give the results of the examination but there was other matter to be prepared for it, the standings being the last matter to go in.
On the afternoon before the examinations were to begin Jack borrowed Percival’s runabout and set out for Riverton with the copy for the school paper and something he had written for the weekly News, furnishing something now every week.
It was rather late when he started, as he had been busy up to the last moment and when he left the office after seeing Mr. Brooke and looking over the matter already set up it was growing dark, the sun being already behind the hills.
He would be back in time for supper, however, and as he had his lights in good order he had no fear of being out after dark.