“All right,” said Bob, “I’ll sign her,” and he wrote “Robert M. Holliday” in big letters at the top of the column intended for the names. Jack put his name under Bob’s.
But when they got to the school-house it was not so easy to persuade the rest. At length, however, Johnny Meline signed it, and then Harry Weathervane, and then the rest, one after another, with some grumbling, wrote their names. All subscribed to it excepting Pewee and Ben Berry and Riley. They declared they never would sign it. They didn’t want to be kept in at recess and after school like convicts. They didn’t deserve it.
“Jack is a soft-headed fool,” Riley said, “to draw up such a thing as that. I’m not afraid of the master. I’m not going to knuckle down to him, either.”
Of course, Pewee, as a faithful echo, said just what Riley said, and Ben Berry said what Riley and Pewee said; so that the three were quite unanimous.
“Well,” said Jack, “then we’ll have to hand in our petition without the signatures of the triplets.”
“Don’t you call me a triplet,” said Pewee; “I’ve got as much sense as any of you. You’re a soft-headed triplet yourself!”
Even Riley had to join in the laugh that followed this blundering sally of Pewee.
When the master came in, he seemed very much troubled. He had heard what had been said about the affair in the town. The address which Jack had written was lying on his desk. He took it up and read it, and immediately a look of pleasure and relief took the place of the worried look he had brought to school with him.
“Boys,” he said, “I have received your petition, and I shall answer it by and by.”
The hour for recess came and passed. The girls and the very little boys were allowed their recess, but nothing was said to the larger boys about their going out. Pewee and Riley were defiant.