In spite of the cloud that thus hung over the 79 affair, every one of the chums was glad of the extra time in which to make up the lost lessons. Not one of them had to grind away as hard as before, and Dave took a little time off, in which to send a letter to his father and another to Jessie.
The next day was warm and pleasant and, after school-hours, Roger proposed to Dave that they take a walk up the woods road back of the school.
“All right, a walk in the woods will do us good,” was the answer. “Shall we ask some of the others?”
“If you wish,” and in the end Phil went along, and also Buster Beggs and Gus Plum.
“My, but I had a run-in with old Haskers this afternoon,” said the stout youth. “I came close to carrying the matter to the doctor.”
“What was it about?” questioned Dave.
“Oh, nothing at all, to my way of thinking. I went to the library to get a book and he accused me of wasting my class time. He was very ugly. I won’t stand for much more of it,” grumbled Buster.
Dave said no more, but he and Roger exchanged glances. Evidently the irate instructor was going to “take it out of somebody,” as the saying goes.
The boys walked on and on, along the road, until Oak Hall was left far behind. Soon Buster 80 forgot his troubles, and the crowd were chatting gayly of many things.
“Call for candidates for the baseball team next Saturday,” announced Gus Plum. “I hope we get up a team this year that knocks the spots out of Rockville Military Academy and all the other institutions we cross bats with.”