"Oh! Don't, please don't."
"You'll yell worse than that when we are through with you," answered Sam.
"You bet he will," said Buster Beggs. "I got a hot cinder in my right eye."
"Don't, please don't!" shrieked Nat Poole. He was a coward at heart, and the attitude of those around filled him with sudden terror. "I didn't do it, I tell you."
"Then who did?" demanded Dave.
"Oh, I—I can't tell you. I—I——"
"Yes, you can tell," said Shadow, and gave Poole's ear a twist. The story-teller of the school had gotten some hot ashes in his mouth, which had put him in anything but a gentle humor.
"It was Link Merwell. He put the crackers under the fire and let the fuses stick up," said Poole.
"You're a fine sort to blab!" sneered Merwell. "Since you're willing to tell so much, I'll tell something too. He bought the fire-crackers."
"Is that true, Poole?" questioned Roger.