"A stone!"
"Where did it come from, Andy?"
"It was under Pepper's body. I believe it was in the snowball that hit him!"
"Who would be so mean?"
"I rather guess I know," answered Pepper, and looked around for Ritter and Coulter, but the bully and his crony had disappeared.
Pepper and Jack were carried tenderly into the Hall and placed in easy chairs in the reception room. Presently both had recovered consciousness fully, and each had his head bound up in bandages.
"Phew, but that was a crack I got!" sighed The Imp. "I thought a rock had hit me!"
"It was Coulter who threw that snowball," said the young major. "I saw him do it, and I was running to help you up when I got struck myself, and went down."
"And I am pretty sure Ritter hit you, Jack," came from Andy. "Anyway, I saw him aiming for you just before you staggered and fell."
"Andy, those fellows must have hit us with stones!" muttered The Imp.