“That wasn’t so bad for Coulter,” whispered Jack to Pepper.
One after another the pupils were questioned, but all had nothing to say. Even Mumps said “Nothing to say!” in a voice that was as stiff as starch.
“He’s afraid of his life,” whispered Andy. “I told him he’d be treated to an icy bath if he said two words.”
“School will come to order!” thundered Josiah Crabtree, after the name of the last cadet had been called out. “I shall inquire into this later on. We will now take up our studies for the day.”
“He’s beaten!” said Jack, and the young major spoke the truth. Try his best Josiah Crabtree could not get at the bottom of the mystery, and at last he had to give it up, for fear of being ridiculed by Captain Putnam and George Strong.
CHAPTER XXIII
BURIED UNDER THE SNOW
One morning the cadets of Putnam Hall awoke to find the ground covered with snow. The storm had started in about midnight, and was still raging, the wind sending the flakes whirling in all directions.
“Hurrah for the snow!” shouted Andy, as he rushed to one of the windows to look out. “Pep, this is glorious!”
“Fine!” came from the Imp. “Oh, but won’t we have a dandy time snowballing each other!”
“And building a snow house,” put in Stuffer. “I love to build a snow house, and after it’s all done, we can put benches inside, and a little table, and have——”