“It will do you no good to run away,” he cried, as he came up and caught each by the arm. “Ah, so it is you, Coulter, and you, Ritter. You will report at once at Captain Putnam’s office.”
“We weren’t doing anything,” growled Gus Coulter.
“You can tell the captain your story.”
Meekly Ritter and Coulter marched into the Hall and to the office. They knew not what to say. They had not dreamed of being locked in the store-room, and the table with the glassware had been knocked over by Ritter in an endeavor to get the window open in the dark.
“Well, young men, what have you to say for yourselves?” demanded Captain Putnam, sternly, as he confronted the pair.
“We broke the glassware by mistake, sir,” answered Reff Ritter. “I will pay for the damage done.”
“But what were you doing in the store-room at this time of night?”
“We—er—we came down to get—er—to get some lemons,” faltered Coulter. “I—er—I had a pain in the stomach, and I thought sucking on a lemon would cure it.”
“Humph! Did you have a pain, too?” and the master of the Hall turned to Ritter.
“No, sir, but—er—Gus was so sick I thought I had best come down with him,” answered Ritter.