Jack was placed on a bench outside of the gymnasium, and while Pepper ran for some water Andy fanned him vigorously. In the meantime, some small boys ran off to tell Mr. Strong and Captain Putnam of what had occurred.
“Jack! Jack!” cried Pepper, bending over his chum. “Jack, what is the matter with you?”
But Jack did not answer. His eyes were closed and now his arms and legs seemed to be getting stiff.
“This is something more than a mere faint,” said Stuffer. “I think we had better call Captain Putnam.”
“Here he comes now,” said Bart Conners. “Mr. Strong is with him.”
“What is the trouble here?” demanded the master of the Hall, as he and his assistant came up almost on the run.
“Something is wrong with Jack,” explained Pepper. “He was on the flying-rings—in a contest with Ritter, when all of a sudden he acted queer-like and fell.”
“Perhaps he had a rush of blood to the head,” suggested Mr. Strong.
“He didn’t act like that,” said Dale.
As Jack showed no signs of reviving, he was carried to the Hall, and Peleg Snuggers was sent off for Doctor Fremley, of Cedarville, who was the regular school physician. In the meantime Captain Putnam did what he could for the sufferer. His army experience had taught him a great deal, yet he was much puzzled by the case before him.