“You fastened the trap door of the belfry, did you?” put in Pepper.
“I did.”
CHAPTER IV
PUNISHING A BULLY
After the frank confession of the bully of Putnam Hall that he had fastened the trap door of the church belfry, there was a moment of intense silence. He faced Jack and Pepper with a sickly grin on his face.
“It was a joke on you all right enough,” he continued. “You were lucky to get away as quickly as you did. What did you do,—force the trap door open in spite of the bolt?”
“Ritter, I think you are about the worst boy that ever came to this school,” said Pepper.
“Oh, you needn’t preach to me, Ditmore.”
“I wouldn’t say so much if you had played that trick on me alone,” went on The Imp calmly. “But to play it on Jack—after all he did to save you from being expelled—well, it’s beyond me. I guess you don’t know what a conscience is.”
“If you are going to talk to me like that I’ll smash you one in the jaw!” fired back the bully. “I know what I am doing, and it’s not for you to teach me manners.”
“Do you know that Jack came close to losing his life at the church and all because you locked us in the belfry?” added Pepper.