“I have hired a tract of land over a hundred acres in extent,” went on Captain Putnam. “We’ll go out as we did before, taking all our tents and our camping outfit with us.”
“And how long will the encampment last?” asked Jack. He was as much relieved as Pepper over the outcome of the clapper affair.
“At least two weeks, Major Ruddy, and perhaps longer—if the carpenters and masons do not finish up here in time. I do not want the students to come back here until the alterations are complete. To-morrow I shall announce more of the details. The students will now go to their classes as usual.”
As the boys poured forth from the chapel exercises Jack and Pepper worked their way over to Dale and Fred.
“Your visit to Deacon Pelham did the trick,” whispered the young major. “I am a thousand times obliged to you.”
“And so am I,” added The Imp.
“I want to know about this banding together the captain mentioned,” said Fred. “I never heard of it before.”
“I think I can put you wise,” came from Bob Grenwood, who was near. “I overheard Ritter and Coulter talking about it.”
“It would be like Ritter to get up that report!” cried Pepper. “He would do anything to get our crowd into trouble.”
“I know it,” said Grenwood, who had once suffered greatly at the hands of the bully, as I have related in detail in “The Putnam Hall Rebellion.”