“I’ll have breakfast to-day—or pull down the Hall!” said the youth who loved to eat.
“The question is, What are we going to do?” said Jack, in a loud voice. “Mr. Crabtree wants us to apologize and promise to do exactly as we are told in the future. What have you to say to his proposition?”
“No apologies!” was the cry.
“No promises to do just whatever he wants,” added Dale. “He is too unreasonable.”
“That’s it!” said Fred.
“Tell him we are willing to return to our lessons and behave ourselves,” said Bart Conners. “And add that we are willing to leave the question of punishment for what has happened to Captain Putnam.”
“That’s the talk!” said several.
“And if he won’t give in, sure, we can break down the dures, bedad!” came from Emerald. “We can have a regular Donnybrook Fair time, so we can!”
“If possible we ought to keep from further quarrels,” said Jack. “Let us arbitrate if it can possibly be done.”
So it was finally decided, and again Josiah Crabtree and Pluxton Cuddle were called to one of the doors of the two rooms. In a calm voice Jack explained to the teachers and pleaded that the whole matter be allowed to rest until Captain Putnam’s return. He said he would vouch for it that the boys would go back to their studies just as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. He added, that he thought it was a disgrace to bring the strange men to the Hall as guards and he asked that they be dismissed.