With this the teacher went out, banging and locking the door behind him.
Jack and Pepper felt hurt and angry. They had done nothing wrong, and did not consider that they were being treated fairly.
The forenoon dragged by slowly and both boys were chilled. Growing desperate, Pepper began to hammer on the door again and his chum followed suit.
For fully quarter of an hour nobody paid attention to the noise, and they were on the point of stopping the racket when Josiah Crabtree again appeared, followed by Peleg Snuggers and another man, who did occasional jobs around Putnam Hall.
“Hold out your hands,” said the teacher, grimly; and almost before they knew it, Jack and Pepper were handcuffed. Then the teacher slipped the key of the handcuffs into his pocket.
“This, is a high-handed proceeding,” said Jack.
“I believe you objected to the cold,” said the teacher, ignoring the remark.
“We did—I am half frozen,” answered Pepper.
“Then come, and I’ll provide you with a warmer place,” was the answer.
It would have been useless to resist in the presence of the three men, and so the boys marched out of the storeroom and along the hallway. Soon they came to a cellar door.