“Never mind who says so. We know it to be a fact,” stormed Snopper Duke. “Will you kindly let me know what you mean by such outrageous conduct?”
“Is it so very outrageous, Professor, to bring a few snowballs into the school?” questioned Randy innocently.
“We’ve often brought snow into the school,” put in Andy. “We used to use it for making a sort of home-made ice-cream—with milk and sugar and a little flavoring, you know.”
“Colonel Colby or Captain Dale never ordered us to leave the snow outdoors,” added Fred, and at this there was a snicker from among a number of the cadets who were gathered.
“I will not listen to such nonsense,” stormed Snopper Duke. “You four brought those snowballs into this school, and some of you kicked that snowball down the stairs on top of me,” he added, glaring at them.
“I want to say right now, Professor Duke, that that big snowball went downstairs by accident,” answered Andy, feeling that there was no help for it and that he must make a clean breast of the matter. “We were rolling it down the corridor when all at once I slipped in a puddle of water and both my feet struck the snowball and sent it on its way down the stairs. But we didn’t mean to send it down; I can give you my word on that.”
“I don’t believe it,” stormed Snopper Duke.
“I’m telling you the truth, sir.”
“Perhaps Rover didn’t mean to send the snowball downstairs,” put in Professor Grawson mildly. As a general thing he sided with the cadets and they had little difficulty in getting along with him.
“Mr. Grawson, I was the one to suffer through this outrageous trick,” fumed Snopper Duke. “And you will kindly permit me to handle the affair. These four cadets are guilty and must be punished.”