"We might as well go at it now as any time," said Henry quietly, removing his coat as he spoke, and preparing to begin the work. "It's got to be done, Ward, and the sooner we do it the better. Come on, old fellow, we'll soon have it all straightened out."
Ward made no reply, but he at once prepared to follow his room-mate's example, and soon both boys were busily at work. Several times there came a rap on their door, but they did not heed it, for neither was in a mood to welcome callers.
They continued eagerly at the task, working rapidly, and it was not long before the room began to take on once more something of its former appearance. The study bell had rung, however, before their labors were ended, and the rap on the door which soon came they recognized at once as Mr. Blake's.
Ward himself opened the door in response to the summons, and as he stood facing the tall teacher the flush on his face caused by his anger and his exertions had not entirely disappeared.
"I'm surprised, Hill, not to find you at your studies. A senior ought not to set an example like this. I shall wait to see that you begin your work promptly and properly."
Ward was too angry to offer any explanation. He bade Mr. Blake enter, and as he offered him a chair, he saw that Henry had at last succeeded in partially adjusting the last remaining belongings of the room.
"We're all right now, Mr. Blake," said Henry quietly. "There were some things which had to be attended to before we could begin to study."
"You ought not to take the study hours for such work," responded Mr. Blake, rising as he spoke. "I've heard you pounding up here for some time, and hoped you'd settle down so as not to disturb the others. You ought to bear in mind that there are other boys as well as yourselves in West Hall, and some of them I'm glad to say manifest a disposition to work."
As Mr. Blake went out of the room Ward could restrain himself no longer. "That's always the way with that man!" he said angrily. "No matter what you do, or how hard you try, it's all the same. He has to put in his word and it's always the wrong word at the right time too. I wish he didn't have charge of West Hall."
"Oh, well, never mind, Ward. He doesn't understand us very well, that's a fact; but so long as we know he doesn't, we know about what to expect. We'll get to work now and forget all about Mr. Blake, and that the room ever was stacked. It doesn't look how as if it had been troubled. You can't see anything wrong about it, can you?"