"Well, let's show Fred we intend to stand by him," exclaimed Buttons.
This suggestion met with ready response, and, with a rush, Fred's adherents gathered about him.
"Get a trimming?" queried one of them.
"Worse than that," responded Fred soberly. "I can't defend my father and myself against Bart."
"Whe-ew! How Bart and his crowd will crow!" lamented Soda. And from the expressions on the faces of the others it was evident he had voiced their sentiments.
"But why can't you? What did the Head say?" demanded Buttons.
Eagerly the others looked toward Fred.
"I will be suspended if I fight."
"Jumping grasshoppers! but that is a bad one!"
It had been the proud boast of Baxter that never but once had a student been suspended, whereas in the rival school of Landon suspensions were of almost yearly occurrence. The boys grew silent in the contemplation of the penalty.