I could hear the Freshies gasp. But what could they say? All they could do was to break out with nervous perspiration.
It was the first time that the president of the Student Government League had taken any notice of dripping me!
“Wh-wh-what! D-d-did they th-th-throw y-y-you in, too?” he stammered. “W-w-well, up-up-upon m-m-my w-word! I’ll m-m-make th-th-them p-p-pay for th-th-this!”
Here’s where Eddie Summers came up for air.
“The Freshies didn’t do it, Mr. Tucker! It was the Sophs ... they....” he started to explain.
“Y-y-you c-c-can’t t-t-tell me th-th-that! I know a-a-all about it! And besides ... I-I’m p-p-pretty n-n-near frozen t-to d-d-death. I-I’ll attend to y-y-you f-f-fellows in the m-m-morning. Th-th-there’ll be a s-s-special meeting of the League t-t-to t-t-take up your cases. R-R-Ralph, h-h-hadn’t y-y-you b-b-better c-c-come over t-t-to my h-h-house wh-wh-while I g-g-get a doctor?”
Obadiah’s teeth were making a sound like a freight train clattering over a cattle guard at a railroad crossing. He was getting worse right along. Eddie did have presence enough of mind to offer to help him home.
“H-h-help m-m-me h-h-home?” Obadiah glowered, “S-s-such imp-p-p-pert-t-tinence!” He shook a shaky fist at the leader of the subdued Freshies. “G-g-get along with you, b-b-before I l-l-lose m-m-my t-t-temper!”
The boys backed off, kind of bewildered like ... as if they didn’t know just what would be the proper caper,—but when they got a little ways off they broke into a run and scattered mighty quick.
I picked up Obadiah’s glasses and he stood for a minute with his knees leaning together, trying to put them on ... but his hands shook so hard that he couldn’t locate his nose. He finally gave up trying and took a couple of steps toward home ... peering around like he was afraid some distinguished citizen of Lillard would pass by and see him in his undisguised state. But the coast was clear.