“I’m suffering from a complication of clothes,” I whispered to the doc ... and then there was two of us laughing instead of one.
Obadiah sent his mother in to see what was up. And at the same time my folks arrived with some of my own clothes.
“The boy’s all right,” said the doc, after he got his second wind. “All he needed was a good laugh ... and I’ve just finished giving it to him!”
He winked at me as he went out the door.
I didn’t get a chance to see the other fellows till school commenced next day and then it was too late to explain what had happened. There was an air of direful expectancy among the Sophs ... and the Freshies moved about in fear and trembling.
Sure enough! The bell rang for a special session of chapel the very first thing. We shuffled into the assembly room ... most of the school wondering what it was all about. Principal Sawyer was on the platform with the president of the United Classes of Lillard. It was evident right off the bat that the meeting had not been called for entertainment purposes.
“Everyone but the Freshman and Sophomore boys is excused from this chapel to attend regular classes,” said the principal.
There was a murmur of curiosity and a lot of confusion as the room was cleared and the fellows who were left, gathered in two bunches up toward the front.
When things had quieted down so that every fellow was having a good time listening to his heart skip beats, Obadiah got up at a nod from Principal Sawyer and walked to the edge of the platform, glaring down at us.
Honest—I felt like snickering again! All the kink was out of his stand-up hair and he looked like he’d shrunk two good inches. He reminded me of a drooping water lily ... but mad? Say, he was the living embodiment of all the righteous indignation in the world!