I couldn’t stay out of the rumpus any longer. It had gotten beyond a class proposition now. So up I bolted.
“If he can’t prove it ... I can!” I said, in a loud voice.
Suffering fireworks, what a commotion! The fellows almost fell out of their seats. Obadiah gaped at me, mouth open clear to his wisdom teeth. Principal Sawyer jumped to his feet and came to the front of the platform.
Pete Dean, sitting right behind me, just about yanked my coat tails off.
“Shut up, you poor fish!” he whispered. “Want to get us all in dutch?”
“I’m going to speak the truth and nothing but the truth!” I said, determined to make a clean breast of everything. The Freshies acted as if they were going to applaud but the Sophs looked like they were going to use their hands for some other purpose as soon as convenient.
“If you can shed any light on this unfortunate happening we should be glad to hear from you,” invited Principal Sawyer.
Obadiah didn’t appear so enthusiastic.
“I can shed all the light there is to be shed,” I replied, diplomatic-like, “but I want to know first ... if I prove Eddie’s not guilty ... will you reinstate him?... I mean, put him back in school?”
The principal of Lillard High looked at the president of the United Classes of Lillard and the president looked at the principal. They shook their heads “yes.”