“How do you know?” asked Egan and his friends, in a breath.
“The superintendent received a despatch from the city a short time ago.”
“Do you know what was in it?”
“I do, for I heard him read it to one of the teachers. It ran: ‘Hold a company, provided with ten rounds per man, ready to move at short notice.’ The answer that went back was: ‘The company is ready.’”
“Whew!” whistled Curtis, while the others looked at one another in blank amazement.
“But I don’t see how that company is to get to Hamilton,” said Hopkins, at length. “There are no trains running to-day. Everything is as quiet as it is on Sunday.”
“They will go by special train,” said Don. “There are a good many passengers and a big mail that were left at Munson last night when the engineer of the lightning express was taken by force from his cab, and the mob has agreed to let them come on to Hamilton. It was all talked over in my hearing.”
“And our boys are to go on that train, are they?”