CHAPTER XVI.
THE MILITARY SCHOOL.
TOM was astonished as well as delighted that he had escaped so easily; for, understanding the ’squire’s disposition as well as he did, he had expected to be severely dealt with. The ’squire had said that he “looked mean,” and Tom had told him that he felt so; but one, to have seen him at that moment, would have had cause to doubt it, for he looked, and indeed felt, as if he had done a very smart thing. He had been a prisoner in the hands of the Philistines, and had escaped without a whipping, and, more than that, without divulging the names of any of his accomplices. But, after all, he had no cause to pride himself upon this point, for the ’squire had not asked him who his companions were. Had that gentleman taken the trouble to inquire into the matter, Tom, in order to screen himself, would have told him every thing he wanted to know.
When the grand commander reached the common, he suddenly found himself surrounded by his friends, who, after placing a safe distance between themselves and the ’squire’s dogs, had waited for Tom to come up.
“What did he do to you?” asked Johnny, eagerly.
“O, nothing,” replied Tom. “If some of you had been in my place, you would not have escaped as easily as I did.”
“Did he ask you who were with you?” inquired another.
“It wouldn’t have made any difference if he had,” answered the grand commander, indignantly. “Do you suppose that I would split on you? We are safe out of the scrape, and that’s the end of it.”