Then there was a cheer which could be heard down at Cuthberton.
After a time Roy, Jack, Ambrose, and Rob Jones extricated themselves from the throng of happy boys,
and with Gill and Andrew Garrett repaired to the Philosophy classroom, or Hilson's parlor, as it was called, which the other members of the class considerately left at their disposal for the time being.
“Oh, what a day we're having,” sighed Jack Beecham as he sank into a chair.
“Glorious, isn't it?”said the jubilant Bracebridge.
“And now that we are alone,” began Andrew Garrett, "that is, among special friends, I want to say something.”
All were silent in an instant. Gill, who did not appear to have realized the previous strained relations between the two cousins began to say something funny, but he was checked by an unmistakably significant glance from Ambrose, who had become quite serious, for he rather expected a scene, if not an explosion. Shealey, who had come in, was too full of fun and nonsense to imagine that anybody just now could be serious, but when he saw the nervous look on Ambrose's face, and the evident nervousness of Garrett, he, too, realized that it was time to suspend bantering.
All the friends were standing in a group around Henning, laughing and chattering as only boys thoroughly happy can laugh and chatter, when Garrett began to speak. At the sound of his voice, they all, with Roy in the center, turned and faced Garrett as he stood two or three feet away.
“I want to say something,” Garrett began again, "and I think it only fair, Roy, to say it before these others, as well as to you.”
Henning bowed slightly, having only a faint idea of what was coming. At present he was too pleased to know that Garrett was not implicated and that the family name was untarnished.