"I was 'fraid you might thump him, an' the perlice would jump in."
"We didn't reckon on bein' jugged jest 'cause of him," Bill replied, quietly. "Instead of fightin', Dan jest shoved him inside the post-office quick-like an' I let him have a couple of mighty good clips alongside the head. When he yelled, we lit out an' come up here. If it hadn't been that you're tryin' so hard to get into the Department, we might er had a row with the duffer; but seein's anythin' of the kind would give you a black eye, we kept quiet."
Dan and Master Dean both appeared to think they deserved praise for having been so cautious, and Seth did not believe it would be wise to reproach them for what had been done.
After this affair there was nothing out of the ordinary in Seth's life for ten days or more, except during the two Saturday nights he slept at Ninety-four's house, where on each occasion it was his good fortune to go out with the engine.
At headquarters Mr. Fernald pushed him along in the drill as rapidly as possible, and he was allowed to devote considerably more than two hours each day to the lessons.
At school he made as much advancement as could have been expected, and really came to look forward with pleasure upon his tasks there, for 'Lish Davis's remark as to the value of an education had not been forgotten.
Then came the day when he was summoned from the yard where he had been taking part in a drill with ladders, to meet a stranger who handed him a printed document, the meaning of which he failed to understand until Mr. Fernald explained that it was a subpœna, or, in other words, a command for him to appear in court on the following morning to give evidence in the case of the State vs. Jipson Collins.
The officer who brought the summons stated that he had served a similar document upon Dan Roberts a few hours previous, and cautioned Seth against failing to obey.
"I reckon they'll have to get along without me, 'cause I can't leave here," he replied, as if believing such an excuse must be accepted by any fair-minded judge.
Then it was Mr. Fernald explained the nature of a subpœna, and Seth was decidedly surprised at learning that he could, and probably would, be arrested if he refused to obey.