“Why not?” asked Tom. “I shall not resist; that is, if you only ferule me.”
“There is no need of giving my reasons,” said Mr. Slocum, stubbornly. “I have on more than one occasion noticed the insubordinate spirit of Julius Taylor and John Sandford; and it is due to myself that I should punish them, and I intend to do it now.”
He was preparing to punish Julius, and evidently would not have spared the rod to spoil the child, when Tom Allen interfered again.
“Mr. Slocum,” said he, stepping out from behind the desk, “I’ve got a word to say in this matter. You shall not punish Julius!”
“What!” roared Theophilus, almost foaming at the mouth. “Do you know whom you are talking to?”
“I know that I am talking to a man in a passion, who wants to do an injustice,” said Tom. “I am willing to do what’s right, and I have offered to let you ferule me; but I won’t stand by and see an innocent boy suffer for what he couldn’t help.”
“You are a rebel! I will expel you from school!” exclaimed Mr. Slocum.
“I won’t go,” said Tom, “as long as there are boys here who need my protection. I have got Julius into a scrape, and I won’t let him be punished for my fault. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
“And this is what I’ve got to say,” retorted the furious{160} teacher, bringing down the rod on the shoulders of Julius, who was struggling in his grasp.
Then Tom Allen thought it was time to act. He tore the rod from Mr. Slocum’s grasp, and flung it to the other side of the room. The astonished teacher loosened his grasp, and Tom, forcibly drawing him away, told him to take his seat. Then Mr. Slocum lost all prudence. His face fiery with rage, he pitched into Tom Allen, and there was a rough-and-tumble fight, in which Tom had the best of it. At this most unlucky time one of the trustees, the Rev. Mr. Brandon, entered the schoolroom on a visit of inspection, and stood appalled at the spectacle before him.