Things were gradually shaping for a fight. It was clear that Frank had taken a firm stand. It was equally clear that the crowd was not satisfied or in sympathy with it.
Some of the larger boys did not relish his excusing himself on the ground of honor. Fred Gibney bawled out, "You're prating a lot about honor, Mulvy. What about the Club's honor?"
"Look here, Gibney," snapped Frank, "I have the Club's honor as much at heart as any of you, and you know it. But just now—" his voice quivered, "I know how you regard the matter. I suppose I'd feel the same if I were in your place. All I can say is that I know what I know in confidence, and I'm in honor bound. Will that satisfy you? I have said more than I intended to, but it's because I want to go the limit to satisfy the crowd on my stand."
"That sounds like a book speech," retorted Gibney, "and it's all very well for you to hide behind honor. Any of us could get out of a bad hole that way."
"That means that you think I am lying?" questioned Frank, his eyes fairly aglow.
"It means what you want to make of it," snapped Gibney.
Frank jumped from his place to get at Gibney. Dick got in between the two, but found it more than he could do to restrain Frank. As blows were on the point of being exchanged, steps were heard on the stairs, and the boys signalled that Father Boone was on the way down. At his approach, the boys assumed a more or less quiet posture. Not so Frank. He stood just where he was and as he was. His fists were clenched, his whole frame was trembling with excitement, and his face was determined and pale.
Father Boone took in the situation at a glance. He appeared, however, not to see the impending fight. Beckoning to Ned, he said, "I want you and four or five boys to help me unpack something upstairs." He knew that this interruption would give all a breathing spell, and stop further animosity. Then like a flash, it occurred to him to settle the whole thing then and there.
"Boys," said he, "your shouts and some of your talk have reached me upstairs. I am very much hurt over this affair, and I know, from what has happened, that most of you feel as I do. I caught some of the words between Gibney and Mulvy. They reveal a lot to me. First of all, apparently, what has happened was not the work of the crowd, but of a few only and you are as much mystified as I am. I am glad to know that the Club as a whole is not implicated. But a bad report has gone through the parish in regard to that occurrence, and I am bound, in duty to the parish and in devotion to you, to clear up the matter.
"And so I say now to you all, what I have already said by that notice, I ask the boys who perpetrated that rowdyism or who know anything about it, to stand out and declare themselves!"