“It certainly was,” nodded Ben, “and I’ll guarantee Prof. Richardson regarded it in that light. Perhaps that’s one reason why he declined to pull all those fellows over the coals. You see, he’d been forced to jump on some that he plainly regards as his best scholars, and, as long as you made no complaint, he let it pass by handing out that lecture about hazing.”
“Which,” said Rod, “was sure enough straight dope. This hazing business, when it’s carried too far, as it is right often, certainly is all to the bad—as I have good reasons to know.”
“You haven’t asked who wrote that letter,” reminded Ben.
“I’m not right sure I want to know.”
“Why not?”
“Because I never could regard the squealer with an atom of respect. I don’t quite understand why he wrote it, either.”
“You know the professor threatened to probe into the matter and do his best to find out and punish the guilty parties.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I suppose the fellow who blowed was afraid some one else would do the same thing, and simply tried to make himself immune from punishment.”
“Likely that’s right.”