“You’ll have to, or be arrested for libel.”
This was a bold stroke, but Jim thought he knew more than any of them when it came to accusation, law, and trickery. “Arrest nothing! You didn’t hear me. You can’t swear—”
“But these others did.” Reginald glanced about at the five or six boys looking silently on at the quarrel.
“Then they’ll have to bring suit, not you.”
“What rot is this?” Redtop lunged forward and leaned threateningly near Jim. “I don’t give a dead dog for law, but if you call Billy Bennett a thief, you loafer, I’ll mop this town with you!”
It looked to Jim as if he would have two furies to fight. “I’ll explain. Bill won’t even try to deny that he stayed out all night after the picnic with—”
“If you bring a girl’s name into this I’ll kill you! I’ll—”
“That’s right! No girl’s name may be mentioned here.”
The cool, authoritative voice was the Principal’s, Professor Teal’s. He ordered the boys to his office, and there the story of the fight and the causes producing it were retold, save by common consent the episode of the picnic was not touched.
“I’ll take this under advisement,” the Principal said quietly, when the matter had been thrashed out with no definite result. He saw it was a tangle none could unravel except those who would not. Jim had been so adroit that no gap in his story left an opening for attack.