But the mutiny of the juniors was a surprise. No one imagined that their threats at revolt were anything more than the ordinary bluster in which these young braves notoriously dealt. Had they sinned in ignorance it would have mattered less. But they had gone to the meeting in deliberate defiance of their captain’s order, and in the face of his warning as to what the consequences of disobedience would be.
The discipline of the house was at an end if a flagrant act of insubordination like this was to be allowed to pass unnoticed. Besides, if allowed to spread, other fellows would go over to the enemy, and the “moral” effect of the strike would be at an end.
A peremptory summons was therefore dispatched to Percy and his friends to appear before the prefects of their house that same evening.
“That all?” inquired Percy of the middle-boy who brought the message. “We hear you. You needn’t stop.”
“I’ll tell him you’ll come?” said the messenger.
“I don’t mind what you tell him. Cut out of our room, that’s all. We aren’t particular, me and my chaps; but we draw the line at louts.”
“He says if you don’t come—”
“What’s to prevent him saying anything he likes? Look here, young Gamble,” (Gamble was at least two years the senior of any boy present), “if you don’t cut your sticks, they’ll be cut for you. So there.”
Gamble gave a general invitation to the party to come and try to tamper with his sticks, and departed with a final caution as to the desirability of obeying their captain.
“Lick,” said Percy, when he had gone, “how much grub have we got in the room?”