Those who hadn't quickly joined the army of those who had.
Only the calm counsel of Bob Somers and Dave Brandon prevented some of their hot-headed supporters from hurling the offending object to the ground and trampling it to pieces.
"The drawing is very good indeed," said Dave. "Benny's an artist. He ought to be encouraged."
"How can you talk about the mean little duffer that way, Dave?" exclaimed Tom, wrathfully.
"Don't take it too seriously, Tom. We haven't lost our jobs yet."
"All the same, I'm afraid I'll have to get out if the rumpus keeps up much longer," reflected Charlie Blake.
Brown's announcement called for a meeting that afternoon under an enormous elm on the campus. His object was to explain to the students the "Hopes'" contention that they had the better team and by gaining recruits compel the regulars to yield to their demands.
When class exercises were over "Crackers," Roycroft and Owen Lawrence, followed by every member of the "outlaws," in uniform, made directly for the tree.
A dense, excited crowd of students awaited them. A rousing cheer went up.
"Rah, rah, rah for Roycroft! Hurrah for Brown and Lawrence!" was carried off on a surging sea of sound.