CHAPTER XVIII
THE STRIKE
For a moment amazement held Professor Skeel motionless. Several boyswere filing through the door before he could manage to make a move. Thenhe sprang to the portal.
"Stop!" he commanded. "I demand that this nonsense cease. Return to yourseats, and continue the recitation!"
"Will you hear us on just one day's lesson--the usual length?" askedTom, turning back.
"No! Certainly not! You will do exactly as I say, and recite the doublelesson. I will make no compromise."
"Then it's a strike," replied Tom. "Come on."
The boys continued to follow him. For a moment it looked as if ProfessorSkeel would resort to physical measures and hold the boys in his room,but he did not.
He scowled at them, but the fact that there were several large lads inthe class, lads who had a reputation as boxers, probably deterred him.The last student filed out, and under the leadership of Tom they allstood in the corridor.
"Well, we did it," remarked Jack, and there was a trace of awe inhis voice. It was the first time, in his experience that a class had"struck," against a disliked teacher. He was a little doubtful of theoutcome.
"Of course we did it," replied Tom. "It was the only thing to do."
"And what's the next thing?" asked Bert Wilson.
"Go to history lecture, as soon as it's time," declared Tom. "We'vehalf an hour yet. I suggest that we act quietly and as if nothing hadhappened. Report as usual in history class."
"But what will Skeel be doing?" inquired Jack.
"We'll have to wait and see. It's up to him now. I know one thing,though, I'll never go back to his class until he admits that he was inthe wrong, and releases us from double lessons. That's what I'm going todo, and I don't care if they suspend me!"
"The same here!" came from several, and then the lads dispersed to theirrooms, to do a little studying on history, or to various parts of thecampus.
As for Professor Skeel, that worthy did not know what to do at first.Clearly he had been outwitted, and by Freshmen! He must recover andmaintain his reputation as a disciplinarian, somehow, but how?
"I'll--I'll suspend every one of them until they beg my pardon!" heexclaimed. "As for that Fairfield, I'll see that he is expelled! Theinsolent puppy!"
But mere words never did any good yet, and Professor Skeel knew this. Hemust act, and he resolved to hit on some plan that would give him thevictory. But first blood had been drawn by the students, and he realizedthat.
He decided to remain in his lecture room until the period was up, inorder that he might think, and so that none of his fellow members on thefaculty would not ask embarrassing questions as to how his class haddisappeared.
"I'll get even with them," he declared. "They shall beg my pardon, anddo more work than ever before."
He decided that he must first lay the matter before Doctor Meredith,for he could not act on his own initiative. He would ask that stringentmeasures be taken. With this in view, at the time when Tom and his chumswere filing into history class, as if nothing had happened, ProfessorSkeel sought the head master.
There was a little feeling of nervousness on the part of our hero andhis associates as they faced Professor Whitely, who had ancient historyat his finger tips, but, though he had heard some rumors of trouble inthe Freshman Latin class, he did not refer to it, but plunged at onceinto the work of the day.
Nor did anything take place during the remainder of the lectures whichfilled up time until about two o'clock. In the meantime, however,Professor Skeel had placed the matter before Doctor Meredith.
"They went on strike, you say?" asked the head master. "Bless my soul! Inever heard of such a thing! I have known laboring bodies to refuse towork, but how can students strike?"
"By refusing to recite, or to remain in class," answered the Professor.
"And did the Freshmen do that?"
"They certainly did."
"Dear, dear! What a situation!" exclaimed Doctor Meredith. "What apeculiar position! I really never heard of one like it."
"Nor I," admitted Professor Skeel dryly. "But something must be done."
"Oh, assuredly; most assuredly," Doctor Meredith answered his colleague.
"And something drastic!" went on the Latin instructor.
"Oh, yes,--er--I suppose so. Really it is rather a novelty--a strike ofstudents."
"Novelty!" puffed Professor Skeel.
"Yes. I never heard of such a thing. Really I think some sort ofpsychological study might be made of it--the causes and effects youknow. What peculiar action of the brain cells brought it about. Thereason for it. I think I shall write a paper on it for the Internationalsociety. It will create a sensation, I think."
"I think so myself. But, in the meanwhile, something must bedone--something drastic. The strike must be broken."
"Oh, of course. I--er--I perfectly agree with you," and Doctor Meredithspoke dreamily. He was already forming in his mind the chief points fora paper he determined to write on students striking. "We should have tobegin with the cause," he murmured. "Ah, by the way, Professor Skeel,what was the reason the Freshmen walked out, and refused to recite?"
"They declared they would not do the lessons I had set for them."
"Why not?"
"They said they were too long--or rather, their leader, Tom Fairfield,did."
"Ah, and so they have a leader, just as in an industrial strike. Veryinteresting, very."
"Interesting!"
"Yes--er--that is from a psychological standpoint, of course."
"Oh, I see. But something must be done. Even though, as a punishmentfor careless work, I doubled the usual lesson, that is no excuse forstriking."
"Oh, and so you doubled their lessons? Well, I suppose they naturallyresented that. But, of course, as you say, I presume that was no excuse.But I will do something. I will act at once. I have thought of the bestplan."
"What is it?" asked Professor Skeel, hoping it was the suspension of theentire class, and the expulsion of Tom.
"We will treat with the strikers, just as is done in industrialstrikes," said Doctor Meredith with an air of triumph, as if hehad discovered a most unusual way of settling the trouble. "Wewill arbitrate. That is the best way. I will send them a personalcommunication, when they have assembled. I must make some notes. If youwill kindly post a bulletin, requesting the class to assemble in, say,the gymnasium, I will send a communication to them. That, I believe isthe usual way the authorities treat with strikers. I will personallycommunicate with them," and with a delighted air, and a childisheagerness, Doctor Meredith took out pen and paper.
"I am to post a bulletin, calling the students together, am I?" askedProfessor Skeel, not altogether relishing his work.
"Yes, and I will communicate with them. Wait, better still, I will speakto them in person."
"And what will you say?"
"I will ask them to return to your class room, and resume the interruptedsession and lecture," spoke the head master with an air of triumph, asthough he had made a most astounding discovery. "I will point out tothem how foolish it was to strike, I will assure them that there will beno more double lessons in the future, and I will talk with them, and getat the reasons that impelled them to strike. I can use their answers inthe paper I propose to write."
"Is--is that all you will do?" asked Professor Skeel, much disappointed.
"That is all that will be necessary," replied Doctor Meredith mildly."You will see, Professor Skeel, I will soon break the strike. I thinkthat 'break' is the proper word; is it not?"
"Yes, but it will not be broken that way, Doctor Meredith. Drasticmeasures are needed. Very drastic!"
"We will try my way first," decided the head master quietly. "Write outthe bulletin, Professor."