CHAPTER III THE BULLY OF THE SCHOOL
"What in the world is up now?" ejaculated Jack, as he started to skatearound the point.
"Pepper is in trouble, that's sure," answered Andy.
In a moment the boys who had been playing snap-the-whip saw what hadhappened. Around the point of land Dan Baxter had been trying to take atime picture of the snow-laden bushes and the rocks beyond--certainly anartistic bit of landscape. Pepper, sprawling on the ice, had hit thetripod and sent the camera crashing down and the bully of Putnam Hallwith it.
"Look here!" spluttered Dan Baxter, as he got on his knees. "What's themeaning of this?"
"I--er--I didn't--er--see you!" gasped Pepper. The wind had been knockedcompletely out of him by the unexpected contact with camera, tripod, andowner.
"It's false!" cried the bully. "You couldn't help seeing me! It's all abluff!"
"You--er--you're mistaken," panted Pepper, and started to rise, when thebully caught him by the collar and pulled him flat again.
"Let go of me, Dan Baxter!"
"I'll not! I am going to teach you a good lesson!"
"Hi! hi! What's this?" exclaimed Jack, skating closer. "Let go of him,Baxter."
"Why should I?"
"He isn't to blame," put in Andy.
"Sure, an' that's the truth av it," broke in Emerald. "We all had ahand, so we did!"
"We were playing snap-the-whip," explained Dale. "You must have seenus."
"Thanks, but I don't watch such childish games," sneered the bully. "Iwas tending to my own business when he comes along, smashes the camera,and knocks me down. Do you think I am going to stand for that?"
"You can't stand if you are knocked down," said Andy, dryly.
"Humph! Don't get funny, Snow! This is no laughing matter."
"As the dentist said when he pulled the wrong tooth," came softly fromDale.
"Is the camera really broken?" asked Jack.
"Yes, it is, and it cost my dad twenty-five dollars."
"I can get one like it for twelve," said Stuffer. "Same size and make."
"Humph!"
"I don't think it is broken," said Jack, looking the box over.
"I heard something crack."
"Maybe it was the glass plate. The lens and shutter are certainly O. K.,and the box is tight too. One leg of the tripod is broken though."
"Pepper Ditmore has got to pay for this," came firmly from Dan Baxter.
"That's right, don't let him crawl out of it," put in Gus Coulter.
"He's too smart altogether," added Nick Paxton.
"See here, Coulter, don't you put in your oar," cried Pepper. "If youdo, I'll give you what I gave you before." And then Gus Coulter slunkback, for he had not forgotten the drubbing Pepper had administered buta few weeks previous.
"Are you going to pay for the damage done or not?" demanded Dan Baxter.
"I shall certainly pay," said Pepper, promptly. "Let me have the cameraand I'll get it fixed. Or you can have it fixed and have the bill sentto me."
"We'll all pay the bill," cried Jack. "I think I am as much to blame asPep."
"So am I," added Andy, and many of the others who had been playingsnap-the-whip said the same.
"I am not going to let you have my camera," said Dan Baxter, sulkily."I'll get it mended as it should be." He paused a moment. "But I ain'tgoing to let you knock me down for nothing."
"As I explained, it was an accident, Dan."
"Humph! You ought to be made to apologize," growled the bully. He wouldhave attacked Pepper, only he realized that the lad had too many friendsaround.
A war of words followed, lasting several minutes. Then of a sudden oneof the boys let out a low whistle.
"Five minutes over time, fellows. We must get back to the Hall!"
"Five minutes late!" came the cry. "This won't do at all! Come on andget back!"
And then the majority ran off, leaving Pepper and Jack with Dan Baxterand Gus Coulter.
"I've got to get back to the Hall, Baxter," said Pepper. "But I'llsettle to-morrow."
"Yes--for I'll make you settle," answered the bully, meaningly. "I'vestood all I'm going to stand from you and your cronies."
So speaking the bully picked up his camera and hurried away, followed byGus Coulter with the case containing the plates.
"I am sorry this happened," observed Jack, as he and Pepper ran for themess-hall. "This will make Baxter more down on us than ever."
"I couldn't help it, Jack. I did what I could to steer clear of thebushes. I didn't want to scratch my face, and I didn't know he was backthere out of sight."
When Jack and Pepper reached the Hall they were met by Josiah Crabtree,who viewed them sternly.
"What is the meaning of this, Major Ruddy?" demanded the first assistantteacher. "You are setting a bad example for those under you."
"We had a little trouble on the ice," answered Jack. "Pepper fell downand knocked over Dan Baxter's camera, and we had to straighten mattersout."
"Humph! See that you are not late again," muttered the teacher, andpassed on.
"Phew! we got off easily that time," exclaimed Pepper, in a low tone."He must have something else to attend to," and in this surmise theyouth was correct.
A drum was already rolling, and the boys were hurrying to the paradeground. Jack dashed in and got his sword, and Pepper got his gun, andboth hurried to the parade ground.
"Battalion, attention!" commanded the youthful major, and soon thecadets were in line. Then came a short drill, followed by the order tomarch. The drums sounded out, the fifes struck up a lively air, andaround the parade ground went the cadets, and at last marched into themess-hall, where they all sat down to a plain but substantial supper.
During the meal Pepper and Jack saw Dan Baxter scowl at them, and bothfelt that the bully "had it in for them."
"He is bound to get square," said Jack. "Pep, we must keep our eyespeeled."
After supper the boys had an hour off. Some spent the time in thelibrary reading, while others drifted into the gymnasium.
Jack had some studies to attend to, and went to an open classroom.Pepper walked to the gymnasium, accompanied by Andy Snow.
Both boys were soon exercising on the rings, and Andy showed what hecould do on a turning bar,--doing the "giant swing" and other difficultfeats.
While they were exercising, Mumps, the toady to Dan Baxter, came in,followed by a new student named Reff Ritter.
Reff Ritter was a youth who had a very high opinion of himself. Hisparents were fairly well off and the boy had traveled a good deal inforeign countries. Reff had an idea that he could do almost anything,and he loved to boast of his ability and also to boast of where he hadbeen and what he had seen. A few of the boys, including Mumps, toadiedto him, but the majority voted the newcomer "a pill." He had tried tobecome friendly with Jack and Pepper, but both had tired of hiseverlasting boastings.
"Are you a gymnast?" asked Mumps, as he and Reff Ritter came to a haltclose to where Andy and Pepper were practicing.
"Oh, yes, certainly!" exclaimed Ritter, in a loud voice. "I took somelessons in New York and I finished up while I was in London and Berlin.A German instructor--one of the _Turn-verein_ men--taught me a lot oftricks."
"What do you think of that?" went on Mumps, as Andy made a swing on therings.
"Fair, only fair," drawled Reff Ritter. "Not at all graceful. Now when Iwas stopping at Madrid, there was a Spaniard there who showed me how todo a turn like that, and it was perfection, I can assure you."
Andy heard the remark, and it made his ears tingle. He gave a swing andlanded on the floor in front of Ritter and Mumps.
"I'd like to see that Spanish swing you just mentioned," he said,coldly.
"Humph! I didn't--er--calculate to do anything in the way of gymnasticsthis evening," stammered Reff Ritter.
"Maybe you are afraid to try," went on Andy, pointedly.
"Not at all! not at all!" exclaim
ed the new student. "I'll show you howto do it if you want me to."
He took off his coat and vest and also his collar and tie. Then heleaped up on the rings and began to swing.
"Here goes!" he called out, and made the turn, while a small crowd beganto gather.
"Good! That's fine!" called out Mumps. "Now, Andy Snow, how do you likeit?"
The turn had been a fairly good one. Andy smiled quietly.
"Can you make the double turn?" he called up to Reff Ritter.
"Certainly--I learned that in Berlin also," was the answer, and the turnwas made, after a good deal of an effort. Then, warming up, Reff Ritterbegan to show off, doing about everything he had ever learned. He didnot stop until he was practically out of breath.
Taken as a whole, it was a fair exhibition of gymnastic work, and someof the boys standing around applauded.
"Have you finished?" asked Pepper.
"I have," answered Reff Ritter. He caught his breath. "There's a patternfor your friend to go by."
"Thank you, but I don't need any pattern," answered Andy. "Here goes foranother try at it!"
He went up lightly and began to perform. First he did several thingswhich were comparatively easy. But each turn was clean-cut in itself anddecidedly graceful.
"Andy certainly knows how to go at it," remarked Joe Nelson, who waspresent.
"Huh! He hasn't done anything as difficult as I did," put in ReffRitter.
Then Andy began to do other things, making swings and leaps that werereally wonderful in one who was only an amateur. The boys applauded moreand more. Then he made a leap and a twist seldom seen outside of aregular circus performance.
"Look at that!" cried Pepper, enthusiastically. "Nobody can do better!"
"Sure, an' Andy's the bist acrobat in the school, so he is," saidEmerald.
And the majority of those standing around agreed with the Irish cadet.