CHAPTER VIII.
JASPER GRINDER IS DISMISSED.
Dick was greatly surprised over the news which Peleg Snuggers conveyedto him. He knew that Jasper Grinder was an intensely passionate man whenaroused, as on the occasion of the attempted caning, but he had notimagined that the man would fall into a fit while in such a condition.
"Did he come out of the fit all right?" he questioned soberly.
"When he came around he was as weak as a rag, and I and one of the bigboys had to help him up to his room. He stayed there the rest of theevening, and the other teachers had to take charge."
"What do they say about the matter?"
"As soon as the captain got back all of 'em got in the private officeand held a long talk. Then the captain had a talk with Mr. Grinder, andafter that the captain sent me off to look for you. He said you must beat the Lanings, or at Mrs. Stanhope's, or else somewhere in Cedarville."
"We are stopping with Mrs. Stanhope. Sam is sick with a heavy cold."
"It's not to be wondered at. Master Tubbs has a cold, too, and thecaptain had Mrs. Green give him some medicine for it."
"Has he punished Tubbs?"
"No. He's awfully upset, and I don't think he'll do anything rightaway," concluded the general utility man.
The cutter was turned around, and Dick and Snuggers hurried toward theHall. Their coming was noticed by a score of boys who were snowballingeach other oh the parade ground, and a shout went up.
"Dick Rover is coming back! Snuggers has brought Dick Rover back!"
"Take care of the horse, Snuggers," said Dick. "Do the right thing, andI won't forget to pay you at Christmas-time."
"All right Master Rover; thank you," answered the man of all work.
Dick was at once surrounded, but before he could answer any questions hesaw Captain Putnam appear at one of the windows and at once went insideto greet him.
"Well, Rover, what does all this mean?" demanded the head of the school,but there was not much sternness in his tone.
"It means Captain Putnam, that Sam, Tom, and I couldn't stand thetreatment we received from Mr. Grinder. For a little set-to which Samand Tubbs had in the gymnasium Mr. Grinder put Sam in the ice-coldstoreroom, and was going to keep him there all night, with nothing butstale bread to eat and cold water to drink. If Sam had remained in thestoreroom he would have died from the effects of it. As it is, he is nowin bed at Mrs. Stanhope's, and we had to call in Dr. Fremley to attendhim."
"Is he very ill, Rover? Tell me the exact truth."
"I have never told you anything else, Captain Putnam. No, I don't thinkhe is very ill, but he's got a bad cold. He is very hoarse, and hecomplained of such a pain in the chest that Mrs. Stanhope put on someplasters, and when the doctor came he left some more."
"Humph!" Captain Putnam began to walk up and down his private office."What did you tell Dr. Fremley?"
"Nothing but that Sam had exposed himself. I didn't want to give theschool a black name. But one thing is certain, we can't remain here ifMr. Grinder is going to stay. I shall write to my father and tell himthe full particulars."
"It will not be necessary to do so, Richard." The captain caught Dick bythe shoulder. "I have investigated this affair, and while I find thatSam was to blame, and Tom and you, too, yet I am convinced that Mr.Grinder exceeded his authority here. He had no business to put Sam inthe storeroom and Master Tubbs in the stone cell in this freezingweather. More than that, something happened after you left that showsplainly Mr. Grinder is not the proper person to be a teacher here, andfrom to-day I intend to dispense with his services."
Dick knew what the captain referred to, the falling of the teacher intohis passionate fit on the floor, but he said nothing on that point, forin a way he felt sorry for one who could control himself so little.
"I am glad we won't have to put up with him, sir, any longer. In oneway, he is worse than Mr. Crabtree was."
"Let us drop the whole subject, Richard. I have not been satisfied withMr. Grinder for some time past, and had in view a teacher to take hisplace before this happened. The new teacher will come after theholidays, and I feel certain all the students will like him fully asmuch as they like Mr. Strong."
"We won't ask for anybody better than Mr. Strong--or yourself," answeredDick, with a smile.
A talk lasting quarter of an hour followed, and it was decided that Dickshould return to the Stanhope cottage, to tell Tom and Sam what turnaffairs had taken. Then Tom was to come to the Hall, leaving Dick tolook after Sam.
It was nightfall before Dick got back to the cottage. Of course hisbrothers and the others listened to his story with interest. Both Samand Tom felt greatly relieved.
"If Grinder keeps on he'll kill himself in one of his fits," said Sam."I hope he leaves before I go back to school."
"If I was you, I wouldn't go back until he does leave," said Tom. "I'msure Mrs. Stanhope will let you stay here; won't you?"
"To be sure, Tom," answered the lady of the cottage. "But now CaptainPutnam has made up his mind, you may be sure Mr. Grinder will not remainat the Hall many days."
"Perhaps he'll go to-night," said Dora. "The captain surely wont wish himat the Hall over Sunday."
Tom remained with his brothers until evening; then started for the Hallon foot, not caring to bother with a horse. The road was now wellbroken, so he had no trouble in making the journey.
When he arrived at the Academy he found the boys assembled in theclassroom, in charge of one of the under-teachers.
"You cannot see Captain Putnam at present," said the teacher. "You willhave to remain here with the other pupils until he is at leisure."
"Something must be wrong," murmured Tom, as he slipped in a seat next toGeorge Granbury.
"I think the captain is getting rid of old Grinder," was the whisperedreply. "He's afraid we'd go out and give him three groans when he left."
"I see. Well, it's best to let him go quietly. Good riddance to him."
"That's what all the boys say, although some are sorry he had the fit."
"So am I sorry; but he brought it on himself."
Presently there was loud knocking in the front of the building and theslamming of a door. Then a trunk was dumped into the captain's cutter,and the horse started off, carrying Peleg Snuggers and Jasper Grinderbehind him.
When the captain came into the classroom he was pale, and pullednervously on his mustache Evidently his task of getting rid of thepassionate teacher had not been a light one. He said but little, andshortly after the boys were dismissed and sent to bed.
Sunday continued bright and clear, but it was so bitter cold that butfew of the students went to church and Sunday school. Tom was anxious tohear how Sam was getting along, and in the afternoon Captain Putnamhimself drove him to the Stanhope cottage in the cutter.
It was found that the youngest Rover was feeling much better, althoughhis hoarseness had not left him. He said he was sure he could go back toschool the next day.
"We had a visit from Jasper Grinder," said Dick. "He insisted onstopping here in spite of all Snuggers could do to stop him."
"And what did he say?" asked the captain anxiously.
"Oh, he was in a terrible rage, and threatened to sue my father because,as he put it, we had driven him from earning a good living. I couldhardly get him out of the house, and when he left he picked up a bigchunk of ice and snow and hurled it through the sitting-room window atSam. I believe the man isn't quite right in his head."
"It certainly looks like it," was the captain's grave response.
"Did Snuggers leave him in Cedarville?"
"Yes. But Snuggers didn't know where he went after that, excepting thathe called at the post office for some letters."
"I hope I never have anything to do with him again," said Sam, with ashiver.
"I do not believe he will bother you in the future," returned thecaptain. "When he comes to his sober senses he will realize fully howfoolishly he has acted."
As Sam was so much bett
er and needed no care that Mrs. Stanhope and Dorawere not willing to give him, Tom returned to the Hall with Dick andCaptain Putnam, after supper at the widow's cottage. The sleigh ride tothe school was delightful, for the road was now in excellent shape,while overhead the stars shone down like so many glittering diamonds.