"Wha--what do you mean? I never told any story two hundred times," cried Shadow Hamilton. "And that puts me in mind----"
"Shadow, if you tell another as bad as that, I'll heave you out of the window," came from Sam Day. "That has moss on it three inches th----"
"Oh, I know you, Lazy; you're jealous, that's all. You couldn't tell a story if you stood on your head."
"Can you, Shadow?" and then a general laugh went up, in the midst of which the door opened, and Job Haskers entered. On catching sight of the unpopular teacher, Sam Day lost no time in sliding from the window-sill to a chair.
"Boys, we cannot permit so much noise up here!" cried Job Haskers. "And that constant strumming on a banjo must be stopped. Master Day, were you sitting in the window?"
"You are aware that is against the rules. If you fell out, the Hall management would be held responsible. After school to-morrow you can write the words, 'Window-sill,' two hundred times. Hamilton, get up, and straighten out that cot properly. I am ashamed of you." And then the hated teacher passed on to the next dormitory.
"I told you to get out of the window," said Macklin, as soon as they were alone. "I was caught that way myself once, and so was Gus Plum."
"Lazy is going to learn how to write a little better, too," said Dave, with a grin.
At that moment Roger came in, looking thoroughly disgusted.
"Made me write half of it over again," he explained. "Oh, it's simply unbearable! Say, I am going to do something to get square, as sure as eggs is eggs."
"Eggs are eggs," corrected Polly Vane, sweetly.
"Oh, thanks, Polly. What about a tailor's goose?"
"If one tailor's goose is a goose, what are half a dozen?"
"Tailor's geese, I suppose--but, no, you'd not say that. Let me see," and the girlish youth dove into his books. "That's a serious question, truly!" he murmured.
"Well, I am willing to get square, too," put in Sam Day.
"So am I," grunted Shadow Hamilton. "There was no need to call me down as he did, simply because the cot was mussed up a bit. The question is, what's to be done?"
The boys paused and looked at each other. Then a sudden twinkle came into Dave's clear eyes.
"If we could do it, it would be great," he murmured.
"I don't care to say, unless I am certain we are all going to stand together."