the whole dormitory was in an uproar. “ow! help—help!” mr. harrow, having gone out after dinner, had retired late, and was now sound asleep, so another instructor scaled the stairs, getting there long before mrs. fox, the matron, could put in an appearance.
in the babel, it was somewhat difficult to locate the boy who had screamed out. at last, “in there, farnham's room,” cried several voices at once.
“nightmare, i suppose,” said the instructor to himself, dashing in.
but it was a real thing he soon saw, as a knot of boys huddled around the bed, where the terrified occupant still sat, drawing up his knees to his chin, and screaming all sorts of things, in which “wild beast” and “cold nose” was all that could be distinguished.
just then something skimmed out from the corner.
“stop this noise!” commanded the instructor, who had none of mr. harrow's pleasant but decided ways for quelling an incipient riot. so they bawled on, the boy in bed yelling that he wouldn't be left alone.
just then something skimmed out from the corner; the boys flew to one side, showing a tendency to find the door. even the instructor jumped. then he bethought himself to light the gas, which brought out the fact that there certainly was an animal in the room, as they could hear it now under the bed.
“boys, be quiet. mrs. fox's cat has got up here, probably,” said the instructor. but the boy in the bed protested that it wasn't a cat that had waked him up by thrusting a cold nose in his face, and jumping on top of him. and he huddled worse than ever now that it was under him; yet afraid to step out on the floor.
even the instructor did not offer to look under the bed, when joel pepper rushed in, his black eyes gleaming. “oh, it's my dog!” he cried.
“it's joe pepper's dog!” cried the whole roomful, nearly tumbling over each other.
“and when did you begin to keep a dog, joel pepper?” hurled the instructor at him, too angry for anything, that he hadn't impressed the boys with his courage.156
but joel was occupied in ramming his body under the bed as far as possible. “here, sinbad,” and he presently emerged with a very red face, and sinbad safely in his arms, who seemed perfectly delighted to get into his old refuge again. david had now joined the group, as much aghast as every other spectator.
“do you hear me, joel pepper?” thundered the instructor again. “when did you get that dog?” this brought joel to.
“oh, i haven't had him long, sir,” he said, and trembling for sinbad, as he felt in every fibre of his being that the beast's fate was sealed, unless he could win over the irritated teacher. “he's a poor dog i—i found, sir,” wishing he could think of the right words, and knowing that every word he uttered only made matters worse.
“david,” cried the instructor, catching davie's eye, down by the door, “do you know anything about this dog?”
“no, sir,” said david, all in a tremble, and wishing he could say something to help joel out.
“well, now, you wait a minute.” the instructor, feeling that here was a chance to impress the boys with his executive ability, looked about over the table where farnham's schoolbooks157 were thrown. “got a bit of string? no—oh, yes. “he pounced on a piece, and came over to joel and the dog.
“what are you going to do, sir?” joel hung to sinbad with a tighter grip than ever.
“never mind; it's not for you to question me,” said the instructor, with great authority.
but joel edged away. visions of being expelled from dr. marks' school swam before his eyes, and he turned very white.
david plunged through the crowd of boys, absolutely still with the excitement. “oh joel,” he begged hoarsely, “let mr. parr do as he wants to. mamsie would say so.”
joel turned at that. “don't hurt him,” he begged. “don't, please, mr. parr.”
“i shall not hurt him,” said mr. parr, putting the cord about the dog's neck, and holding the other end, after it was knotted fast. “i am going to tie him in the area till morning. here you, sir,” as sinbad showed lively intentions toward his captor's legs, with a backward glance at his late master.
“oh, if you'll let me keep him in my room, mr. parr,” cried joel, tumbling over to the instructor, who was executing a series of remarkable steps158 as he dragged sinbad off, “i'll—i'll be just as good—just till the morning, sir. oh, please, mr. parr—i'll study, and get my lessons better, i truly will,” cried poor joel, unable to promise anything more difficult of performance.
“you'll have to study better anyway, joel pepper,” said mr. parr grimly, as he and sinbad disappeared down the stairway. “every boy get back to his room,” was the parting command.
no need to tell joel. he dashed through the ranks, and flung himself into his bed, dragged up the clothes well over his stubby head, and cried as if his heart would break.
“joel—joel—oh, joey!” begged david hoarsely, and running to precipitate himself by his side. but joel only burrowed deeper and sobbed on.
and davie, trying to keep awake, to give possible comfort, at last tumbled asleep, when joel with a flood of fresh sorrow rolled over as near to the wall as he could get, and tried to hold in his sobs.
as soon as he dared the next morning, joel hopped over david still asleep, and out of bed; jumped into his clothes, and ran softly downstairs.159 there in the area was sinbad, who had evidently concluded to make the best of it, and accept the situation, for he was curled up in as small a compass as possible, and was even attempting a little sleep.
“i won't let him see me,” said joel to himself, “but as soon as dr. marks is up”—and he glanced over at the master's house for any sign of things beginning to move for the day—“and dressed, why, i'll go and ask him—” what, he didn't dare to say, for joel hadn't been able, with all his thinking, to devise any plan whereby sinbad could be saved.
“but perhaps dr. marks will know,” he kept thinking; and after a while the shades were drawn up at the red brick house across the yard, the housemaid came out to brush off the steps, and various other indications showed that the master was beginning to think of the new day and its duties.
joel plunged across the yard. it was awful, he knew, to intrude at the master's house before breakfast. but by that time—oh, dreadful!—sinbad would probably be beyond the help of any rescuing hand, for mr. parr would, without a doubt, deliver him to the garbage man to be160 hauled off. and joel, with no thought of consequences to himself, plunged recklessly on.
“is dr. marks up?” he demanded of the housemaid, who only stared at him, and went on with her work of sweeping off the steps. “is dr. marks up?” cried joel, his black eyes flashing, and going halfway up.
“yes; but what of it?” cried the housemaid airily, leaning on her broom a minute.
“oh, i must see him,” cried joel, bounding into the hall. it was such a cry of distress that it penetrated far within the house.
“oh my! you outrageous boy!” exclaimed the housemaid, shaking her broom at him. “you come right out.”
meantime a voice said, “what is it?” and there was dr. marks in dressing gown and slippers looking over the railing at the head of the stairs.
“oh dr. marks, dr. marks!” joel, not giving himself time to think, dashed over the stairs, to look up into the face under the iron-gray hair.
the master could scarcely conceal his amazement, but he made a brave effort at self-control.
“why, pepper!” he exclaimed, and there was a good deal of displeasure in face and manner; so161 much so that joel's knees knocked smartly together, and everything swam before his eyes.
“well, what did you want to see me for, pepper?” dr. marks was inquiring, so joel blurted out, “a dog, sir.”
“a dog?” repeated dr. marks, and now he showed his amazement and displeasure as well. “and is this what you have interrupted me to say, at this unseasonable hour, joel pepper?”
“oh!” cried joel, and then he broke right down, and went flat on the stairs, crying as if his heart would break. and mrs. marks threw on her pretty blue wrapper in a dreadful tremor, and rushed out with restoratives; and the housemaid who shook her broom at joel, ran on remorseful feet for a glass of water, and the master's whole house was in a ferment. but dr. marks waved them all aside. “the boy needs nothing,” he said. “come, joel.” he took his hand, all grimy and streaked, and looked at his poor, swollen eyelids and nose, over which the tears were still falling, and in a minute he had him in his own private study, with the door shut.
when he emerged a quarter-hour after, joel was actually smiling. he had hold of the master's hand, and clutched in his other fist was a note,162 somewhat changed in appearance from its immaculate condition when delivered by dr. marks to the bearer.
“yes, sir,” joel was saying, “i'll do it all just as you say, sir.” and he ran like lightning across the yard.
the note put into the instructor's hand, made him change countenance more than once in the course of its reading. it simply said, for it was very short, that the dog was to be delivered to joel pepper, who was to bring it to the master's house; and although there wasn't a line or even a word to show any disapproval of his course, mr. parr felt, as he set about obeying it, as if somehow he had made a little mistake somewhere.
all joel thought of, however, was to get possession of sinbad. and when once he had the cord in his hand, he untied it with trembling fingers, sinbad, in his transport, hampering the operation dreadfully by bobbing his head about in his violent efforts to lick joel's face and hands, for he had about given up in despair the idea of ever seeing him again.
“he's glad to go, isn't he, joel?” observed the instructor, to break the ice, and make conversation.163
but no such effort was necessary, for joel looked up brightly. “isn't he, sir? now say good-bye.” at last the string was loose, and dangling to the hook in the area wall, and joel held the dog up, and stuck out his paw.
“good-bye,” said mr. parr, laughing as he took it, and quite relieved to find that relations were not strained after all, as joel, hugging his dog, sped hastily across the yard again to the master's house.
dr. marks never told how very ugly he found the dog, but, summoning the man who kept his garden and lawn in order, he consigned sinbad to his care, with another note.
“now, joel,” he said, “you know this payment comes every week out of your allowance for this dog's keeping, eh? it is clearly understood, joel?”
“oh, yes, sir—yes!” shouted joel.
“perhaps we'll be able to find a good home for him. well, good-bye, sinbad,” said the master, as sinbad, with the gardener's hand over his eyes, so that he could not see joel, was marched off, dr. marks from the veranda charging that the note be delivered and read before leaving the dog.164
“oh, i'm going to take him home at vacation,” announced joel decidedly.
“indeed! well, now, perhaps your grandfather won't care for him; you must not count too much upon it, my boy.” all the control in the world could not keep the master from smiling now.
“oh, i guess he will.” joel was in no wise disturbed by the doubt.
“well, run along to breakfast with you, pepper,” cried dr. marks good-humoredly, “and the next time you come over to see me, don't bring any more dogs.”
so joel, in high good spirits, and thinking how he would soon run down to the little old cobbler's where the master had sent the dog, chased off across the yard once more, and slipped in to breakfast with a terrible appetite, and a manner as if nothing especial had happened the preceding night.
and all the boys rubbed their eyes, particularly as joel and mr. parr seemed to be on the best of terms. and once when something was said about a dog by mr. harrow, who hadn't heard anything of the midnight tumult in the dormitory, and was for continuing the account of165 his trained pet, the other under-teacher and joel pepper indulged in smiles and nods perfectly mystifying to all the other people at the table, david included.
david, when he woke up, which was quite late, to find joel gone, had been terribly frightened. but chancing to look out of the window, he saw him racing across the yard, and watching closely, he discovered that he had something in his arms, and that he turned in to the master's house.
“i can't do anything now,” said davie to himself in the greatest distress; yet somehow when he came to think of it, it seemed to be with a great deal of hope since dr. marks was to be appealed to. and when breakfast-time came, and with it joel so blithe and hungry, david fell to on his own breakfast with a fine appetite.
all the boys of the club, not one to be reported absent, presented themselves at mr. king's on club night. and all the members of the “salisbury school club” came promptly together, with one new member, cathie harrison, who, at polly's suggestion, had been voted in at the last meeting.166
alexia still had her arm in a sling; and indeed she was quite willing it should remain so, for she was in constant terror that her aunt, who had been persuaded to leave her, would insist on the return home. so alexia begged off at every mention of the subject, as grandpapa king and mother fisher were very glad to have the visit lengthened. she was as gay as ever, and to-night was quite in her element; it had been so long since she had had a good time.
“oh, jasper,” she cried, “can we all get into your den?”
“i think so,” said jasper, who had already settled all that with polly, counting every member as coming, in order to make no mistake, “we're to have the business-meeting in there, alexia; and after that, father has invited us in to the drawing-room.”
“what richness!” exclaimed alexia, sinking into one of the library chairs to pull out her skirts and play with her rings. “oh, jasper king, i shouldn't think you'd ever in all this world get used to living in this perfectly exquisite house.”
“well, i've always lived here, alexia,” said jasper with a laugh, “so i suppose that is the167 reason i'm not overwhelmed now. oh, here comes clare. all right, old fellow, glad you've come. now i'll call the meeting to order.” for clare was the secretary.
and the rest of the boys and girls assembling, the business-meeting was soon begun in the “den,” jasper who was the president of the boys' club, flourishing his gavel in great style.
“now we've come together,” announced the president after the regular business was disposed of, “to get up a plan by which we can accomplish something more than merely to have a good time.”
“nonsense!” interrupted clare, “we want a good time.”
“for shame!” jasper pounded his gavel to restore order. “and to begin with, it is as well to announce at once that all unruly members will be put out,” with a stern glance at the secretary.
“oh, dear me!” exclaimed clare, huddling down into his big chair.
“go along, prex,” said pickering, coming over from the other side of the room, “i'll sit on that old secretary if he makes any more trouble.”
“get away!” laughed clare; “that's worse than being put out.”168
“oh, i'll sit on you first, and then i'll carry out the pieces afterward. sail on, prexy, they all want the plan.”
“well”—the president cleared his throat—“hem! and in order to do good work, why we had to ask the girls' club to come to this meeting, and—”
“not necessarily,” put in clare.
pickering pounced for him, but instead of sitting on him, his long figure doubled up in the big chair, while the secretary slipped neatly out.
“ha, ha! did you ever get left?” giggled clare, at a safe distance.
“many a time, my dear child,” said pickering coolly, leaning back restfully, “but never in such a good seat. thank you, mr. secretary. proceed, prexy.”
“good for you, pickering,” cried alexia, while the laugh went around.
“order!” cried jasper, pounding away. “now that our troublesome secretary is quieted, i will proceed to say that as we want the plan to succeed, we invited the salisbury club this evening.”
“thank you, mr. president,” the girls clapped vigorously.
“so now after i tell you of the object, i want169 you to express your minds about the various plans that will be laid before you.” then jasper told the story of jim, the brakeman; and how grandpapa and polly and he had gone to the poor home, thanks to the little clerk; and how the three boys who were waiting for education and the girl who was crazy to take music-lessons, to say nothing of the two mites of children toddling around, made the poor widow almost frantic as she thought of their support; until some of the girls were sniffling and hunting for their handkerchiefs, and the boys considerately turned away and wouldn't look at them.
“now you tell the rest, polly,” cried jasper, quite tired out.
“oh, no, you tell,” said polly, who dearly loved to hear jasper talk.
“do, polly,” and he pushed the hair off from his forehead. so, as she saw he really wanted her to, polly began with shining eyes, and glowing cheeks, to finish the story.
and she told how grandpapa had ordered provisions and coal for the poor widow enough for many months to come; and how—oh, wasn't that perfectly splendid in dear grandpapa?—he had promised that the little girl (arethusa was170 her name) should take music-lessons from one of the teachers in the city. and polly clasped her hands and sighed, quite unable to do more.
“and what do you want us to do?” cried the secretary forgetting all about losing his seat, to crowd up to the table. “say, if that family has got all that richness, what do you want the club to do?”
“oh,” said polly turning her shining eyes on him, “there are ever and ever so many things the boys and that girl will need, and grandpapa says that they'll think a great deal more of help, if some young people take hold of it. and so i'm sure i should,” she added.
“it strikes me that i should, too,” declared pickering, all his laziness gone. and getting his long figure out of the chair, he cried, “i move, mr. president, that we,”—here he waved his hands in a sweeping gesture,—“the salisbury club and our club, unite in a plan to do something for that family.”
“i second the motion,” the secretary cried out, much to everybody's surprise, for polly was all ready to do it if no one else offered to. so the vote was carried unanimously amid the greatest enthusiasm.171
“now what shall we do?” cried the president, jumping to his feet. “let us strike while the iron is hot. what shall we do to raise money?”
“you said you had plans,” cried one of the girls.
“yes—tell on,” cried several boys.
“well, one is, that we have a play,” began jasper.
“oh—oh!”
old mr. king, over his evening paper off in the library, laid it down, and smiled at the merry din that reached him even at such a distance.
“and another,” cried the president, doing his best to make himself heard.
“oh, we don't want another,” cried clare, in which the united clubs joined.
“don't you want to hear any other plans?” shouted the president.
“no, no—the play! put it to vote, do, jasper—i mean, mr. president,” cried alexia.
so the vote was taken, and everybody said, “aye,” and as there wasn't a single “no,” why the “ayes” had it of course. and after that they talked so long over the general plan, that old mr. king at last had to send a very special invitation to come out to the dining-room. and there was172 mother fisher and mrs. whitney and the little doctor and a most splendid collation! and then off to the big drawing-room to top off with a dance, with one or two musicians tucked up by the grand piano, and grandpapa smiling in great satisfaction upon them all.
