Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  III A NARROW ESCAPE

  Joel, in such an emergency, wiped his black eyes and looked up sharply.David sank on the upper step.

  "Oh, no, Tom," cried Joel, crowding in between Beresford and the door,"it can't be. Get out of the way; let me try."

  "It is--it is, I tell you," howled Tom in what was more of a whine, ashe kept one eye out for John and his lantern. "The mean sneak has gotthe best of us, Joe." He set his teeth hard together, and his faceturned white.

  Joe dropped the doorknob, and whirled off the steps.

  "Julius Caesar! where are you going?" began Tom, as Joel disappearedaround the corner of the dormitory.

  "He's gone to see if John is coming, I suppose," said Davie weakly.

  Tom, preferring to see for himself, skipped off, and disappeared aroundthe angle. "Oh--oh!" was what David heard next, making him fly from hisstep to follow in haste.

  What he saw was so much worse than all his fears as Tom gripped his armpointing up over his head, that he screamed right out, "Oh Joe, comeback, you'll be killed!"

  "He can't come back," said Tom hoarsely. "He'd much better go on." Joel,more than halfway up the lightning conductor, was making good timeshinning along. He turned to say, "I'm all right, Dave," as a windowabove them was thrown up, and a head in a white nightcap was thrust out.

  "It's all up with him now; there's old Fox," groaned Tom, ducking softlyback over the grass. "Come on, Dave."

  But David, with clasped hands and white face, had no thought ofdeserting Joel.

  The person in the window, having the good sense to utter no exclamation,waited till Joel was up far enough for her to grasp his arm. Then shecouldn't help it as she saw his face.

  "_Joel Pepper!_"

  "Yes'm," said Joel, turning his chubby face toward her. "I knew I couldget up here; it's just as easy as anything."

  Mrs. Fox set her other hand to the task of helping him into the dimlylighted hall, much to Joel's disgust, as he would much have preferred toenter unassisted. Then she turned her cap-frills full on him, and saidin a tone of great displeasure, "What _is_ the meaning of all this?"

  "Why, I had to go out, Mrs. Fox."

  "Why?"

  "Oh--I--I--had to."

  She didn't ask him again, for the matron was a woman of action, and inall her dealings with boys had certain methods by which she brought themto time. So she only set her sharp eyes, that Dr. Marks' pupils alwayscalled "gimlets," full upon him. "Go to your room," was all she said.

  "Oh Mrs. Fox," cried Joel, trying dreadfully to control himself, andtwisting his brown hands in the effort, "I--I--had to go. Really I did."

  "So you said before. _Go to your room._" Then a second thought struckher. "Was any other boy with you?" she demanded suddenly.

  Joel gave a sharp cry of distress as he started down the hall, revolvingin his mind how he would steal down and unlock the door as soon as thematron had taken herself off.

  "Here, stop--come back here! Now answer me--yes or no--was any other boywith you?" as Joel stood before her again.

  Joel's stubby black curls dropped so that she couldn't see his face. Asthere was no reply forthcoming, Mrs. Fox took him by the arm. "Youneedn't go to your room, Joel," she said sharply. "You may go toCoventry."

  "Oh Mrs. Fox," Joel burst out, "don't--don't send me there."

  "A boy who cannot answer me, is fit only for Coventry," said Mrs. Foxwith great dignity, despite the nightcap. "Wait here, Joel. I will getmy candle, and light you down." She stepped off to a corner of the hall,where she had set the candlestick on a table, when startled by the noiseoutside. "Now we will go."

  It was impossible that all this confusion should not awake some of theboys in the hall; and by this time there was much turning on pillows,and leaning on elbows, and many scuttlings out of bed to listen at doorsopened a crack, so that nearly every one of the occupants, on thatparticular hall soon knew that "old Fox" had Joel Pepper in herclutches, and that he was being led off somewhere.

  And at last Joel let it out himself. "Oh Mrs. Fox--dear Mrs. Fox,_don't_ make me go to Coventry," he roared. He clutched her wrapper, abig, flowered affair that she wore on such nocturnal rambles, and heldit fast. "I'll be just as good," he implored.

  "Coventry is the place for you, Joel Pepper," said Mrs. Fox grimly; "sowe will start."

  Meanwhile David, holding his breath till he saw, in the dim light thatalways streamed out from the dormitory hall where the gas was leftturned down at night, that Joel was safely drawn in to shelter,frantically rushed around to the big door, in the wild hope that somehowadmittance would be gained. "Joe will come by and by," he said tohimself, sinking down on the steps.

  "We're done for," said Tom's voice off in the distance.

  "Oh Tom, are you there?" cried Davie, straining his eyes to catch aglimpse.

  "Hush!" Tom poked his head out from a clump of shrubbery. "Don't youdare to breathe. I tell you, Dave, our only hope is in staying here tillmorning."

  "Oh dear me!" exclaimed David in dismay.

  "Oh dear me!" echoed Tom in derision. It was impossible for him to stoptalking, he was so keyed up. "It's paradise, I'm sure, compared to beingin old Fox's grip."

  This brought David back to Joel's plight, and he sighed dismally, andleant his head on his hands. How long he sat there he couldn't havetold. The first thing he did know, a big hand was laid on his shoulder,and a bright glare of light fell full on his face.

  "Oh my soul and body!" cried John, the watchman, bending over him, "ifhere ain't one of th' boys dead asleep on the doorsteps!"

  "Little goose, to sit there!" groaned Tom, huddling back into hisbushes. "Now it's all up with him. Well, I'll save my skin, for I don'tbelieve those boys will tell on me."

  "Coventry" was a small square room in the extension, containing a bed, atable, and a chair, where the boys who were refractory were sent. It wasconsidered a great disgrace to be its inmate. They were not locked in;but no boy once put there was ever known to come out unless bidden bythe authorities. And no one, of course, could speak to them when theyemerged from it to go to recitations, for their lessons must be learnedin the silence of this room. Then back from the class-room the culpritmust go to this hated place, to stay as long as his misdemeanor mightseem to deserve.

  It was so much worse punishment than a flogging could possibly be, thatall Dr. Marks' boys heard "Coventry" with a chill that stopped many aprank in mid-air.

  But Joel didn't get into "Coventry" after all, for at the foot of thestairs, another candle-beam was advancing; and back of it was the thin,sharp face of Mr. Harrow, one of the under-teachers.

  "Oh Mr. Harrow," screamed Joel, breaking away from the matron, to plungeup to him, "she's going to put me into Coventry. Oh, don't make me gothere; it will kill my Mamsie, and Polly."

  "Hey?" Mr. Harrow came to a sudden stop, and whirled the candlestickaround to get a better view of things. "What's this, Mrs. Fox? And _JoelPepper_, of all boys!"

  "I know it," said Mrs. Fox, her candlestick shaking in an unsteady hand."Well, you see, sir, I was going upstairs to see if little Fosdick hadblankets enough; it's turned cold, and you know he's had a sore throat,and----"

  "Well, come to the point, Mrs. Fox," said the teacher, bringing her upquickly. Joel clung desperately to his hand, shaking violently in everylimb.

  "Oh, yes, sir--well, and I heard a noise outside, so I bethought me tolook, and there was this boy climbing up the lightning conductor."

  "Up the lightning conductor?" echoed Mr. Harrow.

  "Yes, sir,"--Mrs. Fox's cap-frills trembled violently as shenodded,--"Joel Pepper was climbing up the lightning conductor, sir. AndI thought I should have dropped to see him, sir."

  The under-teacher turned and surveyed Joel. "Well, I think, Mrs. Fox,"he said slowly, "if he's been over that lightning conductor to-night, wewon't put him in Coventry."

  "He wouldn't answer when I asked him if any other boys were there," saidthe matron, a dull red spot coming on either cheek.

  "Tha
t's bad--very bad," said Mr. Harrow. "Well, I'll take Joel under mycare. Do you go to bed, Mrs. Fox."

  It was all done in a minute. Somehow Mrs. Fox never quite realized howshe was left standing alone. And as there really wasn't anything elsefor her to do, she concluded to take the under-teacher's advice.

  "Now, Joel,"--Mr. Harrow looked down at his charge,--"you seem to beleft for me to take care of. Well, suppose you come into my room, andtell me something about this affair."

  Joel, with his heart full of distress about David and Tom, now that theimmediate cause of alarm over his being put into "Coventry" was gone,could scarcely conceal his dismay, as he followed Mr. Harrow to hisroom. He soon found himself on a chair; and the under-teacher, settinghis candlestick down, took an opposite one.

  "Do you mind telling me all about this little affair of yours, Joe?"said Mr. Harrow, leading off easily. His manner, once away from thepresence of the matron, was as different as possible; and Joel, who hadnever met him in just this way, stared in amazement.

  "You see, Joe," the under-teacher went on, and he began to play withsome pencils on the table, "it isn't so very long ago, it seems to me,since I was a boy. And I climbed lightning conductors too. I really did,Joel."

  Joel's black eyes gathered a bright gleam in their midst.

  "Yes, and at night, too," said the under-teacher softly, "though Ishouldn't want you to mention it to the boys. So now, if you wouldn'tmind, Joel, I should really like to hear all about this business ofyours."

  But Joel twisted his hands, only able to say, "Oh dear! I can't tell,Mr. Harrow." His distress was dreadful to see.

  "Well," said the under-teacher slowly, "perhaps in the morning you'llfeel better able to tell. I won't press it now. You must get to bed,Joe," with a keen look at his face.

  "Oh Mr. Harrow--would you--would you--" Joel jumped out of his seat, andover to the under-teacher's chair.

  "Would I what?" asked Mr. Harrow in perplexity, wishing very much that"Mamsie," whom he had seen on her visits to the school, were there atthat identical moment.

  "Would you--oh, might I unlock the--the back door?" gasped Joel, hisblack eyes very big with distress.

  "Unlock the back door?" repeated Mr. Harrow. Then he paused a moment."Certainly; I'll go with you." He got out of his chair.

  "Oh, no, sir," cried Joel tumbling back, "I'll--I'll do it alone if Imay; please, sir."

  "Oh, no, Joel, that can't ever be allowed," Mr. Harrow was sayingdecidedly, when steps were heard coming down the hall, and there wasJohn, the watchman, hauling David Pepper along the dimly lighted hall tothe extra gleam of the under-teacher's room.

  "I found this boy asleep on the steps," announced John, coming in withhis charge.

  "Why, David Pepper!" exclaimed Mr. Harrow in astonishment. Then heturned a cold glance on Joel, who flew over to Davie's side.

  "Joel!" cried David convulsively, and blinking dreadfully as he cameinto the light. "Oh, I'm so glad you're safe--oh, so glad, Joey!" He hidhis face on Joel's arm, and sobbed.

  "You may go, John," said the under-teacher to that individual, who keptsaying, "I found that boy asleep on the steps," over and over, unable tostop himself. "And don't say anything about this to any one. I will takecare of the matter."

  "All right, sir," said John, glad to be relieved of all responsibility,and touching his cap. "I found that boy asleep on the steps," he addedas he took himself off.

  "Now, see here." Mr. Harrow laid his hand on David's shoulder, ignoringJoel for the time, and drew him aside. "The whole of this business mustbe laid before me, David. So begin."

  "Oh Dave!" cried Joel, springing up to him. "Oh, sir--oh, Mr. Harrow, itwas all my fault, truly it was. David only came after me. Oh Mr. Harrow,don't make him tell."

  "You go and sit down in that chair, Joel," said Mr. Harrow, pointing toit. So Joel went, and got on it, twisting miserably.

  "Now, then, David."

  "You see," said David, the tears still rolling down his cheeks,"that--oh dear!--Joel was gone, and--"

  "How did you know Joel was gone?" interrupted the under-teacher.

  "Oh dear!" David caught his breath. "Another boy told me, sir."

  "Who?"

  David hesitated. "Must I tell, sir?" not trusting himself to look atJoel.

  "Certainly."

  "Tom Beresford."

  "Ugh!" Joel sprang from his chair. "He hadn't anything to do with it,sir. Tom has been awfully good. He only told Dave."

  "Go back to your chair, Joel," said Mr. Harrow. "Now, then, David, goon. So you went out with Beresford to find Joel, eh?"

  "Yes, sir," said David faintly.

  "Any other boy?" asked the under-teacher quickly.

  "No, sir."

  "Well, then, Tom is waiting out there, I suppose, now." Mr. Harrow gotout of his chair.

  "He didn't have anything to do with it, sir," cried Joel wildly, andflying out of his chair again, "truly he didn't."

  "I understand." Mr. Harrow nodded. "I'm going to bring him in. Now itisn't necessary to tell you two boys not to do any talking while I'mgone." With that he went over to a corner, took down a lantern, lightedit, and passed out.

  When he came back, both Joel and David knew quite well by Tom's face,that the whole story was out; and Joel, who understood as well as anyone that Floyd Jenkins never by any possibility could be a favoritewith instructors, any more than with the boys, unless he changed hiswhole tactics, groaned again at thought that he had made matters worsefor him.

  "Now all three of you scatter to bed," was all the under-teacher said ashe came in with Tom. "No talking now; get up as softly as you can. Goodnight."