Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  XI THE UNITED CLUBS

  The whole dormitory was in an uproar. "_Ow!_ help--help!" Mr. Harrow,having gone out after dinner, had retired late, and was now soundasleep, so another instructor scaled the stairs, getting there longbefore Mrs. Fox, the matron, could put in an appearance.

  In the babel, it was somewhat difficult to locate the boy who hadscreamed out. At last, "In there, Farnham's room," cried several voicesat 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 aroundthe bed, where the terrified occupant still sat, drawing up his knees tohis 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. Sothey 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 oneside, showing a tendency to find the door. Even the instructor jumped.Then he bethought himself to light the gas, which brought out the factthat there certainly was an animal in the room, as they could hear itnow under the bed.

  "Boys, be quiet. Mrs. Fox's cat has got up here, probably," said theinstructor. But the boy in the bed protested that it wasn't a cat thathad waked him up by thrusting a cold nose in his face, and jumping ontop 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 JoelPepper 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 overeach other.

  "And when did you begin to keep a dog, Joel Pepper?" hurled theinstructor at him, too angry for anything, that he hadn't impressed theboys with his courage.

  But Joel was occupied in ramming his body under the bed as far aspossible. "Here, Sinbad," and he presently emerged with a very red face,and Sinbad safely in his arms, who seemed perfectly delighted to getinto his old refuge again. David had now joined the group, as muchaghast as every other spectator.

  "Do you hear me, Joel Pepper?" thundered the instructor again. "When didyou get that dog?" This brought Joel to.

  "Oh, I haven't had him long, sir," he said, and trembling for Sinbad, ashe 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--Ifound, sir," wishing he could think of the right words, and knowing thatevery 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 saysomething to help Joel out.

  "Well, now, you wait a minute." The instructor, feeling that here was achance to impress the boys with his executive ability, looked about overthe table where Farnham's schoolbooks were thrown. "Got a bit ofstring? No--oh, yes." He pounced on a piece, and came over to Joel andthe dog.

  "What are you going to do, sir?" Joel hung to Sinbad with a tighter gripthan ever.

  "Never mind; it's not for you to question me," said the instructor, withgreat authority.

  But Joel edged away. Visions of being expelled from Dr. Marks' schoolswam before his eyes, and he turned very white.

  David plunged through the crowd of boys, absolutely still with theexcitement. "Oh Joel," he begged hoarsely, "let Mr. Parr do as he wantsto. 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'sneck, and holding the other end, after it was knotted fast. "I am goingto tie him in the area till morning. Here you, sir," as Sinbad showedlively intentions toward his captor's legs, with a backward glance athis 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 ofremarkable steps as he dragged Sinbad off, "I'll--I'll be just asgood--just till the morning, sir. Oh, _please_, Mr. Parr--I'll study,and get my lessons better, I truly will," cried poor Joel, unable topromise 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 tohis room," was the parting command.

  No need to tell Joel. He dashed through the ranks, and flung himselfinto his bed, dragged up the clothes well over his stubby head, andcried as if his heart would break.

  "Joel--Joel--oh, Joey!" begged David hoarsely, and running toprecipitate himself by his side. But Joel only burrowed deeper andsobbed on.

  And Davie, trying to keep awake, to give possible comfort, at lasttumbled asleep, when Joel with a flood of fresh sorrow rolled over asnear 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 stillasleep, and out of bed; jumped into his clothes, and ran softlydownstairs. There in the area was Sinbad, who had evidently concludedto make the best of it, and accept the situation, for he was curled upin as small a compass as possible, and was even attempting a littlesleep.

  "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 ofthings beginning to move for the day--"and dressed, why, I'll go and askhim--" what, he didn't dare to say, for Joel hadn't been able, with allhis thinking, to devise any plan whereby Sinbad could be saved.

  "But perhaps Dr. Marks will know," he kept thinking; and after a whilethe shades were drawn up at the red brick house across the yard, thehousemaid came out to brush off the steps, and various other indicationsshowed that the master was beginning to think of the new day and itsduties.

  Joel plunged across the yard. It was awful, he knew, to intrude at themaster's house before breakfast. But by that time--oh, dreadful!--Sinbadwould probably be beyond the help of any rescuing hand, for Mr. Parrwould, without a doubt, deliver him to the garbage man to be hauledoff. And Joel, with no thought of consequences to himself, plungedrecklessly 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 brooma minute.

  "Oh, I must see him," cried Joel, bounding into the hall. It was such acry of distress that it penetrated far within the house.

  "Oh my! you outrageous boy!" exclaimed the housemaid, shaking her broomat him. "You come right out."

  Meantime a voice said, "What is it?" And there was Dr. Marks in dressinggown 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-grayhair.

  The master could scarcely conceal his amazement, but he made a braveeffort at self-control.

  "Why, Pepper!" he exclaimed, and there was a good deal of displeasure inface and manner; so 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 wasinquiring, so Joel blurted out, "A dog, sir."

  "A _dog_?" repeated Dr. Marks, and now he showed his amazement anddispleasure 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 thestairs, crying as if his heart would break. And Mrs. Marks threw on herpretty blue wrapper in a dreadful tremor, and rushed out withrestoratives; and the housemaid who shook her broom at Joel, ran onremorseful feet for a glass of water, and the master's whole house wasin a ferment. But Dr. Marks w
aved them all aside. "The boy needsnothing," he said. "Come, Joel." He took his hand, all grimy andstreaked, and looked at his poor, swollen eyelids and nose, over whichthe tears were still falling, and in a minute he had him in his ownprivate study, with the door shut.

  When he emerged a quarter-hour after, Joel was actually smiling. He hadhold of the master's hand, and clutched in his other fist was a note,somewhat changed in appearance from its immaculate condition whendelivered by Dr. Marks to the bearer.

  "Yes, sir," Joel was saying, "I'll do it all just as you say, sir." Andhe ran like lightning across the yard.

  The note put into the instructor's hand, made him change countenancemore than once in the course of its reading. It simply said, for it wasvery short, that the dog was to be delivered to Joel Pepper, who was tobring it to the master's house; and although there wasn't a line or evena word to show any disapproval of his course, Mr. Parr felt, as he setabout obeying it, as if somehow he had made a little mistake somewhere.

  All Joel thought of, however, was to get possession of Sinbad. And whenonce he had the cord in his hand, he untied it with trembling fingers,Sinbad, in his transport, hampering the operation dreadfully by bobbinghis head about in his violent efforts to lick Joel's face and hands, forhe 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 theice, and make conversation.

  But no such effort was necessary, for Joel looked up brightly. "Isn'the, sir? Now say good-bye." At last the string was loose, and danglingto the hook in the area wall, and Joel held the dog up, and stuck outhis paw.

  "Good-bye," said Mr. Parr, laughing as he took it, and quite relieved tofind that relations were not strained after all, as Joel, hugging hisdog, sped hastily across the yard again to the master's house.

  Dr. Marks never told how very ugly he found the dog, but, summoning theman who kept his garden and lawn in order, he consigned Sinbad to hiscare, with another note.

  "Now, Joel," he said, "you know this payment comes every week out ofyour 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 hiseyes, so that he could not see Joel, was marched off, Dr. Marks from theveranda charging that the note be delivered and read before leaving thedog.

  "Oh, I'm going to take him home at vacation," announced Joel decidedly.

  "Indeed! Well, now, perhaps your grandfather won't care for him; youmust not count too much upon it, my boy." All the control in the worldcould 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. Marksgood-humoredly, "and the next time you come over to see me, don't bringany more dogs."

  So Joel, in high good spirits, and thinking how he would soon run downto the little old cobbler's where the master had sent the dog, chasedoff across the yard once more, and slipped in to breakfast with aterrible appetite, and a manner as if nothing especial had happened thepreceding night.

  And all the boys rubbed their eyes, particularly as Joel and Mr. Parrseemed to be on the best of terms. And once when something was saidabout a dog by Mr. Harrow, who hadn't heard anything of the midnighttumult in the dormitory, and was for continuing the account of histrained pet, the other under-teacher and Joel Pepper indulged in smilesand 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, hadbeen terribly frightened. But chancing to look out of the window, he sawhim racing across the yard, and watching closely, he discovered that hehad 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 greatestdistress; yet somehow when he came to think of it, it seemed to be witha great deal of hope since Dr. Marks was to be appealed to. And whenbreakfast-time came, and with it Joel so blithe and hungry, David fellto on his own breakfast with a fine appetite.

  * * * * *

  All the boys of the club, not one to be reported absent, presentedthemselves 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 thelast meeting.

  Alexia still had her arm in a sling; and indeed she was quite willing itshould remain so, for she was in constant terror that her aunt, who hadbeen persuaded to leave her, would insist on the return home. So Alexiabegged off at every mention of the subject, as Grandpapa King and MotherFisher were very glad to have the visit lengthened. She was as gay asever, and to-night was quite in her element; it had been so long sinceshe 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 tohave the business-meeting in there, Alexia; and after that, father hasinvited us in to the drawing-room."

  "What richness!" exclaimed Alexia, sinking into one of the librarychairs 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 inthis perfectly exquisite house."

  "Well, I've always lived here, Alexia," said Jasper with a laugh, "so Isuppose that is the reason I'm not overwhelmed now. Oh, here comesClare. All right, old fellow, glad you've come. Now I'll call themeeting to order." For Clare was the secretary.

  And the rest of the boys and girls assembling, the business-meeting wassoon 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 regularbusiness was disposed of, "to get up a plan by which we can accomplishsomething 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 beginwith, it is as well to announce at once that all unruly members will beput 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 theroom, "I'll sit on that old secretary if he makes any more trouble."

  "Get away!" laughed Clare; "that's worse than being put out."

  "Oh, I'll sit on you first, and then I'll carry out the piecesafterward. Sail on, Prexy, they all want the plan."

  "Well"--the president cleared his throat--"hem! And in order to do goodwork, 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 longfigure doubled up in the big chair, while the secretary slipped neatlyout.

  "Ha, ha! did you ever get left?" giggled Clare, at a safe distance.

  "Many a time, my dear child," said Pickering coolly, leaning backrestfully, "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 troublesomesecretary is quieted, I will proceed to say that as we want the plan tosucceed, 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 want you to express yourminds about the various plans that will be laid before you." Then Jaspertold the story of Jim, the brakeman; and how Grandpapa and Polly and hehad gone to the poor home, thanks to the little clerk; and how the threeboys who were waiting for education and the girl who was crazy to takemusic-lessons, to say nothing of the two mites of children toddlingaround, made t
he poor widow almost frantic as she thought of theirsupport; until some of the girls were sniffling and hunting for theirhandkerchiefs, and the boys considerately turned away and wouldn't lookat 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 shesaw he really wanted her to, Polly began with shining eyes, and glowingcheeks, to finish the story.

  And she told how Grandpapa had ordered provisions and coal for the poorwidow enough for many months to come; and how--oh, wasn't that perfectlysplendid in dear Grandpapa?--he had promised that the little girl(Arethusa was her name) should take music-lessons from one of theteachers in the city. And Polly clasped her hands and sighed, quiteunable to do more.

  "And what do you want us to do?" cried the secretary forgetting allabout losing his seat, to crowd up to the table. "Say, if that familyhas got all that richness, what do you want the club to do?"

  "Oh," said Polly turning her shining eyes on him, "there are ever andever so many things the boys and that girl will need, and Grandpapa saysthat they'll think a great deal more of help, if some young people takehold of it. And so I'm sure I should," she added.

  "It strikes me that I should, too," declared Pickering, all his lazinessgone. And getting his long figure out of the chair, he cried, "I move,Mr. President, that we,"--here he waved his hands in a sweepinggesture,--"the Salisbury Club and our club, unite in a plan to dosomething for that family."

  "I second the motion," the secretary cried out, much to everybody'ssurprise, for Polly was all ready to do it if no one else offered to. Sothe vote was carried unanimously amid the greatest enthusiasm.

  "Now what shall we do?" cried the president, jumping to his feet. "Letus 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 himselfheard.

  "Oh, we don't want another," cried Clare, in which the united clubsjoined.

  "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 asingle "No," why the "ayes" had it of course. And after that they talkedso long over the general plan, that old Mr. King at last had to send avery special invitation to come out to the dining-room. And there wasMother Fisher and Mrs. Whitney and the little doctor and a most splendidcollation! 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 Grandpapasmiling in great satisfaction upon them all.