The Mystery at Putnam Hall: The School Chums' Strange Discovery

r has been

blows th

ht it on himsel

struck Jack after Jack told him

den horse," came from Coulter, who felt bound to stick up for

cuse is worse than

ut fair and square,"

w he returned with a pailful and a sponge, and commenced to bathe t

al-alone,"

said Paxton. "Go

two of his front teeth were loose. He stared around in a

gh?" demanded Ja

" answered Co

when he's down, woul

d enough. If he has,

ther time," mumbled Ritter, a

swered Jack, coldly. "You started this fight, and now you must

want to f

nowledge your

I d

want to wait here al

ts," said Pepper.

ht, Ruddy," cr

ut in half a

it," added Harry Blossom, the

p slowly and then, staggering to a bench, sank down heavily up

hat is the mea

mnasium that startled all of the assembled cadets. The n

, here is o

or it,

re?" went on Josiah Crabtree, in his

ed cadets looked at each other.

g?" went on the head teacher,

ed me, and I-er-I defended myse

Ruddy?" questioned Josiah

s,

says is untrue!" burst ou

? You, the major of the sch

ebody slapped you in the f

-and as major you ought to

ir. But I won't allow anybo

lap him," p

id," came f

-I saw it,"

added a cade

he occurrence at the office," said Josiah Crabtree, loftily. "

shame!" burs

ds from you!" roared th

uffer for something like that," went on

tmore! Go to your room at once, and

r. Crab

, Ruddy and Ritter, report to me and to Cap

y look on his face, Pepper left the gymnas

have washed up, Mr. Crabtr

I," add

napped the teacher, and then he strode from

the followers of the young major and of Reff Ritter. Only a few had seen the

dismally, to Fred. "Ritter will do his b

hit you first, and Pepper and Bro

oulter and Paxto

on hand when the

y'll stick up for Ref

ptain Putnam doesn't take

I'll-well, never m

to me, I'd fee

ot do anything hastily," answered th

e to go

any one. But I wish you'd han

to the

d take Brown,

Reff Ritter had hurried and gotten ahead of him, and was telling his story, both to the head of the school and

uddy," said Captain Putnam, when Jack appeared, and the

Josiah Crabtree. He said that he had just been getting ready to take some gymnastic exercise when Jack and s

is high-horse and told me to shut up or he would knock me down. I told him it was a shame for him to speak so of my father. Then he got mad and all of a sudden he jumped at me and hit me in the mouth and the eye and then in t

cried Josiah Crabtree. "And evide

tarted the quarrel?" questi

s,

er cadets that your

mad. But I didn't hit him until he

resent at

were with Ruddy, and Gus Coulte

ody e

't see

e worst of

s. I guess I could whip him if we were

ext room, Ritter, while

ve me?" cried th

y one side," answered Capta

ree. "When I appeared Ruddy was very insolent and so wa

He understood Josiah Crabtree's dictatorial manner perfectly, and h

had just vacated. Then Captain Putnam asked him to tell hi

the plain truth, Major Ruddy?" asked

looked the head of the school f

not agree with th

ge to drag in the boy's father simply because he has made some

"I am conducting this investigation. Now that we have heard the st

ary now," said Jack. "Pepper Ditmore was there

er and Paxton," answered Captain Putnam. "You may re

om named. It was empty and he threw himself down

. In the meantime George Strong, the second assistant teacher, was sent off to summon Coulter and Pa

de a discovery," he said. "I wo

head of the school,

sir, a

into the next room,"