he shouted. "If you do not be still I will keep all of
you in to-morrow."

As this would have spoiled the chances for a good skate and some
exciting races, the boys immediately subsided. Then the questioning went
on until Dick Rover was reached.

"I don't know where Sam and Tubbs are now," said Dick. "Perhaps they are
frozen stiff."

"Did you aid them in escaping from the stone cell and the storeroom?"

"No, sir."

"Have you seen them since I placed them there?"

"Yes, I have," answered Dick boldly, seeing it was useless to beat about
the bush longer.

"Oh! Then you did aid them to escape?"

"Not from the stone cell and the storeroom. I met them after they had
escaped."

"Where did you see them last?"

"I decline to answer that question."

"Decline!" thundered Jasper Grinder.

"I do, sir. As soon as Captain Putnam arrives I shall lay this whole
matter before him, and learn if you have any authority for placing my
brother in a place where he is liable to catch a cold which may give him
pneumonia and be the cause of his death. As it is, my brother suffered a
great deal, and so did Tubbs, and if they get sick from it you may be
sure that you will be held legally accountable. It was an inhuman thing
to do."

As Dick finished there was a murmur, and then a number of the students
broke out into applause, while Tom clapped his hands as hard as he
could. Jasper Grinder stood at his desk dumbstruck, with his face
growing paler each instant.

"Silence! silence!" he exclaimed, when he could control his voice.
"Silence, I say, or I will cane you all! This is--is most unseemly--it
is--er--mutiny! Silence!"

"I mean just what I say, Mr. Grinder," went on Dick, when he could be
heard. "You are master here, and we are bound to obey you, in certain
things. But you shan't keep my brother in an icy room all night, and on
a supper of stale bread and cold water. Such treatment would almost make
a mule sick."

"Rover, will you be silent, or must I get the cane?" gasped Jasper
Grinder, almost beside himself with rage.

"If you get your cane, sir, you won't hit me more than once with it."

"Won't I? We'll see who is master here."

"My gracious! Is he really going to try to cane you, Dick!" exclaimed
Tom.

"I suppose he is," was the cool answer. "He is so angry he doesn't know
what he is doing."

Rushing from the classroom Jasper Grinder presently reappeared, carrying
a cane which looked as if it might hurt a good