“I did,” said Morey.  “I knowed he’d do it.  What will Jo Keys say now, I wonder?” And the party went inside, and wondered over the wrecked desk, and asked all about it.  And then came in the stalwart Jo himself, celebrated for his strength.

“Wal, wal, wal! if this don’t beat all natur, I give it up!  What are you made of, young man, all spring and whalebone?  I’d a bet he would ‘a cleaned out a school-house full o’ such dainty book chaps.  I give it up.  Let me feel o’ you,” taking Bart good-naturedly by the shoulder.  “You’ll do, by——.  My Valdy said that when Grid gathered himself up the first time, he went heels over head, clear to the fire-place.”

And so the good-natured athlete went over with it all, with a huge relish for the smallest detail, and others came in, until nearly all the male patrons of the school had assembled; and Bart informally, but with hearty unanimity, was declared the greatest school-master of his day; they quoted all the similar instances within the range of memory or legend, and this achievement was pronounced the greatest.  They were proud of him, and of the exploit, and of themselves that they had him.  Morey, who had taken him because he could find no other, blazed up into a man of fine discernment; and Jo nearly killed him with approving slaps on his feeble back.  Indeed, his apologies for what he had said were too striking.

Life in all new communities is run mainly on muscle, and whoever exhibits skill and bravery in its rough encounters, peaceful or warlike, always commands a premium.  The people among whom Bart lived had not passed beyond the discipline of brute force, and he shared the usual fortune of heroes of this sort, of having his powers and achievements exaggerated, even by those under whose eyes he had acted.

A rumor reached Markham’s and Parker’s, from which it spread, that Bart’s school had arisen against him, and the first version was that he was killed, or very dangerously wounded; that he defended himself with desperation, and killed one or two, but was finally overcome; that the neighborhood was divided and in arms, and the school-house had been burned.  But the stage came in soon after, and the driver declared that he had seen Grid Bingham, whom he knew, brought out dead, that John Craft was badly hurt, and one or two more, and that Bart, who escaped without injury, would be arrested for murder.  It was finally said that he would not be arrested, but that Grid was either dead or dying; that he headed four or five of the older boys, and they were whipped out by Bart single-handed, who locked the door, and pitched in, etc.

The rumor produced a deep sensation in Newbury; and, whilst it was thought that Bart had been rash, and undoubtedly in fault, yet he had behaved handsomely.  When it was ascertained that he was victor, it was generally thought that he was a credit to the place, which was very natural and proper, considering that he had never before been thought to be a credit to anything anywhere.