“Who are the heroes here?” called out one fellow.

“Why?” demanded another.

“Well, we need our assured brave ones to lead going back.”

“That’s where the baseball squad comes in, then,” nodded Purcell.  “School nine and subs first, second team following.  Then let the chilly-footed ones bring up the rear.”

“We can go back in column of fours,” proposed Dick, as he fastened on his collar, “with no leaders or file-closers.  Then it will be hard to guess at any ring-leaders.”

“That’s the best idea yet,” agreed Purcell.  “Then, fellows, a block from the school, let the baseball squad form first, and then all of the rest of you fall in behind in column of fours, just as you happen along.”

“And keep good ranks, and march the best you know how,” urged Dick.  “Unyielding ranks may suggest the community idea to Prin.”

“Then we won’t have to explain it,” laughed Grady.

“Oh, come, now,” shouted another, “don’t flatter yourselves that we’re going to get out of some tall explaining.”

A block from the school the order was given to form fours.  This was quickly done.  Purcell, Dick, Darrin and Dan Dalzell composed the first four as the line turned into the yard.

There at the main doorway the culprits beheld the principal.  And that gentlemen certainly looked almost angry about something.  The weather indications were for squalls in the High School.

“Go to your seats in the assembly room,” said the principal, coldly, as the head of the line neared him.  As the boys wore no overcoats it was not necessary to file down to the locker rooms first.  They marched into the hat room just off of the assembly room.  And here they found Mr. Drake on duty.

“No conversation here.  Go directly to your seats,” ordered Mr. Drake.

The few girls who were not at classes looked up with eyes full of mischievous inquiry when the boys entered the big room.  The principal and Mr. Drake took their seats on the platform.  The late swimmers reached for their books, though most of them made but a pretense of study.  Almost at once there was another diversion made by the girls who were returning from recitations.

Then the bell was struck for the beginning of the next period.  Out filed the sections.  The boys began to feel that this ominous quiet boded them no good.  Not until closing time did the principal make any reference to the affair.

“The young ladies are dismissed for the day,” he remarked.  “The young gentlemen will remain.”  Clang!

Then a dead silence fell over the room.  It was broken, after a minute, by the principal, who asked: 

“Where were you, young gentlemen, when the end of recess bell rang this morning!”

No one being addressed, no one answered.

“Where were you, Mr. Purcell?”

“Swimming at Foster’s Pond, sir.”

“All of you?”