“Be quiet, I tell you!” cried Jasper Grinder, and clutched the arm of each so tightly that Tubbs set up a yell of pain.  “I am master here, and I will show you how to mind.”

At these words Sam’s heart gave a sudden drop.  It was Friday afternoon, and the next day would be, as usual, a holiday.  Taking advantage of this fact Professor Strong had gone to Buffalo to visit a sick relative residing there, and only an hour before Captain Putnam had been driven away behind his team to visit an old army friend living at Fordview, twelve miles away.  Professor Strong would not return until Monday morning, and it was more than likely the captain would remain away over night.  During this interval Jasper Grinder would be in absolute charge of the academy and the pupils.

In a few minutes the teacher had led the way into Captain Putnam’s office, and with a final pinch of their arms, which made Tubbs cry out once more with pain, he flung the pair away from him.

“Don’t you know it is disgraceful to fight?” he thundered.

“We weren’t fighting—­that is, not exactly,” said Tubbs meekly.

“Silence!  I saw the whole affair.  Why, your nose is still bleeding.”

“I don’t care.  It was Rover’s fault, Mr. Grinder.  He started the boys, and they all began to make fun of me.  He wouldn’t stop——­”

“And then you fought like a pair of young tigers.  Disgraceful!  I will have to make an example of both of you.”

“I’d like to see Captain Putnam about the matter,” said Sam boldly.

At these words Jasper Grinder fairly trembled with suppressed anger.  “The captain is not here, and I shall deal with you as you deserve,” he said.

Tubbs sank down on a chair and began to attend to his nose with his handkerchief.  Sam remained standing, but his whole manner showed that he did not consider he was being treated fairly.

“What both of you boys deserve is a good thrashing,” said the teacher, after a pause.

At this Sam looked his surprise.  Thrashing was not permitted at the Hall.  The worst that could happen to a student was to place him in solitary confinement over night, after a supper of bread and water.

“As I am not permitted by the rules to thrash you, I shall put you in the stone cell over night,” went on Jasper Grinder.

“Together?” questioned Tubbs, from behind his blood-stained handkerchief.

“No.  You shall go to the cell; and Rover shall be placed in the empty storeroom next to it.”

“The cell is ice cold, and so is the storeroom,” protested Sam.

“It is not my fault that you must be placed there, and you will have to put up with the cold,” was the curt answer.

“I shan’t stay in a cold room!” cried Sam.  “It’s not fair.”

“You shall, and I’ll put you there myself!” ejaculated Jasper Grinder.  “Tubbs, don’t dare to stir until I return.”

So speaking, the unreasonable teacher caught hold of Sam once more, and despite the youngest Rover’s struggles hustled him out of the office and through a long hallway, at the end of which was located the storeroom he had mentioned.  The key to the room was in the lock.