No one answered and the Trojans looked at each other in dismay.

“Whose cap is it?” he asked.

“It is mine,” replied Achilles-Franz, “and some of these boys got it from the place I keep it and before I got here this morning put it on the pole.”

“Do you know which of the boys did it?”

“No, sir.”

“Go to the schoolroom and ask Professor Moot to please step here.”

“Professor,” said the principal, when the teacher of physical culture stood among them, “how many of your pupils can climb to the top of the pole?”

“Five of them can do it easily; two of them have not yet come, but there are three here.”

“Step here, you three, and show me the palms of your hands,” said the principal, and with very red faces the three obeyed.

“This is the boy,” he continued, as the red palms proved that the boy had recently climbed the pole, “and because you were a coward and would not answer when I asked, you get no recess to-day.  Now pass your books to your neighbor and bring down that cap.”

Like a poor criminal going to the gallows, the Trojan went to the pole and began the ascent with his already tender hands.  He would have asked for a postponement had not the serene face of the principal warned him that it would not be granted.  With much effort he reached the top, took off the helmet, and slipped rapidly down with it in his hand.

“Lay it on the window sill there, and go up the linden tree and bring down the lances.”

“Where did you get these things?” was the next question.

“I, we—­we took them from the summer house which Franz and Fritz and Paul call their armory.”

“Who was with you?”

“William Cross, Otto Eidman and Henry Frolick.”

“Professor, there were two more helmets,” explained Fritz, stepping forward.

“Where have you put the others?” asked the principal, sharply.

“Under the table in the lecture-room.”

“Very well.  You four boys will have an hour’s arrest in the lecture-room after school and when released you will take the things back and put them exactly where you found them.  Now you can go into the class-room.”

With very sheepish faces the Trojans filed in, followed by the triumphant Grecian heroes.

When school was out for the day they hurried to the armory to await the coming of the Trojans with the weapons, while the boys in the class who had not allied themselves to either Trojans or Grecians gathered in the yard under the window of the lecture-room to see the vanquished ones come out with the weapons when the hour of arrest was over.  Before the hour was spent they were joined by others who in passing the open gate saw them and were glad to wait to see the four delinquents pass out.

At length the clock in the old church-tower struck the four solemn strokes.  The hour of arrest was over, but the Trojans did not come.  They waited five, ten minutes, still no sign or sound of their coming.