A STRUGGLE FOR THE MASTERY
The school had closed on Monday evening as usual. The boys had been
talking in knots all day. Nothing but the bulldog in the slender,
resolute young master had kept down the rising storm. A teacher who has
lost moral support at home, can not long govern a school. Ralph had
effectually lost his popularity in the district, and the worst of it was
that he could not divine from just what quarter the ill wind came,
except that he felt sure of Small's agency in it somewhere. Even Hannah
had slighted him, when he called at Means's on Monday morning to draw
the pittance of pay that was due him.
He had expected a petition for a holiday on Christmas day. Such holidays
are deducted from the teacher's time, and it is customary for the boys
to "turn out" the teacher who refuses to grant them, by barring him out
of the school-house on Christmas and New Year's morning. Ralph had
intended to grant a holiday if it should be asked, but it was not
asked. Hank Banta was the ringleader in the disaffection, and he had
managed to draw the surly Bud, who was present this morning, into it. It
is but fair to say that Bud was in favor of making a request before
resorting to extreme measures, but he was overruled. He gave it as his
solemn opinion that the master was mighty peart, and they would be beat
anyhow some way, but he would lick the master fer two cents ef he warn't
so slim that he'd feel like he was fighting a baby.
And all that day things looked black. Ralph's countenance was cold and
hard as stone, and Shocky trembled where he sat. Betsey Short tittered
rather more than usual. A riot or a murder would have seemed amusing to
her.
School was dismissed, and Ralph, instead of returning to the Squire's,
set out for the village of Clifty, a few miles away. No one knew what he
went for, and some suggested that he had "sloped."
But Bud said "he warn't that air kind. He was one of them air sort as
died in their tracks, was Mr. Hartsook. They'd find him on the ground
nex' morning, and he lowed the master war made of that air sort of stuff
as would burn the dog-on'd ole school-house to ashes, or blow it into
splinters, but what he'd beat. Howsumdever he'd said he was a-goin' to
help, and help he would; but all the sinno in Golier wouldn't be no
account again the cute they was in the head of the master."
But Bud, discouraged as he was with the fear of Ralph's "cute," went
like a martyr to the stake and took his place with the rest in the
school-house at nine o'clock at night. It may have been Ralph's
intention to preoccupy the school-house, for at ten o'clock Hank Banta
was set shaking from head to foot at seeing a face that looked like the
master's at the window. He waked up Bud and told him about it.
"Well, what are you a-tremblin' about, you coward?" growled Bud. "He
won't shoot you; but he'll beat you at this game, I'll bet a hoss, and
me, too, and make us both as 'shamed of ourselves as dogs with
tin-kittles to their tails. You don't know the master, though he did
duck you. But he'll larn you a good lesson this time, and me too, like
as not." And Bud soon snored again, but Hank shook with fear every time
he looked at the blackness outside the windows. He was sure he heard
foot-falls. He would have given anything to have been at home.
When morning came, the pupils began to gather early. A few boys who were
likely to prove of service in the coming siege were admitted through the
window, and then everything was made fast, and a "snack" was eaten.
"How do you 'low he'll get in?" said Hank, trying to hide his fear.
"How do I 'low?" said Bud. "I don't 'low nothin' about it. You might as
well ax me where I 'low the nex' shootin' star is a-goin' to drap. Mr.
Hartsook's mighty onsartin. But he'll git in, though, and tan your hide
fer you, you see ef he don't. _Ef_ he don't blow up the school-house
with gunpowder!" This last was thrown in by way of alleviating the fears
of the cowardly Hank, for whom Bud had a great contempt.
The time for school had almost come. The boys inside were demoralized by
waiting. They began to hope that the master had "sloped." They dreaded
to see him coming.
"I don't believe he'll come," said Hank, with a cold shiver. "It's past
school-time."
"Yes, he will come, too," said Bud. "And he 'lows to come in here mighty
quick. I don't know how. But he'll be a-standin' at that air desk when
it's nine o'clock. I'll bet a thousand dollars on that. _Ef_ he don't
take it into his head to blow us up!" Hank was now white.
Some of the parents came along, accidentally of course, and stopped to
see the fun, sure that Bud would thrash the master if he tried to break
in. Small, on the way to see a patient perhaps, reined up in front of
the door. Still no Ralph. It was just five minutes before nine. A rumor
now gained currency that he had been seen going to Clifty the evening
before, and that he had not come back, though in fact Ralph had come
back, and had slept at Squire Hawkins's.
"There's the master," cried Betsey Short, who stood out in the road
shivering and giggling alternately. For Ralph at that moment emerged
from the sugar-camp by the school-house, carrying a board.
"Ho! ho!" laughed Hank, "he thinks he'll smoke us out. I guess he'll
find us ready." The boys had let the fire burn down, and there was now
nothing but hot hickory coals on the hearth.
"I tell you he'll come in. He didn't go to Clifty fer nothing" said Bud,
who sat still on one of the benches which leaned against the door. "I
don't know how, but they's lots of ways of killing a cat besides chokin'
her with butter. He'll come in--_ef_ he don't blow us all sky-high!"
Ralph's voice was now heard, demanding that the door be opened.
"Let's open her," said Hank, turning livid with fear at the firm,
confident tone of the master.
Bud straightened himself up. "Hank, you're a coward. I've got a mind to
kick you. You got me into this blamed mess, and now you want to
craw-fish. You jest tech one of these 'ere fastenings, and I'll lay you
out flat of your back afore you can say Jack Robinson."
The teacher was climbing to the roof with the board in hand.
"That air won't win," laughed Pete Jones outside. He saw that there was
no smoke. Even Bud began to hope that Ralph would fail for once. The
master was now on the ridge-pole of the school-house. He took a paper
from his pocket, and deliberately poured the contents down the chimney.
Mr. Pete Jones shouted "Gunpowder!" and set off down the road to be out
of the way of the explosion. Dr. Small remembered, probably, that his
patient might die while he sat here, and started on.
But Ralph emptied the paper, and laid the board over the chimney. What a
row there was inside! The benches that were braced against the door were
thrown down, and Hank Banta rushed out, rubbing his eyes, coughing
frantically, and sure that he had been blown up. All the rest followed,
Bud bringing up the rear sulkily, but coughing and sneezing for dear
life. Such a smell of sulphur as came from that school-house!
Betsey had to lean against the fence to giggle.
[Illustration: FIRE AND BRIMSTONE]
As soon as all were out, Ralph threw the board off the chimney, leaped
to the ground, entered the school-house, and opened the windows. The
school soon followed him, and all was still.
"Would he thrash?" This was the important question in Hank Banta's mind.
And the rest looked for a battle with Bud.
"It is just nine o'clock," said Ralph, consulting his watch, "and I'm
glad to see you all here promptly. I should have given you a holiday if
you had asked me like gentlemen yesterday. On the whole, I think I shall
give you a holiday, anyhow. The school is dismissed."
And Hank felt foolish.
And Bud secretly resolved to thrash Hank or the master, he didn't care
which.
And Mirandy looked the love she could not utter.
And Betsey giggled.