The position was critical. Bernard was tall and muscular for his age,
but of course he was not a match for the teacher.
He was, however, cool and collected, and not at all nervous. He
maintained his ground till Mr. Snowdon, with slow and cautious steps,
had crossed the narrow bridge, and then ran to the back part of the
loft.
The schoolmaster followed him as well as he could, but in his
impetuosity he lost his balance and fell on the hay.
Bernard made a dash for the plank. Seeing him coming, Bridget was seized
with a panic and hastily dismounted from the ladder.
Bernard took advantage of this, and descending to the barn floor, seized
the ladder and carried it out of doors, leaving Professor Snowdon a
prisoner in the barn loft.
Septimus, who was prudently standing just outside, called out, in alarm,
“Where’s my pa? What have you done to him?”
Bernard was not called upon to answer, as there was an angry roar from
inside the barn.
“Bring back the ladder, you audacious young ruffian!”
Bridget had fled to the house, and Septimus, who was far from
courageous, ran out behind the barn.
“I think the place is too hot to hold me,” thought Bernard, and he
struck for the road on a half run.
He had managed to catch up his bundle of clothes when fleeing from the
angry teacher, and there was nothing to prevent his bidding a final
farewell to the Snowdon Institute.
Meanwhile Professor Snowdon found himself in a quandary. He was in the
hay loft, unable to descend to the barn floor.
He could indeed walk across the plank to the opposite scaffold, but that
would not help him. It was certainly very aggravating. Bernard, he had
no doubt, was in full flight, while he was unable to follow him.
“Bridget!” he cried. “What has become of the ladder?”
But Bridget had already returned to the house.
“Drat that girl,” he muttered angrily. “Has she left me in the lurch?”
Then he bethought himself of his son.
“Septimus!” he cried, or rather roared.
“What is it, pa?” asked Septimus, who had gathered enough courage to
return to the barn.
“Where is Bernard Brooks?”
“He’s ran away.”
“Has he taken the ladder with him?”
“He took it out of the barn.”
“He won’t carry it far. Go and bring it here.”
“I dassn’t. He’ll come back and lick me.”
“Do as I tell you at once. If you don’t I will flog you.”
Septimus thought it prudent to heed his father’s appeal, especially as
it was evident that Bernard had got away.
He lugged the ladder into the barn.
“Now put it up against the scaffold so that I can get down.”
Septimus did so, but he did not see that the ladder had a secure
footing, so that when his father was part way down it fell, and the
learned pedagogue tumbled sprawling on the barn floor, receiving some
painful contusions, which did not improve his temper.
“It’s your fault, you young booby!” he exclaimed furiously, and
springing for Septimus he lashed him across the legs.
“Ouch!” yelled Septimus. “Are you crazy, pa? I ain’t Bernard.”
“I’d like to flog that boy within an inch of his life!” exclaimed
Ezekiel Snowdon, excited to fury by the sound of Bernard’s name.
“Then you’d better try to catch him instead of licking me.”
“Come into the house, Septimus,” said his father more calmly. “Look down
the road and see if you can see him.”
Septimus shaded his eyes, and looked down the road, but no runaway boy
was visible.
“I can’t see him, pa. He may be hiding somewhere.”
“Go and ask Mr. Sweetland if he will lend me his horse. I’ll go after
him.”
“There’s Leslie Sweetland now. I’ll ask him.” Leslie Sweetland, a boy of
sixteen, well and strongly built, was walking by.
“I say, Leslie,” called out Septimus, “do you think your father will
lend us his horse?”
Leslie stopped short. He had very little friendship for Septimus, and
disliked the elder Snowdon.
“What do you want him for?” he asked.
“Bernard Brooks has run away, and pa and I want to catch him.”
“Has Bernard run away?” asked Leslie, immediately interested.
“Yes.”
“What did he run away for?”
“Pa went to the barn to horsewhip him for his owdacious conduct. He
carried off the ladder and left pa in the hay loft, and now he’s run
away.”
Leslie burst into a fit of laughter.
“Well, that’s a good joke!” he said.
“I don’t see where the joke comes in,” growled Ezekiel.
“I don’t blame him for running away,” said Leslie, with spirit.
“I’ve a great mind to horsewhip you,” cried the amiable Snowdon.
“You’d find you’d tackled the wrong boy,” retorted Leslie. “You can’t
have our horse.”
“That’s for your father to say.”
“He won’t help you to catch Bernard. I’ll tell him not to.”
“The impudence of the boys in this village is positively terrible,” said
Mr. Snowdon. “Septimus, go over to Mr. Bacon, and see if he will lend us
his horse.”
Septimus did as ordered, but he found Mr. Bacon’s horse in use, and upon
his return Mr. Snowdon felt that it was too late to make other
arrangements.
“I’ll write to the boy’s guardian,” he said, “and probably he will send
him back without expense to me. If he does I’ll make the boy howl.”
Meanwhile Bernard was making the best of his time. He ran half a mile
without stopping. He passed a covered buggy, and as he did so turned
back to look at it.
It was occupied by a man of perhaps forty, who seemed to be in trouble.
He held the reins loose in his hands, his eyes were partly closed, and
his body swayed from side to side of the carriage.
“He needs help,” thought Bernard.
He ran to the horse, seized him by the bridle, and stopped him.
The driver did not seem to be aware of his interference.
Bernard, after a moment’s hesitation, climbed into the carriage, and
seating himself beside the gentleman, took the reins from his
unresisting fingers.
“Are you sick, sir?” he said.
The gentleman opened his eyes and looked at Bernard.
“Yes,” he said. “I came near fainting away.”
“Shan’t I drive for you?”
“Yes, I wish you would. Who are you?”
“My name is Bernard Brooks.”
“All right! I don’t know you, but you seem like a good boy.”
“Where shall I drive you?”
“To the next town.”
“Poplar Plains?”
“Yes.”
This suited Bernard very well. Poplar Plains was five miles away, and
here there was a station on the nearest railroad.
He drove on, while his companion leaned back in the carriage and closed
his eyes. Bernard took a side glance and noted his appearance.
He was a man with dark hair and eyes, and his complexion was also dark.
He looked to be in good health but for the pallor occasioned by his
present attack.
He roused up when they came within a mile of Poplar Plains.
“Are you feeling better?” asked Bernard.
“Yes; a little. You haven’t any hartshorn about you?”
“No, sir; but there is a drug store at the Plains. I can get some for
you.”
“Do so.”
“Shall I drive you to any particular place?”
“Yes. Drive to the hotel. Do you know where it is?”
“Yes, sir.”
In a very few minutes Bernard halted in front of the Poplar Plains
Hotel. A servant came out to receive the expected guest.
“Is your father going to stop with us?” he asked. “He isn’t my father,
but he will stop. He is feeling unwell, and I will get you to help him
out.” Assisted by Bernard and the hotel porter, the gentleman descended
from the buggy and went into the hotel.
“Sit down here a moment, sir, and I will get you the ammonia,” Bernard
said. “The drug store is close by.”
“Wait a moment. You will want some money. Here is a dollar.”
He drew a dollar bill from his vest pocket and handed it to Bernard, who
returned in five minutes with a small bottle.
The gentleman, removing the cork, applied the bottle to his nose. He
sneezed, but seemed revived.
“I feel better,” he said. “Go and take a room for me and help me up to
it.”
“What name shall I put down on the register?”
“William Penrose.”
“Where from?”
“Buffalo.”
Bernard did as requested. Mr. Penrose was assigned to a room on the
second floor. Then Bernard, taking out some silver, offered it to his
companion.
“The hartshorn only cost ten cents,” he said. “Here is the change.”
“Keep it,” said Mr. Penrose.
“Thank you, sir. It will be very acceptable. Now I will bid you
good-by.”
“No, don’t go. Stay with me, unless you have to go home. I may need
you.”
“I have no home, sir. I can stay as well as not.”
“Then go down and put your name on the register. There is another bed in
the room. You can sleep there.”