Passaic City record., 1891-09-05

jeeringly:
ave might as we'll tell you right now
that we're going to duck you'll"
s.Duck meg"
eyes, sir; we're going to pitch you
into Lowrie's Pond, yonder."
.'Oh, you area" said Mr.. Dick. He
was pale instead of crimson now, and
his eyes shone, but he voice was steady.
eyes, we airl" said Phineas Joyce.
"And if you don't come along peace
ably. we'll fetch you. We mean bust
ness!"
Mr.. Dick glanced at the boys in si-
lence for moment. The other pupils
had gathered around, breathless with ex-
citement. Some of the girls began to
cry. Little Sammy Pike, who had just
been saying that he s.jutht loved Mithter
| Dick" ran and hid in the woodshed,
weeping.
Sally Redding was afame with indig-
nation.
'.Shame on you'll" she cried, pointing
her finger scornfully at the four boys.
"You're pack of great cowardly bullies
that's what you are! You're four to
one, and you've waited until there were
four of you, because you didn't dare
touch the teacher single-handed. Don't
you go step, Mr.. Dick. We girls will
fight for you'll"
She interposed her small, slender self
between the teacher and his assailants,
and stood there with clenched fists and
flashing eyes.
The boys sneered and jeered, ,although
some of them had the grace to vince
and flush at Sally's truthful words.
But Mr.. Dick laid his hand lightly
on Sally's shoulder and said, with
smile:
"You are real little Trojan maiden,
but I cannot have you waging war for
me. think it best to yield gracefully,
if I must yield. Now 1 will go with.
you, boys, but don't you lay hand on
me to force me into going. I will go;
quietly along without giving you that
trouble"
He started forward.
"Don't ye try to run away" said
Phineas Joyce, s.for we can outrun ye
any day."
"I run away from you'll" said the
teacher, in voice and with look that
made Phineas turn scarlet and hang back
to escape that strange, contemptuous,
searching look in the teachers eyes.
The cowardly boy would have fled had
he been alone.
With the exception of Sammy Pike
who, peeping from between the cracks
in the woodshed, wept aloud, the whole
school followed the teacher and the boys
to the pond, many of the smaller chill
dren trembling and sobbing.
"You will kindly allow me to take off
my coat, that l may have at least one
dry garment to put on when come
out9" said Mr.. Dick, when they
stood on the very edge of the bank of the
pond.
"off with it, then," said Hiram
Beal.
The other pupils had fallen back, and
the teacher and the four boys stood alone
on the bank.
"Thank you," said Mr.. Dick, gently,
as he threw off the coat, took long
breath, stood erect, and added:
"Now am ready"
A strange thing happened then. The
children saw it with staring, wondering
eyes and speechless lips.
Brayan Thayer and Nat Brace had
been standing directly in front of MIR.
Dick. Now, with the word "ready,"
came two dull, striking sounds, and Nat
and Bryan went reeling and yelling
backward into the waterl
Hiram Beal stood at the teachers right.
Mr.. Dick turned suddenly; his right
arm shot out swiftly in his white shirt
sleeve, and the admiring small boys saw
the muscle swell and rise as Hiram fell
to the ground and was dragged to the
pond and rolled in by the teacher.
Phineas Joyce turned to run away, but
Sally Redding clung to his coat tail as he
passed her and held him back.
He would have struck her, but Mr..
Dick had him by the collar and dragged
him back, while he cried:
"Oh, please don't, teacherl It's all
Nat Braces fault He put us up to it.
I-I-o-o-h"
In went Phineas with mighty splash.
Nat and Bryan were climbing up the
steep bank, six feet high here, with
chattering teeth, but Mr.. Dick sent
them both back into the water. Then
he said ~ sincerely hope that this is
the last exhibition shall have to make
of my muscular ability in any way. You
boys may come out of the water and go
home and get some dry clothes"
The memory of this lesson, coupled
with something Phineas Joyce read
day or two afterward in Wayne paper
and told to his comrades, greatly in
creased their respect and admiration for
Mr.. Dick.
Phineas had read that at certain
athletic exhibition recently given in
Wayne, Mr.. Timothy Dick had carried
off all of the honors, aud that he had
won the victory in hotly contested
boat race.
1t was not long before the boys came
to admire and respect Mr. Dick for