Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-05
SIR PETER.
Written for The Star by
CLEMENT CHAPMAN YOUNG.
Copyright. 1905. by c. c. Young.)
CHAPTER ~.
How the Plot Worked Out.

the school bell rang the following morning.
Hurry and lock the outer door, he said
to Bob. who was with him; we are late"
Bob did as requested and then followed
Tom up the stairs leading from the cellar.
When they reached the landing above Bob
looked back and hesitated. Say. we left
that door open at the foot of the stairs
AS the morning wore on the quiet OF an
any difference. come on" And the two
reached their seats just as roli-caH began.
As the borning wore on the quiet of an
orderly class room was broken only by
the subdued sounds Of busy preparations
and the voices of teacher and pupils as
classes were called to recite. Could Miss
Walker have stood just behind her charges
she might have noticed a small white OBJ
ject passed from hand to hand with Sc
creey and dispatch. Like tiny bark on
a troubled sea, 1t would appear for mo.
ment. only to be lost sight of again; until
at last il found a haven between the leaves
of book Tom was apparently studying.
Could she have closely inspected the slip
of paper great would have been her sur
prise to see written upon 1t In sprawhns
hand, For Tom Pass 1t along, and adj
miration must have tempered her resent
ment as she witnessed the dizziness with
which Tom opened and read the missive
while his eyes seemed glued to the pages
before him, OF course Miss Walker saw
nothing of all this: had she seer 1t is
doubtful If the words did you bring nm!
traced upon the paper would nave had any
special meaning unless she had caught
Toms faint nod of assent, and noted the
satisfaction it gave to a NUMBER OF poSs
who were stealthily watching HIM
But Miss Walker was busy teacher, ana
had been occupied with her duties at the
other end of the room otherwise Tom might
have been asked to explain the matter In
stead of being called on to demonstrate ms
knowledge of arithmetic.
Tom, will please open the NAH COOr'
The room is very warm Thank you. Now
go to the blackboard and work out the fol-
lowing example: If a boy bought six
eighths of a bushel of peaches for 81, and
sold them for Il cents quart, what was
his gain?'
Tom was fond Of peaches, but his thoughts
were not on the problem: for just then
strange sounds came from the cellar, and
he was trying to make out their meaning
But it was necessary to go on with his task;
so, pulling himself together with an effort,
he repeated mechanically, II boy bought
six-eighths of a bushel OF peaches'-but the
noise below seemed to be increasing, and to
his now keenly alert faculties there was
something suggestive about It, What on
earth can that mean2' he asked himself.
Pete couldn't get out Of that bin:' and big
drops Of perspiration stood out on his fore
head These evidences of embarrassment
were not lost upon his teacher, but Toms
mind was in the habit of working slowly in
arithmetic. and Miss Walker traced his
hesitation to causes she understood from
long experience. But there was no denying
the fact that something unusual was occur
ring in the cellar. The muffied sounds grew
more and more distinct until they attracted
the attention of others. and curious glances
were exchanged by those in the secret, while
looks of wonder and bewiderment showed
upon the faces of those who were not.
From where she sat Miss Walker had
failed to detect the indications Of trouble be-
low: but she noticed the restlessness of
some of the scholars and sharply called
them to order. AS she glanced from one to
another, seeking a further clue to the disor-
der, the noise ceased in the cellar, and was
heard upon the stairway leading up to the
school room. Great Scotti' Tom muttered,
''Pete's gotten out. and is coming up here.
If l could only close that door" and he
glanced at Bob. who was the picture OF
guilty surprise. But doubts quickly gave
way to certainty. It's a scrap sure as
fate" thought Tom and he was not alone
in this belief. for the disturbance in
creased 1t seemed to the listening children
as If two ROSTERS were fighting on the stairs.
Then the sounds partly subsidized, only to be
heard again with greater dstinetness as If
the cause thereof was coming, step by step,
nearer and nearer. The excitement of the
pupils was now at high tension For some
moments Miss Walker had been listening as
intently as the rest. forgetting all thought
of discipline in her anxiety and amazement.
But she was not long kept in suspense, for
after moment the tumult broke out at the
very threshold. and through the door came
running into the room as fast as his ex-
nduSteO cOnQltlOn WOQld permit tall,
gaunt-looking rooster, mouth open, gasping
for breath. and presenting plain evidence of
hard usage, and a frantic desire to find
some place into which he could crawl and
escape his mercless assailant; for behind
him, like avenging fate, the very picture of
concentrated fury. followed Pete.
This sudden and unexpected intrusion
threw the entire school into uproar. Chill
dren screamed and jumped upon their seats;
some of the boys crowded to the aisle for a
better view while Miss Walker, losing all
presence of mind sprang upon her chair.
and from the chair to the top of her desk,
where drawing her skirts closely about her
for better protection. she signaled to several
Of the larger boys commands that her voice
could not make understood above the DIN
and confusion. As soon as Tom witnessed
the entrance of the strange rooster, pur-
sued so vindictively by Pete. he left the
nroblem upon the blackboard to solve itself
and made a dash for the warning fowls
Catching Pete In his arms, he motloned BOD
to secure the strange rooster, VINO lay on
the floor exhausted. and thus the two boys
stood facing the surprised and angry
teacher who now that the fear Of danger
was passed descended quickly from her
place of refuge and resumed both authority
and dignity as best she could.
The excitement being at last quieted, and
some degree restored, Miss Walker set her
self to unravel the mysterious occurrence
At first there was evidently no thought IN
her mind that either Tom or Bob were TO
blame for the strange invasion; but those
worthless looked SO sheepish as they stood
holding the roosters. their faces were so
flushed their manner so confused. that Miss
Walkers attention was at once attracted
TO them: and when she noticed their EN-
barrassment and detected the knowing
glances exchanged between some Of the
boys she at once concluded that Tom and
Bob were most likely the perpetrators of
the outrage which suspicion was rather
strengthened by the recollection of certain
practical Jokes which she was more than
hair OH fy,t
nations Of the guilty-looking pair before
her
Are you two responsible for this out
rage?" she asked, indignantly.
NO Miss Walker. we're not" replied
Tom.
IT mean to find out who Is. Whose roos-
tiers are those?'
Toms face grew redder and redder, and
J,o Gil frfopdo y,iafpfv