The Virginia enterprise., 1908-02-14


the cellar beneath the house: so YOU
cant say that he was in any particu-
lar danger"
Il don't care; Gruffy's said, too, that
you should act from 'principle'-and
you can't tell me that Guy Fawkes
didn't act from his principle" Tom
my Fowler kicked his heels def1antly
against his desk, awaiting further
comment from his chum.
Billy, however, refused to enter
into an argument. That's neither here
nor there" said he; we've got to have
some fun tomorrow, and since it's No.
vember S, We might as we'll burn a
Guy Fawkes as anything. You can
pretend it's an ef1gy Of some person
other than Guy Fawkes, if you want
to, but you've got to help us rig out
a dummy of some sort"
"Only wish we could burn Jack
Croton. He's the checklist chap and
the biggest bully we've got in Ches
terville academy, and he's getting
worse every day." Tommy muttered.
Billy remained in deep thought for
several minutes. Then he responded: !:
You're right, Tommy. And we've just
got to take him down six or seven
pegs. The way he fags those little
chaps is shameful. What do you say
to thinking up some sort of scheme to
make him whistle tomorrow
Nothing was more agreeable to
Tommy. Indeed, he was in his ele-
ment when plotting mischief with
Billy Berkely-and there hardly ever
passed day during which the results
of these warlike conferences did not
show themselves.
Jimmy Durkin was taken into the
confidence of the two conspirators.
All that afternoon they toiled in Sc
crecy, making dummy that, when
completed, was the exact counterpart
of Gruffy jenkins. the Latin master
more often known as "Old Gruffy."
The next evening, in secluded cor
ner of the playground, they built a
good-sized bonfire. Then they bound
the arms of the dummy together in
the back, drew an old slouch hat
down over the face and put the ef-
figy in the midst of the material for
the fire.
When this was done Tommy and
Billy mid themselves behind neighbor-
ing trees, while Jimmy went in search
of Jack Croton.
Jimmy approached Jack Croton
when he found him, and whispered in
his ear: Il say, Jack. those chaps,
Tommy Fowler and Billy Berkely,
have a Guy Fawkes all to themselves
down in a corner of the playground.
They've just gone away for a few min
utes for something, and left it. It'd
be great fun to go and fire it OF. and
burn the whole thing before they got
back"
The next instant found the bonfire
In flames. Jack was standing by,
laughing at his work, when Billy and
Tommy rushed up, demanding
fiercely:
What have you done? Help us!
Have you burned Gruffy?"
Burned Gruffy?" stammered Jack
"Of course, didn't you understand!
Billy and 1 have had a long grudge
against him, so We tripped him up
and before he knew what was being
done had him gagged and bound
Then, to frighten him, we sat him mp
amidst the bonfire to make him be-
lieve We were going to burn him!
Jack Croton, you're murderer!'
Tommy and Billy shrank back aghast
'Moses!" huskily gasped the bully
"seems to me that coat and hat did
look familiar. But you know l didn't
mean it! You know I didn't mean it
boys!"
Jimmy's voice shook, though not
with terror, as he said: "Yes, but
you've got to tell that to the doctor
Tell the doctor? Oh, can't" ant
the big fellow whimpered like one o.
the little chaps he had often treated
SO cruelty.
Then the three led the shrinking
fellow up the steps of the doctors
house, and watched him disappear
within the door.
Jack Croton left the school a few
days later! He couldn't stand tn,
chaff that went round about the burn
ing of Gruny. An the last Iuessag,
he left was:
Tell Tom Fowler and Bill Berke
ly that I'll be revenged on them i
it takes 4 lifetime"
But the two had heard threats from
bullies before, and had no other feel
ing but Joy that the enemy of nearl,
every one in the academy had a
last asparted.-Los Angeles Times.