The Putnam Hall Cadets: or, Good Times in School and Out

“I suppose one of them found out about the grease, and he told the rest,” was the way he reasoned. “Hang the luck anyway! I don’t seem to be able to get square with that crowd, no matter what I do!”

Baxter was tired, and it was not long before he was in the land of dreams. How long he slept he knew not, but of a sudden he awoke, to find a handkerchief tied across his mouth. Then his arms were tied to his sides, his feet were fastened, and he was raised up out of bed by six persons and carried from the dormitory.

He was not greatly frightened, because he thought some of the others in the dormitory were playing a joke on him. He tried to see the faces of the cadets, but could not, for each of the party had a big paper bag thrust over his head, with two holes in front, for seeing purposes.

Baxter was carried downstairs to the lower floor of the Hall. Then the party made its way to a side door.

“Throw a blanket over him, fellows,” said one person, and then the bully was almost smothered. The next instant he found himself out in the snow and being carried toward the gymnasium. The building was soon reached and the door opened. Then the whole party went inside, and a lantern was lit.

“Now set the prisoner up, and we will decide his fate,” said one of the masked cadets, and then the bully was placed on an empty box. His heart sank within him, for he felt that he was not among friends, but among those who had good cause to be his enemies.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE PUNISHMENT OF A BULLY

“Look here, what do you intend to do with me?” asked Dan Baxter, as soon as he could speak.

“Punish you!” came from all of the masked boys.

“What for?”

“For many things.”

“I don’t know what I have done.”

“You have tried to bully us,” said one.

“You greased the stage at our entertainment,” answered another.

“You are always quarreling with us,” put in a third.

“You want to run things to suit yourself,” came from a fourth.

“You get Mumps to play the sneak,” added a fifth.

“I – I – don’t!” cried the bully, and began to turn pale. “I want you to let me go. It’s cold here!”

“You’ll feel warm enough before we get through with you,” answered one of the masked cadets, meaningly.

“If you – you hurt me, I’ll – I’ll – ”

“Don’t threaten us, Baxter. If you do, we’ll treat you so much worse.”

“It’s a mean shame!”

“Stay where you are,” said the leader of the masked cadets – it was Jack. “If you move, it will be at the peril of your life!”

After that the crowd withdrew to a corner, leaving Baxter alone. The bully wanted to escape, but he was afraid to try it. The masked cadets held a consultation lasting several minutes.

“Just the thing!” was the cry. “Just the thing!”

“Now what do they intend to do?” asked the bully of himself. “Something awful, I’m sure!”

“Baxter, we have decided on your fate,” said one of the masked boys. It was Pepper, but he disguised his voice well.

“What are you going to do?”

“We are going to brand you first and then march you out into the country, so that you can’t find your way back to Putnam Hall.”

“Brand me! March me away! Don’t you dare to do it!”

“Blindfold him first, fellows!” came from Andy, and the bully’s eyes were quickly bound tight with a handkerchief.

“Now heat up that iron,” came loudly from one of the masked cadets. “I think that a B on his forehead will look beautiful.”

“What are you going to – to – put a B on me for?” asked Baxter, with a shiver.

“B stands for Bully, and that is what you are, Dan Baxter. Hurry up with that iron, boys.”

“No! No!”

“The iron is getting hot!” came from Dale. He had stepped to one of the windows and brought in a sharp-pointed icicle.

“Nos. 3, 4, 6, and 7 will hold him, while Nos. 1 and 2 perform the operation. No. 5 can remain on guard.”

“If you brand me, I’ll – I’ll – ” began the bully.

“Silence! If you dare to cry out, we’ll brand you on the cheeks as well as the forehead.”

“I won’t stand it!” roared the bully and started to get from the gymnasium, bound as he was. But they tripped him up with ease, and as he went headlong, one cadet sat on his breast and another on his legs, rendering him helpless.

“Now then, the iron!” called out Stuffer. “Brand him well.”

The icicle was brought forward, and at the same time one of the boys cut a little lock of hair from his head and lit a match. Then the icicle was run over Baxter’s forehead in the form of the letter B. At the same time the lock of hair was lit and the smell of the burning hair was allowed to reach the bully’s nose.

“Oh! Oh!” yelled Baxter, squirming greatly. “Let up! Don’t burn me! Oh, I’ll be marked for life! Oh, this is outrageous! Don’t, I beg of you! Please let me go! I’ll – I’ll do anything if you’ll only let up on me!”

“Let up now,” whispered Jack. “He may get a fit! He is almost scared out of his life!”

“Now then, the blanket and the old boots,” came from Andy, and the victim of the hazing was provided with a big pair of old rubber boots and a heavy horse blanket.

“What’s this for?” asked the bully.

“For your long tramp into the country,” was the answer.

“I don’t want to go out into the country this cold night! Let me go, please do!”

“It’s too late to beg, Baxter. You have been a bad boy, and you must take your medicine.”