The Putnam Hall Rebellion

“You gave out all the ammunition, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then you must have given out the blanks. It was very careless on your part.”

“No wonder I missed!” growled one of the cadets.

“I think we ought to shoot over again,” added another.

“It was a mean trick!” cried a third.

“Quartermaster Grenwood, you have been grossly careless, and your carelessness has caused a great deal of trouble,” said Captain Putnam, sternly.

“I wasn’t careless, I tell you, I – ”

“Silence. I say you were careless, and I now ask you to resign your position as quartermaster of the school battalion.”

“Resign!” gasped Bob Grenwood.

“That is what I said. The battalion must have a quartermaster who can be relied upon at all times. Supposing we were going to have a sham battle and you dealt out ball cartridges instead of blanks, what would happen? Why some of the cadets might be killed! Do you resign or not?”

“Captain Putnam, I – I – ”

“If you refuse to resign I shall have to take the office away from you.”

“All right, I’ll resign,” cried Bob Grenwood, bitterly. “All the same, I say you are treating me unjustly.” And with a red face and bowed head he stepped back into the crowd.

“I don’t believe Bob did it,” whispered Stuffer to Hogan.

“Sure, and I thought he was more careful meself,” answered the Irish-American cadet. “It’s a bad mess, so it is!” added.

Captain Putnam now held a consultation with several of the others and then announced that for every shot fired which had not hit a target the cadet should have another try. In the meantime the blanks were collected and ball cartridges dealt out instead.

“Now, Jack, show ’em what you can do!” cried Pepper, as his chum walked to the front once more.

“Confound it, I guess our plan is busted,” whispered Paxton to Ritter.

“Hush! Not a word of it!” whispered the bully, warningly. “If Captain Putnam ever finds it out, – well, he’ll make it mighty warm for us, that’s all!”

With great care Jack took aim once more. Everybody watched him with interest, and a wild shout went up when the result was announced.

“A bull’s-eye!”

“There, what did I tell you?” cried Pepper. “I knew he could do it!”

“Now another, Jack!” said Andy, enthusiastically.

And the youthful major did make another bull’s-eye, amid the applause of his many friends.

“That’s the highest score yet!”

“Major Ruddy, I must congratulate you,” said Captain Putnam, holding out his hand. “I am now as convinced as you are that those other shots were blanks.”

“Jack, that’s the highest score yet,” said Dale. “I rather think you take the prize.”

“Didn’t know there was a prize, Dale.”

“Well, metaphorically speaking.”

“You’ve bested Reff Ritter and that’s a good deal,” said Andy.

When Pepper came to shoot he made one bull’s-eye and two fours. This gave him quite a high score and made him content. Andy and Dale also did well, while Bart Conners tied Ritter. Mumps and Paxton each made two misses on the long distance target.

“More blanks, I suppose,” grumbled Paxton, although he knew better.

“No,” said Captain Putnam. “That was only your carelessness did that. You shot too quickly.”

“I – I’m not feeling well to-day,” said the school sneak lamely. “I ought to have stayed at the Hall.”

After the target practice was at an end the cadets were allowed an hour to themselves.

“Let us take a walk through the woods,” said Pepper. And he and Jack and half a dozen went off in one direction while Reff Ritter and his cronies went off in another. Bob Grenwood felt so bad that he strolled off by himself.

“I must say, I feel sorry for Bob,” said Jack. “Even if he did deal out the blanks, I don’t think he meant to do it.”

“He feels all cut up to lose the quartermastership,” said Dale. “After the captain made him resign I saw the tears standing in his eyes.”

“What do you say if we go to Captain Putnam and ask him to reinstate Grenwood?” questioned Pepper, who was always ready to help anybody in distress.

“I’ll do that willingly,” came from several of the others.

“I don’t think we ought to go right away,” said Bart Conners. “Wait a few days – until his temper has a chance to cool. Finding the blanks riled him all up.”

“By the way, fellows, have you heard the news?” asked Joe Nelson.

“What news?”

“A new teacher is coming.”

“Who told you that?” asked Pepper.

“Nobody. I heard Captain Putnam and Mr. Strong talking about it. It seems Mr. Strong has got to go away on business, and the new man is coming during his absence.”

“Who is he, did you hear, Joe?” asked several, for they were always anxious concerning their instructors.

“Hope he isn’t like old Crabtree,” was Pepper’s comment. “If he is I’ll feel like jumping into the lake!”

“I don’t know anything about him, excepting that his name is Pluxton Cuddle.”