e
invention, and the demand that it would awaken throughout the whole
school.

But an obstacle arose to even the deep-laid plans of Macnooder
himself. As the Third Triumvirate Manufacturing Company had bought
its stock from the Eureka Purchasing Company--which had cornered the
alarm-clock market--it followed that the alarm clocks were distinctly
second rate.

The consequence was that, though all were set for half-past seven, the
first gun went off at about quarter-past two in the morning, bringing
Mr. Bundy, the assistant house master, to the middle of the floor in
one terrified bound, and starting a giggle that ran the darkened house
like an epidemic.

At half-past three another explosion took place, aggravated this time
by the fact that, the window pulleys being worn, the sash flew up with
enough force to shatter most of the glass.

At four o'clock, when three more went off in friendly conjunction, The
Roman met Mr. Bundy in the hall in light marching costume, and made a
few very forcible remarks on the duties of subordinates--the same
being accentuated by the wailing complaint of the youngest Roman which
resounded through the house.

From then on the musketry continued intermittently until half-past
seven, when such a salvo went off that the walls of the house seemed
jarred apart.

The Third Triumvirate went down to breakfast with small appetite. To
add to their apprehension, during the long wakeful reaches of the
night there had been borne to their ears faint but unmistakable sounds
from the opposite Dickinson and the Woodhull, which had convinced them
that there, too, the great invention of the age had been betrayed by
defective supplies.

The Roman looked haggard; Mr. Bundy haggard and aggressive.

"Northwester coming," said the Tennessee Shad under his breath. "I
know the signs."

"It's all Macnooder," said Stover bitterly.

At first recitation The Roman flunked Stover on the review, on the
gerund and gerundive, on the use of hendiadys--a most unfair
exhibition of persecution--on several supines, and requested him to
remain after class.

"Ahem, John," he said, bringing to bear the batteries of his eyes on
the embattled Dink, "you were, I take it, at the bottom, so to speak,
of last night's outrage. Yes? Speak up."

"May I ask, sir," said Dink, very much aggrieved--for masters should
confine themselves to evidence and not draw deductions--"I should like
to know by what right you pick on me?"

T