Jenkins, raining
down blows all over Joel's figure, who didn't offer to stir.

"See here you!" Tom fairly roared it out, perfectly regardless of
possible detection. "You beastly coward!" And he jumped in between Joel
and his antagonist. "You may settle with me now if you like."

"Stop, Tom." Joel seized him from behind. Tom, in a fury, turned to see
his face working dreadfully, while the brown hands gripped him tightly.
"I forgot--Mamsie wouldn't--like--you mustn't, Tom. If you do, I'll
scream for John," he declared suddenly.

John, the watchman, being the last person whom any of Dr. Marks' boys
desired to see when engaged in a midnight prank, Beresford backed away
slowly from Jenkins, who was delighted once more at the interruption,
and fastened his gaze on Joel. "Well, I never did, Pepper!" he brought
himself to say.

"Tom," said David brokenly, and getting over to him to seize his hand,
"don't you know our Mamsie would feel dreadfully to see Joel doing any
such thing? Oh, she would, Tom," as Beresford continued to stare without
a word.

"Not to such a miserable beggar." Tom at last found his tongue, and
pointed to Jenk.

"Oh, yes, she would. It's just as bad in Joel," said Davie, shaking his
head. Joel turned suddenly, took two or three steps, then flung himself
down flat on his face on the pine needles.

"Well, get up," said Tom crossly, running over to him. "John will maybe
get over here, we've made so much noise. Hurry up, Joe, we must all get
back."

Joel, thus adjured, especially as David got down on the ground, to put
his arms around the shaking shoulders, got up slowly. Then they turned
around to look for Jenkins. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Little coward!" exclaimed Tom between his teeth. "Well, we'll have to
skin it as best we may back. _Here comes John!_"

They could see his lantern moving around among the trees; and dashing
off, taking the precaution to hug the shadow of the trees again, they
soon made the big door to the dormitory. Tom reached it first, and
turned the knob. "It's locked," he said. "The mean, beastly coward has
locked us out."

III A NARROW ESCAPE

Joel, in such an emergency, wiped his black eyes and looked up sharply.
David sank on the upper step.

"Oh, no, Tom," cried Joel, crowding in between Beresford and the door,
"it can't be. Get out of the way; let me try."

"It is--it is, I tell you," howled Tom in what was more of a whine, as
he kept one eye out for Jo