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THE  LAKE SHORE  SERIES.
SWITCH OFF;
OR,
THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.
BY
OLIVER OPTIC,
Azuthor of "Army and Navy Stories,"" Great Western Series," " Onward
and Upward Stories," "Woodlville Stories," Famouzs ".Boat-Club
Series," " The Starry-Flag Series," " Young America
Abroad," "Lake-Shore Series," "iRiverdale StoryBook," " Yacht-Club Series," and "The
Boat-Builder Series."...  e~ _._,
BOSTON:
LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS.
NEW YORK:
CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM.




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by
WILLIAM T. ADAMS.
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts
HAEtnZHILL:
Zleotrctypod by 0. 0. Morse & Son,
65 Merrimack Street.




TO
MY YOUNG FRIEND
"D 0 WNSEY'"
f AtLs Doak
IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED.




THE LAKE SHORE SERIES,
1. T'R 0 UGH B Y DA YLIGHT; or, The Young
Engineer of the Lake Shore Railroad.
2. LIGHTNING  EXPRESS; or, The Rival Academies.
3. ON TIME; or, The Young Captain of the
Ucayga Steamer.
4. SWITOCH OFF; or The War of the Students.
5. BREAK  UP; or, The Young.Peacemakers.
6. BEAR AND FORBEAR; or, The Young Skipper of Lake Ucayga.




PREFACE.
"SWITCH OFF" is the fourth of THE LAKE SHORE
SERIES, and was one of the serials which appeared in
Oliver Optic's Magazine. Its principal incidents relate to
the students of the Toppleton Institute, among whom the war
indicated on the title-page occurred.  The story is told by
one of the young men, who is a prominent actor in the
events he narrates. Tommy Toppleton again appears, and
is even more overbearing and tyrannical than before; but
the reader will be willing to congratulate him, at the end,
upon the happy influence of all his trials and troubles on
his character, and, perhaps, be better prepared to believe
that "oft from apparent ills our blessings rise."
It has been the purpose of the author in this volume
still further to illustrate the precept of the gospel, "Love
your enemies;" and the conduct of Ned towards his de



6                      PREFACE.
feated and mortified enemy is earnestly recommended as a
safe rule for life. The manner in which peace happened to
be made between the rival Institutes has always been found
to work quite as well in actual experience as in the story.
HARRISON SQUARE, MASS.,
August 24, 1869.




CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
PAGE
READY FOR A START.              -   -                   11
CHAPTER II:
ON THE MARCH.  -21
CHAPTER III.
MAJOR TOMMY UNHORSED. -   -                            31
CHAPTER IV.
THE BATTLE AT THE FARM-HOUSE.'                       41
CHAPTER V.
To OBEY, OR NOT TO OBEY.        -.             51
CHAPTER VI.
THE BATTLE IN THE WHEAT FIELD.                          62
CHAPTER VII.
TOMMY YIELDS A POINT..-                               72
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRE IN THE FARM-HOUSE.    -   -   -           -   82
(7)




8                      CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
TIHE QUESTION OF RATIONS.  -   -   -          -   -   93
CHAPTER X.
WHO THE CRAZY MAN WAS.                             -   93
CHAPTER XI.
IN THE WILD REGION. -                                 114
CIIAPTER XII.
BEFORE HIGH BLUFF.  -.                               124
CHAPTER XIII.
A SURVEY OF THE SITUATION.    -   -                    135
CHAPTER XIV.
SERGEANT HACKER'S VISIT.              - -              147
CHAPTER XV.
A STRATEGIC MOVEMENT.                                  157
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PINE TREE BRIDGE.      -                           168
CHAPTER XVII.
THE FIRST. BALLOT.    -                                179
CHAPTER   XVIII.
THE SECOND BALLOT. -                                   190




CONTENTS.                    9
CHAPTER XIX.
IIEALING THE BREACH.                               200
CHAPTER XX.
TOMMY TOPPLETON IN TROUBLE. -211
CHAPTER  XXI.
CHRISTY HOLGATE. -                                 222
CHAPTER XXII.
THE PENITENT.   -   -                              233
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ATTIC CHAMBER. -  243
CHAPTER  XXIV.
THE DISASTER ON THE WHARF.                        25s
CHAPTER XVV.
LET US HAVE PEACE.   -                             265
CHAPTER XXVI.
TOPPLETON TRIUMPHANT.    -   -  --            -   276








SWITCH OFF;
OR,
THI E WAR OP THE STUDENTS.
CHAPTER I.
READY FOR A START.
O,  RDER-arms!" said Major Tommy Toppleton,
mounted on his sorrel pony, and facing the
battalion' formed of the students of the Toppleton
Institute.
The buts of the light muskets clanged in unison
on the gravel walk, where the column was drawn
up., It was early on Monday morning, and the young
soldiers were in excellent spirits-better than they
were likely to be at a later hour in the day, for the
programme included a fatiguing march. On the road
leading from the Institute grounds stood three wagons, each drawn by two horses, upon which were
(11)




12              SWITCH OFF, OR
loaded the baggage, provisions, and camp equipage
of the battalion.
At the head of the column was the students' band
of ten pieces, besides a drum corps of eight, and two
filers. Signor Perelli, our music teacher, had bestowed
incredible care and pains upon these amateur musicians, and those who were competent judges declared
that the result was highly creditable to his skill and
perseverance. In other words, the band played very
well, though it did not undertake to compete with
Gilmore, Strauss, Jullien, or even with the Ucayga
Cornet Band. The drum corps was a perfect success, for most of its members had been in practice
over a year.
Not a few of the people of Middleport had gathered in front of the Institute to witness the parade,
for the occasion was no ordinary one, and the programme of the battalion had been thoroughly discussed for weeks. In years before the students had
camped out during the June vacation. During the
preceding season the Toppletonians had pitched their
tents on the Horse Shoe, where the famous battles
between the rival academics had taken place, as my




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            13
friend Captain Wolf Penniman has related in his story.
Camping out had become rather stale with the
students, and they longed for a new sensation. If
they could have encamped on the Horse Shoe, and
had another conflict with the Wimpletonians, perhaps it would have satisfied them. But there was
no prospect of any sport of this kind, for Waddie
Wimpleton, the haughty untamed, and tyrannical,
was as mild and gentle as a lamb. It was said among
the fellows that he had experienced religion, or something of that sort. It was certain he was not the
boy he used to be. He had voluntarily resigned his
positions as president of the Steamboat Company and
major of the battalion. Though Ben Pinkerton was
commander of the forces on the other side of the
lake, it was supposed that Waddie's influence as a
peacemaker was sufficient to control the movements
of the troops, and prevent them from engaging in
another conflict with the fellows on our side of the
lake.
Besides, there was another circumstance which
seemed to interfere to keep the peace between the
boys of the two Institutes. A military gentleman,




14             SWITCH OFF, OR
residing at Ucayga, had become interested in the two
battalions of juvenile soldiers, and had offered a prize
of a magnificent standard to the one which should
excel the other in company and battalion drill. With
the vanity natural to boys, each party believed that
all the skill and precision was upon its own- side, and
both had accepted the invitation to drill for the banner. This great event was to come off on the following Friday morning at Centreport. The place had
been fixed by lot; and, when the arrangement had
been completed, it suggested the present movement
of our battalion.
The Toppletonians did not care to encamp at any
point near enough to Centreport to enable them to
keep their engagement, and when Captain Briscoe
jocosely proposed that the little army should march
round to the other side of the lake by the way of
Hitaca, the idea was received with tremendous enthusiasm. The excursion would be a tour of camp duty,
with an everchanging scene, and with no lack of
novelty and excitement. We voted almost unanimously that the long tramp of seventy miles was
just the thing we wanted.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           15
It would afford us opportunity to display our new
uniforms, our band and drum corps, our drill and
marching, to people on the route who had hardly
ever seen a company of soldiers. We should astonish the IIitacaites with our music and parade, excite
the admiration of the ladies in general, and the young
ladies in particular, and make us all first-class lions.
The people would turn out to behold us, bestow delicate attentions upon us, and entertain us with generous hospitality. -We had all the elements for a
splendid parade, including our stylish uniforms, good
music, and well-trained companies.
For two weeks hardly anything was talked about
but this tour of camp duty. Those who received the
plan coldly at first, soon became enthusiastic. Those
who growled at the idea of marching twenty miles
in a day were persuaded to believe that our progress
would be a continued triumph, and that it would be
accomplished in six or seven hours, so that there
would be plenty of time to rest. The authorities of
the Institute objected to the plan, but as Major Tommy Toppleton favored it, there was not much to be
said against it. His father was compelled to indorse




16              SWITCH OFF, OR
the march; and, of course, the instructors were
obliged to withdraw all opposition.
Two of the teachers, besides the drill-master, were
detailed to accompany the battalion in carriages, and
prevent it from robbing hen-roosts, or capturing any
of the towns on the route. But when Tommy heard
of this little arrangement he was as indignant as
though the professors had given him a thrashing, and
interposed his veto. He would not have any schoolmasters dogging his steps, and spying into his actions.
He hated spies. The battalion was composed of young
gentlemen, and if they were a little fast at times, they
knew how to behave themselves, and did not need any
pedagogues to watch them. He could take care of
his force himself. So the instructors were permitted
to spend their vacation in pursuits more congenial to
their tastes than following a multitude of crazy boys,
under a crazy leader. Perhaps it would have been
better f'or Tommy if he had permitted these guardians of the peace to attend the battalion.
We were all ready to start. The baggage wagons
were to fall in behind the column, and the drivers
were on their boxes. Everybody was in high spirits,




THE WAR OF THIE STUDENTS.          17
and anticipated the greatest time known in the annals of the Toppleton Institute. Major Tommy, in
particular, was in full feather; for he was the commander of the expedition, and a march of a'week
through places which suggested honors and ovations
was an event which was calculated to stimulate his
bump of self esteem.
On the preceding Saturday, the stockholders of the
Lake Shore Railroad had held their annual meeting.
On the year before, the present president had actually been defeated on the first ballot, and "your humble servant" elected in his place. Not caring to
endure the constant browbeating and annoyance to
which I should have been subjected had I taken the
office, and because I really believed then that Tommy
ought to have it, I had declined. Then, by a tremendous effort on the part of the president's friends,
and particularly on the part of Wolf Penniman, who
pleaded for him as though he had been a friend in
distress, Tommy received a bare majority of the votes
cast.
I was sorry afterwards that I refused the position,
for Tommy always overbearing and tyrannical, be2




18              SWITCH OFF,- OR
came to such an extent that the fellows had been
on the verge of mutiny for a year. They had waited
with impatience for the return of the annual elections,
intending to pitch him down from his high positions.
But Tommy and his father had provided for this emergency. The former had always nominally held-as,
in fact, the rest of the students owned their stocka large proportion of the shares. If a boy left the
Institute during the year, his stock was made over
to Tommy, or some of his toadies, for he had a
small army of satellites of this species. The result
was that the president was reelected by a small majority. Feeling that he was secure in his high position, he had taken no pains to conciliate those who
condemned his tyranny, and, if possible, he was
more unpopular than ever.
The students had become pretty thoroughly disgusted with the management of the Lake Shore Railroad. Although the business of the company was still
carried on in their name; hough the stock was bought,
sold and transferred on the books; though the boys
discharged the duties of their several offices,-they
had but little interest in the corporation. They had




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           19
no real power. If the superintendent, the road-master, or the directors did anything, it was by order
of Tommy or his father. But I ought to add, injustice to Major Toppleton, that there was not a student in the Institute, who had been there a year, that
did not know all about the details of running a rail
road, who was not familiar with stock operations, and
who was not prepared to discharge his duty as an
official in a railroad company. As a means of instruction it was still a good thing; but it had ceased to
be a source of amusement, as it would have been if
the president had not ruled so arbitrarily.
As the railroad president, Tommy was safe for
another year. Though dissatisfied, our fellows had
already begun to gather up the stock by helping out
weaker ones in their lessons, or by the purchase of
it with money, peanuts, and cream-cakes. The election of a commanding officer of the battalion usually
came off on the same day as the railroad meeting;
but it had been postponed to the following Tuesday,
by what influence I do not know. Those who accomplished this purpose either forgot that on this
day we should be on the march, or they expected to
derive some advantage from the fact.




20              SWITCH OFF, OR
Tommy Toppleton declared that he was sure of
being elected; and I think he was sincere in his
belief. He had many devoted adherents, who bowed
down to his power and influence; but there were
just as many active opponents, and a great middle
class who were not partisans either for or against
him.  Electioneering on both sides was carried on
with spirit and energy, and the contest promised to
be an exciting one.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           21
CHAPTER II.
ON THE MARCH.
TJjIHE battalion stood at "order arms," waiting for
the next movement. Major Tommy galloped
his sorrel charger up and down the line, looking
with great solemnity at the troops. We in the line
wondered what was going to happen, though we were
all sufficiently aware of Tommy's propensity for making speeches to suspect that he meditated a flight of
rhetoric on the present occasion. The opportunity
seemed to be to good for him to neglect. He
would not have thought of making a speech to the
battalion alone; but the instructors and quite a
respectable crowd of the town's people were present,
and we knew the oration was intended for them
rather than for us, to whom it was addressed.
"Soldiers," Tommny began, with a flourish of his
sword,-a very elegant toy, which added much vim




22               SWITCH OFF, OR
to his words, -"we are about to commence a long
march."
"What's the use of saying that? We knew it
before," said, in a low tone, the first lieutenant of
Company B, who stood near me.
"We are going without any of our instructors,
entirely upon our own responsibility,"
"We know that too," growled the lieutenant; and
no one will suspect that he was a partisan of the major.
" Soldiers, we muit remember the uniform that we
wear, and never disgrace it. We must bear in mind
that we are the soldiers of the Toppleton Institute,
upon which rests no stain of disgrace or dishonor.
Wherever we go, let it be our purpose to reflect
credit and honor upon the institution. We claim to
be young gentlemen; let us conduct ourselves as such,
whether we be in the halls of' the Institute or amid
the solitudes of nature."'
" He stole that," hummed the discontented lieutenant of Company B.
"Scldiers, we are a military organization, subject to
the rules of military discipline. The first duty of a
soldier is to obey the orders of his superiors. I expect




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          23
from you, during the march that is before us, the most
implicit obedience to your officers. If any one, officer
or private, behaves himself in an unsoldierly manner,
he shall be promptly tried by court martial, and punished for his offence."
"Court martial! " exclaimed the grumbler of Company B. "If Tommy Toppleton don't conduct himself
according to his buncombe standard, I go for trying
him by court martial."
Tommy's allusion to military discipline looked as
though he had obtained a new idea. A court martial was a thing unknown in the experience of our
little army. Tommy had threatened the thing once
or twice when the boys were crooked, though delinquents were reported to the principal of the Institute,
and punished by him. But it was a fact that the
major had been studying up courts martial; and when
he mentioned the matter, we were satisfied that he
would be on the lookout for some one to court martial. It was evident that he wished to go through
with the ceremony of a military corLt, and we saw
that it would be well for us to be prudent, or he
would soon find a victim.




24              SWITCH OFF, OR
Tommy proceeded to explain the order of march,
the rules of the camp, and bivouac, and repeated his
injunctions that all the members of the battalion
should behave with perfect propriety, the latter of
which could only be meant in a Pickwickian sense,
and was uttered to produce a proper impression upon
the instructors and other outsiders.
"Shoulder-arms!" shouted he, when he had finished his oration.
We shouldered, broke into sections, and moved off.
The baggage wagons fell in behind, and the long
tramp was actually commenced. The band played
"The Girl I left behind me," which, however, had no
special significance on the present occasion, inasmuch
as we were all to young to have sweethearts. Major
Tommy rode in solemn majesty at the head of the
column, the boys and girls in the streets gazing at
him in wonder and admiration. The sorrel pony, as
well as the rider, seemed to " feel his oats," prancing
and curvetting in a very impressive manner.
In less than half an hour we had passed the last
house in the town. Thus far we had marched with
0he utmost precision, and the band had played nearly




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            25
all the time, relieved at intervals by the drum corps.
Of course we all expected to make a show when we
passed any houses, or there were any people to see
us; but we did not like to be kept in the straight
jacket of precision when there was no occasion for a
sensation, and when there was nothing but the squirrels and the robins to be moved by a martial display.
We expected the order for the " route step," which
permitted us to march in a free and easy manner.
It did not come, and the band an:d the drum corps
blowed and pounded just as though we had been in
the midst of a populous city.
"Tommy is ugly to-day," said the lieutenant of
Company B.  "He means to make us work our
passage."
" I am afraid he is," I replied. " But it is not very
uncommon for him."
{" I should think he would remember that to-morrow will be election day. What's the use of tooting
so oat here! " added the malcontent, alluding to the
music of the band.
"No use; but it's Tommy's will."
"No talking in the ranks there I " exclaimed Tom



26              SWITCH OFF, OR
my, who had halted his steed at the side of the road
to survey his command. " Captain Skotchley, you will
keep in your proper position."
I obeyed the order; but, as Tommy rode forward,
I ventured to suggest that the route step would be
agreeable to the privates.
" You will mind your own business, Captain Skotchley, and remember that I command the battalion. I
don't need any advice," was the ungracious reply.
By regular promotions I had become the captain
of Company B. My advancement was not due to
Tommy's favor, for I was not one of his toadies. I
had taken no part in the battles on the Horse Shoe
the year before, when the conduct of the little major
had been so overbearing that I could not endure it.
I was charged with being a deserter. I wrote to my
father, asking him to take me away from the Institute; but he was an old friend of Major Toppleton,
senior, and a peace was patched up between us. I
was restored to my rank; but Tommy hated me as lihe
did the evil one, because I would not toady to him.
Why should I?  My father was not less wealthy
than his. Our social position was just as good I




THE W'AR OF THE STUDENTS.         27
always made it a point to be a gentleman. I had
my friends among the poor as well as the rich; and
I don't think I ever put on airs. I always had a
profound respect and admiration for Wolf Penniman,
and we were the very best of friends. Hie always
called me the "dignified student," though I don't
think there was any particular reason for doing so,
unless it was that I was too dignified to be trodden
beneath the feet of TomnJmy Toppleton. I always
liked a good time, and went in for one, when there
was a chance.
Without egotism I may say that I stood well with
the fellows ill the Institute -that is with all those
whose good opinion was worth having. I base my
judgment of this feeling upon the fact that they
elected me the president of the railroad company
over Tommy Toppleton, tile year before, and had
given me almost a majority the present year  More
than this, in the counsels of the opposition, I had
been invited to stand as a candidate for major, at the
coming election. Briscoe ranked me, and was a very
good fellow, though a little disposed to be hot-headed
at times. I refused to stand in his way, believing




28              SWVITCH OFF, OR
him justly entitled to the office if Tommy was defeated, as the opposition hoped and expected he
would be on the following day. Some of the fellows
told the captain of C(ompany A that I had declined
in his favor, and I did not lose anything in his estimation by the act.
Tommy did not give us the route step, and we concluded he intended to worry and fatigue us as much
as he could; but we were too good soldiers to disobey orders, at least at this stage of the march  We
advanced with as much precision as though the eyes
of admiring thousands had been fixed upon us. We
were ascending the gentle undulation of a long hill,
about four miles from Mliddleton, when we saw a
young man in a wagon, with a very pretty girl at
his side, driving a spirited horse. The band was
laboriously wailing out the solemn strains of "IHail
Columbia," for it had about exhausted its repertoire
of pieces; and the bass drummer pounded out his
part as though he knew not the meaning of weariness. The horse attached to the wagon, which appeared to be a four-year-old colt, began to snort, and
exhibit an evident disinclination to " face the music."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          29
Pretty girl was alarmed, as well she might be, for the
capricious animal reared and plunged in a fearful
manner. The young man holding the rains was master of the situation, though he appeared to have his
hands full.
Major Tommy was riding on the flank of the battalion, as the head of the column approached the
furious horse. He dashed forward with a flourish,
when the leader of the band, seeing that the music
frightened the colt, and not wishing to be responsible
for a catastrophe, had silenced the players.
"Why don't you play? What did you stop for?"
shouted the major, angrily. "Strike up again!"
The leader tooted with his bugle, and the bass
drummer hammered out the initial notes of the piece.
The terrified animal, which had begun to take a reasonable view of the situation, reared and plunged
again. Pretty girl screamed, as pretty girls do when
they are alarmed, and the colt was frightened all the
more.
"I say, cap'n, just stop the music for half a
minute-won't you, if you please? " said the driver,
appealing to Tommy, who had now resumed his place
at the head of the battalion.




30              SWITCH OFF, OR
" N-o, sir! I won't stop the music," replied Tommy,
rudely; and he appeared to enjoy the terror of the
pretty girl, and the antics of the horse.
"Only half a minute I Clarissa is scared half to
death," added the young man.
" Play away I " was the on!y reply the magnificent
major deigned to make.
The colt stopped, stood up straight, and positively
refused to advance another step. Then, as the band
advanced, he began to back, until he had placed
the wagon square across the road, between the
major and the musicians.
" Stop the music," said Captain Briscoe, in a low
tone.
The band ceased playing. Indeed, they could not
well do otherwise, for the fractious colt, as the driver
attempted to urge him forward, broke in upon their
ranks, and then backed them out of the road, and
out of their propriety at the same instant.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          31
CHAPTER III.
MAJOR TOMMY UNHORSED.
"WV 7HAT  do you stop playing for?" demanded
Major Tommy, furiously.
It was a stupid question, after the musicians had
been driven out of the road by the antics of the
colt. The head of the column had also been broken;
for, though the Toppleton warriors were brave fellows, they did not like the idea of being ground
under the wheels of the countryman's wagon, and
they were prepared to make a safe retreat, without
much regard to the order of their going. The major
-as the colt finally stopped and stood impatiently
pawing the ground-rode back to- the spot where
the head of the column ought to have been.
"You are a set of blockheads!" roared Tommy.
"Are you afraid of a horse? Form in column! Play
away, again."




32              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I say, cap'n, just hold on half a minute-won't
you, till I get by?" called the driver of the unbroken
colt.
" No, I won't."
" Don't be mean about it," added the countryman,
rather angrily.
"Get out of the road!" cried Tommy.
" See here, you little cock-turkey: if you don't behave yourself, I'll snake you off that horse quicker
than you can shut your eyes when it lightens!"
"Don't I!  Don't I I'm  scart almost to death,"
gasped pretty girl. "Let me get out l We shall
be killed."
And suiting the action to the words, pretty girl,
as nimbly as a bird, jumped out of the wagon, and
retreated from the scene of danger.
My company was still in good order, with the lieutenants in position in front of the platoons. I walked
forward in season to hear Briscoe advise the leader
of the band not to play. My judgment was, that
Tommy was crazy to insist upon scaring the horse,
when the danger was so great; and I was willing to
back up the senior captain.




TIHE WVAIR OF THE STUDENTS.        33
"Why don't you play, when I tell you to do so?"
roared Tommy, furious at the disobedience of the
band.
They did not say anything, but they did not blow.
The colt, no longer hearing the music, and finding the
road comparatively clear before him, allowed himself
to be appeased by his driver. IHe stood tossing his
head and pawing the ground; but he appeared to be
conscious that he had won the battle, and to be entirely satisfied with himself. The young man in
charge of him, doubtless thinking that discretion was
the better part of valor, or that the battle was not
worth fighting after the retreat of Clarissa, got out
of the wagon, and took the colt by the bridle. Leading him out of the road, he pattea nis neck.
" Cap'n your the meanest pup I've met since I was
born," added the young man, when he had reduced
the colt to a tolerable quiet state.
"None of your impudence, you rascal," replied
Tommy.
"If I hadn't my hands full, I'd give you something besides impudence, you little snipper-snapper
of a cock-turkey I"




31:             SWITCH OFF, ORt
"Form your company, Captain Briscoe! " growled
Tommy.
The senior captain obeyed the command, and the
battalion was again in marching order, with the scattered musicians reorganized at its head.
"Music! " shouted the commander. "Forwardmarch! "
The leader of the band was not one of Tommy's
toadies, and, fortified by the senior captain's advice,
he failed to give the key-note which was the signal
for the musicians to play. The column began to
move; but not a demi-semiquaver came from the
band,-only the tap of the drummer.
" Halt " cried the major, before the battalion had
taken three steps. "Why don't you play?"
"I'm not going to scare that horse any more,"
replied the leader.
" You are not! " foamed Tommy, red with rage, as
he pushed his horse up to the musician, and struck
him over the shoulder with his sword.
" No, I'm not! I don't want to kill anybody."
It was evident that a victim for the court martial
had been found; but it was certain that, if Fryes, the




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            35
leader of the band, was "broken," we could have no
more music, for the players could do nothing without
him. He was the son of a German distinguished in
musical circles, and inherited his skill from his father.
He was a splendid fellow, and would have been an
officer if he could have been spared from the band,
so that his present service really involved a great
sacrifice on his part.
" If you don't play, I'll march the battalion back
to Middleport, and have you punished as you deserve," added Tommy.
We were not a little astonished that Fryes did
not resent the indignity of the blow he had received,
especially as he was a high-spirited fellow. I saw the
leader glance at Briscoe, who nodded his head. Perhaps the senior captain was afraid the irate major
would march us back to the Institute, and thus defeat
a little plan we had formed to remedy our grievances.
Fryes understood the signal of Briscoe, and gave the
key-note. The musicians were all ready.
"Forward-march!  " shouted Tommy.
The first beat of the bass drum, with the accompanying blast of the brass instruments, waked up the




3(6             dSWITCH OFF, OR
colt again, and in spite of all the efforts of the countryman, again he stood up upon his hind feet. I-Ie
was even more desperate than before, and in his furious struggles shook off the man. The instant he had
freed himself from the control of the strong arm,which I think was done by the breaking of the bridle,-he whirled around in the twinkling of an eye,
without regard to the wagon attached to him. Cutting so short lifted up the body of the vehicle, and
drawing out the snipe-bill, detached it from the forward wheels.
The colt now had it all his own way. The driver
sprang forward and attempted to catch him; but the
beast seemed to flash rather than move in the ordinary way, and dashed off at a furious run in the direction from which he had come. Pretty girl, on the
bank at the side of the road, screamed again, as
the catastrophe was consummated. The musicians
ceased playing, in the excitement of the moment,
and the battalion was thrown into disorder.
"There, do you see what you've done!" howled
the countryman, doubling up his fist at Tommy, as
the colt disappeared behind a hill in front of us.




THE WAR OF THIIE STUDENTS.          37
"I didn't do it," replied Tommy; and I judged,
fromn his tone, that even he was not a little startled
by the consequences of his folly. " Why didn't you
take care of your horse? "':Get off that nag! " said the young man, rushing
upon Tommy, and seizing the pony by the bridle.
" Let me alone! Don't touch my horse! "
Before we were aware of his purpose, the excited
man had dragged Tommy from his steed, and pitched
him into the dirt in the middle of the road. But it
presently appeared that he was not intent upon avenging the insults of Tommy, for he mounted the pony,
and, grinding his heels into the flanks of the little
charger, forced him into a run. He dashed up the
hill, and disappeared beyond its crest.
Briscoe and I rushed forward to the assistance of
Tommy, who however, picked himself up with a facility which indicated that he was not seriously injured.
I took his sword from the ground, where it had
fallen in the sudden onslaught of the major's agile
foe, and handed it back to him.
"Are you hurt, major?' asked Briscoe.'"No, I believe not," replied Tommy, feeling of hlis




38              SWITCH OFF, OR
injured leg, and assuring himself that it had sustained
no damage.
"Is your leg all right?"
"Yes; but I should like to get hold o that fellow,"
answered Tommy, who had sufficiently recovered from
his astonishment to begin to be angry at the savage
treatment he had received.
"I don't think you would make much if you did
get hold of him," I ventured to remark.
" Why not? " demanded the discomfited major, who
did not appear to see the point of my observation.
" He is to heavy for you."
"Do you think I will stand such usage as that?"
" I don't exactly see how you can help yourself,
now that it is all over."
"I'll teach that fellow who I am."
It seems to me that you will have to catch him
before you teach him anything."
"The rascal has stolen my horse!"
" I don't think he meant to steal him," suggested
Captain  Briscoe. "He has only gone to find his
own horse."
" He stole him, anyhow; and it will cost him a




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          39
penny for knocking me off in that style," continued
Tcmmy, shaking his head, as the extent of his defeat
seemed to crowd upon him   "That fellow don't know
who I am."
"Perhaps he don't," I replied; and I couldn't help
winking at Briscoe, though I am opposed to winking
in any other than the natural way, in theory, if
not in practice.
" What shall we do, Major Toppleton? " asked the
senior captain, when Tommy had informed us what
he intended to do, if he caught the countryman.
"Well, I don't know. I'm not going on this tramp
without any horse."
" You will get your pony again," major, suggested
Captain Briscoe.
"I want that man taken up and punished as he
ought to be for knocking me off, and for taking my
horse," added Tommy, savagely. " why didn't you
pitch into him, some of you, when he came at me?"
Neither of us ventured to make any reply to this
reproachful question, for our sympathies were certainly with the young man-at least up to the point
when he pulled Tlmmy off his horse.




40              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I don't think you had the pluck of a mosquito,
or you would have punched him with your swords."
"Why didn't you do it yourself? You were nearer
-to him than we were," I replied.
"He didn't give me time.'!
"He didn't give uls time, either."
"I didn't know what he was going to do till ho
had done it."
"Neither did we."
"No matter for that now; when we catch him we
will give him fits. If the whole battalion can't handle that man, I think we had better take lessons in
fighting. I'm going to capture him, and give him a
thrashing for his impudence, if we see him again."
Briscoe looked at me with a meaning smile. We
were not disposed to quarrel with our superior officer;
but both of us believed the countryman had served
him just right. It was a simple thing to stop the
music for a few moments; but Tommy's stupid ob1
stinacy always made him grossly unreasonable.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          41
CHAPTER IV.
THE BATTLE AT THE FARM-HOUSE.
i HE female companion of the countryman had
already left the spot, and was hastening up the
hill, probably very anxious to ascertain the fate of the
colt. Major Tommy had made up his mind to do
something desperate. IHe intended to find his assailant, and then charge upon him with the whole
battalion; at any rate this was the interpretation
which we gave to his words, looks, and gestures. If
he ever fancied that he was insulted, or if he ever
got the worst of it in any encounter in which he was
himself the aggressor, he was not satisfied till he had
obtained full satisfaction.
lie was spiteful and revengeful. Because, during
the military campaign of the preceding year, Wolf
had gently declined to obey an order which involved
the danger of killing or drowning a portion of the




t2              SWITCH OFF, OR
Wimpletonians, he had followed him up with his spite
antil our friend was discharged from the employ of
the Lake Shore Railroad. It was not in his nature,
therefore, to permit his present assailant to escape
without inflicting upon him the full penalty of his
wrath.
Fryes, too, had incurred his displeasure by disobeying the major's unreasonable order. But Briscoe had
counselled him to disregard this command; and our
senior captain was not one who would disavow his
act when the hour of reckoning came. He would
stand by the leader of the band; and I intended to
do so myself. The prospect, therefore, of a "jolly
row" was very promising. I was only sorry that
Briscoe had finally given the signal for Fryes to play,
for this had caused all the real mischief. Hle told me
he did so because the colt seemed to be quiet, and
his driver held him by the head, so that he did not
apprehend any more danger.
The battalion was in order in the road; and, after
the major had sufficiently vented his indignation, he
gave the command to march.- The band played, and
we ascended the hill. On the summit of it we obtained




THE WVAR OF THE STUDENTS.          43
a view of the road for a mile. In the valley there
was a farm-house, with a drive-way leading up to the
barn in the rear. When we were near enough, we
saw Tommy's pony fastened to the fence in front of
the house. The colt, with the truck of the wagon,
was in the yard. It was evident that this was the
home of the countryman, and the fiery animal had
sought the friendly shelter of the stable to save him
from the terrors of the trumpet and bass drum. So
far as we could judge, no injury had been done to
man or beast.
When the head of the battalion arrived at the
farm-house, the major gave the order to halt. His
first movement was to mount his pony; and no opposition to this act was made by the occupants of the
house. The man in charge of the colt detached him
from the truck, and put him in the barn, probably to
prevent him fron being further demoralized by the
martial array, and perhaps to enable him to meet the
major on a better footing.  While Tommy was mounting his'horse, the man came out of the barn, and
marched boldly up to the one hundred and twenty
bayonets:which our force presented.




44              SWITCH OFF, OR
" It's lucky for you that our colt wasn't hurt; if he
had been, I would have taken it out of your hide,"
the countryman began, when he was within hailing
distance of the major.
"What do you mean by knocking me off my
horse?" responded Tommy.
W" What do I mean? If you say much more, I'll
duck you in that mud-hole over there. You could
see that the music was scaring my colt; and I asked
you in a civil way, to stop it for half a minute, till I
got by. If you hadn't been a hog, you would have
done so," growled the rural gentleman.
"I'm not going to stop the music for every clown
that conies along. You insulted me."
"' Insulted you! I'm letting you off dog cheap I
Now go along about your business, before I'm tempted
to put my claws upon you."
"Not yet," replied Tommy, shaking his head fiercely. Do you know who I arn?"
" I don't care who you are. If you were the Grand
Mogul himself, I should speak my mind. I suppose
you are that young pup of a Toppleton, that has it
all is own way over to Middleport; but we don't




THE'WAR OF THE STUDENTS           45
train in that company, and when you come out here,
you must behave yourself. I reckon you haven't any
right to go tooting over our roads, and frightening
horses with your racket. I'll let you off this time, as
the colt isn't hurt, and nobody else isn't hurt."
" But I don't mean to let you off," retorted Tommy, irritated by this plain speech, and especially by
the contempt manifested towards the house of Toppleton.
" 0, don't you! " exclaimed the young man, with a
broad grin.
"No, I don't I'll pay you off for insulting me."
"Well, when you get ready, I want you to begin,"
chuckled the man.  " But, if I have to take hold of
you, I shall flop you over two or three times in that
mud-hole, just enough to take the starch out of them
fine clothes you wear"
"Get down on your knees and beg my pardon,
and I will let you off," said Tommy, who evidently,
after the expressive speech of the countryman, did
not exactly relish the job he had undertaken.
"Well, that's a good one! Get down on my
knees? I guess not! I never get down on my knees,




46               SWITCH OFF, OR
not even when I weed the onions.  It wears out a
fellow's trousers. If you are not in a hurry, cap'n, I
wish you would wait just half a minute; I've got
some medicine in the barn that will just fit your
case." 
This specimen of the high-spirited farmer rushed
into the barn, and presently returned with a cowhide
in one hand and a pitchfork in the other.
"If I'm going to stand up against the crowd, I
want this," he added, sticking the tines into the sod.
"lf I'm going to deal with you alone, cap'n, I only
want this — and the mudhole," he continued, flourishing the green hide  "You can go ahead any way
you like when you are ready, cap'n."
By this time the " women folks " from the house,
including Clarissa, and an elderly: man, who appeared
to be the father of the belligerent young man, had
assembled in the yard. -The old gentleman had a
hoe in his hand, and had come forward to a point
within supporting distance of his son.  Ile looked
like a Bunker Hill veterant and regarded the threatening conflict with imperturbable coolness.  Probably he had already learned the merits of the case, for




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          47
he asked no questions, though he gave the major
some sage advice, to the effect that he had done mischief enough, and had better go along about his
business.
" Tom's a fool i said Briscoe, impatiently, as we
stood watching the issue of the controversy. "What
does he mean to do? "
"I don't know," I replied; "but one stupid thing
leads him into another."
But we were not left long in doubt in regard to
what Tommy intended to do.
" Captain Scotchley! " called the major, in his imperative tone.
I walked up to him and saluted with my sword.
" March your company to the rear of that rascal,
and don't let him get away."
"I don't think he wants to get away," I replied,
"Then punch him with the bayonets, and we will
take him in front. Make him a prisoner."
"Don't you do it, Ned," said Briscoe, in a low tone.
"I must respectfully decline to obey the order," I
answered, firmly.
"You refuse? "gasped the major.




48              SWITCH OFF, OR
",I do."
" What do you mean?" howled Tommy, so mad
that he could hardly help crying.
"Major Toppleton. I think you are all wrong in
this business," I added. "We have no right.to attack
that man."
"Do you obey the orders of your commanding
officer, or not? " demanded Tommy,
"I obey all reasonable orders," I replied.
" We will settle this with you another time," said
the major, riding over to my company, whither I followed him.
I had given him another victim for the court martial, and I wondered what he would do next.
"Captain Scotchley is suspended from duty," continued the major. "He refuses to obey orders. Lieutenant Faxon will take command of the second company."'
-He repeated the order to the first lieutenant as he
had given it to me.
"I must ask to be excused," replied Faxon.
"'W hat! is there a mutiny in the battalion?  Then
Lieutenant Barnscott will command the company."




THE WAR OF THIE STUDENTS.:49
The second lieutenant had been brought up by the
major, and was a willing tool. The privates had
heard all these proceedings, and understood the merits of the question. When Barnscott undertook to
march the company to the spot assigned to it, the
majority refused to go.
"Mutiny! " shouted Tommy. " But I'll bring you
to your senses! "
Twenty or twenty-five of the company followed
Barnscott; the rest remained leaning on their guns
in the road. Briscoe, when the order was given him
to attack in front, followed my example; but his
first lieutenant was one of the major's adherents, and
obeyed the order with not more than thirty of his
command.  However, the attacking force was composed of about fifty, and Tommy was determined to
be revenged.
The little major's military calculations were never
very brilliant, and the old man and his son -the latter
of whom seemed to regard the whole affair as a pleasant
joke - obstinately refused to be flanked by Company
B, and with the hoe and pitchfork kept the brave soldiers at bay.  Tommy moved up himself with the
4




50               SWITCH OFF, OR
first company, and ordered them to charge upon the
young man and capture him.  Before this could be
done, however, the "women folks " appeared with a
large tin wash-boiler, filled with hot water.
"Here, Jed!  " called Clarissa, as she presented the
young fellow with an immense syringe, used for
showering plants with soap suds to destroy insects,
"You can fix'em in two minutes I"
Jed took the instrument and filled it with water
from the boiler, just as Company A charged bayonets,
and began to move forward. Directing it at the advancing line his ruddy face overspread with a jolly.
grin, he let fly the contents of the barrel. The old
lady and Clarissa, with a couple of dippers, at the
same time began to operate independently, dashing
the hot water upon the column. The effect was decisive. The portions of the two companies engaged
did not include the best fellows in the battalion,
though, if they had, it is doubtfill whether they could
have stood up before a charge of hot water.  The
assailants broke and retreated in disorder. The contenets of Clarissa's tin cup, aimed at Tommy, drove
him from the field, and he lost the battle.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.             51
CHAPTER V.
TO OBEY, OR NOT TO OBEY.
I THINK our brave fellows were more frightened
than hurt; for if the water in the wash-boiler
was hot, it was not in condition to scald them after it
had passed through the cold syringe. Some of themn
were a little red in spots on the face and hands; but
as warriors, in this piping time of peace, they had not
been above dodging, and in consequence, none of
them were seriously damaged   Without using the
obnoxious first line of the old couplet, they were in
condition to fight another day.
The battle was certainly a very humorous one,
Jed, in spite of his arduous labors was convulsed
with laughter.  (Jlarissa, the pretty girl, was now
very rosy, but whether firom her exertions with the
dipper or with laughing, I was unable to determine.
The old farmer and his wife were both in excellent




52               SWITCH OFF, OR
humor; and it was plain enough that we were to be
laughed out of the battle, if we were not actually
driven off the field.  The mutinous troops who had
refused to take part in the action were quite as much
amused as the people of the farm.
Major Tommy Toppleton retreated before his routed
column, which followed him down the road a short
distance. The savage assailants did not offer to pursue their discomfited foe, and I had no doubt that the
commander would call a council of war among his
friends.  I did not expect him to renew the attack
under the present circumstances, or, at least, not till
the water in the boiler had cooled off. Jed and his
father, however, carried the kettle into the house,
either to enable the old lady to continue her Monday morning operations, or to keep the water hot for
another emergency, or possibly for both.
"Well, Ned, what is going to be the end of all
this? " said Briscoe, walking up to me after the storm
of battle had subsided.
" I don't know " I replied. "We must wait and see
what Tommy does. Of course we are ready to obey
any reasonable orders."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           53
"I am not exactly sure of that, after what has hap:
pened. Suppose the major wishes us to march back
to Middleport. Shall we go?'
" I suppose we must," I replied rather dubiously.
"As both of us happen to be suspended just now, I
conclude that we have nothing more to do with this
business."
We Sheathed our swords by mutual consent, and
seated ourselves on the fence at the side of the road
to wait for the "moving of the waters."
" What are we to do? " asked Crampton, one of the
privates in my company.
" I'm sure I don't know," I answered, laughing. "I
am willing to obey all reasonable orders, and I suppose
you ought to do the same." 
" We are ready to stand by you " added Dunbold, a
corporal of the first company.
"We have the majority," said Sergeant Langdon,
su ggestively.
"We don't want to make a row yet," continued
Crampton.' There will be one about to-morrow
noon, when we vote for officers.  You know  the
balloting is to come off then. It can only be postponed by a vote of the ba4ttalion."




54              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I am suspended from duty, and of course, I haven't
anything to say," I added.
"That's just my case," said Briscoe. "I would
rather keep quiet till after the election."
It was evident to me that we were on the very
verge of the long-expected mutiny. The president of
the Lake Shore Railroad Company, and the major of
the battalion had ruled us with a rod of iron. We
had borne it longer than we intended; and the present
occasion, when we were beyond the reach of outside
influences, seemed to be favorable for the final settlement of the matter. As students, we were the equals,
in every respect, of Tommy Toppleton, and we were
determined to make him treat us like gentlemen.
While Briscoe and myself were discussing the situation, Sergeant Hacker, one of the major's adherents,
advanced towards us. He looked as though he had
come upon a desperate mission, for his lips were compressed, his eyebrows knit, and his step very decided.
"Captain Briscoe."
"Sergeant Hacker."
"Major Toppleton orders you to march your coinpany down the road," continued the messenger, pointing to the place where Tommy had halted.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          55
"All right!  I will do so," replied Briscoe.
The captain of the first company gave his orders, and
his command moved off, leaving my company and the
Sand opposite the house.  Hacker returned to the
major, but immediately appeared again with an order
for me to join the main body with the mutinous portion of my company.  Tommy looked wrathful and
disgusted, as he always did when he had been
thwarted in his purposes.
"I am glad that you have concluded to obey
orders," said he, with an obvious sneer in his tone
and manner, as I saluted him, after halting my company.
"I shall always be ready to obey any reasonable
order," I replied, respectfully.
"Reasonable! " exclaimed he. What do you mean
by reasonable?"
"Involving anything which it is proper for the battalion to do," I replied.
"Who is to determine whether it is proper or not?"
demanded Tommy.
"I should say that you were, in the first place,
before you gave the order," I answered, careful not
to provolke his anger.




56              SWITCH OFF, OR
" I should say there was a mutiny in the line " added the major. " I don't want to argue the matter
now. When I give an order, I intend to be obeyed,
whether you consider it reasonable or not."
I made no reply, and the little major looked as
pompous as though the question had been forever
settled. I thought we could all afford to wait until
the next day at noon, when the election was to take
place: for it was a sure thing, if the balloting was
fairly conducted, that Tommy would be ousted from
his position and Briscoe elected in his place.  The
matter, so far as the chief command was concerned,
was settled, and the only question which had not yet
been determined was whether or not Tommy should
be elected to some other office.
Jed, his father, and Clarissa had taken position in
the middle of the road, where they could observe the
movements of the battalion.  They were evidently
willing that we should continue our march, and I
hoped Tommy would be sensible enough to adopt this
course though it was expecting rather too much of
him to permit his enemy to remain unpunished for a
single day. He wheeled the battalion into line, and




ct,
- - - -----------








THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          57
capered the sorrel pony along a couple of times in
front, glancing fiercely from his warriors to the enemy
before the house, apparently doubtful in regard to his
next move. Finally he halted and it was evident that
he intended to make a speech.
" Fellows, I have been insulted! " said he, savagely.
"Shall it be said that the whole battalion was beaten
back by two men and two women? "
"The whole battalion was not beaten back," retorted Corporal Dunbold.
"Silence in the ranks!" exclaimed the major.
"Will you stand by me, or not? "
" We will! " shouted Tommy's adherents; but the
rest of the line said nothing.
"I thought you would.  I was not willing to believe that my fellows would desert me when I wanted
them most. I'm going to give that Jed a mauling;
if I don't, there will be some bones broken somewhere.';
Tommy was rapidly lashing himself into a tury, and
would soon be in condition to undertake a desperate
enterprise. I do not think he would face the hot
water again; but the foe still stood in the road, seem



58                SWITCH OFF, OF
inlgly unconscious of peril, and the sight of them was
raising the major's blood to the boiling point. What
could he do    Being only a boy myself, though I
claimed to be a gentleman at the same time, I was
curious to see issue of the adventure, while I was
firmly resolved to take no part in it, even if I was
court-martialed, and dismissed the service for disobedience.
Ever since the battle on the Horse Shoe; Tommy
had been in favor of flank movements. WTolf Penniman, though no soldier, had taught him a lesson in
tactics which he had not learned before. In fact,
Wolf seemed to have the tact to manage almost any
difficult case. I saw the major survey the locality of
the barn in the rear of the house, and the fields
adjoining. I had no doubt he was planning a diversion.
"Captain Scotchley, you will march your company
through this field to the rear of the barn, and there
await further orders," said Tommy, addressing me,
with a flourish of his sword to point out the lots
through which I was to pass.
The field indicated was green with new wheat, and




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           59
to march through it would be to inflict serious injury
upon the farmer. I at once came to the conclusion
that the order was an unreasonable one.
"That is a wheat field, Major Toppleton," I mildly
suggested, though I knew very well that my remark
would have no weight with the headstrong young
magnate
W' hat of it? " demanded he.
"Marching through that field will damage the
wheat."
"I don't care if it does!  It belongs to this old
farmer, whose son insulted me. He takes his son's
part, and he must also bear the consequences."
" But he can prosecute you in the court for trespass,
and make you pay the damage."
"I don't care for the damage. I'm going to be even
with that fellow before I leave this place."
"I would rather not take part in doing this mischief," I replied.
"I suppose you mean to say that my order is an
unreasonable one."
"I did not put it in just that form, but that is what
I mean."




60              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I suspended you once, Captain Skotchley."
"I am aware that you did."
" As you obeyed my next order, I was going to let
it pass, and say nothing more about it," said Tommy,
biting his lips.
"I will obey any and every order which comes
within the line of my duty."
" A soldier should obey his superior without any
question," retorted the major.
"' Not always," I replied.
"Yes, always! " exclaimed Tommy, fiercely.
"Suppose the colonel of the regiment, in a time of
peace, should order one of his captains to shoot ten
men of his company," I suggested, calling up a supposition which had been used in the lecture-room of
the Institute.
"That is not a supposable case."
"The colonel might be attacked with sudden insanity."
"Do you mean to say I am insane? "
""I did not say anything of the kind. Our lecturer
on military tactics was willing to grant that there
could be instances when the inferior was not bound




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          61
to obey the superior - nay, where it was his duty to
disobey him."
"If there are such cases, this is not one of them,"
growled Tommy.
" I think it is. The battalion is out upon a tour of
camp duty, and in everything relating to that I will
obey orders. But I won't have anything to do with
avenging fancied insults."
"Then you think that pulling me off my horse, and
pitching me into the dirt, is only a fancied insult?"
sneered Tommy.
"That was only part of the affair," I replied  "You
ought to prosecute the man in court. You have no
right to take the law into your own hands."
" Shut up! " snapped Tommy, as he rode away from
me in disgust.




62               SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER VI.
THE BATTLE IN THE WHEAT FIELD.,igOMMY had been talking with Haven, the first
- lieutenant of Company A, who was a reckless
and unprincipled fellow, and it was probable that he
had indicated a plan by which Jed miglht be properly
punished for his temerity.  The order I refused to
obey directed me to march to the rear of the barn,
and there await further instructions. The next command would have been to capture the fiery colt, pull
down the cow-shed, or assault the hens and chickens
-something to make a row which would divert the
attention of the farnmer's family and call them to the
scene of action. Then the first company would doubtless have been ordered to march up to the front of
tile house, empty out the hot water in: the washboiler, capture the garden syringe, and lie in wait
fir the awful Jed.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          63
Major Toppleton rode up to Briscoe, and repeated
the order he had given to me.  Of course the captain of the first company refused to obey. ITe was
a sensible fellow, and knew that boys who were merely
playing soldier would not be justified in doing mischief which could only have been tolerated in time
of war upon urgent necessity. Tommy was as much
in earnest as though the country had been invaded
by a warlike host, and its salvation depended upon
the energy of his movements.
"Captains Briscoe and Skotchley are suspended from
further duty, and will consider themselves under arrest," said the little major, pompously. "They shall be
tried by court martial when we halt at noon to-day."
Tommy then gave his order to march to the rear
of the barn to Faxon, the first lieutenant of my company. Ile followed my example, and Barnscott was
placed in command.  Hle was ready to obey any
orders, no matter what they were. IIe would have
set'the barn on fire, if Tommy had told himi to do
so.  He gave the necessary commands for moving
the company towards the field, but only the twenty.
five who had obeyed him before were willing to do




6t'            SWITCH OFF, OR
so now. Tommy stormed, and even swore, after the
manner of his father in such emergencies; but the
rest of the company, thirty-five in number, were as
resolute as their suspended officers, and refused to
move into the field.
The moment the fellows began to leap over the
fence, the old man and Jed rushed forward to prevent the mischief. They yelled with a vigor which
did credit to their lungs and with clubs in their
hands, placed themselves in the way of the advancing column. They were not content merely to stand
before the troops, but they commenced a furious
atack upon them with the sticks in their hands.
Though bayonets are generally awkward weapons to
run upon, the old man and his son did not seem to
hold them in terror.
Tommy, furiously excited by this actual warfare,
ordered the first company to march to the front of
the house.  At this movement Clarissa rushed into
the house, but she presently appeared with the old
lady, bearing the boiler of hot water. The women
were quite as belligerent as the men, and a few dippers of hot soap-suds compelled the brave boys of




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            65
Company A to retreat into the road again. But HIaven, the master-spirit of mischief, led his hot-waterbattered forces over the fence above the house into
the farmer's garden, and moved towards the rear of
the barn, doing no little damage to beets, carrots,
cabbages, and peas.
In the mean time, the old man and his son were
fighting a very unequal battle with Company B - two
against twenty-five. In the struggle, the young wheat
was trodden down, and the ground torn up by the
feet of the combatants  Briscoe and I were appalled
at the probable consequences of the strife. A thrust
of a bayonet might kill Jed or his father; while, at
the best, our fellows were making fearful havoc in the
grain field.
"Skotchley, this is rascally! " exclaimed Brisco.
"I know it," I replied, with no little feeling, for I
was disgusted with the strife.
"I don't know but we are just as guilty in looking on as we should be if we took part in it. I am
willing, for one, to go in and stop this thing."
"So am I."
"We are going to stop this thing, fellows! "
5




66              SWITCH OFF, OR
shouted Briscoe, with energy.  "Will you stand
by us?"
"Yes, yes  " replied the line.
"Hold on a minute, Briscoe," I interposed, as a
bright thought flashed upon my mind.  "Where is
Fryes?"
"Here he is. Fryes! " called Briscoe.
"Blow the retreat," I added, as the leader of the
band presented himself, with his bugle in his hand.
Although this was not exactly a piece of infantry
tactics, we had practised it in our studies, and the
bugle call was well known to all the troops. Indeed,
we had been taught the drill and evolutions of all
arms of the service. Fryes blew the refrain, and it
was heard by both of the companies, or rather the
fragments of them which were in the field and behind
the barn. Tommy, being on his horse, had been unable to follcw either detachment to the service upon
which he had ordered them. The troops who were
engaged with the farmer and his son, in the wheat
field, appeared to receive the bugle blast as a welcome sound, for without waiting for any orders frorn
their officers, they made haste to get over the fence




THE WAR OF TI-IE STUDENTS.         67
into the road. The conflict had begun to flag in this
quarter, and our fellows were certainly getting the
worst of it.
I do not wish to have it understood that this fighting was very perilous to either party, for both took
particular care to keep out of each other's way. It
was simply running up and running back again,
though one or two of our boys got a rap from the
stick in the hands of Jed.  If the conflict had continued a few moments longer, I think they would
have been driven out of the field. But I was afraid
some accident would happen to somebody.
By the time the second company had scaled the
fence, the other appeared, coming at the double-quick
towards the road, without any regard to the safety
and future welfare of young beets, cabbages, and other
garden vegetables. Major Tommy began to fly around
on his little steed, for I learned that he had just sent
a message to Haven, in the rear of the barn, to march
into the wheat field, and take the old man and his
son in the rear, intending to surround and capture
them. Of course, when he saw his carefully laid plan,
defeated, he was angry and excited, as usual.




68              SWITCHI OFF, ORI
"Who blew that retreat?" demanded he fiercely,
as he gallopped his steed up to the place where Fryes
stood.
"I did," replied the chief musician, blandly.
"What did you do that for?"
"I was trying my bugle."
"Trying your bugle I I will give you a lesson before I have done with you."
"A lesson on the bugle? " asked Fryes.
"None of your impudence!" exclaimed Tommy,
flourishing his sword as though he intended again to
inflict corporal chastisement upon the musician.
But the little major did not mean anything of the
kind.  Rash as he was, he had a certain degree of
prudence which did not permit him to hit the wrong
person. If Tommy had struck him again he would
have been on the ground in the twinkling of an eye;
for Fryes was a high-sDirited fellow, who would not
endure a second blow, espepially from Tommy, whom
he despised as a tyrant.
"I beg your pardon if I said anything impudent,
major. I only answered your question," replied Fryes,
with his usual gravity.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS             69
"Don't you blow that bugle again without orders
from me."
The leader of the band did not even suggest thai
he had received an order from me to sound the retreat. IIe was always willing to take the responsi
bility; but Briscoe and I were ready to share it
with him.
" Barnscott I " called the major.
The lieutenant of the second company, who had
gathered his weary warriors near the spot where I
stood, marched up to he major, and saluted him.
[He was still out of breath with the violence of his
exertions in the field, or rather with the haste of his
retreat, for his party had been closely pursued by the
old man and his son.
"March your company back, and don't mind the
bugle again."
"Major Toppleton, this thing has gone far enough,"
said Briscoe, stepping up to the little major
"What do you mean by that, Briscoe? "
"I mean to say, for one, that I won't stand by any
longer and see the farmer's crop destroyed."
"I say it, for another," I added.




70              SWITCH OFF, OR
"So say we all of us!" shouted the fellows in the
line who had supported Briscoe and myself.
"Do you command this battalion?" demanded
Tommy.
"I command some of it," answered the senior
captain.
"I command some more of it," I added.
"What are you going to do about it?' continued
Tommy, angrily.
"'We are going to protect the farmer," replied
Briscoe.
"I should like to see you do it!" said Tommy,
shaking his head. "You have your orders, Barnscott."
Tommy rode up to the other company, which had
halted in the road on the front of the house, evidently for the purpose of sending it back to the barn
again.
"Skotchley, you have thirty-five men, and I have
only thirty," said Briscoe, beginning now to be excited by the job we had jointly undertaken. " You
look out for Company A, and I will look out for
Company B.  Let's not have a fight if we can
help it."




THE WAR OF TIHE STUDENTS.          71
"All right. I will do the best I can " I replied.
Briscoe' was a veteran, for he had been the leading spirit in the battle on the Horse Shoe. With a
few hasty orders, and a sharp movement, he placed
his men between Barnscott's command and the wheat
field. At the same time I marched my men up towards the garden fence.' IIalt!" shouted Tommy, when he saw what I intended to do. "Why don't you halt when I tell
you."
We concluded not to halt, and reached the posisition to which Briscoe had assigned us. Fryes had
followed me, for we were the best of friends. I think,
if he had not kept an eye on the major, the irate
commander would have pitched into me. We were
now in the order of battle, both above and below
the house; but I hoped that Tommy would not pro.
ceed to extremities, in the face of so many difficulties.




-72             SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER VII.
TOMMY YIELDS A POINT.
~ HE situation was not favorable to the success of
Tommy's project.  Briscoe and I had moved
our companies with so much celerity that we had
the "inside track,"  The major himself and his adherents appeared to be in a measure paralyzed by our
sudden operations; and we had placed our men between the assailants and the objects of their ire. We
were fully determined to prevent any further trespass
upon the premises of the farumer.  I must repeat,
too, that all the better portion of the battalion were
in our ranks; for it will readily be understood that
Tommy's force consisted only of his toadies, —in
short, of those who had not pluck enough to array
themselves in opposition to the little major's tyranny.
We did not expect to be called upon to fight those
who still adhered to Tommy's cause. We knew




THE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS          73
they had not the courage to attack us in earnest
For my own part, I intended simply to head
them off if they attempted to enter the farmer's
garden again. We were superior in numbers, as we
were in spirit; and we could have closed with our
opponents, man for man, taken them in our arms, and
borne them away from the field of strife.
Jed had come out to the house to see what was
going on there, when the marauders abandoned the
field of wheat.  The old man still remained there.
Jed was not in good humor, and, as he approached
the place where my command was posted, he manifested a disposition to break things, and I was not
sure that he would not pitch into us, not compre.
hending the nature of the combination in his favorThe women still stood by their wash-boiler, in battle
array.
" Now you can make tracks! " shouted Jed, as he
approached me, with clinched fists, aild a wrathful
expression on his red face.
"I should like to speak to you a moment, if you
please," I began, in a respectful way.
"I don't want any talk with you!  You've done




74              SWITCH OFF, OR
mischief enough and somebody's got to pay for it.
If you don't travel pretty soon there'll be some bones
broken round here.
"I have done the best I could to save you from
trouble, Jed. I have placed my men here to prevent
any of the fellows from coming into your grounds."
"Is that so?" asked Jed, opening his eyes.
" You saw that the greater part of the battalion
refused to attack you "7
" Well, I did see that some of them hung back."
"More than half of them.  Briscoe, down there,
will not let any one into your wheat field, and I will
keep them out of your garden."
"I wish you had begun sooner, then."
" We didn't know what the major meant to do till
he did it.:*
"I'm going to cowhide that major."' I wouldn't attempt to do anything of the kind,"
I continued. " He is the son of Major Toppleton, of
Middleport. His father will pay for the damage his
son has done, if you let the matter rest where it is."
"No, sir! I won't do it! I will take it out of his
hide  You haven't any right to go marching about




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         75
the country scaring horses. I'm going to wallop that
young cub, and teach him manners."
"We did the best we could to stop the band, and
we did stop it for a time, till we thought you had
the colt where you could handle him," I explained.
"I don't find any fault with you, if you have done
this; but that little popinjay on the pony don't get
off without a thrashing, if I'm able to give him
one; and I reckon I can lick the whole crowd of
these boys.
"I advise you to keep quiet, make up your damages, and send' the bill to Major Toppleton."
"No; I'm going to thrash that young cub," added
Jed.
"We can't stand by and let you whip our chief
officer. We will keep him from doing you any further damage: but you must let him alone."
"I don't know about that," said Jed, shaking his
head.
By this time, the old farmer, seeing that no further
mischief was likely to be done to the wheat field,
came up to the house. IHe and Jed talked together;
and the latter, perhaps counselled to do so by his




76               SWVITCHI OFF, OR
father, refrained from his threatened attack upon
Tommy. Everything was quiet along the line. Our
intervention seemed to be an entire success. Tommy
was in a quandary, and was holding a consultation
with Haven, his right hand man, on the other side
of the street. The situation looked trying and difficult to him, without any doubt, and his principal
adviser seemed to be unable to afford him any relief.
They were discussing the matter very earnestly, and
there appeared to be some difference of opinion between them. I judged that Tommy wanted to fight
it out on that line, while Haven was disposed to defer
the final settlement to a more fitting season
We waited patiently for the result of this interview, though Faxon, the first lieutenant of Company
B, agreed with me that there was little danger of
the renewal of the conflict. When we were getting
a little tired of the delay, a messenger came to me,
and said that Lieutenant Haven  desired to confer
with Briscoe and myself. I was willing to meet him,
and was curious to know what he had to say; but
the captain of the first company refused to leave his
command unless Barnscott's force was ordered away
irom the vicinity of the wheat field.




T11iE WAR OF THE STUDENTS'.        7
In answer to this objection Tommy graciously ordered the detachment of Barnscott to join that of
Haven, which was posted near me. I was not quite
satisfied with this arrangement, for it placed a force
of sixty iil a situation to charge upon me the instant
negotiations failed. I therefore requested Briscoe to
place his command within supporting distance of me,
which he did. Jed and his father had seated themselves on a log before the house, and appeared to be
watching the proceedings with curiosity and interest.
Briscoe and I met Haven in the middle of the
road, between the two divisions of the battalion
where each could repair to his command if there was
any alarm. Tommy sat upon his horse at a little dist;ance from the spot, looking glum and dissatisfied.
I was rather surprised that he took the matter so
tamely. I concluded that Haven, who was an adroit
algl cunning fellow had some plan of his own which
he intended to carry out. Probably the approaching
election had some influence with both of them.
i" I am directed by Major Toppleton to confer with
you in regard to your intentions," said Haven, looking from Briscoe to me.




78              SWITCH OFF, OR
"We have sufficiently indicated our intentions already, I think," replied Briscoe. "We did not come
out on this trip for the purpose of injuring the property of the farmers After Major Toppleton's blazing
speech this morning about behaving like gentlemen, we didn't expect to see him making war upon
wheat fields and gardens.>"
~" If you think it is all right for a clown to pull
the major from his horse, and pitch him into the dirt,
you are welcome to your opinion. I don't think so,"
retorted Haven. "I'm willing to stand by my commander when he is abused, and I don't think much
of any fellow who isn't."
" You are as welcome to your opinion as I am to
mine  The major was wrong from the beginning."
"' We won't talk about that," added haven with a
sneer. " I only want to know what you are going
to do."
" We are going to do what we think is right,"
" What do you think is right?" inquired the amb)assador.  " Do you thinlk it is right to get up a
mnutiny in the battalion? "
" I do, when the commanding officer so far forgets




TIlE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          79
himself as to trespass upon private property," replied
Briscoe.
"Major Toppleton proposes to march back to Middleport," added Haven, evidently thinking this threat
would bring us back to our senses.
"Very well," answered Briscoe.
"Do you intend to obey an order to that effect?"
demanded the messenger.
Briscoe looked at me as if he was in doubt. I was
certainly undecided.
"I am not prepared to answer that question without consulting others," replied the senior captain,
choosing the safe course.
" We will obey an order to march in the direction
of Hitaca," I interposed. "When Major Toppleton
comes back to his duty, we will obey him in all things
as usual; but we will not be used in trampling down
anybody's garden."
"I agree entirely with Captain Skotchley," said
Briscoe.
"You seem to have taken the affairs of the battalion wholly into your own hands," sneered Haven.
"I haven't anything further to say," replied Briscoe,
with dignity.




80              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I will report what you say to Major Toppleton,"
said the messenger, sourly, as he turned and walked
away to the spot where Tommy was impatiently
waiting the result of the parley.
The report of the ambassador was not likely to be
satisfactory to the major. We were soon able to see
that it was not so. A long and earnest discussion
between Tommy and his right-hand man ensued.
Haven was evidently counselling that discretion which
is the better part of valor, or there could have been
no difference of opinion between them. It was hard
for the little magnate to yield a point even for a time.
His own friends would not be willing to abandon the
tour of camp duty.
"What do you think he will do? " asked Briscoe.
"I don't know; but I am certain that you and I
must be punished for what we have done," I replied.
"' I don't intend to be punished," added Briscoe.
We have the majority on our side, and we can have
it all our own way if we choose."
"I am in favor of obeying orders when they are
proper "




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           81
"So am I."
"Here comes Haven again. I suppose something
lmore is to be said," I continued, as the messenger
again advanced towards us.
The lieutenant came up to us, and saluted in military form. I sincerely hoped that he had a message
of peace.
" Major Toppleton directs me to say that he is entirely dissatisfied with your proceedings," Haven began. " He says that he shall hold the two captains
responsible for their own disobedience, and for encouraging mutiny on the part of the men.  He is
unwilling to disappoint those who have faithfully
obeyed his orders, or he would march the battalion
back to Middleport.  He desires to have it understood that his present action will not save the offenders from future trial and punishment.   At his own
convenience he will order a court martial."'
Briscoe smiled, and so did I, as Tommy's favorite
dea came up to the surface again. We were to be
he victims of a court martial, after all!  Haven saluted again, turned squarely on his heel, and walked
back to the major's position.
6




82               SWITCH OFF, OF
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FIRE IN THE FARM-HOUSE.
)TjOMMY TOPPLETON had certainly done what
I had never known him to do before  he had
yielded a point. Though he distinctly stated, through
his messenger that he held Briscoe and myself responsible for the trouble, and intended to court-martial us at his first convenient opportunity, he had still
abandoned  his position; for, as nearly as I could
judge by appearances, he intended to continue the
march, and let the obdurate young farmer rest in peace
for the present.
"Attention - battalion I " shouted the major, after
a short conference with his right-hand man.
The fragments of the body obeyed the order, and
gave attention, but they did not form in single line,
as usual. Tommy's adherents formed by themselves
and the mutinous portion did the same. The major




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS,           83
gave an order to unite the discordant elements, and
probably the order would have been obeyed if a third
disturbing element had not at this moment appeared.
~My attention was attracted to the house by the
screams of the old lady.  I saw her rushing with
frantic energy towards the open door, from which
a volume of black smoke was issuing.
Jed and his father had been seated on a log for
some time, watching the proceedings of the battalion.
I suppose they did not wish to have the unequal conflict renewed, and doubtless Jed concluded that he
had better profit by the good advice I had given.
The two women had taken position near the men,
and had watched our movements with interest and
curiosity. The old lady appeared to have been the
first one to discover the smoke. She was followed,
in her rush to the scene of danger, by the two men
and the pretty girl. As may well be supposed, all
of them were alarmed, for the house was on fire.
Jed was the first to reach the door, and to enter
the house, outs)eeding' his mother in the advance.
IIe went in, but the dense volume of smoke was too
much for him, and he was compelled to retreat.  He




84               SWITCH OFF, OR
came out rubbing his eyes, which were blinded by the
smoke. Then his father rushed in at the open door;
but he was driven back as hastily as his son had been.
"Fire! Fire! " yelled Jed, when he had in some
measure recovered from the effects of his visit to the
interior of the house.
"Fire!" cried the old man.
The two women screamed; but none of the party
seemed to have the presence of mind to do anything
to stay the progress of the flames.
" This is a bad scrape! " exclaimed Briscoe. "We:iaven't seen the end ot it. What shall we do? "
" Let us put out the fire," I replied.
"How shall we do it? " asked the senior captain.
"Throw on water.  Stack arms, and send to the
wagons for buckets! "
"Form companies! " shouted Tommy.
I looked at him. There was an evil expression of
pleasure upon his face as he regarded thle mass of
smoke which issued from the door of the farm-house.
IIe had not kindled the fire; but it was plain that
he rejoiced to see it. lie was ready now to march,
and leave the devouring element to avenge the insult




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            85
cast upon him. He was excited now, and issued his
orders rapidly for the formation of the compani6's
While he was doing so, Briscoe marched his menthose only who had acted under him in the late conflict- to the side of the road, where he ordered them
to stack arms. I followed his example. While we
were thus engaged, Haven rushed up to us, and
wanted to know if we did not intend to keep our
promises. We had agreed to obey orders for the
purpose of continuing the march.
"We are going to help put out the fire," replied
Briscoe, "After that we will obey orders."
"You have nothing to do with the fire," replied
Haven. " Major Toppleton orders you into line."
We gave no further attention to him, but directed
our men to stack arms. Briscoe and myself led the
way to the house, and all our friends followed. I
closed the front door, and sent a squad of my company to the wagons for water-pails and other vessels.
"Come,. Jed, bring out your pails, and everything
else that will hold water! We can put this fire out
in about three minutes," said I.
"Bring up that ladder! "called Briscoe to his force,




86               SWITCH OFF, OR
All the family, including the pretty girl, rushed to
the back room, to the barn, and other parts of the
premises and soon appeared with buckets, tubs, ket.
ties, pans, and other vessels. Briscoe's fellows raised
the ladder to one of the second-story windows. There
was a pump in the yard, and a brook crossed the road
a short distance below the house.
"Now, Briscoe, if you will form a line to the brook
and to the pump, I will take care of the water as
fast as you bring it up."
" All right, but be in a hurry," replied the senior
captain, who was more excited than I was.
By this time all the pails, tubs, and pans, from the
wagons and from the house, were on the spot. I selected half a dozen reliable fellows to help me throw
an the water.  The lower part of the house was so
full of smoke that it was impossible to go in.  I
went up the ladder aDd entered the chamber above
through the window. The fire was just working up
through the floor, near the chimney.
" Pass up the water!: I called to those who had
followed
"Pass up the water!" repeated Faxon, at the win('10w'




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          87
At this moment Jed joined me in the chamber. He
had partially recovered his self-possession.
"What shall I do?" he asked.
"Get an axe, and cut a hole through the floor here
where the fire is coming through."
He went to the window and asked his father to
send him an axe. The smoke in the room was becoming very dense; but the first bucket of water now
appeared, and I poured it upon the spot where the
flame was struggling through the floor. The pails
came up now as rapidly as I could dispose of them.
The axe was sent up, and Jed chopped away an aperture, so that I could throw,the water down into the
room below.
In a couple of minutes we had produced a decided
impression upon the fire, and we had soon put out
all the flames we could see. Leaving Faxon to pour
on the water in the, chamber, I descended by the ladder to the ground, with the intention of getting into
the room below. I wished to see where the fire was,
and to assure myself that it was not spreading in a
direction where we had not reached it.  I opened the
door and went in. I could remain but an instant;




SWITCH OFF, OR
but a single glance was enough to enable me to comr
prehend the situation.
There was a great pile of chips, shavings, and pine
wood by the side of the stove, which had been brought
in to heat the oven in the afternoon, as the old lady
told me afterwards, when the " men folks" had gone
to work. In the absence of the family, who had remained in the yard to watch the movements of the
battalion, the heap of combustible matter had taken
fire. The flames had been communicated to the woodwork, and were rapidly forcing their way upward.
The quantity of water which had been poured down
from the chamber above, had.extinguished the fire in
the partition, but it was spreading along the floor.
Thus far the conflagration had been mainly confined
to the heap of wood and shavings; for I assure the
reader that it has taken much longer for me to relate
the circumstances than it did for our fellows to do
~what has been described.
" Hold on above there, Faxon!" I shouted to my
companion up stairs, as soon as I had rubbed the
smoke out of my eyes.
" Is it all out? " demanded the lieutenant.




:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A
THEi'FIRE IN THE. FAIRM-HOUSE,- Page 86.








THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           89
"No; but the water you throw on now does no
good. Come down."
I took a bucket of water, rushed into the kitchen,
and dashed it upon the burning pile. The effect was
good, but I was obliged to retreat instantly. I hastily explained the situation to the group around me,
and one after another a dozen fellows made a dive
into the room, poured a pail of water on the fire, and
then retired before the smoke had wholly blinded
them.  On my next visit to the scene of danger, I
found that the fire had been nearly extinguished. I
opened the doors and windows, so that the wind drove
out the smoke. A few more buckets of water completed our work, and the family came in to see the
effects of the fire.
The apartment was certainly in- very bad  condition, so far as appearances were concerned; but the
damage was not very great. The wood-work around
the chimney, and the floor near the stove, were
burned away The old man said that twenty-five or
thirty dollars would repair the damages.  The old
lady declared that she never saw such a mess in
her life.




90              SWITCH OFF, OR
"Well, who's to pay for all this? " said Jed, after
the excitement had subsided.
"' I don't know," 1 replied, glancing at my new uniform, which had suffered somewhat in the battle with
the fire. "Do you think those who put the fire out
for you ought to pay for it?"
" Well, no; I don't know's I think so," replied he.' But it all come of your making such a row here
I mean the Toppleton boy. If he don't pay for it, I'll
take it out of his hide."
"Captain Skotchley! " shouted Faxon, rushing into
the house. "The major has taken all our guns, and
is marching down the road with his fellows."
" What does that mean? " I inquired, astonished at
this intelligence.
" I don't know; I suppose Tommy is going to bring
us to terms," laughed Faxon.
"All right. Let him go. We will follow when we
get ready."
"Are you sure the fire is all put out? " asked the
old lady, anxiously.
" I think so," I replied, "but we can make sure of
it before we go."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           91
I went out doors, followed by Faxon. Our fellows
were not a little excited by Tommy's last move, but
Briscoe was quieting them.  I ascended the ladder
again, and entered the window still attended by Faxon. There were no signs of fire in the chamber; but
I thought it was possible that the flame had ascended
within the wood-work, and I wished to examine the
attic above. I soon found the stairs, and went up.
Before I had reached the garret floor, I heard the step
of a man.  The door of the room over the chamber
where we had poured down the water was suddenly
closed, and I heard the springing of a bolt on the
inside.
"There is somebody here," said Faxon.
"So I see," I replied, trying the door. " i heard
the step of a man as we were coming up the stairs.
There comes Jed."'
" It's all right now," said the farmer's son  " Come
down stairs, and I'll see to this."
"But the fire may have crept up here; and I hope
you won't be burned up after we are gone."'' I'll see to that, " replied Jed, anxiously.
"  ho's in that room? "




92              SWITCH OFF, OR0
" It's a man that used to work for us; he's crazy
now," added Jed, placing himself between me and
the door. "I will see to this room."
My curiosity prompted me to see the crazy man;
but I could not insist, and I went dcown.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           93
CHAPTER IX.
THE QUESTION OF RATIONS.'"AA THAT does that mean, Faxon? "I asked, after
V\i\V   we had left the house. "Do you suppose
they keep a crazy man up in the attic?"
"Jed says so."
"They didn't go up after him when the house was
on fire."
" I don't believe he is very crazy. He knew enough
to go into his room and bolt the door after him, when
he heard us coming," answered Faxon.
"Why should Jed be so particular not to have us
see him?"  I inquired.  "He seemed to be much
troubled about it. Did you mind how careful he
was to put himself between me and the door?"
"Yes; he didn't seem to feel just right about it,
and was in a great hurry to have us go down stairs.
The man goes about the house; so he can't be very




94              SWITCH OFF, OR
bad. I shouldn't wonder if there was something
wrong about it," added Faxon.
"What can be wrong about it?" I asked.
"I don't know. If it had been all right, Jed would
not have cared so much about our seeing the crazy
mnan." 
By this time Jed had come down, and joined us in
the yard. He looked awkward and embarrassed; and,
as I saw him standing in front of the house, it recalled
a circumstance which I had noticed at the beginning
of the fire, but which at that time had no significance.
I saw the old lady talking earnestly to her son, and
pointing up to the attic window. Then Jed disappeared, and I did not see him again till I entered the
chamber. I concluded that the woman was alarmed
about the safety of the crazy man, and that Jed did
something to save him in case the house should be destroyed  Indeed, none of the family had done anything to extinguish the flames at first, and I was now
willing to give them credit for their humanity in
attending to the safety of the unfortunate, instead
of condemning them, as I had done, for their lack
of energy and presence of mind in the trying emergency.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           95
" This is a bad day's work for us," said Jed, with
a kind of lugubrious expression on his sun-browned
face.
"I'm sorry for it," I replied. "We ought to be
thankful, however, that the matter is no worse, for
your house came pretty near being burned up."
"I haven't any fault to find with you fellows
who tried to get us out of the scrape; but if it
don't cost that Toppleton boy something, it won't
be my fault."
" Iow long have you had that crazy  man up
there?" I inquired.
"0, more than a year. Ile don't give us any
trouble; but he gets wild when he sees strangers.
That's the reason I didn't want him to see you."
"It's lucky he didn't get burned to death," said
Faxon.
"I looked out for him in the first of it. I took him
down into the shed; but, as soon as the fire was put
out, I sent him back again, for fear he should see some
of you, and have a fit on him."
"If he was up in that room, he must have seen some
of us in the yard."




96              SWITCH OFF, OR
"Well, it don't seem to make any difference with
him, if people don't come close to him."
But Jed did not appear to like the subject, and tried
to avoid it. The curiosity we manifested increased
his embarrassment, and several times he hinted to us
that we had better resume our march. He declared
that he must see to his colt; that he must go for the
body of the wagon, which the crazy animal had left
on the hill; and he must help the folks clean out the
kitchen. But he did none of these things while we
remained.
"I hope the fire will not break out again," I continued, as Faxon and I moved towards the place where
Briscoe was talking with our boys.
"'I don't think there is any danger."
"The fire may have worked its way up into the
crazy man's room, and I advise you to keep a sharp
lookout."
"I shall. I went into the room. There was some
smoke there, but I couldn't find any fire," replied Jed
fidgeting as though he was afraid we should insist
upon visiting that room.
We did not insist, and Faxon and I joined our




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           91
companions in the road; and we had no difficulty in
turning our attention from the crazy man in the attic
to the crazy boy in command of our battalion. Major
Tommy had loaded the guns of our portion of the
corps on the wagons, and departed in the direction
of Hitaca. We were disarmed, and not in fighting
condition. We concluded that our commander, in
depriving us of our weapons, intended to bring us
to terms.
As I approached, Briscoe came forward to meet me,
and led me one side to consider the circumstances in
which we were placed. He appeared to be much
more annoyed than I was at the movement of Tommy.
We had the cream of the battalion on our side, and
I did not doubt our ability to recover our arms when
we were so disposed.
"Well, Skotchley, what are we to do?" said he,
rather anxiously.
"We may as well maueli till we come up with the
rest of the battalion," I replied, laughing, in spite of
myself, at the gravity of the senior captain.
"You seem to think it is a joke," he added.
"Rather of that order, I am inclined to believe,"
7




98               SWITCH OFF, OR
"I don't think so. Tommy has all the arms."
"No matter for that."
"But what is worse, he has the wagons, which contain all our provisions. We can't get any dinner
unless he pleases to give us some. He can starve us
into subjection."
"I guess not," I added, amused atthe idea.
"We may as well look at the thing as it is. How
far is it from here to Priam, the next town on the
road?"
"Seven or eight miles."
"If you ever went over this road, you must know
that it is a rocky country before us, and there is hardly
a house between here and Priam."
"I never went over the road."
"I think this is the last farm-house for several miles.
We are on the border of a very rough region," continued Briscoe, earnestly.
"Well, what odds does that make?  I don't care
how rough it is. The scenery will be all the finer, and
we shall enjoy the tramp the more."
"You make light of it, Skotchley; but I can tell
you this- that Tommy has us on the hip."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          99
"I don't see it."
" In a couple of hours more it will be dinner time.
What are we going to do then?"
"Dl)ine."
"You can't dine very well without something to
eat."
"When we get hungry enough, we shall be ready
to fight a battle for the sake- of our stomachs. We
can capture the baggage wagons then."
"Perhaps not," replied Briscoe.  "We haven't a
musket, and Tommy's crowd are well armed. They
have the inside track "
"Then we can switch off."
"Switch off?"
"Yes, and take the inside track."
"Tommy isn't much of a schemer himself, though
he is not without tact; but HIaven, who is his principal
adviser, is a good manager. In my opinion, instead
of drilling with the Wimpletonians we are going to
have a war among ourselves."
"If we do, we shall bring Tommy to his senses
before it is finished."
"If the major can keep us off till to-morrow noon,




100              SWITCH OFF, OR
he and his flunkies may elect officers to suit them.
selves."
"I don't think we are going to have any serious
trouble. Tommy will hardly make war upon a majority of the battalion."
" Humph! He would make war on all the world.
have my doubts about going ahead any farther."
" 0, don't back out!" I replied
"I don't mean to back out; but I don't feel just
right about marching our fellows down here without
anything to eat. If Tommy finds a position where
he can protect his camp, he may hold us at bay
till our fellows are starved into compliance with his
terms.","I acknowledge that the ration question is a difficult one," I added.
"That's almost the only one.  If we had the
wagons, we could make our own terms."
"We can take the bull by the horns, then."
"Yes, if we can get hold of the horns."
a"No trouble about that. Is there any money
among our fellows?" I asked.
"I suppose there is."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           101
"Money makes the mare go."
"What good will money do in the wilderness before us?"
"I'll give you my idea, Briscoe, and you can lay it
before the fellows if you like."
"Go ahead, for I don't want to back out. Tommy
has been our tyrant for two or three years. He has
behaved badly to-day, and I think we have done right
in trying to check him. We tried to save Jed's horse,
we prevented Tommy's flunkies from doing any more
mischief to the farmer's property, snd we put out the
fire when our commander would have premitted the
house to be burned up. I think we have the right of
the matter. I don't want to march back to Middleport, as we must if' we have no provisions."
"We must take a stock of provisions with us," I
suggested. "That's my plan."
"I never thought of that; but where are we to get
them?" asked Briscoe, his face lighting up with hope.
"Buy them. We can pick up money enough among
the fellows to purchase a week's supply, I think. We
have eighty, and a quarter apiece will give us twenty
dollars."




102              SWITCH OFF, Olt'Good!"
"We can hire Jed to go in his wagon, with one or
two of us, to the store three miles back. We have
the pots and kettles belonging to the camp equipage
with us, and we can do our own cooking."
"That's a capital idea, Skotchley, and I feel better
already. But we have no tents."
"No matter; the fellows can sleep on the ground
before a big fire; but my idea is, that we shall have;
the tents before we want to sleep."
Briscoe liked my plan very much, for it seemed to
solve all the difficulties of the situation.  We went
over to the place where the two companies were, and
the senior captain stated the case to them, declaring
that we must either return to Middleport, or obtain a
supply of provision for the march.  The boys were
unanimously in favor of going ahead, and we "passed
round the hat."! Counting the proceeds of the collection, the result was over thirty dollars.
Jed was open to a trade; and for a dollar he agreed
to convey Faxon, who was appointed commissary for
the occasion, to the store. He brought out his colt,
which now behaved in a very orderly manner, and at.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          10
tached him to the forward wheels of his wagon. Half
a dozen of the boys went to the top of the hill where
the body of his wagon was, to assist in mounting it.
The party soon returned, and assured us that our
agent was on his way to the store.




104              SWITCH OFF, OH
CHAPTER X.
WHO THE CRAZY MAN WAS.
OUR fellows were highly excited at the prospect
of a contest with Tommy Toppleton and his
minions. We believed that we had the right of
way-that the track belonged to us; and the question was, which of us should "switch off." Our
present plan provided against the perils of starvation,
and everybody was good natured.
"'This does not look much like a prize drill on
Friday-does it, Skotchley?" asked Briscoe, as we
sat on the fence, waiting for the return of our
commissary.
"Not much."
"We can't get round the lake by Friday, if we
fool away our time in this manner."
"If we are behind time, we can take one of the
steamers down the lake. But I am more afraid the




TIHE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           105
battalion will be broken up before Friday, by Tommy's obstinacy. If he don't come to terms-"
"What terms?" asked Briscoe, laughing.
"I don't know," I replied, "on precisely what
terms we are to make peace; but we are to have a
new major, and for one, I will no longer submit to
Tommy's tyranny."
" So say we all of us."'I You will be chosen major, if we have a fair
election; and if we don't have a fair one, we will
not submit to it."
Things look decidedly squally," added Briscoe.
"That's true; but if we can make our fellows stick,
it will come out all right."
" O, they will stick.  We have all the best fellows
of the Institute on our side."
"They haven't any tyrant on  the other side of
the lake now."
"No. Isn't it odd?  They say Waddie is a real
gentlemen. Hie don't put on airs, and don't even get
mad."
"Wolf Penniman converted him, It's a great pity
he can't convert his father."




106              SWITCH OFF, OR
"So it is; but I think we should be satisfied, on
our side, if Tommy Toppleton could be converted
into a decent fellow, though it won't be our fault if
he is not."
"That's so," laughed Briseoe. " I suppose it would
not be very hard for some of us to get transferred to
the Wimpleton Institute, after the summer vacation,
if things don't go right on this side."
"My father and Major Toppleton are old friends
and I found it rather hard for me to get away," I
added. " But I hope Tommy will switch off, and get
on the other track."
"I hope so. What's that?" exclaimed Briscoe,
pointing up to the chimney of the farm-house nearest
to us.  " Isn't it- smoke?"
", Yes, it is, as true as you live!" I replied, excited
by the sudden prospect of another fire.
The old farmer and his family were still at work
in the kitchen, cleaning out the wreck of the fire.
After examining the casing of the chimney in the
house, I had been fearful that some sparks had been
drawn up into the wood-work above. If I had been
permitted to look into the attic chamber where the




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          107
crazy man lived, I could have determined whether
there was any fire there or not. I doubt whether Jed
went in at all.
"We must go to work again, Briscoe," I added,
waiting for him, as my senior officer to give me
orders.
" You look out for the inside, and I will see that
the water is passed up to you."
Taking Langdon and Dunbold with me, I ran into
the kitchen, and told the people that the house was
on fire near the roof. I did not wait to ask permission, but rushed up stairs, followed by my companions
I looked into the chamber where we had worked
before, but there was no fire there. I ascended to
the attic. The door of the crazy man's chamber was
still fastened. It was possible that he was not yet
aware of the presence of the devouring element so
near him. Indeed, the smoke we had seen outside
was so slight as hardly to attract our notice.
"Fire! Fire!"  I shouted, pounding vigorously
upon the door.
The crazy man took no notice of us, and I repeated
the warning demonstration. By this time the old




108              SmrITCH OFF, OR
farmer had made his way up stairs. IHe rapped on
the door several times, with no better success than
had attended my appeal.
"Open the door," said the farmer.  "The house is
afire up here somewhere."
"No fire in here," replied the occupant of the
room.
"Perhaps it's outside," suggested the old man, as
lie looked up to a scuttle in the roof, which I had
not before noticed. "If one or two of you would
go on the roof, you could see just where it is.
Corporal Dunbold, who was distinguished as a
gymnast, offered  to render this service. Placing a
flour barrel on an old table, he reached the scuttle,
opened it, and went out upon the roof. Sergeant
Langdon followed him.
"If the house is on fire, you ought to get this
man out," I suggested to the farmer.
"I suppose so. I must break the door down.
He's very obstinate. You run down and get me
the axe, and I'll break in the door,"
I ran down stairs to the room below, where Jed
had left the axe with which we had cut through




TIlE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          109
the floor. When I was half way up the stairs on
my return, I heard the door of the crazy man's
chamber open. Somehow I was not afraid of him,
though I had been told that the sight of strangers
made him violent. I reached the top of the stairs
just as he came out of the room. The farmer was
hurrying him towards the apartment on the other
side of the entry; but I met him face to face.
The crazy man was Christy Holgate, who had
robbed Wolf Penniman's father of twenty-four hundred dollars!
I saw him and recognized him, though he had
grown very thin and pale since I had last seen himmore than a year before, on the steamer. Of course
I was astonished at the sight of him, for it was
generally believed in Middleport that the robber had
fled to the South. For the moment, I forget that I
was looking for the fire; but the farmer hurried
Christy into the other chamber, and presently jnined
me at the head of the stairs.
"Do you find any fire?" he asked anxiously.
"Not yet," I replied, leading the way into the
crazy mail's chamber.




110               SWITCH OFF, OR
"There isn't any fire here," said the farmer. "I
think it's a false alarm."
"We certainly saw some smoke rising from  the
roof near the chimney, on the outside,"
I put my hand upon the casing of the chimney
It was quite hot, and I was satisfied that it was not
a false alarm. It was plain enough that the farmer's house would soon be enveloped in flames if the
fire was not reached and checked. By this time,
Briscoe had raised a long ladder to the attic window. Dunbold reported that the smoke was coming
out through the cracks around the chimney.
" Pass up the water, fellows I" I called at the open
window.
The boys were already on the ladder; and as soon
as I had a couple of buckets of water in the room,
I directed the farmer to cut away the casing of the
chimney; for I did not deem it prudent to admit
the air till we were ready to fight the flames.  Iie
promptly struck a few vigorous blows with the axe, and
down came the boards, charred on the inside by the
fire. A few pails of water finished the work, thougJ
we did not leave the place till we had drenched the




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           111
roof around the chimney. We poured in water till
there was no longer any possibility of a secret spark
doing any mischief.
The farmer, who seemed to take a more Christian
view of our relations than his son did, was very
grateful to us for the service we had rendered. He
offered to give us all a dinner if we would wait
long enough for his "women folks" to cook it. As
we were in no particular hurry, we accepted the
invitation. The old lady and Clarissa —who was a
neighbor for whom Jed had a particular regardwent to work, boiling potatoes and frying bacon, at
the stove in the midst of the ruins of the kitchen.
"'Your man up stairs don't seem to be very
crazy," said I to the farmer, while we were waiting.
"Only when he sees strangers."
"Why don't you send him to an asylum."
"Well, he don't give us any trouble.  When no
one but our own folks are here he comes down to
his meals. Besides, he's my wife's brother. He had
some trouble a while ago, and that rather turned his
head. tIe thinks somebody is after him all the time."
I did not wonder at this, for somebody had been




112              SWITCH OFF, OR
after him for weeks or months after he committed
his crime. Wolfs- father had been his beet friend;
and, while the steamer, of which Christy was the
engineer, was lying at the wharf in IUcayga, he had
taken MIr. Penniman's pocket-book from him.  When
he was discovered, he attempted to escape on a locomotive; but Wolf jumped on with him, and by the
aid of a pistol he had taken from Waddle Wimpleton, compelled him to give up the pocket-book. He
gave it up; but he had taken the twenty-four hundred dollars from it. He took to the woods, and
the sheriffs could not find him. Probably he had
been concealed all this time at his sister's house.
I wondered where the money was, the loss of which
had rearly ruined Wolf's father.
I did not deem  it wise to inform the farmer that
I had recognized Christy in the crazy man. It was
possible that a portion of the money might yet be
recovered, and persons more skilled than I was in
such matters ought to manage the case.  Wolf's
steamer touched at Priam, which lay in our route,
and 1 decided, if I could not see "the young captain" there, to leave a note for him.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         11 3
It was nearly twelve o'clock when Jed and Faxon
returned with the wagon well loaded with provisions,
such as crackers, shipbread, bacon, salt fish, potatoes,
and other articles which we could conveniently use.
Our dinner was now  nearly ready, and all the resources of the farm-house were required to feed us.
There were knives and forks enough for only a small
portion of our company; but as, we were used to camping out, and realized that " fingers were made before
forks," we had no difficulty in filling our stomachs.
Jed had become very good-natured, for Faxon had
explained to him the particulars of the difficulty
between the two divisions of the battalion.  He
hoped the Toppleton boy would be whipped out, and
he would be willing to go down and help us do it.
We did not need any assistance of this kind; but,
when he volunteered to convey our provisions and
stores down to Priam, we accepted his offer; but he
harnessed the colt's mother for this service.
At one o'clock we took up the line of march.
As we felt that we were going to battle, Briscoe
sent scouts ahead to warn us of the presence of
the enemy.




114              SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER XI.
IN THE WILD REGION.
IT looked to me just as though another war of
the students had actually commenced, lot be-'
tween the rival academies this time, but between
different factions of the same institution. But this
statement of the case did not exactly suit me, for I
felt that I had no quarrel with my fellow-students;
and it was more reasonable to call it a rebellion
against the tyranny of Tommy Toppleton. The question was whether Tommy, who was only the equal
of his fellow-students, should treat them like inferiors; should bully them, snub them, and, at his lordly
mandate, compel them  to invade a farmer's wheat
field, trample down his garden, and assault his people.
I thought not, and so thought a majority of us.
Our remedy was to elect a new major —one who
would be reasonable; one who, while he required




THE  WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          115
strict obedience to his legitimate military commands,
would treat us like officers and gentlemen; one who
would not make war on the gardens, chicken coops,
and barns of the farmers through whose territory we
were to pass. Most of us were satisfied that in Captain Briscoe we should find such a person, and a
majority of us intended to place him in this high
position.
Major Tommy had deprived us of our arms, and
continued the march with the wagons containing the
tents, provisions, and other stores. But we had plentifully supplied ourselves with eatables, so that we
could not be starved into subjection. I feared that
Tommy, who, whatever he might say on the subject,
was disturbed about the result of the approaching
election, would dispose of the matter with the minority, who still adhered to his fortunes. The battalion headquarters were with him; the roster and
records were in his possession, or in that of the sergeant-major, who was one of his toadies, so that an
election conducted by him would be technically legal,
though really unfair and unjust.
In regard to the major's mode of operations we were




1t6               SWITCH OFF, OR
still in the dark. We had about eight miles of wild
country before us, abounding in forests, headlong
steeps, deep ravines gored in the stupendous rocks,
in rushing torrents, and lofty cascades.  Later in the
season this region was visited by thousands of tourists,
and at Priam there was a large hotel for their accommodation.  At the present time we were not likely
to be disturbed; for though a good road extended
through this picturesque territory, it was but little
used, for nearly all the travel between Middleport
and Priam was done by the steamboats on the lake.
We marched from the farm-house, where so many
lively incidents had occured, and entered the wild
region   There was no one to molest or make us
afraid. Having no arms to carry, we had an easy
time of it. Of the twenty members of the band and
drum corps, we had fifteen, and occasionally Fryes
gave us a tune to enliven the march. Our scouts led
the way a mile in advance of us, to notify us of any
hostile demonstration on the part of Tommy's adherents, who were at least three hours ahead of us.
Occasionally we halted at the mountain torrents which
flowed down the rocks, or dashed along by the side




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          117
of the road, to refresh ourselves with a draught of
the pure water; but we saw neither man nor beast.
Not even a stray tourist had anticipated the season,
though many sportsmen had come up to fish on the
lake.
"This isn't very bad  isit?" said Briscoe, halting at the road-side till I came up with him.
"No; it's a beautiful country," I replied. "I
wouldn't mind spending a week or two among these
rocks."
" I should like it first-rate, and I wonder we have
never came up here to camp out," added the senior
captain.
"The country is not very favorable for camDs and
military evolutions."
" That's so; there's hardly room enough to pitch
our tents on any one spot."
"I wonder where Tommy is," continued Briscoe.
"I expected to come up with him before this time."
"Some of our fellows say that Haven knows all
about this wild region and I suppose he is conducting Tommy's forces.  What do you suppose they
mean to do? "




118              SWITCH OFF, OR
"I have no idea of the particular way in which
they intend  to manage the business; but Tommy
means to have himself elected major without any
help from us. He must know by this time that we
shall not vote for him."
"Perhaps he means to hide in the hills till after
noon to-morrow, and then come out to tell us he has
been elected major," I suggested.  " Of course you
and I will be elected high privates, for Tommy's fellows will have all the best places - all the commissions at least, if not all the warrants. Then we are
to be court-martialed and punished as he thinks we
deserve."
"But he can't carry on an election without a quorum," said Briscoe. "The rules require that one half
shall be present to do any business."
"I fancy he will find some way to get over this
difficulty."
"I don't see how he can get over it. He has only
sixty-five, including the three wagon masters."
" He has always been a law unto himself, and I
don't see why he shouldn't be in this instance."
" Are all our fellows true-blue? " asked Briscoc, in




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          119
a low tone and with some anxiety apparent on his
face.
"I suppose they are," I answered.  "Of course
there ale some who don't care much how the thing
goes.")
"I was thinking that Tommy, if we should get
together again, might find means to win some of our
fellows over on his side. If he could draw over about
a dozen of them, that would give him a quorum.
Then, if he could keep us at a distance, he might
elect every officer to suit himself."
"We must explain the matter to our fellows, and
fortify them."
" That's so; we will do it the next time we halt."
Briscoe resumed his place at the head of the column, and we continued the march till an inviting
brook induced him to halt for a drink.  We had
plenty of drinking vessels with us, which we had used
in putting out'the fire. Like all boys, our party were
thirsty every time they saw a good chance to drink.
But, before they had satisfied themselves, two of the
four scouts who had led the advance, one of whom
was Faxon, were seen hastening towards us.  It




120              SWITCH OFF, OR
was evident that some important discovery had been
made.
Of course Tommy's movements had been the subject of constant discussion among our party, and all
sorts of opinions were expressed in regard to his
course.  Some thought he would not halt till he
reached Priam, where he would send for his father
to sit in judgment upon the rebels. Others believed
he would hide himself in the woods and ascertain
what our party intended to do. But the prevailing
opinion was, that he intended to starve us into yielding to all his requirements.  Perhaps they thought so
lecause this was the very emergency for which we
had so carefully provided.
Lieutenant Faxon and Corporal Dunbold were the
two scouts who returned to the main body.   Both
of them looked excited, if not anxious, as they approached, and we concluded that the solution of
Tommy's intentions was at hand. Our fellows at once
forgot that they were thirsty, and hurried away from
the brook to meet the scouts, and obtain the latest
tidings of the major's operations.."lWhat is it, Faxon?" demanded Briscoe, striving




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           121
to keep cool, and thus maintain the dignity of the
commanding officer of the rebels - for such we acknowledged that we were, and quoted the example
of the patriots of the Revolution to sustain our position.
"Tommy and his forces have halted on High Bluff,"
replied Faxon, out of breath with the haste he had
made.
"What's High Bluff?" asked a dozen of our party.
" What are they doing? " inquired a dozen more.
" Are they going to fight?" demanded others.
"Well, I can't answer a dozen questions at once,"
replied Faxon, laughing, as he seated himself on a
rock to rest his weary limbs.
" Order! " shouted Briscoe.  " Fall back! Rest
yourself a minute, Faxon, and I will form the line
and have the business done without interruption."
The senior captain and myself ordered our two companies to form a line, telling them that any disorder
might lose us- the ba:ttle.   They were reasonable
enough to see the point.
" Now keep in line, fellows.  1 will tell you all
about it as soon as I ascertain the situation," said
Briscoe.




122              SWVITCHI OFF, OR
"All right I" shouted the students.
"No soldier will leave the line without orders. As
soon as I find out where Tommy is, I will tell you
what we will do."
Certainly our troops were very well disciplined;
for, impatient as they were, not one of them left his
place. Leaving Lennox in charge of the line, Briscoe
and I hastened to the place where Faxon was resting himself.
"I think Tommy has us in a tight place," said the
scout, as we seated ourselves in front of him.
"Why so?  What has he done'?" asked Briscoe,
rather nervously.
"He has camped on HIigh Bluff, and pulled up
the bridge, so that we cannot reach him."
"I don't know anything about High Bluff," added
Briscoe, impatiently.
"Some folks call it Bellevue. It is a kind of prom
ontory on the shore, which commands a beautiful view
of the lake and its eastern borders."
"What bridge has lie pulled up?" inquired Briscoe, still unable to comprehend the situation.
"The bridge over the ravine at IIigh Bluff. It




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            123
was built by the hotel-keeper at Priam, so that his
guests could drive upon the promontory, and get the
view there without leaving their carriages."
"But what's the need of a bridge if the bluff is on
this side of the lake?" I asked.
"Cn each side of the promontory there is a wide
gully; or, in fact, there are two arms of the lake.
Between the bluff and the road there is another gully,
through which flows the brook, which is there almost
a river. Indeed, the two arms of the lake are the
two mouths of this stream, and the bluff is an island."
WTe understood his explanation, and were satisfied
that Major Tommy had chosen a strong position in
which to subdue the rebels.




124:             SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER XII.
BEFORE HIGH BLUFF.
VtXTHAT  does Tommy intend to do?" asked
\V!!  Briscoe. "What is he going to make by
fortifying himself on High Bluff?"
" I don't know," answered Faxon. "Of course he
don't know that we have anything to eat, and I suppose he thinks he can starve us till we submit or
clear out."
"I think we will not let him know that we have
anything in the way of provisions," added Briscoe.
"Probably he means to keep us out of our guns
also," I suggested.
"Isn't there any way to get on the Bluff?' inquired Briscoe.
"I don't know of any way. On the two arms of
the lake the water is deep, and the sides of the promontory are nearly perpendicular."




THIE WvAR OF THE STUDENTS.         125
"How deep is the ravine between the road and
the bluff?'
"Fifteen or twenty feet, as nearly as I can remember; but the stream is a rushing torrent at the
bottom of it," replied Faxon.
"Never mind; we will look at the place very
soon. We can tell best how to proceed when we
know what Tommy intends to do. Where are the
other two scouts, Faxon?"
"I left them up by the bluff, to keep a lookout.'
"That's right."
"I told them  not to let any of the fellows on
the bluff see them."
"Good!' exclaimed Briscoe. "As I understand
the matter, Tommy can no more get out of his fortress than we can get into it."
"Not unless we permit him to relay the bridge
he has taken up."
"We will take care of that. Now, is there any
place for us to camp near the bluff, Faxon?"
"There is room enough,above the road, though
there isn't much chance to pitch many tents."
"We haven't many to pitch," laughed Briscoe.




126              SWITCH OFF, OR
"Now we must have a talk with our fellows, and
see how they feel."
We walked up to the front of the line, where our
boys were impatiently waiting to learn the nature
of Tommy's position. The Senior captain explained
it to them, so that a portion of them probably understood it.
" I can't tell what we shall do till we are on the
ground," said Briscoe.  "One thing is certain: if
Tommy's fellows will not let us on the bluff, we will
not let them off; for it's a poor rule that won't
work both ways."
"That's so!" laughed the crowd.
"We have'plenty to eat. We can live comfortably for three days on our stock of provisions. Tommy will have the election to-morrow, I suppose; and
very likely he will try to get some of you to go over
and help him."
"Not much!" shouted some of the more enthusiastic of the rebels.
"'If any of you wish  to go, I shall not prevent
you from doing so."
"We won't have anything to do with them!"
exclaimed several.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            127
"They can't elect officers without a quorum, which
is half the battalion. If they can buy off, say, ten
of you, they, can do it —not without."
" We'll duck any fellow that deserts," cried private Crampton.
"That's the talk!"'Fellows, I for one, can't submit any longer to
MIajor Toppleton's tyranny," continued Briscoe, warmly. "If any of you wish to do so, it is none of my
business. "
"We don't!"
I' f we stick together, we can make an end of it
before to-morrow night."
"Stick together I" yelled the crowd, with one voice.
"We are rebels now," laughed Briscoe.
"That's so!"
" But we must have good discipline, or we can't
do anything," the senior captain proceeded. "If you
are not satisfied with your present officers, choose
others at once."
"No! No l"
"You are satisfied, then?"
"Yes!  Yes "




128              SWITCHI OFF, OR
"Very well. If you want somebody else to command you, say the word, and I will cheerfully obey
any one you may select."
"Briscoe forever!"
"Thank you. I wish you to obey orders without
asking any questions. If you do, we shall come out
all right."
"Briscoe and liberty!" screamed a facetious fellow.
"Briscoe-the Washington  of the Toppleton Institute I " roared another.
" Briscoe —the next major of the battalion!"
"Thank you fellows; but the less buncombe we
have, the better we shall get along," interposed the
recipient of all these honors.
Briscoe gave his orders to form in column, and the
march was resumed. Jed, with the oldl mare, -the
mother of the fiery colt, — brought up the rear with
the provisions and stores. WVe were an excited band
of warriors, for we expected a stirring time for the
next day, if not for the coming night. For my own
part, I was continually studying the problem which
Faxon's description of High Bluff presented, in order
to find the means of spanning the abyss that yawned




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          129
between the two rival and opposing portions of the
battalion.  I was quite sure that, if Wolf Penniman
had been with us, his engineering abilities would
have enabled him to walk right over it. But he was
not with us, and we should be compelled to overcome the difficulty ourselves.
"Halt I " said Briscoe, at the head of the column,
after we had marched about a mile.
Stepping forward, I saw the two scouts, whom
Faxon had posted in the road to observe the movements of Tommy's force during his absence.   We
could not yet see High Bluff, as it was concealed
by the foliage of the trees.
" What are they doing, Langdon?" asked Briscoe
of one of them whom he had called from his station.
"Nothing but fixing up the camp," replied the
scout, "Some of them are cooking their supper, and
others are loafing about the bluff.  I should judge
that they haid everything arranged to suit them
selves.  There are a couple of sentinels near the
road, who seem to be on the lookout for us. You can
go up there and take a look without being seen."
Briscoe and I walked forward till we obtained a
9




130              SWITCH OFF, OR
full view of High Bluff.  The situation was sub.
stantially as Faxon had described it. The tents were
pitched on the highest part of the promontory. The
arms were stacked in front of them. Near the gully,
the material of which the bridge had been composed
was piled up. On one side a party were engaged
in cooking.  The chasm between the road and the
camp seemed impassable to me, for I was no engineer. I could not help commending Tommy for the
good judgment he had displayed in choosing this
natural fortress for his camp, though I could not see
how he intended to carry his point.
"Have they seen you yet, Langdon?" asked
Briscoe of the scout.
i" No; I'm sure they don't know that we are within five miles of them."
"We may as well keep still, then.  Don't you
think so, Skotchley? 
"For the present, at least. Here is a good place
to camp," I replied, pointing to a grove by the side
of the road.
"That will be as good as we can find," lie replied.
The spot was a perfect paradise of lovely scenery




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          131
The ground comprising about half an acre, was
smooth. It was fenced in with picturesque rocks,
except on the side nearest to the arm  of the lake
which separated it from High Bluff. All around and
above us, the trees grew out of the crevices in the
rocks. Into this shady retreat Briscoe marched our
forces. Jed's wagon was unloaded, and its contents
piled up in a convenient place.
" What are you going to do now? " asked Jed,
after he had turned his mare, in readiness to go
home.
"Probably we shall not do anything to-night," replied Briscoe.
" If I were you, I would go on that bluff and clean
them ont before to-morrow morning," laughed Jed.
~' How would you get over there?" I inquired.
"Come with me and I'll tell you."
Jed led the way to the arm of the lake nearest
to lis. At the part adjoining the road it was not
more than thirty feet wide. Pointing to a tall pine
he gave a significant nAd.
"Don't you see it now?" he inquired, with a broad
grin.




132              SWITCH OFF, OR
"No, I don't," replied Briscoe.
"You are not so smart as you were this fore.
noon," laughed Jed. "Don't you see that you can
cut that tree down, and let it drop over the gully,
so as to make a bridge for you? "
"Cut it down! I-Iow? With a jackknife? "
"No, with an axe."
"' We haven't any axe, in the first place; and in
the second, if we had, we couldn't fell that tree in
seven years."
"I can fetch that tree down in half an hour, as
easy as I can turn my hand."
"We couldn't if we had a dozen axes," added
Briscoe.
"Well, see here; you have done us a good turn
to-day, boys, and I'll bring down an axe and drop
it for you."
" That's the idea! " exclaimed Briscoe. " We shall
be ever so much obliged to you, if you will."
"I'll do it, and welcome."
"But we must not let them  know  on the bluff
what we are about," I suggested.
"Certainly not," added  Briscoe.  " I see it all




THE WAR OF TIE STUDENTS.           133
plain enough now. Wre will make a demonstration
over by the road, as though we were going to throw
a bridge across the chasm.
"That's the idea! The brush on the edge here
is so thick that Tommy's fellows can't see what we
are about until the pine falls. Then we will rush
over on the tree, and capture the fortress."
Jed promised to be on the ground the next morning with his sharp axe, and then started for home.
Briscoe and I surveyed the ground again. We could
do nothing that night, and if we kept out of sight,
probably Tommy would think we had returned to
Middleport in disgust.  We were willing he should
think so, and we instructed our fellows to keep as
quiet as possible. But it was necessary to have a
fire, in order to make coffee, for which we had brought
with us all the materials. The smoke and the light
were liable to betray us; but it was agreed nll around
that it would be better to be betrayed than do without the coffee.
Faxon, while at the store, had been thoughtful
enough to provide a supply of tin cups. We had a
can of milk in the cold water of the brook. Several




13:              SWITCH OFF, OR
of our fellows were experienced in cooking, and if
we had supped with Lord Mfayor of London, we
could not have been better satisfied with the' fare,
though we had only bread and butter and cheese
And never were eighty-five young gentlemen happier,
or better pleased with themselves, than we were. It
was the night before the battle; but we were content to wait, though, as it happened, the battle commenced that night, and very soon after we had finished
our supper. Perhaps it was just as well, for the
coffee was rather trying to our nerves, and we did
not wish to sleep,




THE WAR OF TIE STUDENTS.          135
CHAPTER  XIII.
A SURVEY OF THE SITUATION.
WVATE  enjoyed our supper very much, for hunger
is the best sauce. If the same meal had been
set before us in the refectory of the Institute, we
should have deemed ourselves a much injured body
of students, because there were neither cakes nor
pastry, preserves nor relishes. But the coffee made
us decidedly shaky in the nerves, as I have before
hinted. We had it only in the morning at the academy, and then not half so strong as our cooks made it
on the present occasion.
As the darkness began to gather, some of the ingenious ones set themselves at work to provide beds
for the night, and various expedients were resorted to,
with no mean results. One of our blankets was big
enough to cover two students, and with the other the
couple made a kind of shelter tent. The dry foliage




136              SWITCH OFF, OR
of the pine trees, which carpeted the ground in the
grove, formed a soft and comfortable bed, and there
was no danger that any one would suffer, unless he
was too lazy to provide himself with suitable accommodations. We were used to camping out, though
we were generally supplied with straw to sleep upon;
but the pine foliage was a good substitute.
By the time we had finished our suppers we were
satisfied that Tommy's forces must be aware of our
presence in the vicinity. Briscoe had stationed a
couple of our fellows near the ravine, where they
could see all that transpired on High Bluff, with orders to report any unusual movement on the part of
the enemy - for as such we now regarded the major's
forces, at least in a technical sense, though I am sure
there was no real hatred between the parties. We
were contending very much as we would have played
a game of base ball, or football.
After supper Briscoe and I walked over to the sentinels' post. A group on the other side were attentively surveying the ground in the vicinity of our
camp. They did not speak so that we could hear
them, but we were satisfied that they had dicovered




~1,~~1? -~~ --- ~-~~
THE CAMP oN HIGH BLuFF. Page 133..








THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           13 e
us. They seemed to be much annoyed and disturbed
at the fact that we had halted so near them without
making any demonstration to apprise them of our
presence. Probably they suspected that we were up
to some trick, and intended secretly, in the sombre
shades of midnight, to assault their fortress, and carry
it by storm.
"As they seem to be expecting something, I think
we had better stir them up a little," said the senior
captain, in a low voice.
"How stir them up?"
"Why, make a feint at some point where we don't
intend to do anything-just for the fun of the thing,"
laughed my companion.
"If we could only get over there, we could capture their camp in about two minutes and three
quarters."
"I don't know about that. Sixty-five fellows, with
guns and bayonets, would be more than a match for
eiglhty-five without anything," replied Briscoe.
The bayonet don't amount to much, nor the guns.
either, without powder and ball. A long pole, in our
kind of warfare, is just as good as a fixed bayonet. I




138              SWITCH OFF, OR
saw a pile of hoop-poles on the road, half a mile back
We could arm ourselves with them, and be just as formidable as though we had bayonets."
"But Tommy got a little ahead of us when he took
away our muskets."
That's so; and I feel just a little cheap about it,
though it was no great achievement on his part."
Still I should like to get even with him  on this
point."
"So should I."
"We ougtlt to have gumption enough to get ever
a chasm thirty feet wide," added Briscoe rubbing his
head to stimulate his ideas.
"We could get over easily enough if we only had
the material to work with. I don't think the gully
is so wide over by the roa-d."
"Perhaps not; but what could we do if it were not
more than twenty, or even ten, feet wide "? asked the
senior captain, anxiously; for he was ripe for any
undertaking that would give us even a temporary
advantage, or enable us to obtain our guns.
"Let us find a narrow place in the gully first; then
we will see what can be done."




TIIE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         139
We left the spot, and examined the gully nearly to
the lake on the upper side of High Bluff. The narrowest place was at the side of the road where
Tommy's party had removed the bridge; but even
here it was over twenty feet wide. However, it was
not more than fifteen feet deep, the waters of the
stream falling into the lake over a series of cascades.
It was a noisy torrent in the gully, though there were
plenty of rocks above the water to afford us a stand,
ing place if we could descend into the abyss. This
was the most hopeful point for operations, and a
suggestion of a plan by which the difficulty might
be overcome dawned upon my mind; but, as we had
nothing to work with, I did not mention  the  idea
to my companion.
We continued our walk to the lake above the bluffs.
Just above the inlet we found an inclined plane in the
rocks leading down to the lake. Though nature had
prepared the way for this descent, the hotel-keeper at
Priam had done most of the work; for off the point
of which High Bluff formed the extremity were the
best fishing grounds on the lake. At the foot of the
inclined plane, moored off in the lake, was a kind of




140              SWITCH OFF, OR
raft, such as that upon which my friend Wolf had
picked up Colonel Wimpleton, for the convenience
of the fisherman. It was reached by a plank, about
twenty-five feet long, covered with ledges to prevent
the person who went down upon it from slipping
"Here is just what we want," I suggested, as Briscoe and I walked down the plank to the raft.
"What?"
"This plank."
"To cross the ravine?"
" Yes."
"Good!"
"We can cross that ravine just as easily as though
it were not more than two feet wide," I added, with
enthusiasm; for I was quite anxious to make a reputation as an engineer, for that was the foundation of my
great regard for my fiiend Wolf.
" I don't see it!" laughed Briscoe. "You can get
this plank up to the gully; but it will be another thing
to put it across the chasm. Let me tell you, this is a
pretty heavy piece of lumber."
"I know that."
"If you mean to stand it up one end, and then




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           141
let it fall across the gully, I want to tell you in the
beginning, that not enough of our fellows can take
hold of it to raise -it to a perpendicular," said Briscoe;
anticipating a difficulty.
" I don't intend to do it in that way," I answered,
rather smartly, -for I was not pleased to have my new
fledged engineering skill disputed. "If you will leave
the matter to me, I will give you my bond, in the
penal sum of two cents, to put this plank across the
bridge as soon as it is dark enough to cover the
operation."
"I appoint you engineer-in-chief of the army of the
rebels," replied Briscoe, with his usual good-nature.
"But how are you going to do the job?"
" I have no doubt you will trump  up plenty of
objections to the method if I state it; therefore I
would rather not do so."
"Just as you please, Skotchley."
"Don't be offended.  Of course I will tell you if
you desire it."
No; I don't care."
"I will take the responsibility of the job."
"All right."




14~2             SWITCH OFF, OR
"But I want about a dozen of the stoutest of our
fellows."
"You shall have the whole crowd."
"I don't want them. They would be in my way."
"But you will permit me to ask whether you think
Tommy's fellows will let you cross your bridge after
you have laid it down," continued Briscoe. "You
must remember that the regular army, with guns
and bayonets, is on one side, while you are on the
other."
"If I understand your purpose, all you wish to
do to-night is to obtain our guns."
"That's all. When we go over to the election we
will use the tree which Jed will fell for us. But while
we are about it, and you have your bridge' across the
chasm, why not capture the bluff?"
"That would spoil all the fun. We want to step
in about the time Tommy is holding the election,
and cast our votes for a good and true man for
major."
"Precisely so; but if Jed should not come, or his
plan should not work —"
" Hold on, Briscoe I"




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         143
"What's the matter now?" demanded Briscoe,
startled by my enthusiasm as a new idea took possession of me.
"We must regulate this matter a little."
"-Iow?"
"On the whole, I think it will be better to have
the election come off in legal earnest."
"Why don't you say what you mean, Skotchley!"
added the senior captain, impatient with me, as my
ideas so far outreached my speech.
"I will. We must give Tommy men enough to
let him have a quorum. We will pick out ten good
fellows, true-blue, and send them over to-night — let
them walk the plank. Of course they are not to vote
for Tommy for major."
"They can if they like," added Briscoe, modestly.
"They  will not.  To-morrow  noon, when the
balloting has commenced, the rest of us will go over
on the tree, and see that the election goes as it
should.
"Suppose the tree should not work to suit us?"
suggested the prudent senior captain.
"Then we can throw this plank over again.'But




144               SWITCH OFF, OR
there will be no trouble -about the tree —not a
bit."
"All right; I am satisfied."
"I want you to make a demonstration, Briscoe,
while we are laying down the plank."
"I'm  ready; what shall it be?"
"Anything you like."
"As you are engineer, you must say what you will
have done."
"You can take this raft and work it over to the
bluff, for I shall want one of the ropes with which
it is moored, and make a fiint of scaling the rocks.
This will bring all of Tommy's fellows to the spot,
and I shall be permitted to work without interruption."
"'Yell, I will do so. It is not necessary for me to
remind you that this raft and this plank do not belong to us."
"We will leave everything just as we find it, and
make it all right with the hotel-keeper when we get
to Priam. "
"I don't like to meddle with private property."
"Nor I; but it is one of the necessities of war."




TIIE WAR OF THF STUDENTS.          145
"IIumph! WVell, we will pay the damage, and
recommend the hotel to all our friends. Mine host
will be satisfied, I know."
Having thus disposed of this difficult question, we
walked back to the camp.
10




146             SWITCH OFF', O
CHAPTER XIV.
SERGEANT HACKER'S VISIT.
Y IIE, foliage was so dense in the vicinity of High
Bluff that we could, for the most part, perform
our operations without being seen. By the time we
reached the camp, on our return, it was dark; but
it was a bright, starlight eveping, so that we cofild
prosecute our enterprise without difficulty. A blast
of Fryes's bugle gathered our fellows together in the
road, whither they eagerly rushed, anxious to ascertain
what was to be done.
It required a full hour to explain our plans and
purposes to all the fellows, who were more inquisitive
than Briscoe. All of them were ready to engage in
the enterprise, and I was more afraid their enthusiasm would overdo the matter than  the want of
zeal would defeat it. The ten who were to help out
Tommy in obtaining a quorum were carefully selected




TIIE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         142
None of them had ever been noisy partisans against
the major, and would not excite suspicion when they
appeared at High Bluff, but would readily be regarded
as willing converts to Toppletonianism.
The party who were to assist me were also detailed,
and, in company with them, I went back to the pile
of hoop-poles we had seen, and obtained a supply of
these sticks — not so much for weapons as for working tools. Briscoe, who was to make the feint with
the rest of the force, waited my return in the vicinity
of the bridge, his fellows amusing themselves in the
mean time to suit their own fancy. As my party approached the bridge, Corporal Dunbold met me, with
a message from my senior.
" Captain Briscoe says you are to lie low for a little
while," said he.
" What's the matter now?"'I don't exactly know; but some of the fellows
say their is a spy among us from the other side."
"How did he get across the gully?"
" I don't know. Captain Briscoe says you will keep
your fellows out of sight, and join him at the bridge.
I will show where he is."




1.4 8          SWITCII OFF, OR
I halted my party, and, telling  them to remain
where they were until my return, I followed the corporal, much wondering what this new phase of the
situation signified. I found Briscoe seated on a rock
beyond the bridge.
"What's up?" I inquired.
"Sergeant Hacker has come over to pay us a
visit."
"l'ow did he get over?"
"That's a mystery to me. Probably Haven, who is
more familiar with this region than any of the rest of
us, knew of a way to cross the gully before he pulled
down the bridge," replied Briscoe.
"What is he after?"
"Converts, I suppose."
"Well, we have some for him. Where is he
now?"
" I-Ie is holding a confab with two or three of
our fellows at the side of the road. I thought of
capturing him  as a spy, but I think now  that he
will help us out with the little plan we matured,"
laughed Briscoe.  " lie was skulking about here some
time before I knew he was among us."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           149
"Perhaps he has discovered what we are about,"
I suggested, with some alarm.
"No; he isn't any wiser than the law allows.
As soon as I made him out, I stopped everything,
and cautioned the fellows not to open their mouths
about anything we are doing."
" What does he say?"
"Hie hasn't said anything to me. I understand he
asked a few of the fellows if they did not want
some supper. A minute or two before you joined me
I contrived to have Bowles, who, you know, is one of
the ten who are to help Tommy make up a quorum
to-morrow, fall in his way. They walked down the
road together, and I suppose Bowles will make some
kind of a trade with him."
"Are you sure Bowles is all right?'
"Of course I am."
"Suppose Hacker should offer him a commission,
as an agent of the major."
" Let him offer it! I'know Bowles well enough."
I was not much afraid of him myself; but I was
extremely anxious to know what Hacker had to say.
The conference was in progress only a few rods from




150              SWITCH OFF, OR
the spot where I was. I left the road, and creeping
softly on the pine furze which strewed the ground
where our camp was located, I obtained a position
near the spy and his presumed victim. The roar of
the brook, as it tumbled over the rocks, favored my
movement, and enabled me to secure my position
without discovery.
Sergeant Hacker, in the truest sense of the word,
was a partisan of Tommy Toppleton. Ie was look.
ing out for himself, and being a tolerably good soldier,
he doubtless expected to be chosen a lieutenant if
not a captain, in the approaching election, so that
while working for the major he was really working
for himself; and this is generally the character of vio
lent partisans. On the other hand, Bowles was not
a partisan, though he was a shrewd and trustworthy
fellow. The conference appeared to have just begun,
for I suppose there was an introduction through which
the main topic had to be reached.
"' But are you not hungry?" asked the messenger
from the other side.
4' No, not very," replied Bowles, with his usual cool



THE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.         151
ness. "We had a good dinner at the farm-house after
we had put out the fire."
"But you will be hungry in the morning, if you
are not to-night," suggested Hacker, who seemed determined to make the question of rations the chief
one.
"Very likely we shall be."
"What are you going to do?"
"Well, we leave all that to Briscoe who is our
commander now."' Do you expect to find anything to eat in this
place in the woods?"
"We may go over to High Bluff, and help ourselves out of the common stock. I take it we own
a share of it."
" You can't get over."
"Perhaps we can. How did you get over, Hacker?'
"I have a way."
"We may find a way."
"I think not. The bridge is taken up, and you
might as well try to jump across the lake as over
that gully."




152             SWITCH OFF, OR
"What did you come over for, Hacker?  What
are you driving at? You needn't beat about the
bush any longer," interposed Bowles" O, I only came over to see how you were getting
along."
"' You didn't come for that. You want something.
Why don't you say what it is?"
"I didn't know  but some of the fellows might
want to go over to the bluff, where they could get
something to eat, and have a chance in the tents.
But, if they do not, I will go back again.
"I would like to go over, for one, replied Bowles,
promptly.
"All right; come along."
"I'm ready."
"But are there not some other fellows who would
like to go?"
"Very likely there are. How many do you want?"
" 0, ten or a dozen," added the messenger, with
seeming indifference. "By the way, Bowles, you
know the election of officers was postponed till tomorrow noon."'
"So it was, now I think of it."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          153
"Bowles, I always liked you, and so did Tommy
Toppleton. If you want to be a sergeant, you can
have the place."
"Thank you. I shouldn't mind being a sergeant.
In fact, I should rather like it."
" Our fellows would like to appoint you."
"Well, I will give them a chance to do so."
" But you know some of the fellows are trying to
run Tommy out," added Hacker, in a low tone.
" I have heard something of that sort," continued
Bowles; and certainly no one could accuse him of
ever seeming to care anything about the matter.
"There are some good fellows over here, and we
don't like to have them lying on the ground without
any tents, and with nothing to eat. If you have a
mind to pick out ten or a dozen of them, I will get
them over to High Bluff."
II will do so."
"I don't know  but we can make you a second
lieutenant, if you will."
Well, that is worth trying for."
"L If those fellows rnmean to stick to Briscoe, Tommy
is willing they should. IIe intends to leave them out




154              SWITCHI OFF, OR
in the cold. When they are willing to come back to
their duty,, and obey all orders, he will let them up;
but the officers who mutined are to be punished."
"I-Iow punished?"
"1Reduced to the ranks, at least," said the sergeant,
with energy. "All who are willing to come back
now will be received. Tommy can have it all his
own way."
"I am ready to go over, for one."
"Well, who are the others?"
"There's the trouble. I have no chance to talk
with them to-night."
This seemed to be the difficulty, and it was discussed for some time. Hacker proposed several plans,
all of which were rejected by Bowles, who at last
promised to meet the sergeant near the gully in half
an hour, after he had sounded some of our party.
Certainly our representative managed his case very
well, and I was entirely satisfied with him. IIe left
the spot, and walked back towards Briscoe. I rushed
forward in the opposite direction, and reached the
road so as to be between HIacker and his objective
point, for I was desirous of speaking with him.




TIHE WAR OF THE STUDENTS,           155
"Who goes there?" I called, as the messenger approached.
"Sergeant Hacker," replied the spy.  " Captain
Skotchley, I believe.  I have been looking for an
officer."
"What are you doing here?"
" Flag of truce," he replied, exhibiting his white
handkerchief.  "I have a message from Major Toppleton."
"Deliver it."
"lie desires to say that any of the mutineers will
be admitted to the camp, and may return to their
duty, excepting only the commissioned officers, upon
their promise to obey all orders."
" That's very kind of him. Pray, what is to become
of the officers?"
"The captains will be court-martialed."
"Tell him we will all be over there to-morrow,
and ask him to have his court-martial ready," I replied, rather disgusted with the proffered terms.
" You will not go over without the major's per.
mission," retorted Hacker.
"Perhaps nlot."




156              SWITCH OFF, OR
"You forget that we have all the arms; and I
think we can protect our camp from intrusion."
"If that's all you have to say, you can return."
"Major Toppleton does not wish to be responsible for your uncomfortable position here, without food
or tents."
" He needn't trouble himself."
"You can deliver his message to your men. If
you choose to submit, and promise to obey orders,
he is ready to receive you back."
"We are not quite ready," I answered.
" Very well; the consequences are with you then,"
replied Hacker, moving towards the bluff.
I permitted him to depart in peace, so as not to
disturb Bowles's plan, whatever it might be, though
I was disposed to arrest him as a spy upon our ground.
Joining Briscoe at the bridge, I found him conferring with Bowles in regard to the filling up of
Tommy's quorum.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           157
CHAPTER XV.
A STRATEGIC MOVEMENT.'< HALL the balance of Tommy's quorum go
f~-J  over to-night, or to-morrow? That's the
question," said Briscoe, as I joined him at the
bridge.
"I don't want to go to-night," added Bowles.
"Why not?"
" I want to see the fun."
"You can see just as well from the other side
of the chasm," I suggested. "Besides, you may
be able to serve us better there than here."
"What can I do?" asked Bowles. If I can
be of any use over there to our party, I am willing to go."
"You can," said Briscoe. "We only intend to
obtain our arms to-night - that't all. We desire
to have the election go on just as though the




158               SWITCH OFFI, OR
whole crowd were there. We intend to be present
at the right time. You know where we are going
to operate, and you must serve us on the bluff,
as you see opportunity to do so, only don't be too
zealous."
"I'll go, and do the best I can," replied Bowles.
He called up the nine who were to go with him,
and planned the matter to suit himself. Conducting them towards the chasm, he was soon joined
by Hacker, and all of them  disappeared in the
woods. I -was very curious to know how the party
was to be transferred to High Bluff; but I was soon
satisfied that it was not by crossing the gully.
Briscoe and I had agreed to keep the rest of our
fellows back, for Bowles had gone off with great
pretensions to secrecy, as though he were veritably
deserting with his followers. I crept over to the rocks
near the fishing raft, and soon  discovered that the
party were there. They were in the act of embarking in a large boat, which I concluded, belonged
to the raft, and was the property  of the hotelkeeper.- They pushed off, and disappeared in the
darkness. It was evident, therefore, that there was




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          159
some way of reaching the summit of the bluff from
the lake side.
The coast was clear now, and our fellows were
silently led to the raft by Briscoe. Those who
were to assist me pulled up the plank, and, having
secured one of the ropes with which the raft was
moored, we carried it to the road near the point
where the bridge had been removed.
"Now we want to know whether there are any
sentinels on this side of the bluff," said I to Sergeant Langdon.
"I don't see any."
"Go to the chasm, and make a slight noise. If
there is any one there, it will start him up."
Langdon soon reported that he could discover no
one. I had not seen any guard in this direction
since dark. Tommy was doubtless satisfied that a
chasm twenty-four feet wide, with perpendicular sides,
could not be passed by any of our party. It had been
arranged between Briscoe and myself that his party
should make noise enough to engage the attention
of all on the bluff, while mine were bridging the
gully. As I was attaching the rope to one end of




160              SWVITCH OFF, OR
the plank, I heard the shouts of our co-laborers
beyond the promontory. They had pushed the raft
into position beneath the bluff and now waked the
echoes of the night with their yells.
The alarm was promptly given in the camp. Wve
saw the garrison rush to the place where the arms
were stacked, and we lay low until they had left
for the point of danger.  There was evidently a
great deal of excitement among Tommy's adherents.
Perhaps they expected a violent assault upon their
works.
"Now, lively, fellows!" I called to my party, as
they picked up the plank and bore it to the chasm.
The end to which I had fastened the rope was
dropped into the abyss, so that it rested upon a
rock which I had before selected. With a couple
of the hoop-holes we pushed the upper end over
to the other side of the gully, where it was to rest
as part of the bridge. By the rope attached to the
lower end we pulled it up, and placed it on the
rock. The experiment was a complete success and
I was very well pleased with my first attempt at
engineering. It was a very simple experiment, after




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            161
all; and though satisfied, I was not vain of the
resullt.
I was the first to cross the plank; but my fellows
all followed me.  Taking six or seven muskets
apiece, we soon placed them on the right side of
the gully, and our work was accomplished. Briscoe's
forces were still shouting as though their salvation
depended upon the amount of noise they could
make. If there were any night voyagers on the
lake in that vicinity, they must have suspected that
the demons of this wild region were engaged in an
hilarious frolic; but I think there was no one within
hearing of our voices.
" I say, captain, we might as well finish the job,
now  we are here,"  said Langdon, after we had
stacked the arms by the side of the road.
"IIlow finish it?"
"Wrouldn't it be better to have the bridge material on this side of the gally?" suggested the sergeant.
"I don't know that it would."
"We could hold Tommy and his party as prisoners then.'
11




162               SWITCH OFF, OR
"Possilbly it would be a good move; but when
we go over to-morrow, we must do it with a rush,
after the balloting has begun."
We decided to transfer the bridge materials to
our side of the chasm. Perhaps it was just as well,
so far as Tommy was concerned; for I did not
believe, after I had looked at the heavy timbers
which comprised the string-pieces, that he had the
engineering skill to reconstruct the bridge. We
completed our work in a very short time, and
without any interruption from the valiant garrison
which defended the place. Having finished the job,
we placed the plank on six sticks, and with one
boy at each end of them, conveyed it back to the
lake as we had brought it up. Briscoe's party were
still demonstrating under the high cliff of the island.
Langdon, who could whistle like a locomotive through
his fingers, made the signal we had agreed upon
that our work was finished.
By this time most of us were thoroughly fatigued,
and I felt that a bed of pine furze in the grove
would be as good as a downy couch for me. We
had worked off the effects of the potations of strong




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         163
coffee, and some us were so sleepy that we could
hardly keep our eyes open. One of the  cooks
lighted a match, so that I could see the face of my
watch, and I found that it was almost midnight.
But we had to wait nearly an hour before Briscoe's
fellows could work the raft back,,for it was a clumsy
thing to handle in deep water. When they came
in sight, they were towing it with the large boat in
which Hacker had conveyed his recruits to the
fortress. Without it I doubt whether they could
ever have brought the raft back to its moorings.
We were too tired to put the raft in postition as
we had found it, and, making it fast to the shore,
returned to our camp.
We were a sorry set when we turned in at about
one o'clock that night; and if we had taken a vote
on the question, I think we should have decided
unanimously that  campaigning after  dark, and
especially after midnight, was anything but. fun.
The weather was so warm that we did not need
fires; and wrapping our blankets around us, we
lay down without troubling ourselves to post a
single sentinel to watch over the camp while we




164              SWVITC  OFF, OR
slumbered. There was no danger of an assault from
Tommy' s forces, tor we had them bottled up in their
strong fortress. Briscoe's party had brought away
the boat in which Sergeant Hacker had made his
visit to our camp, and there was now no possible
way for any ot the enemy to reach us.
The garrison on High Bluff were as much fatigued
as we were, and were'as little disposed to make an
assault as we were to repel one. I cannot speak
for others, except to say that no one disturbed us;
and I slept like a rock upon my hard bed. It was
after eight in the morning when I waked; but
not a single soul seemed to be stirring. I was in
no hurry; so I turned over and went to sleep again
as all my companions were still slumbering.
Ilallo, Skotchley!"
I opened my eyes. It was Briscoe.
"We are sleeping all day," said he.
"What's the odds?  We have nothing to do but
eat breakfast until noon. We may as well rest ourselves while we have the chance."
"But it is after nine o'clock,' laughed he.
IT think I have slept enough, then," I replied,




THlE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         165
springing to my feet, well satisfied that no rheumatism had found a lurking-place in any of my joints.
Some of the fellows were already up, and among
them Fryes, who was directed to blow a blast on
his bugle to wake the slumberers. In a few minutes
we had them all on their feet. I went to the rushing brook, and took an eye opener in the shape of
a splendid wash in the clear, cold waters, which
made mel feel like a new  man, fit for the great
enterprise of the day. Frying bacon without a frying-pan was declared by the cooks to be a difficult
achievement; but an iron kettle was a tolerable
substitute. We boiled half a bushel of potatoes,
and by ten o'clock we were ready for our morning
meal. As an expedient for plates, we used smooth,
flat stones, taken from a slate ledge a few rods from
the camp. The breakfast was eminently satisfactory.
" Where is Jed?" asked Briscoe, as we rose from
the ground when the repast was finished. "IIHe
has not come yet."
"I think he will come," I replied.
"Suppose he should not come?'" suggested the
senior captain.




166             SWITCH OFF, OR
"Then we must get along without him."
"I don't see how we can.1"
"My party took the precaution last night to bring
the bridge materials over to this side of the gully,
we can put the bridge up when we want it, though
it will take some time to do the job."
Briscoe laughed heartily as I explained to him that
Major Tommy and his forces were actually prisoners
on High Bluff, and would have to stay there until
we permitted them to leave. As we intended to
turn the tables upon our gallant commander-in-chief,
I hoped that our precautions would not prove to
be useless. It was possible that Jed might not be
able to come, however good his intentions might
be; and I walked down to the place where we had
stored the bridge stuff, accompanied by my working
party, in order to make preparations for crossing at
this point if Jed should fail us. I simply fixed
upon a plan for doing the work; and, after examination, I was satisfied that the method by which
we had laid down the plank the night before was the
best one. I then went with Briscoe's party to the




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         167
fishing raft, where, in a few moments, we put every.
thing just as we had found it.
While we were thus engaged, Jed arrived, and
we all hastened to the camp to complete the grand
coup de main of the day.




.168            SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER XVI.
THE PINE TREE BRIDGE.
JED had arrived with his sharp axe. He had also
brought with him a bill-hook, to clear away the
underbrush on the verge of the chasm, so that it need
not impede our movements when the decisive moment arrived. Jed and one of the large fellows
soon cut the bushes down, but we did not remove
them. They were piled up so as to form a screen
to hide the operations on our side from the view of
those on the bluff. They were so arranged that the
fall of the pine tree would tumble them into the
abyss, and leave everything clear, so that we could
rush over before the enemy could gather on the other
side to oppose our passage.
The occupants of High Bluff did not seem to be
in the best of spirits. They had doubtless discovered
the loss of our share of the muskets, and of the




THE WAR OF TTIE STUDENTS.          169
bridge materials. The boat by which IRacker had
left the bluff was no longer available, and they could
not help understanding that they were prisoners. In
fact the tables were already turned. But we were
confident that the election would not be neglected.
If Major Tommy was convinced that his command
were prisoners, he was equally well assured that our
party could not disturb him without first laying down
the bridge. Probably he thought it easy enough to
prevent us from putting the timbers across the gully,
as, indeed, it was.
Jed was already at work on the pine tree. It was
exceedingly important to prevent the garrison on the
bluff from knowing what was going on at this point;
but the sound of the woodman's axe in that locality
was not a strange one. It need excite no suspicion.
But we saw several of Tommy's adherents making a
critical examination to ascertain what our party were
doing. The bushes effectually concealed the work
from their gaze.
"Come, Skotchley, we must not take it too easily,"
said Briscoe.  "If those fellows should snuff what




170            SWITCHI OFF, OR
we are doing, they might spoil everything. You must
make a demonstration where the bridge was."
"I intended to do that at the right time," I replied,
looking at my watch. "It is about time now-half
past eleven."
"You are the engineer, captain. What do you
intend to do?"
" I am going to commence laying that bridge just
before twelve o'clock. I want about half the fellows.
The other half will stand by the tree, and go over as
soon as it falls, When they have crossed, we will all
rush up and join you on the other side."
" Jed has cut the tree more than half through, and
a few clips on the other side will drop it."
"All right."
I took half the force, and marched down to the
road. Half a dozen sentinels guarded the bluff on
the other side at this point. It was evident that
Tommy and HIaven did not expect an attempt would
be made to cross the chasm at any other place. I did
not wonder at their conclusion, for it seemed quite
impracticable for a party of boys to span the arm of
the lake, where it varied from thirty to a hundred feet




THE WAR- OF THE STUDENTS.          171
in width. Our entire force had taken their muskets,
and so far we now stood upon an equality. Eaclh
could oppose bayonet to bayonet.
I halted my detail on the verge of the gully where
the bridge had been removed. As soon as we ap*peared, Haven marched his portion of Company A
down to the threatened quarter, and halted on the
other tide. I was not quite satisfied with this moverment, for I wished Tomnmy to send his whole force to
oppose my operation. I walked up to the edge of the
chasm, and looked into it.
" What are you going to do now?" shouted Haven.
" You shall see pretty soon," I -replied, good-naturedly.
" Do you think of coming over here?"
"Well, 1 had thought of it."
"All right. The major has informed you in regard
to the terms upon which you can return to your duty
a general amnesty to all except commissioned
officers."
"' He is very generous.2"
"I think that he is fair. We are going to have the




172,             SWITCH OFF, OR
election over here at twelve o'clock precisely," continued Haven, in taunting tones.
"I'm glad to hear it."
"But are you not coming over to vote?"
"Perhaps we shall."
"I guess not-unless you should come under arrest," replied Haven, glancing into the ravine which
yawned between us.
"Probably we shall be over to help you vote."
"I don't see it."' You forget that we have the bridge stuff on this
side."
"I should like to see you lay it.down!"
"Should you?  I don't believe you are quite sincere, Haven. But we shall have a bridge in season
to vote."
"You must be in a hurry, then."
"Then I think I won't stop to talk any longer."' I think you had better not waste any more time,
if you are coming over to vote. The polls will be
closed at twenty minutes past twelve."' I suppose I can vote if I go over."
"0, certainly I"




TIIE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          173
I directed a dozen of my working party to bring
one of the string-pieces of the bridge to the chasm.
We had secured the ropes with which the bridge had
been removed, and I deliberately tied one end of it to
the timber. The party on the other side watched my
movements with intense interest. It was plain that
HIaven was not quite satisfied, and by no means as
confident as he pretended to be. IIe knew that we
had crossed the chasm in the night, and perhaps gave
us credit for more skill than we actually possessed. I
was pleased to see him send a messenger to the rear
of his position; and, in a few moments, the other company, under command of Barnscott, marched down
to renhforce him. At the same time Major Tonimy
appeared upon the ground. The little magnate consulted a few moments with IIaven, and then retired.
IIe seemed to be absorbed in another matter, which
I concluded was the balloting for officers.
I could hardly conceal my satisfaction when I saw
that the idlers in the vicinity of the pine tree had
all been called away. Indeed, there was nothing to
attract their attention at this time, for Jed had ceased
chopping after he had prepared the tree on one side.




174               SWITCH OFF, OR
I afterwards ascertained that none of Tommy's party
suspected the movement in the direction where it was
really in progress. It was easier for them to believe
that some farmer had come into the woods to get out
a stick of timber for a special use than that our fellows
intended to cross the gully in any such manner.
I ordered my party to drop one end of the string,
piece into the chasm. I was promptly obeyed. This
movement created great excitement on the other side.
Haven rallied his force in readiness to prevent the
stick from being landed on his territory.
" Out of the way, on the other side!" I shouted.
"If this string-piece should hit you on the head, it
might hurt you."
"Let it come!" replied Haven. "We will take
care of it."
With the aid of the poles, we threw the upper end
of the stick over to the other side of the chasm.
The instant it touched the edge, Haven and his men
tumbled it down into the abyss, precisely as I sup.
posed he would do
"Hurrah! Hurrah I Hurrah!" shouted the adhe




THE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.          175
rents of Tommy Toppleton, satisfied that they had
gained a decided victory.
"Throw us another of them!" called Haven, derisively.
"Don't cry yet!" I replied. We will have a
bridge over in season to vote-"' Over with it. I think we can throw the timbers
down as fast as you can set them up,"
"Man the rope here, fellows "' I shouted to my
party. "Work as though you were in real earnest I
Heave ahead!"
Slowly, and with great difficulty, the end of the
timber was pulled out of the chasm, and I prepared
to make a new attempt. All of Tommy's army was
in front of me. The major was very busy. I saw
him place a tin kettle on a rock, and station three
sentinels before it. This, I soon ascertained, was the
ballot-box, and the three sentinels were the committee
to assort, count, and declare the vote. Bowles was
one of them, and this fact did something to assure me
that fair play would be had. It was our custom to
vote for each officer on a separate ballot; and, of




17 6            SWITCH OFF, OIR
course, the first was for major. Tommy came down
to the front, and announced that the polls were
open.
"Bring in your ballot for major for the ensuing
year!" shouted Haven, looking over to our side, as
though the remark was addressed to us, " We can
vote and fight at the same time."
"All right! We are going right over," I replied,
as they tumbled the end of the timber into the gully
a second time.
"The polls will be closed if you wait to lay this
bridge," retorted Haven, in excellent humor.
" You attend to your voting, and we will take care
of tile bridge."
I again heard the vigorous blowsof Jed's axe, and
I expected every moment to see the pine tree fall
across the gulf. Our party were very much excited,
and we worked at the timber with most deceptive
zeal. We threw it over upon the other side, as we
had done before.
"Stand by here I" shouted Haven. "Tumble it
down, quick!"
And down it went into the gully. The party on




'-~zL~-~_!=
TEE-~ —----- PIN~, TR~  BRIGE. Page 1Y








THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          177
the other side gave three more rousing cheers, to
celebrate the third repulse of the stick.
"Why don't you throw up your bridge I" screamed
Haven, almost beside himself with excitement.
"Keep cool over there," I replied, as calmly as I
could. "There is no such word as fail."
" I think there is - three such words! And there
will be another when you throw that timber over
again."
"Try again! That's our motto," I answered, glancing at the top of the tall pine, which was tottering
and ready to fall.
It shook a moment, and then came down with a
heavy crash. Briscoe, with his drawn sword in his
hand, was the first to cross the abyss. He was closely followed by the rest of his party. Before Tommy
and his adherents could fairly understand what the
matter was, our senior captain had formed his men
in line, and presented a wall of bayonets to cover the
advance of my party.
" There's our bridge!" I cried to Haven, as I or.
dered my men to take their guns and hasten to the
pine tree.
12




178             SWITCH OFF, OR
We followed Briscoe's lead, and in a few moments
our entire force was on High Bluff.
"Now give them three cheers, Briscoe, in answer
to theirs," I suggested; and they were given with a
zeal becoming the victory we had won.




THE WAG OF THE STUDENTS.         179
CHAPTER XVII.
THE FIRST BALLOT.
YTOMMY and his forces on High Bluff seemed to
be paralyzed by the sudden and unexpected
movement initiated by Briscoe, and followed up by
my party. They did not pay much attention to vot.
ing just then, though quite a number of them had
deposited their ballots before the falling of the pine
tree. We waited a reasonable time to be assaulted;
but Major Toppleton seemed to be too much astonished to organize an attack upon the bold assailants.
Ite stood in front of his men, consulting earnestly
with Haven.
" Why don't you move on, and pitch into them?"
said Jed, who had come over on the pine, with the
axe in his hand.
"' We are not going to pitch into them," repli,d
Briscoe.




180              SWITCH OFF, OR
"We don't want any of them to escape," I added.
"Leave that to me," said Jed. " I will stand guard
here, while you go up and do your voting. I can
handle the whole crowd."
Our first business was to deposit our votes. We
had already provided ourselves with ballots.
"Music I" said Briscoe; and Fryes started Hail,
Columbia.
Breaking into column, we marched towards the tin
kettle, which constituted the ballot-box. This movement ended the conference between the two leaders
of the other side. The major ordered his men into
line. By this time Bowles's party had gathered around
the voting place, as they had been instructed to do by
him, in order to defend the purity of the election. It
was plain that Tommy did not intend to do any fighting. It would have been very foolish for him to do
anything of the kind. lie marched his adherents up
to the vicinity of the rock where the ballot-box was
deposited, and halted. Briscoe did the same. While
the latter was preparing to send his men up to vote,
in small parties Haven appeared before us.
"Major Toppleton desires to know what your




THE IWAR OF THE STUDENTS.        181
intentions are," said the messenger, in a haughty
tone, which, however, indicated more of disgust at
our proceedings than of pride at his own.
"' We came over to vote," replied Briscoe.
"I told you we were coming over, Haven," I
added.
" You told me, too, that you were going to lay that
bridge; but you didn't," sneered the ambassador.' What bridge?" I inquired, smiling.
"The bridge down by the road," snapped he.
"I beg your pardon."
" Didn't you say so?
"Not at all; I had no more idea of laying down
that bridge than I had of drying up the lake."
What did you say so for, then?"' I think I did not say so. I simply told you we
should have a bridge in season to come over and vote,
I believe the promise has been kept; at any rate, we
are here, and in good time. I think you said the polls
would be closed at twenty-minutes past twelve."
"M3lajor Toppleton does not propose to have the
election continued, under the present circumstances,"
replied Haven.




182              SWITCH OFF, OR
"Why not, I should like to inquire?" interposed
Briscoe.
"He is not going to have the election carried by
force of arms.
"There is to be no force of arms. All parties
can vote quietly, and the thing shall be fairly
done."
" But you have come over here, and taken possesion."
" We have taken possession of nothing  There is
the ballot-box just as Major Toppleton placed it,
guarded by the committee whom he selected himself,"
persisted Briscoe.
" The major intends to postpone the election till it
can be conducted fairly," added Haven.
"Allow me to suggest that it is nut in the power of
the major to postpone the election. It was deferred,
by vote of the battalion, to this day and hour; and
unless the battalion vote otherwise, it must take place
at the present time."
"I will report what you say to him," said Haven,
who could not conveniently answer the argument of
the senior captain.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         183
"If Major Toppleton desires to take a vote on the
question of postponement, we are quite willing to
so," added Briscoe.
The messenger returned to the major; but, while
the conference between them was in progress, I took
cat'e that the voting should go on, in order that the
time might not expire before ouLr portion of the battalion had deposited their ballots. Tommy's commit-'tee stood around the tin kettle, and compelled each
voter, to hold up his ticket, so as to make sure that
only one vote was put in the box by a single person.
They retained their muskets, and were zealous in the
discharge of their duty. The nine fellows who had
come over with Bowles stood behind the committee
as their leader had directed them to do, the moment
the pine tree fell, in order to prevent the election from
being suspended, or the ballot-box carried away by
any of Tommy's adherents.
As our  otes had been previously prepared, it required but a few moments for us to drop them into the
tin kettle. Everything was done in an entirely orderly manner, under the supervision of the committee.
I could not see the slightest chance for cheating, and I




184               SWITCH OFF, OR
did not believe there was any fraud on either side.
As our men voted, they resumed their places on the
slope of the hill, between the committee and the pine
tree bridge.
"Tommy's fellows are fooling away the time," said
Briscoe, anxiously.
" That is their lookout."
" Our fellows have all voted."
" Some of Tommy's have also. If a quorum of the
battalion have voted, the election will be according to
the by-laws, and we are all right."
" Go up to Tommy, and tell him, that as he does
not choose to put the question on postponement, we
shall consider this as an election, and abide by the
result, whatever it may be."
I walked hastily to the spot where Tommy and
IHiaven were discussing the difficuities of the situation.
As I approached the major, I drew  my sword, and
respectfully saluted him.
"' I have a message from Captain Briscoe, senior
captain, in command of that portion of the battalion
which was excluded from High Bluff," I began.
"I don't recognize. Captain Briscoe as in command




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           185
of any portion of the battalion," returned Tommy,
with'an effort to be dignified.  "I have suspended
him."
"Then I will speak- for myself."
"I have suspended you, also."
"We are both ready to answer to any charges. I
believe we are entitled to vote, and we have done so.
Our party have all deposited their ballots. As you
have not chosen to talke the question upon a postponement, we shall regard this as the election, and abide
the result, whatever it may be. This is my message.
I have delivered it, and will now retire "
" Do you think an election held under these circumstances ought to be considered valid? " demanded
Tommy.
" I think the vote has been fairly taken, by a comrn
mittee appointed by yourself. Our party are satisfied.
We intend to have the vote counted, and the result
declared."
You mean it! " exclaimed the major, with ar
attempt at a sneer, which was olly a partial success.
" Several of your party have not voted, though the




186- SWITCH OFF, OR
time fixed by you for keeping the polls open has
expired."
"Suppose we do not choose to vote."
"That's your affair. A quorum has already voted,
and that is enough. The moment the result is declared, we shall place ourselves under the orders of
the new major, whoever he may be."
I saluted the major again, turned, and retired.
We could do nothing more; so Briscoe and I walked
up to the vicinity of the voting place. I suggested to
the committee that it was time to close the polls.
"All that have not voted will do so at once!'
shouted the chairman of the committee, loud enough
to be heard all over the bluff. "Polls will close in a
minute."
"' Are you going to close the polls before all have
voted?" demanded Tommy, rushing up to the tin
kettle with his ballot in his hand.
"It was your order that the polls should be closed
at twenty minutes past twelve," replied the chairnlan."
"This election is postponed till further orders," said
the major




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         187
"No! No I No!"  yelled our party, who had
marched up to the spot.
"It cannot be postponed except by vote of the
battalion," I remonstrated.
"Then I will take a vote. Those in favor-"
"Stop a moment, if you please, Major Toppleton,"
interposed Briscoe. "There is no motion before the
battalion. No question can be put except upon motion."
"Mr. Commander, I move that the election be post
poned for one week," said Haven, coming to the assistance of his chief.
"Those in favor-"
I object! " shouted Briscoe.
" I don't care if you do object," replied Tommy,
angrily.
"The motion has not been seconded."' Second the motion," shouted one of the major's
adherents.
" It is moved and seconded that this election be
postponed for one week," continued Tommy. " Those
in favor will say, ay."
"Ay I " cried all of the major's party.




188              SWITCH OFF, OR
" Those opposed will say, no."
" No! " yelled the rebels, with a vim which proved
that they understood the case perfectly.
"It is a vote!"' added Tommy, triumphantly.
" I doubt the vote," said I, sure of the result, if we
had fair play.
"The vote is doubted."
"I call for a division,r" said Faxon.
It has always been our custom, when a vote was
doubted, to divide the house, each side marching between two tellers to be counted. The major evidentlJ
wished to escape this ceremony but it was impossible
and the division took place.  The conclusion could
not be escaped; and, either by mistake or otherwise,
some of Tommy's party voted with the rebels, so that
the result was fifty-nine for postponing the election to
ninety-one against it. Tommy repeated the statement
of the vote, though it almost choked him. Without a
word, he went up to the kettle, and dropped his vote
into it. His example was followed by all the others
who had not voted.
The committee were directed to count the votes




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            189
They did so, and handed the result to the major, on a
piece of paper. He read it as follows:"Whole number of votes,.                 153
Necessary to a choice,.
Thomas Toppleton,.                    68
Robert Briscoe,..85
Robert Briscoe is elected major."




-190             SWITCH OFF:, O
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE SECOND BALLOT.
OUR fellows could not help giving three cheers
when the major read the result of the vote.
Tommy's face was red with rage and mortification.
I do not know whether he expected, or even feared,
the election of another in his place; but I do know
that his tyrannical, and his supercilious behavior towards his equals had received its just reward. After
the cheering had ceased, all parties looked to the
Major to ascertain how he bore his defeat.
By this time Haven rushed to his assistance, with
words of consolation if not of hope.  I-Ie had made
a discovery which, in the excitement of the scene,
had escaped the notice of most of us. He spoke with
Tommy, took the paper from which the major had
read the result of the vote, and, after examing it
for a moment, spoke a few earnest words to his su.
perior whose face suddenly brightened.




THE WAR OF TIlE STUDENTS.        191
"Officers and soldiers," the major began, after he
had glanced at the paper again, " it was plain enough
to me from the beginning that no fair election could
be had in the midst of this excitement."
"It would have been fair enough if you had been
elected," growled a fellow in our ranks.
" It is not fair whoever is elected: and I for one
will lnot submit to it."
"The vote has been declared and Briscoe is major!"
shouted Bowles, who regarded  himself as in some
sense the guardian of the purity of the election.
There was cheating in the election and I object
to the result " said Haven. " There are but one hundred and fifty -in the battalion and one hundred and
fifty-three votes were cast."
"Very likely there was other cheating," suggested
Tommy, who perhaps really believed that he had
been defeated by fraud.
"Let's have it over again," said Lennox, the first
lieutenant of Company B.
M Ir. Commander! " called Faxon.
"Lieutenant Faxon" replied the major.
"I move that we proceed to a new election for
major.




192 S'WITCH OFF, OR
"Second the motion! " promptly added Lennox.
"It is moved and seconded that we proceed to a
new election," said Tommy. " Are you ready for the
question?"
IHaven proceeded to make a speech, in which he
attempted to show why it would be better to defer
the election. Faxon, who was a ready debater, controverted the argument. Several spoke on each side,
but finally the question was put, doubted, a count
taken, and the postponement rejected by "a strict
party vote," which indicated a majority of twenty
for the opposition.  Again Tommy consulted Haven
and several of his principal supporters. It Must have
been evident to him that he could not be elected.
" Officers and soldiers," said he, when we had waited
until our patience was nearly exhausted, " I had hoped
that you would consent to defer this election for, a
few days. It was my intention, If I had been elected,
to resign in a short time.
" What a fib! " growled one of our men.'We have accepted an invitation to drill with the
Wimpletonians for a prize. We are in no condition
to do so now, with the battalion in a state of mutiny.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           193
If you will postpone the election till next Monday,
I will say that I shall not be a candidate."
"No! No!" shouted our fellows.
"Mr. Commander, I rise to a point of order," said
Lennox.
"State your point," replied Tommy.
"Whether, the battalion having voted to proceed
with the election of major, any other business is in
order."
" I made a proposition to the battalion to defer
the election,"' answered Tommy, a little ruffled.
" We have just voted not to postpone," added one
of our party.
" And we have just voted to have the election
now," said another.
"' Mr. Commander, I move that the roster be used
as a check list to insure fair play," continued Faxon.
"Second the motion.J"
The motion was put to vote and carried.
"Mr. Commander, I move that Lieutenants Haven
and Faxon, and Sergeants Hacker and Langdon, be
a committee to check the names, and to receive, sort,
and fount the votes," said Lennox.
13




194              SWITCH OFF, OR
"Second the motion," added Bowles.
"It is customary for the commander to appoint
committees," interposed Barnscott.
" The rules say,' unless otherwise ordered,' " replied Lennox. "I believe my motion is in order."
"It seems to me this is a very fair thing, two on
each side to check the names and superintend the
voting," said Corporal Dunbold.
"The motion is not in order," replied the major.
"The chair has always appointed committees of this
kind."
"I appeal from the decision of the chair," promptly
returned Lennox.
" An appeal from the ruling of the chair is taken,"
continued Tommy, vexed to find himself trammelled
by the parliamentary usage, to which he had always
been a fanatical adherent. "Are you ready for the
question?"
"Question I"
"The question is, Shall the ruling of the chair stand
as the sense of the battalion? Those in favor of
sustaining the ruling of the chair will say, ay."
"Ay I"




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          195
"Those opposed, no."
" No!"
"The ayes have it, and the ruling of the chair is
sustained. "
"I doubt that vote," said Faxon.
The battalion was divided, and the question was
decided against the chair by the opposition majority.
of twenty. Tommy bit his lips; but as, according te
the "sense of the battalion," the motion of Lennox'was in order, he was obliged to put it to vote..Of
course it was carried by the usual majority. The committee were directed to take their stations by the tin
kettle on the rock. The roster was brought out, and
Faxon and Haven appointed to check the names,
while the other members of the committee were to
watch the voting. Fair play having been thus insured, the voting commenced. As there no longer
appeared to be any danger of a collision between the
two parties, our forces broke ranks. Then commenced
the most tremendous "lobbying " and "log-rolling"
that had ever been known in any of our deliberative
bodies.
Tommy did not give up the battle. He and his




196              sw1rCH OFF, OR
todies coaxed, teased, threatened, and persuaded.
Places on the Lake Shore Railroad and places in the
battalion were offered to our fellows; but all of them
were shrewd enough to see that the major's party
was not the winning one. On the other hand, the
votes already taken indicated that Briscoe was certain to be elected by a handsome majority. Boys,
like men and rats, are ready to desert a sinking ship.
The "lobbying " was not all on one side. In half
an hour every name on the list was checked. The
committee proceeded to count the votes.
The most intense excitement reigned on the bluff.
Groups of officers and privates engaged in earnest
discussion; and, passing near Tommy Toppleton, I
was not a little surprised to hear him say that he
expected to be successful. I concluded that he had
lost his senses, or was merely keeping up appearances
for a few moments longer. Perhaps he expected
hIaven, who was chairman of the committee, to change
the current in his favor, or at least to discover some
irregularity in the proceedings which would justify a
postponement.
"The committee are ready to report," said one of




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         197
the privates; and the word passed through the camp,
bringing all discussions to a sudden conclusion.
"Mr. Commander," said Haven, approaching the
major with a paper in his hand.
"Lieutenant Haven, replied Tommy.
"The committee appointed to sort and count the
votes have attended to that duty, and respectfully
report: Whole number of votes, one hundred and
fifty. Necessary to a choice, seventy-six. Thomas
Toppleton has fifty-eight; Robert Briscoe ninety-two,
and is elected.
The Briscocites repeated the cheers they had given
before, but with even more energy than on the former
occasion. The result showed a gain of seven votes,
and the cheering indicated a still larger reinforcement of the opposition from the other- side. Again
every eye was turned to Tommy, to ascertain whether
he intended to submit to tile will of the majority.
Most of us expected something in the shape of a protest from Haven; but he performed his duty without
comment of any kind.- When the chairman of the
committee reported, I was quite near the major, for
I had no idea that we had reaehed the conclusion
of the whole matter.




198              SWITCH OFE', on
" What does this mean, IIaven.? " demanded Tommy, in a low tone, when the report had been read.
"I could only declare the vote as it was," pleaded
U{aven. 
"But there is something wrong,y" protested Tommy.
"I could not find anything;" and Haven shook his
head, to indicate that he had done his best for his
fiiend, but had failed to find a flaw in the proceedings.
"W hat shall I do? " asked Tommy, sorely vexed
at the situation.
"I don't know," answered Haven, blankly.
"I. don't believe it is a fair thing. I don't understand it."
"Neither do I; but I don't see any way to get
~ound it."
Tommy had been such a devoted adherent to parliamentary strictness, that he felt obliged to read the
report of the committee, as it was given to him.
Although it almost choked him to do so, be declared
that Briscoe was elected major."
"I wish to add," he continued, with much embarrassment, "that I think there is something wrong




TIlE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.        199
somewhere. I submit to the change only under
protest."
"What is the matter?" demanded some one in
the crowd.
"I have tried to do everything for the good of
the battalion, and I don't know of any reason why
I should be treated in this manner. An officer under
suspension for disobedience of orders is elected in my
place. This does not look right to me, and I don't
think your action will stand long."
" Briscoe I Briscoe I" shouted the boys, not pleased
with Tommy's threat to have the election set aside.
In answer to the call, the new major mounted a
rock, and, after he had been warmly applauded, made
a short speech, thanking the battalion for the honor
it had done him, and promising to discharge the
duties of the office to which he had been elected to
the best of his ability. We were then dismissed for
dinner.




200             SWITCH OFF. OR
CHAPTER XIX.
HEALING THE BREACH.
JED, who had patiently kept guard at the pine
tree bridge during all these exciting events,
thought it was about time for him to be relieved
when he saw us preparing for dinner. I went down
to see him, paid him two dollars for his day's work,
and invited him to dine with us. As the other officers were yet to be elected, I had no fear that any
portion of the battalion -unless it was Tommy Tompleton- would think of such a thing as abandoning
the field. The provision brought from the Institute
were already cooked, so that dinner was soon ready,
and was quickly disposed of.
Tommy Toppleton was moody and sullen. If any
one spoke to him, he answered only in monosyables.
lIe appeared to be considering the situation, and
making up his mind what to do. No one believed




TIE AVAR OF THE STUDENTS.          201
that he ever had any intention of resigning if elected,
or of declining the nomination if the election was
postponed. I do not think that, even with the assistance of his father and the professors, he could have
secured votes enough to elect hinl. The majority of
us were so thoroughly disgusted with his tyranny, that
we would have broken up the battalion rather than
voted for him. We had accomplished what we had
been laboring for over a'year.
After dinner, in order to afford time for the students to prepare for the election of the rest of the
officers, —for there were still some difficult points to
be settled, —the voting was postponed for an hour.
In the mean time, I took my working party, and laid
down the bridge across the chasm near the road.
Everything was thus restored to its former condition;
and, so far as any mischief was concerned, no one
would have known that High Bluff had been the
camp of a turbulent battalion.
" Skotchley, I'm not sure but the worst part of the
business is yet to come," said Major Briscoe, as he
seated himself by my side on a rock, where I was
resting after the fatigue of rebuilding the bridge.




202              SWITCI-I OFF, OR
"Why, what's the matter?" I inquired, though I
knew that it would be no easy thing to reconstruct
the battalion.
" Our fellows want to elect to the offices only those
who have been on our side. If they do so, the battalion will still be in two pieces, when we want to
unite them."
"I was afraid of that."
"It won't do. The other side say, if they are left
osit in the cold, they shall form a new company, and
go off on their own hook."
"I suppose they had just as much right to go in
for Tommy as we had to go in for you," I suggested.
"I want to give them all fair play," said Briscoe,
warmly.
"Good!  So do I."
" What can we do with Tommy?"
"I don't know.  He. is as savage as a meat-axe.
There he sits on a rock, all by himself. I suppose lie
is brooding vengeance."
"We can be fair with him, and I'm in favor of
being so. I suppose you are entitled to the second
office, Skotchley."




TIHE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.         203
"Never mind me. I don't care a fig for any
office."
"I know you don't; but the fellows care for you.
I was thinking that, if Tommy was willing we might
make him senior captain."
"Offer the place to him, by all means."
"You are generous, Skotchley. Of course you can
do as you please about stepping aside for him."
"Upon my word, Briscoe, I would rather not be in
the line of promotion."
" Don't talk about that. I don't think Tommy will
take the place, but I would like to offer it to
him."
" Do so, by all means."
"Will you and Faxon see him?"' I will, for one."
Faxon was called and he consented to accompany
me on my mission to the late major.' It was plain
enough that he had not yet made up his mind what
to do.
"I'm  sorry you don't feel right about what has
happened to-day," I began, as we halted before the
little magnate.




204             SWITCH OFF, OR
"I feel right enough," replied he, looking up, and
trying to smile. "But I don't think the fellows will
make anything by what they have done."
"Something has been said about electing you
senior captain "
"Senior captain I' sneered Tommy. "Do you
think I would take a lower place than the one I
have filled?"
"If you will take it, or any other place, we will
do what we can to elect you."
"I don't want any place. I don't think I shall
belong to the battalion any longer. The fellows have
been mean to me, after all I have done for them.
You and Briscoe stirred this thing up, Skotchley," he
added, bitterly.
"I did what I thought was right."
"Did you think it was right to tip me out?"
"I did," I replied, firmly.
i" That's the way my friends treat me - or those
who ought to be my friends."
"The friendship can't be all on one side. To be
candid, you hlave not treated the fellows well."
" What have I done?"




TEIE WAR OF THIE STUDENTS.        205
" You have been tyrannical and overbearing  You
have tried to make your will law, without caring what
others wanted."
" IIumph! You  learned  that of Wolf Penni"I don't want to say anything unpleasant now," I
added. "If I can do anything for you, I am willing
to do it "
"You can't do anything for me,"
"I only wanted to say that I had no ill feelings
towards you; and I don't think the rest of the fellows have."
" I should think they had. All that has been done
to-day will be set aside as soon as you return to Middleport. Do you think my father will let me be
insulted in this manner?"
"The fellows had a right to vote as they pleased,"
suggested Faxon.
"Of course they had; and they may take the consequences."
"Then there is no place in the battalion that you
would like."
"No!"




206              SWITCH OFF, OR
Tommy's case was settled, and I reported the result
to Briscoe.
"I suppose Tommy's father will be mad when he
learns what has happened; but we must take ou3
chances," replied the major.  " Tommy was in the
wrong, and we have switched him off. VWhenever he
will make a good fellow of himself, I shall be happy
to resign my office in his favor."
Briscoe and myself then discussed the candidates
for the other offices.  Both of us desired to divide
thom fairly among the two parties, so as to heal all
differences, and make the battalion a unit in sentiment.
"There's a difficulty in the way," said Briscoe.
W" We have two first lieutenants-Faxon and IIaven.
If we make Faxon captain of Company B, it will
jump him over Haven, who is his senior. If we make
IIaven the captaiii, it will be treating one of our own
fellows shabbily."'
"Let me solve the difficulty for you. Make them
both captains, and let me be the  quartermaster," I
interposed.
" 0  no I"




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          20 
"I insist," I added. "The place will suit me
best."
"But the fellows won't consent."
"I will see to that."
After a long talk, I persuaded the major to let me
have my own way. I preferred the position of
quartermaster, for I had no military aspirations. It
was agreed that we would run Haven  for senior
captain and Faxon for junior. This was even magnanimous on the part of our side. We agreed upon
Lennox and Bowles for first, and Hacker and Crampton for second lieutenants. Barnscott was set aside,
for he had in turn sold out both sides, and neither
party had any confidence in him   He was anxious
to be a captain, and had trimmed his course to accomplish his end; and, like others who are true to
nothing, he failed in everything.
We wrote tickets with these nominations upon
them. They were readily accepted, and I was pleased
to see that the Tommyites were  entirely  satisfied.
The polls were opened again, and the ticket was in.
dorsed by a large majority. Barnscott protested,
engineered, log-rolled, and lobbied; but he failed to




208               SWITCH OFF, OR
defeat the arrangement. As soon as the voting was
finished, the battalion  was formed in line.  The
shoulder-straps were exchanged to suit the new rank
of the several officers. Tommy still sat on the rock,
watching the proceedings. As I passed near him, he
beckoned to me, and requested  me to deliver his
shoulder-straps to Briscoe, which I did. So far as I
could see, every one was satisfied except Barnscott,
who had been appointed sergeant-major. IIe accepted
the position, but with very ill grace.
The major then made a little  speech to the battalion in regard to the prize drill. IIis remarks were
received with applause; and, when he directed the
companies to separate, for the purpose of practising
the manual, I was pleased to see that an  excellent
spirit prevailed throughout the corps. As I had no
duties to perform in connection with the drill, I went
over to our camp on the other side of the gully, to
look after the stores there. While I was gathering
them together in readiness to be loaded  upon the
wagons, I saw Tommy walk up the road. He (lid
not seem to be going anywhere, for he had not taken
his pony. lie was apparently still brooding over his




THE WAR OF TIlE STUDENTS.          209
imaginary wrongs, and I wondered that he did not
ride back to Middleport to report the wickedness
of the battalion to his father.
While I was gathering up the stores, Jed came
over on the log of the pine tree. He had witnessed the deposition of his enemy, and he appeared
to be satisfied with the result. Ile remarked goodnaturedly, that we had " fixed that Toppleton boy,"
and he hopped it would be a good lesson for him.
If there was nothing more lie could do for us, he
would go home, though he had done a good day's
work, and made more than he could by staying at
the farm.
Unhitching the old mare, he started  for home.
I heard his wagon rattling  along the road for a
few  minutes, and then forgot all about him. I
finshed my work, and was about to return to the
bluff by the way of the pine tree when I was startled
by a loud cry at some distance from me, down the
road.
I paused and listened again.   The  cry was
repeated, and I recognized the voice as that of
Tommy Toppleton.   The  explanation was  clear
14




210            SWITCH OFF, OR
enough to me in an instant. The little -magnate
had encounted Jed on the road, and the latter
was punishing him for his conduct on the preceding day. Certainly Tommy was faring hard,
anld misfortunes did not come singly to him.




THE WARD OF THE STUDENTS.         2il
CHAPTER XX.
TOMMY TOPPLETON IN TROUBLE.
I COULD hardly regard Tommy Toppleton as a
friend of mine. Indeed, since the occurrences
of the preceding year on the Horse Shoe, he had
set himself up as my enemy. It he particularly hated
any one student in the Institute, I was that one. The
fact that his father and mine had been strong friends
for many years did not help the matter at all. On
the contrary, it made it rather worse; for the father
extended to me some consideration on account of my
parents, which the son resented.
More than once the little major had aimed the
shafts of his malice at me; but, though I resented
his open insults, I never hated him, and never
attempted anything like revenge for the injuries he
inflicted upon me. When I heard him cry for help
I was as willing to assist him  as though he had




212               SWITCH OFF, OR
been my best friend. Wolf and I had often talked
about Tommy, and I think I had learned from him
something of that spirit of true Christianity which
inspires one to love his enemies.
The story of Wolf's conduct when Waddie Wimpleton was captured and threatened with a coat of
tar and feathers by his enemies, had been faithfully
circulated on both sides ot the lake. Some of the
fellows thought Wolf was a " spoony " on that evente
ful occasion; but, for my part, I regarded his behavior
with intense admiration. To forgive and help an
enemy - one's bitterest enemy - seemed to me to
be a sublime thing, and I hoped I should have the
grace and the courage to do likewise under the same
circumstances. Acting from this inspiration, therefore, I was eager to do what I could for Tommy
when I heard his outcry,
The sound came from  some distance down the
road, and it was evident'to  me that I could not
reach the spot in season to do any good. But this
thought did not prevent me from making the attempt, and I ran with all the speed I could command
till I reached the summit of a hill, which afforded me




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          213
a view of the road for a quarter of a mile. At the
foot of the declivity I saw the wagon. Behind it
were Tommy and Jed. The stout farmer held the
little magnate by the collar. There had evidently
been a struggle, from  which both  appeared to be
resting for a moment.
"Let him alone!" I shouted, at the top of my
lungs, as I hastened forward towards the scene of
action.
Jed held his prisoner fast, but did not appear to be
disposed to proceed to extreme measures at once.  I
concluded that Tommy, seeing that help was at
hand, ceased his struggles to escape.  At any rate,
T arrived upon the ground before the conflict was
resumed.
"Come, Jed, let him alone," said I, as soon as I
could speak after the violent exertion I had made.
"I guess not!" replied Jed.  " Not if I know myself; and I think I do."
"Pitch into him, Ned," pleaded Tommy.
"I have no quarrel with you, cap'n," added Jed.'But I'm going to take this Toppleton boy home
with me, and teach hinm better manners."




214              SWITCHI OFF, 01
"No, you're not!" snapped Tommy.
"You say not; but I say I am."
"Come, Jed, don't be foolish. You won't make
anything by such a course as that. Let him go, and
I will see that everything comes out right," I pleaded.,
" See here, cap'n; you don't understand this case.
When I came up to this Toppleton boy, I asked him
a civil question, and he sauced me."
"'Twasn't a civil question," snarled Tommy.
"I asked you if you were ready to pay for the
damage you had done to our place. Wasn't that
a civil question?"
"No, it wasn't."
"Yes, it was. Then I told him  not to give me
any of hIis impudence, and he picked up a rock, and
was going to heave it at me, when I jumped out
of the wagon and lit on him,"' continued Jed, turning to me.
"I think you had blttcr let him go, Jed," I addea.
"If I do, he'll heave rocks at me."' No, lie won't."
Perhaps I will," interposed the impracticable little
magnate.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          215
"'There, do you hear that?"
"That's only talk," I explained.
"Let me alone!" shouted Tommy, beginning a
desperate struggle for his liberty.
"Let him go!" I interposed, taking Jed by the
arm; for I was afraid the stout fellow would inflict
some serious injury upon his puny victim.
"I'll let him go," replied Jed, shaking the little
major as a terrier shakes a rat.
"Let him alone!" I repeated, earnestly, as I endeavored to stay the arm of the stalwart farmer.
Jed evidently began to regard me as an ally of
his victim, and in his zeal he struck  me a severe
blow upon the head, which sent me reeling into the
bushes by the side of the road. My senses were
somewhat confused; but my ire was roused by the
ungenerous blow. I looked about me for a club;
but, before I could find one, I saw Jed, whose right
hand was fastened upon the back of Tommy's collar,
seize him by the trousers with the left hand. Lifting
his victim clean from the ground, he tossed him
over the end-board into the wagon, as easily as though
le had been a spring lamb.




216              SWITCH OFF, OR
I could not find any club, and perhaps it was
more fortunate for me than for Jed that I could not;
for he seemed to regard me as an enemy, and was
disposed to treat me as such. I picked myself up,
and tried to collect my scattered senses. I had
already come to the conclusion that the fist of the
stout farmer was as hard as iron, for I felt as though
I had been struck with a sledge-hammer. I had
done all I could do; and that was nothing at all,
unless I had helped to irritate Tommy's powerful
assailant.
Jed held his victim  down with one *hand, while
lie jumped into the wagon himself. The little major
was not inclined to yield the battle even yet, and
made another ineffectual effort to release himself
from the iron grasp,-of his captor. Tommy screamed
till the wild forests were vocal with hlis cries; but
no one but myself was within hearing of his voice
The determined  farmer tossed him over upon the
seat, and then took his place at the side of his conquered foe. Throwing one arm around his body, he
took the reins with the other, and drove off at thile
best speed of the old mare.




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CD 
bDm~~~ ~.-yT/,
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THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           217
Tommy had doubtless provoked this man beyond
the limits of endurance; but I was not prepared to
believe that he intended to inflict any serious injury
upon him   The young gentleman  had been accustomed to being " monarch of all he surveyed," and
opposition from a common farmer galled him sorely.
Jed had pulled him from  his horse the day before,
under strong provocation, and after this act Tommy
could not indulge in anything like conciliation. I
tried to imagine what the captor intended to do
with his prize. I was willing to believe that he
meant to give -him a sound thrashing, and thus, to
use his own language, " teach him better manners."
Perhaps a little discipline of this sort would do
Tommy no harm; but I could not make up my mind
exactly what sort of people dwelt in the farm-house.
Christy lHolgate appeared to be a prisoner there;
and I was not sure that the little magnate might
not be subjected to something worse than a whipping.
It was useless for me to attempt to chase the
wagon on foot. It had now  disappeared behind a
hill, and I was not disposed to follow it. I decided




218                  SWITCI-I OFF, OR
that it would.be better for me to state the case to
Briscoe; and, if Tommy did not soon return, an
expedition might be sent for him. I hastened back
to the camp; but, to my surprise, I found that the
battalion had marched for Priam. The stores in the
grove lad been taken. I suppose I was not missed.
I had directed the wagoners to  take the articles
I had piled up for them, before I left the bluff.
Glancing at  my watch, I saw  that the  new
major had not started till the hour he had appointed for that purpose. Tommy's pony was still
on the bluff; but he was saddled ready for use.
Probably Tommy was supposed to be in thle vicinity when the column moved off, and lie was to
be premitted to follow, or not, accoraing to his imperial pleasure.
I concluded to mount the pony, and follow  the
battalion, though, as it had half an hour the start of
me, I could hardly expect to overtake it before reaching Priam, which was only three miles distant. I
was still "a little mixed" about the head, and the
puny steed was disposed to go much faster than I
was willing to let him. I overtook the column just




THE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.           219
as it was entering Priam. The band was playing
one of its choicest airs, and the people were rushing
out to see the show. Urging forward the pony, I
astonished Major Briscoe by presenting myself, thus
mounted, at his side.
"Where's Tommy?" demanded he, looking exceedingly anxious.
"Ile's in trouble; and I want some help to go
after him," I replied.
Briscoe halted his command, and I briefly related to him  the incident of which I had been a
witness.
"If I had had this pony, I slould have followed and done what I could for him," I added, in
conclusion.
"But Jed isn't a bad man, I judge," replied
Briscoe.'Perhaps not; but he and Tommy are terribly
incensed against each other,"
" What call we do?"
"I don't know that we can do anything, for
probably the mischief will be done before we can




220              SWITCH OFF, OR
get to the farm-house; but some of us ought to
go after him."
"That's so."
"There comes the Ucayga!" I added, pointing
to Wolf Penniman's steamer, as she was approaching the landing of the town.
It was half past six, and Captain Penniman was
on time, as usual. I had an errand with the young
captain, relating to the important discovery I had
made at the  farm-house. Major Briscoe decided
to encamp for the night near Priam. I hastened
down to the pier, and arrived just as the boat
made fast. Leaping over the rail, I climbed to the
promenade deck, where I was warmly greeted by
Wolf. In as few words as possible, I told him
all about Christy IHolgate and Tommy. As I supposed he would he decided to remain over until
the return of the steamer from  IIitaca the next
morning. Colonel Wimpleton happened to be on
board, and, as Van Wolter, the mate, was entirely
competent to navigate the boat, the owner offered
no objection to the arrangement.
AVe  soon lound  the camp of the battalion;




THE WAR )F THE STUDENTS.         221
and, after some consultation with Briscoe, I was
detailed to look out for Tommy. Wolf declared
that he wanted no one but me. HIiriug a horse
and wagon at the hotel, we departed upon our
mission.




222            ISWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER XXI.
CHRISTY HOLGATE.
CAN hardly  believe the man you saw was
Christy JIolgate," said Wolf, as we drove off.
" I could not have been mistaken," I replied.  " I
knew Christy very well. I used to see him  almost
every day."
" But where could he have been all this time?"
" If the people at the farmn-house are his friends,
— as of course they are, —it was easy enough to
conceal him."
" Now. I think of it, I have heard Lewis Holgate
say he had an aunt somewhere near nMIiddleport.
Probably this farmer's wife is Christy's sister."
" And they pretend that he is insane.?'
" Well, I don't know but be is. I often think a
man must be crazy to commit any crime."
" What are you going to do with him, Wolf?"




THE WAR OF THE STUIDENTS.         223
I asked. " You are all alone; for I can't do much
to help you."
"I am going to see if the man is Christy, first,"
laughed my companion.
"You may be sure of that."
"I'm  going to have a talk with him, then."
"You can't arrest him yourself."
"I don't want to arrest him. If he has spent
two years on this farm, confined to his chamber in
the attic, I will venture to say he is not a fit person
to send to the state prison. You say he looked thin
and pale?",I Very.",
"If he has been confined to the house all this
time, probably he has not spent my father's money."
" Don't you suppose his wife knows where he is?"
"Probably she does, and Lewis also."
"They may have spent the money for him."
"Lewis has earned good wages ever since his
father left, and the two daughters work in stores.
The family never appeared to have much money.
Everybody supposes they live on what they earn,
But we can't tell much about it."




224             SWITCH OFF, OR
After a drive of little more than an hour, we
came in sight of the farm-house. I began to be
quite nervous in view of encountering Jcd and the
rest of the family; but Wolf was as cool as though
he were at the wheel of the Ucayga. He did not
say in what manner he intended to accomplish his
purpose, either in securing Christy or redeeming
Tommy Toppleton from bondage. It was nearly
dark when we drove up the yard, where our line
had been formed to put out the fire. I glanced
at the window in the attic which opened from the
crazy man's room. The green paper curtain before
it was suddenly  dropped, and  I was confident
Christy was still there, though the room could not
be in a very good order, after the action o1 the fire
and water. The long ladder by which we had
passed up the water still rested against the house,
as we had left it.
As soon as we stopped, Jed appeared, coming
from the barn with a pail of milk in each hand.
He instantly recognized me, and I thought he did
not look very amiable.
"Don't say a word about the crazy man," said




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           225
Wolf, when I indicated to him that the man with
the milk-pails was the captor of Tommy Toppleton.
" Christy is in his room; for I saw  the curtain
drop as we drove up," I added in a low tone.
"All right."
" How are you again, Jed?" said I, getting out of
the wagon.
"First rate!" replied he rather gruffly.
"What have you done with Tommy Toppleton?"
" I haven't done anything with him," replied Jed,
setting down his milk-pails.
"The last I saw of him, he was in your wagon,
coming this way."
" Well, he didn't come far with me," answered Jed;
but he seemed to be more embarrassed than the occasion required, if he was telling the truth. " As soon
as lie cooled off, I let him go."
"Vihere was that?" I inquired, astonished at this
information.
"About a mile and a half this side of where you
saw us. You see, he begged my pardon, and promised to settle for what mischief he had done."
15




226             SWITCH OFF, 0R
"Did Tommy beg your pardon?"
"Certainly, he did."
This was the most incredible thing he had yet
said.
"Tommy is not in the habit of begging any one's
pardon," suggested Wolf.
"Well he got scared, you see."
"We did not see it.
"Which way did he go?" I asked.
" fle went back towards the camp," answered Jed.
I was not satisfied with this story. If Tommy
had been liberated at the point indicated, we should
certainly have discovered him  somewhere on the
road. He would not have taken to the woods,
but would have continued on his way to Priam,
after he found that the battalion had left IIigh
Bluff. Besides, it was not reasonable that Tommy
had apologized to his enemy. He had never been
known to do such a thing, and, in the frame of
mind in which I had last seen him, he was not
likely to do so.
"We have just come down from Priam, and did
not see anything of him," I added.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.        227
"I don't know  anything about that., I meant to
give the little rascal a sound thrashing, and teach
him better manners. I know just how that boy
behaves down to Middleport; how he lords it over
man and boy. I used to think if ever I got hold
of him, I'd lick him. Now, he insisted on scaring
my colt, to say nothing of risking my life and
Clarissa's; then he trod down our spring wheat,
and sent his fellows through the garden; and if
ever a man was mad, I was. After you put the
fire out, I tried to think better of him for your
sakes. If he hadn't sauced me again, I shouldn't
have meddled with him. When he threw  rocks
at me, I meant to give him some; but he backed
down, and I didn't do anything to him to speak of."
" You wouldn't have gained anything by thrashing him," I replied. " His father would have prosecuted you.'
"I don't care for that; two can play at that
game, as well as one," retorted Jed, beginning to
be excited.
"Well, if he isn't here, we may as well diive
on," interposed Wolf, starting the horse.




228              SVWITCH OFF, O1
Jed picked up his milk-pails, and went into the
back room with them.
"But he is here," said I, getting into the wagon.
"I don't believe a word of that story."
"No matter," added Wolf, coolly, as he drove out
of the yard.
I was rather disgusted with my companion, to
find that he intended to give up the chase so
easily; but I did him injustice in my thoughts. He
had not even hinted a word about Christy, and I
might have known that he would not depart without seeing the robber. He turned the horse up the
road in the direction of Priam.
"I see what that fellow is made of," said Wolf,
when we were out of the hearing of the inmates of
the house. "He is both ugly and cunning."
"IIe is ugly enough; but there are some good
things about him. He has been very obliging to
us, at least."
"Because you were arrayed against Tommy Toppleton," laughed Wolf.
"He cut down a pine tree for us, which enabled
our fellows to reach High Bluff."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         229
"So that you could pitch the major out of office,"
replied my friend, as he turned the horse into a byroad leading into the depths of the woods, about
half a mile above the farm-house.
" What are you going to do now, Wolf?" I inquired.
"I am  going to attend to the business which
brought us here. I don't believe Christy stays up in
that chamber all the time."
It was now almost dark, and Wolf fastened the
horse to a tree. We were on the verge of what
was called the wild region. Below, the country was
all improved, so that the farm of Jed's father lay
next to the woods. We sat down on a rock, and
waited till it was quite dark, when we walked down
the road towards the house.
"What are you going to do, Wolf?" I asked,
nervously, in a whisper.
"I don't exactly know. Perhaps we shall have to
go up that ladder, and dive into Christy's room
through the window."'
" You can't do that," I protested.
" Perhaps not; but we will see how the land lies.




230             SWITCII,OFF, OR
I think we had better get over the fence, and maike
our way to the rear of the house. There  are
lights in the second story window. The people are
going to bed, and everything will be quiet in a few
moments."
We climbed over the fence, and sat down upon
a rock, to wait until the lights were put out in the
house, and the occupants had time to fall asleep.
"Hush! don't say a word," said Wolf, grasping
my arm.
I neither saw nor heard anything to explain the
conduct of my companion; but, having full confidence
in him, I heeded his request. A moment later I
heard the sound of footsteps in the road. I held
my breath with interest and anxiety, awed by the
manner of my companion, rather than by the fact
that some one was passing in the road before me.
Looking through the fence, I saw a man. There
was just light enough to enable me to recognize
the gray coat which I had seen upon Christy, as he
passed me in the attic the day before. He walked
slowly up the road towards the woods
"Follow me," whispered Wolf, as he began to




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         231
creep along the grass between the fence and the
wheat; for we were in the field where the battle had
been fought the day before.
We walked in Indian style, feeling our way with
our feet, like cats about to  pounce upon their prey
We continued in this direction till we reached the
woods, through which we could not pass without
making too much noise. We could not see Christy;
but he had passed into the wild region. We listened, but we could no longer hear the sound of
his step. With the utmost care we climbed over
the fence, which was composed of logs, so that it
did not yield much beneath our weight.
"Did you see him?" whispered Wolf.
"I did; and I am  sure it was Christy," I re-'4jied.
"I wonder where he is gone," added Wolf.
The road was up a gentle ascent for some distance,
And straight, but we could not see the man we
sought. It was evident that he had turned into
the woods. It was possible that he had taken the
road where we had left our horse, or that the animal would make some noise, so as to excite his




232            SWITCII OFF, OR
attention as he passed. We crept silently along
the road till Wolf put his hand upon my shoulder
and we halted.
"Hark!" whispered he.
I listened. I heard a low, murmuring voice, uttering words in the most solemn strain. They became
loader and more coherent in a moment, so that
we could tell what was said. It was the voice of
Christy Holgate. He was praying.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            233
CHAPTER  XXII.
THE PENITENT.
I CANNOT describe the feeling of awe and solemnity with which I listened to the earnest prayer
of Christy Holgate. His voice was broken with deep
emotion, as he pleaded for forgiveness for his sins. I
need not say that Wolf was not less affected than my
self, and both listened in respectful silence to the
petition of the penitent. It has been said that if a
man does not grow better, he grows worse; there is
no such thing as standing still in the moral scale.
The place which Christy had chosen for his evening
orisons was a little open space in the bushes. The
road, as I have said before, was seldom travelled, except by pleasure parties  and tourists, and at the
present season of tne year he was not likely to be
interrupted.  Wolf beckoned to me with his hand,
and I followed him as he crept gently through the
opening into the little natural arbor.




234.SWITCH OFF, OR
" 0 Lord, thou knowest how much I have suffered
for my folly and wickedness! 0, help me, and pardon
me, and make me a good and true man! Forgive me
0 Father in heaven, and give me that peace which
I have so long sought in vain!" were the concluding
sentences of Christy's prayer.
He rose from his knees, taking his hat from the
ground as he did so. Turning to leave, he beheld, in
the gloom, our two shadowy forms. lie was startled,
and uttered an exclamation of alarm. We stood perfectly still, and said nothing; for it seemed to me that
nothing could be said on such an occasicn.
IWho's there?" said Christy, in trembling tones.
"Christy Holgate," replied Wolf, with impressive
accents, " I hope you will find the peace you seek."
" Who speaks?" demanded the penitent.
"If you have made your peace with God and man,
you will be forgiven," added Wolf, solemnly.
" Who are you?"
"It does not matter who we are, at present. I came
after you; and it seems to have been the will of Providence that I should find you in the attitude of
prayer."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         235
"What do you want of me?" asked Christy. "Are
you an officer?"
"I am not an officer. )Do you feel as though your
crime had been forgiven?"
" What crime?"
"The crime for which you were praying to be forgiven."
"Do you know about it?"
" I do-all about it. You robbed your friend of
twenty-four hundred dollars two years ago."
"I did-I did!" groaned the penitent.
"I asked you if you felt as though you had been
forgiven. You did not answer me."
"Sometimes I feel as though the good Father had
pardoned me, and again I feel as though he had, not.
To-night I feel more guilty than ever. I have tried to
perform my duty, but I have not had the courage to
do it. Will you tell me who you are? If you are an
officer of justice, I will go with you. I can suffer no
more in a prison cell than I suffer here."
"Why don't you go back to Middleport, confess
your error, and take the consequences?"
"Because I dare not. I cannot brand my family
4fith intamy by voluntarily going to a prison."




236            SWITCH OFF, OR
"Do your family know you are here?" asked Wolf,
deeply interested in the story of the unhappy man.
" My wife and daughters do; but they dared
not trust Lewis with the secret. I am very wretched,
and have been from the moment I stole the money."
"What did you do with the money you stole?" inquired Wolf.
"I don't like to answer that question now. You
are a stranger to me."
"I am Wolf Penniman," added my companion.
"Wolf Penniman!" exclaimed Christy, starting
back, and trying to recognize in the tall young man
at my side the boy who had confronted him on the
locomotive at the time of the robbery. "You are not
Wolf!" he added, incredulously.
" I am."
"You are taller than you were."
"I have grown a little.
"You have come to curse me for the wrong I did
your father."
"' No; I curse no one. I can forgive you after hearing your prayer. I think my father can forgive you
also, when he knows how penitent you are. Come
out into the road."




TIlE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         237
Wolf led the way to the road, and we seated ourselves on a rock, where there was light enough to see
each other's faces. The penitent, who had been a
stout, hearty man two years before, was now thin and/
pale. Ile did not look like the same person I used
to see in the engine-room of the old steamer.
"You came after me-did you, Wolf?  How did
you know I was here?"
"Ned Skotchley saw you yesterday at the fire."
"Did he?  Well, I saw one or two boys in the
attic, but I did not know them, and I did didn't
think they would recognize me. But I suppose it
is all for the best."
" You did not tell me what you had done with my
father's money, Christy," continued Wolf.
" I will tell you. I have not dared to tell any one
before, for fear my brother-in-law would find it out."
"Who is your brother-in-law?"
" Moses Trottwood. IHe lives in this house. I told
him I had buried the money in the woods; but I told
him a lie. He wanted it, and I told him I could nut
find the place. He is a hard man," added the culprit, with a heavy sigh. " Ie has made my wife and




238              SWITCH OFF, OR
daughters pay three dollars a week for my board,
though I have always done a man's work for him ever
since I came here.
"Why didn't you leave him, then?"
"I dared not. I went to my room when any one
came here, and they said I was crazy.  I am almost
crazy. I shall be entirely so, if I stay here much
longer. I am sent to my attic room when any one is
here, and I haven't spoken to a soul before to-night
except my sister, her husband and son, since I first
came.;"
"Doesn't your wife see you?" inquired Wolf, in
tones of sympathy.
" No; she has been here once or twice; but they
told her 1 was crazy, and it wasn't safe for her to see
me. I rebelled once against this tyranny; but Trottwood threatened to send for an officer. I have had to
work for'nothing for two years, cut off from  my
friends, and all the comfort I have had has been in my
prayers. The money is safe, just as I took it; for I
always meant to give it back to your father."'Where is it?"
"I hid it in a box under the barn. I will give it to




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           239
you this very night. I feel that God will pardon me
after I have given it back to the owner. Wolf, as true
as I'm a living man, I didn't mean to keep that money
wben I took it. Your father and I both had been
drinking a little too much. I meant to give it baqk
to him when I first took it; but when it was fairly in
my pocket, T couldn't help thinking how much good
it would do me. The whiskey made your father
crazy and he pitched into me so that it made me mad,
and I declared he should not have the money then.
After I left the engine, I took to the swamp, and wandered about for two or three days. I then made my
way to my sister's. She bid me in the attic for a
week, without the knowledge of her husband and son.
When they discovered me, they kept my secret; but
they made me pay heavily for it. I am the servant,
in fact the slave, of the family"
"You shall leave to-night, if you wish," said Wolf.
O, I do wish to leave."
"I will engage you as second engineer on the
Ucayga, if you like," replied the generous Wolf.
"We need another; and I am authorized to employ
one. I don't think any one will meddle with you, if
my father is satisfied.




240            SWITCH OFF, OR
"Now, Christy, you knew Tommy Toppleton -- did
you not?" I interposed.
"Certainly I did, very well. He was here yesterday, with his soldiers, and behaved very badly too."
"I am sorry to say he did. Have you seen him
to-day? "
Christy hesitated. After the earnest prayer we had
heard him utter in the solitude of his lonely retreat,
where he supposed none but He who is the fountain
of mercy listened to it, I did not expect him to tell
a lie.
" [ave you seen Tommy to-day," he replied, very
gently.
"I have seen him to-day," he replied, after waiting a moment. " He was brought up to the house by
Jed, an hour ago, or more Jed is a terribly vindictive
young man."
"What did he do to him?"  I asked, anxiously.
"I don't think he hurt him after he came to the
house. His father, who is more timid than he, tried
to have him let the boy go."
What have they done with him?"
"They locked him up inl the attic room opposite




THE WAtl OF TIE STUDENTS.         241
mine. Tommy yelled, and kicked  and pounded the
door till he appeared to be worn out with his exertions. I'm afraid it will be bad business for Jed; for
MIajor Toppleton is a powerful man. My nephew is
a bad fellow, and isn't afraid of anything in this
world,"
"Did Tommy submit at last?" asked Wolf.
"I suppose he did. He didn't make any more
noise."
"What does Jed mean to do with him?" I inquired
" I don't know. I should not wonder if they meant
to keep him a prisoner, as they have me, until they
can make some money out of the affair. They are
mean enough to do anything," answered Christy.
"Did they give him any supper?"
"I don't know."
" IIow shall we get him?" I asked; for I was determined to release him, if we had to pull the house
down, though I rather preferred not to encounter Jed
to accomplish the purpose.
"I don't know how we can get him out without
waking the folks, If I had the key of the room, I
16




2:2               SWITCH OFF, OR
could manage it.; but I suppose, Jed has it in his
pocket. But I am going to get that money before I
do anything else," said Christy, as he led the way
around the wheat field to the rear of the barn which
he entered.
He was absent some time, during which we heard
him pulling up the planks. When he returned, he
handed the roll of bills to Wolf, who carefully deposited it in his pocket. The rest of our missiov, at
the farm-house was more difficult to accomplish.




THE WAR OF TIE STUDENTS.          243
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ATTIC CHAMBER.
(6DERHAPS Christy Holgate overstated his moral
convictions at the time he stole the money.
According to his own story, he had not intended to
retain it at first, though the possession was a temptation to keep it. As nearly as I could judge, his
brother-in-law had intended to secure the plunder for
himself and at the same time force the wretched
criminal to bear the guilt of the crime. Trottwood
had compelled him to remain at his house, in the
hope of getting the money. When this hope failed
him, — if it had yet failed him, - he still held on to
the victim, because his service were valuable.
I had to refresh my memory with a few facts which
had come to my knowledge, before I could fully be.
lieve that Christy's relatives were perfidious enough
to treat him as he represented that they had. A




244              SWITCH OFF, OR
father in New Hampshire gave his son all his prop
erty, on condition that the latter should take care
of him during the remainder of his life. The ungrateful son sold the farm, went to  another state,
and permitted the old man to die in the poorhouse.
Two similar instances were within my own knowledge, and I had no difficulty, after thinking of these
things, in believing that the engineer's story was
all true.
Christy was a criminal before the law, liable to
be sent to the penitentiary for a long period. Even
his sister might have brought herself to believe that
she was doing him a favor by saving him from such
a fate, on the terms she and her husband exacted.
The poor man's spirits were broken; he had no
power of resistance, and he suffered rather than flee
from his unnatural faiends. Trottwood lived but to
make money. His son had no higher view of life.
The capture of Tommy Toppleton was a bold and
daring outrage, when the social position and influence
of his father are considered. It would have been
safer to kidnap some friendless boy, but it would have
been a profitless task. I was inclined to believe that




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          245
the imprisonment of the little magnate in the attic
of the farm-house was an afterthought, and not a
scheme deliberately meditated.  Probably a portion
of Jed's statement was true. I had no doubt that
Tommy was saucy and insulting, and even that he
had thrown stones at the young farmer. It was like
him to do so. Thus provoked, Jed might have carried his idea of vengeance farther than he first intended, assisted by a suggestion of making money
out of the operation.
Though it would have done the little gentleman
no harm to remain a prisoner, under the harsh treatment of these people, for a week or two, it was neither
just nor right to permit the outrage. If I had consented to it, WTolf Penniman would not; for he knew
how much pain and anxiety his absence would give
to Grace Toppleton, as well as to her parents, with
whom the young captain was now on tolerably
friendly terms.
After Christy had given up the money, we seated
ourselves in the rear of the barn, to wait until we
felt sure that the people in the house were sound
asleep, and to consider the means by which we were




24 6             SWITCH  OFF, OR
to effect the rescue of the prisoner. If the door of
the chamber could be opened, we could easily get
him down stairs before his jailers ascertained what
we were about. Christy thought he might pick the
lock, but he was afraid Jed was sleeping with one
ear open on account of his prisoner.
" What kind of a door is it?" asked Wolf.
"It is a common battened door, of three quarter
inch boards."
"Then it is not very strong?"
"No; I could put my shoulder through it without
any trouble."
"We will do it in that way," said Wolf, quietly;
and he proceeded to give the details of his plan, to
which neither Christy nor myself offered any objections.
"I will go up to bed," said the penitent. "In
about half an hour I will break down the door, take
the boy through my room, and send him down on the
ladder. When you are ready, one of you had better
come up the ladder, and tap lightly on the window."
" All right."
Christy left us, and we made our way back to the




THIE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         21'2
place where we had left the horse and wagon. It was
necessary to have the conveyance where we could
start without any delay, as soon as Tommy was at lib.
erty. I led the horse into the road, and, heading him
towards Priam, fastened him  to a tree. We then
walked up to the front of the farm-house, stepping so
carefully as not to make any noise. Everything was
quiet, and I had no doubt that the farmer and his
son were both sound asleep. When the half hour
had expired, as nearly as we could judge, I went up
the ladder, and tapped lightly on the attic window.
A moment later I heard a crash and a scream.
As I afterwards learned, the sudden assault startled
Tommy, who had just fallen asleep. But he had
not taken off his clothes, and Christy conducted him
through his own chamber to the window, taking the
precaution to lock the door behind him, so as to
delay pursuit when Jed came up stairs.
" Hurry up, Tommy," said I, in a low voice, as I
helped the intended victim out upon the ladder.
"0, is it you, Ned?" he replied, quivering with
agitation, as he recognized my voice.
"Be careful on the ladder," I added, as he commenced the descent.




.248             SWITCH OFF, OR
He went down with all the speed his trembling
limbs would permit. I was in advance of him, and
kept one eye upon him, to make sure that he did not
fall. IIe was followed by Christy, who was also very
nervous under the excitement of the moment. Before
I reached the bottom of the ladder, I heard a great
commotion in the house. There were hurried footsteps within; but before the inmates had discovered
what the matter was, we were all upon the ground,
and hurrying towards the woods, where the horse
was awaiting us.
"That was well done," said Wolf.
" It was done quickly, at any rate," replied Christy.
"I suppose Jed understands, by this time, that his
prisoner is gone. I locked my door, as I always do,
and he will think I am still in my room."
"He will see that the door of Tommy's room is
broken down," I added.' Yes, and if he stops to think, he will see that it
could not have been done from  the inside, for the
door opens into the room."
" No matter," said Wolf, lightly. " Ie may think
what he pleases, now we are all safe"




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          24 9
Arriving at the wagon, we all got in, for fortunately
there were two seats in the vehicle. Wolf took the
reins, and in a moment more we were on our way to
Priam. Tommny was on the back seat with me, while
Christy sat in front with the captain. Thus far the
little magnate had not spoken a word since he recognized me, and was conscious that he was in the hands
of friends. He had been terribly  frightened; for
though he was not deficient in pluck, the incidents
of  his night's  experience bad been enough to
startle even one with the strongest nerves.
As I had seen for myself, Jed handled hini very
roughly; and probably he had not moderated his
treatment after we parted. The mere fact that he
was in the toils of his bitter and vindictive enemy
was enough to shake his wonted faith in himself.
"How do you feel, Tommy?" I asked, after we
had ridden a short distance.
"I don't feel very well," he replied, in a tone so
subdued and broken, that it did not sound at all
natural.  "I am sore and lame."
"Why, what's the matter?" I inquired.
"I believe that fellow meant to kill me."




250              SWITCH OFF', OR
"No; I think not."
" He didn't come a great way from it, at any rate."
added he; and it seemed to me that he was trying to
choke down a disposition to "have a good cry."
"Did he hurt youl?" I asked, fearful that he had
received more injury than I had before suspected.
"How much pounding do you suppose I can stand?"
he replied
"Did he pound you?"
"Half a dozen times, besides knocking me about
like a dog. He hammered me with his whip several
times before he got me to the house. Every time I
tried to get away, he gave me some. After he locked
me up in the room, I made an effort to break the door
down, and he came in, and gave it to me with a strap,
till I agreed to keep still. I believe he meant to
kill me."
"Not so bad as that, let us hope."
" What did he mean to do, then?" demanded Tommy, who was evidently disposed to put the worst
phase upon the case. " What did he shut me up in
that room for, after he had licked me till I was
sore?"'




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           251
"I don't know what he intended to do; but 1
suppose it was only to punish you for what you did
yesterday."
"Do you think I did anything yesterday to deserve
such savage treatment?"
I"Perhaps not; but certainly it is not your fault
that Jed or the girl was not killed or badly injured
in that scrape," I answered, willing that he should
derive all the moral benefit possible from his sufferings; but I spoke only what I believed to be the
naked truth. "If Jed and the girl had been in the
wagon when the colt whisked round so suddenly, I
don't see what couldhave saved one or loth of them
from a broken limb or a broken neck."
"You are hard on me, Ned," replied Tommy.
"Well, I only state the facts as they are. Briscoe
and I told Fryes to stop playing'
The little magnate relapsed into slience. His spirit
had been broken for the first time in his life. Never
before had he been conquered, or treated his as relentless persecutor had treated him. I allowed him to
think the matter over for himself.
"Ned, I believe you are right," said he, at last




252          SWITCH OFF, OR
" I began to think I was in the wrong, and perhaps
this fellow has given me no more than I deserve."
"His conduct was wrong; it was outrageous, whatever may be said of' yours," I replied.
"Ned, I have been very miserable to-day. I was so
before I met Jed in the road. I was thinking, as I
walked along, what I had done to make the fellows
hate me so badly."
"I don't think they hate you. They won't stand
your tyranny - that's all."
"They don't like me, any how"
"That's so," I answered, candidly.
He was silent again. I was glad to learn that he
had begun to review his past conduct before the
ruffian took him in hand. It seemed to me that
Tommy had SWITCHED OFF.
" Who is this man on the front seat?" whispered
Tommy.
"Christy Holgate."
I told the story of Christy in a whisper, so that the
subject of it, who waR busily engaged in conversa.
tion with Wolf, slhould 1,ot hear me.
WATe had two peniiteiits tl.at mlight.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          253
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE DISASTER ON THE WHARF,
IT was after midnight when we arrived at the
hotel in Priam. We were all fatigued enough to
retire immediately, and Tommy Toppleton and I took
a room together at his suggestion. IIe did not like
to be alone, and I judged that he found it difficult
to banish the image of his terrible tormentor from
his mind. Without distorting the truth in regard to
his past conduct, I did all I could to comfort him.
When he undressed himself, I was shocked to see the
bruises and wales upon his body. He had suffered
much more than I supposed; buthe conducted himself with much fortitude, and I really sympathized
with him.
I washed the wales in cold water, and did everything for him which the circumstances premitted. HIe
did not say much after we went to the room, except




254             SWITCH OFF, OR
to express his gratitude to Wolf and myself for the
service we had rendered him. I did not wake the
next morning till the young captain rapped on my
door. I admitted him and Christy Holgate.
"How do you feel, Tommy?" asked Wolf, tenderly,
as my bedfellow opened his eyes.
" I don't feel very well," replied he.
"Perhaps you had better go down on the boat
with me."
"Thank you, Wolf. I will. I intended to join the
battalion and serve in whatever place the new major
gives me, just to show that I am right towards the
fellows," added Tommy, languidly; " but I don't feel
able to do so."
Tommy had, indeed, switched off!
"[Do you feel sick'" inquired Wolf.
"I do; and I want to go home. Before I go, I
wish you all to promise me one thing."
"What is that?"
"Do not say a word to any one about what has
happened to me at that house — not a word," anr
swered Tommy, earnestly.
" Why so?" inquired Wolf.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            255
"I'll tell you another time. I will be down stairs
in a few minutes."
Our visitors retired, and I saw  that my companion was suffering much pain.  He was hardly
able to get out of bed, and I assisted him  in dressing himself.'"I don't see how we can keep this affair still, Tommy," said I. "And the fellows will want to know
where you have been."
"Don't tell them. I have fought the battle, and got
the worst of it. I don't want to be laughed at, and I
don't want to be pitied. I feel sick, and I'm all
used up."
"You will have to tell your own folks about it."
"No, I will not," he protested stoutly, even in his
weakness.
"They will see the marks upon your body."
"I shall not say where I got them."
"Don't you intend to prosecute Jed for what he
has done?"
"No!" he replied decidedly.  "If I can get out
of this scrape, I will never get into another."
I was entirely satisfied that he should have his own




256             SWITCH OFF, OR
way. I helped him down stairs, for I found that he
needed my assistance. IIe paid the bill of the whole
party at the office, and ordered a wagon to convey
him to the steamer. I was really alarmed about him,
for tlhough  he put the best face upon his condition, I
was certain that he was very ill. He was hot and
feverish, and I was glad that in a couple of hours
more he would be at home.
I went on board of the Ucayga with him, as she
made fast to the wharf.  Wolf gave him his stateroom, and be lay down in the berth. I shook his hand
as I left him, and he pressed mine with the warmth
of a true friend. Leaving him I went down to the
engine-room, at the door of which Christy was waiting, deeply agitated in view of his approaching meeting with the man he had wronged. Wolf and I
went in first, to prepare the way.
"Father, here is the money you lost two years
ago-twenty-four hundred dollars," said the young
captain, presenting the roll of bills to the astonished
engineer.
"You don't mean so, Wolf!" exclaimed Mr. Penniman.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          25.
"Count the money, father, and see if I don't."
"Where in the world did you get it?"
"Ned, here, put me on the track of it yesterday, and
that is the reason I left the boat. But, father, we
haven't much time to talk now. I found Christy
Holgate on his knees begging Heaven for forgiveness ot his crime. If God can forgive him, surely you
can, father, for Christy gave me back the money. Ile
is a new man now."
"Well, but —"
" I{ere he is, father," interrupted Wolf, leading the
penitent into the engine-room.
"There's my hand, Christy," said Mr. Penniman,
suiting the action to the word. "What my boy
says I believe."
"Ralph, I don't deserve any favors from you; but I
have suffered more with this money than you have
without it," replied the penitent, with deep emotion.
If God felbigives me, and you forgive me, Ralph, I shall
be at peace, whatever happens to me in this world."
"It's all right, so far as I amt concerned," added the
engineer.
HI e is to be the assistant engineer of our boat,




258               SWITCH OFF, OR
father. I have given him the place. Colonel Wimpleton told me to engage one some time ago."
"All right! But do you drink anything now, Christy?" asked Mr. Penniman.
"Not a drop. I haven't tasted any kind of liquor
since we drank together in the engine-room of the
Ruoara."
"Nor I!" exclaimed Mr. Penniman.
{' And with the grace of God, I never will again."
"Nor I!"
The bell rang to start the engine, and I rushed for
the plank. It was hauled in, but 1 jumped ashore
without difficulty.
"Look out for Tommy," I shouted to Wolf as the
boat began to gather headway.
"I will take good care of him," replied Wolf.
"Where's that crazy man?" shouted some one
near me.
I turned, and saw Jed Trottwood driving his fouryear-old colt down the pier.
"Where is he?" demanded he, fiercely, as he
reined in his fiery animal.
"On board that steamer," I replied.




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         259
"Stop her! Stop her!" yelled Jed, at the top of
his lungs.  " Here; hold my colt!"
The colt certainly needed holding'; for, as the
steamer began to tumble the volumes of water out
behind her, he became alarmed, and stood up, as he
had done when we first saw him. The driver, who
was not so cool as when Miss Clarissa was at his
side, tried to get out of the vehicle, but the restless animal would not permit him to do so, and he was
compelled to hold on the reins to keep him from
running away. Jed was angry and excited. More of
his attention was devoted to the steamer than to
the colt, while the latter needed all his thought and all
his skill. IHe was more intent upon securing the
crazy man than the crazy horse.
"Can't you tell the steamboat to stop, cap'n?"
said Jed to me, as his horse still reared and plunged.
"I can tell it to stop, but J don't believe it will
do so."
"That crazy man will tear somebody to pieces."
"Your colt will tear you to pieces, if you don't
look out for him,"' I replied.
I was no seer, but my words were more prophetic




260               SWITCH OFF, OR
than I anticipated. Suddenly, in spite of bit and
rein, the colt whirled round, and attempted to run
up the long pier, which had been extended to deep
Water. The pier was not wide enough for the wagon to turn from the point where it had stood, and
the instant the fractious colt saw the yawning abyss
of waters, towards which he was headed, he sheered
violently. The forward wheel cut against the body,
overturned -it, and with a thrill of horror I saw Jed
whirled into the lake.
Several men sprang forward to seize the bridle of
the furious beast; but the wagon went over into the
lake. This time the snipe-bill, which had evidently
been keyed into the axletree after the last disaster,
did not draw out, as before. The whole vehicle hung
together like " the wonderful one-horse shay."  For
an instant the colt struggled to escape from the weight
of the wagon which was pulling him down,. but it was
only for an instant; then horse and vehicle dropped
into the lake together.
The momentum of the whirl which had tossed Jed
into the water carried him a little beyond the place
where his team fell, or he might have been entan



THE WA R OF THE STUDENTS.        261
gled in the wreck, and, perhaps, have been kicked
to death by the struggles of the infuriate horse.
I held my breath with terror and anxiety for the fate
of man and horse. Others shouted and screamed; but
for a moment no one did anything to save the animal
or his driver. Perceiving a skiff hauled up on the
beach, near the upper end of the wharf, I rushed for
it with all the speed my half-parlyzed limbs would
permit. I pushed it off, and sculled towards Jed,
who was floundering in the water, out of his depth,
and apparently unable to swim.
I soon reached him, and he had nearly upset the
boat in his efforts to get into it, when I begged him
to desist, or he would certainly be drowned; but there
was no more sense in him than there was in the
colt  Cool as he had before been  on the land, he
was beside himself' in the water. As it was impossible
for him to get into the frail skiff, he was soon weary
of his exertions  I was of mine in keeping him from
upsetting the boat. I finally persuaded him to hold
on at the stern, till I paddled ashore.
Jed was safe, but the horse was not. HIe was so
entangled in the harness that he could not swim,




262             SWITCH OFF,'OR
and his violent efforts soon disabled him.  By this
time three boats were near enough to do something
but the colt had somehow turned himself over. His
head seemed to be caught under water, and he
was still at last. A rope was thrown beneath hiin;
but when he was pulled up by the men on the
wharf, it was all over with him.  The colt was
drowned.
Jed was overwhelmed by the disaster. He swore
like a pirate; and then people did not seem to pity
him. Some of them told him it was his own fault,
because he had foolishly driven an unbroken colt upon
the pier.
"The colt was worth two hundred dollars of any
man's money," muttered he, after he had become a
little cooler. "Who's going to pay for him?" he
demanded, turning to me.
"I'm not," I replied.
"But I guess that Toppleton boy's folks will have
Vo do it."
"I think not," I replied, in a low tone. "If Tommy's folk's don't send you to the state prison, you
can't afford to bring in any bills against them."




THE WAR OF TITE STUDENTS.        263
"What do you mean?" he asked, a little disturbed.
I told him what he had done to Tommy, and that
his victim was on board of the Ucayga. He seemed
to be alarmed, and wanted to talk with me. I explained the case to him as I understood it, and assured
him he would be lucky if he escaped with only the
loss of the colt.' But what do they want of the crazy man?" he
continued,
" Christy Ilolgate?"
"You know all about him, then?"
"I do; he is one of the engineers on board of
that boat."
This information was enough to complete the sum
total of Jed's misery. He felt like a planter who had
lost his best slave,-for such the penitent had been to
his relatives. Then I added that Christy had given
up the money; and Jed seemed to feel as though he
and his father had been abused. I suggested that it
would be fair for them to pay back the money they
had received for the penitent's board, as he had earned
double the amount for his persecutors.




264             SWITCH OFF, OR
I left him to find the battalion. He was obliged
to hire a horse to take him home. If Tommy Toppleton had been deservedly punished, the Trottwoods
had not gained anything, either by their treatment
of Christy or by taking the law into their own
hands.




_~~__,'~ I~T=
~ ~~  *~f~                      mr~~~~~h ~1~~~
THE   DISSTER O THE   WA~f.  Pge 260




- ---------                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        _   -
---------    -~ —---     - ~- ~~~~  ----         ~        ~~-   — ~  ~-  ~;~~ —-~~~ —~1~  -~ —-r —-                            ~   — ~ —  ~ —    ~ —                ~   --   - -~-~-~-              ~-~-~- -      ~ — -~-~                                                                                                                       ~I-~IDC~~~-I /j~~




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          265
CHiAPTER XXV.
LET US HAVE PEACE.
FHE  battalion was encamped in a field on the
outskirts of the village. During my absence the
evening before, Major Briscoe had drilled the companies, and put them through all their evolutions to
the intense admiration of the Priamites. I learned
that our fellows had been treated with great kindness
and hospitality by the people, and a portion of the
officers had spent the evening with some of " the first
families."
When I reached the camp, the battalion was preparing for the march. As soon as I appeared, the
officers gathered around me, and wanted to know
what had become of Tommy. I found myself placed
in a difficult position after the instructions the sufferer had given me. I simply told them we had
found Tommy; that he was sick, and had just taken




266               SWITCIH OFF, OR1
the steamer for home. They asked me a great many
questions which I did not answer. I succeeded in
turning their attention from Tommy to Christy Holgate, whose narrative I related in Dart, so as to enable
my companions to understand  the character of the
Trottwoods.
They listened with excited attention  when I told
them of the fate of Jed's colt; and if they were sorry
for the animal, I do not think they sympathized very
deeply with the owner in the loss he had incurred.
HIaving told all I had to say, I was anxious to learn
the condition of the battalion, and whether there
was likely to be a mutiny against the new order of
things.
"Barnscott and two or three others are a little
grouty, but every officer and man does his duty faithfully," replied Briscoe, in answer to my questions. "I
don't think we shall have any trouble."
"I hope not.'
"I never saw the fellows drill so well as they did
last night," added the majfoil. "The crowd thatlooked
on frequently applauded themon. The dress parade was
absolutely perfect."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.           267
"Then you expect to win the banner on Friday."
"Of course I do," laughed Briscoe.
"They say the Wimpleton Battalion has been increasing in numbers lately. There are over two hundred students on the other side of the lake, and they
turn out three companies."
"Their numbers won't help them in a drill. On
the contrary, they have so many new recruits that
our chances are improved."
"But the drill comes off to-morrow, Major Briscoe.
Of course you don't expect to maich round to Centreport now."
" No; certainly not; but I intend to go to Hitaca
to-day. We shall take it easy, and arrive by five
>'clock this afternoon. We can show off a little there
to-night, and take the steamer in the morning down
the lake. We will land at Gulfport, and march the
rest of the way. This was what we agreed upon
last night."
"I don't think we can do any better'," I replied.'" Tommy told me he wished you to use his pony.
You are a field officer, and are entitled to be
mounted."




268               SWTITCH OFF, OR
"I am very much obliged to him, though I can't
help thinking the message is a very strange one to
come from him to me."
"I don't think so. Tommy has switched off."
"Switched off?."
"Precisely so. That's a railroad phrase, and means
that he has turned over a new leaf. Tommy did not
say much, but he accepts the situation, and means to
make the best of it."
"I hope it is true."' I think it is, but time alone can prove it. I am
afraid he is going to be sick."
"' I should think he would be, if he has switched
off. It will be a great change of diet for him."
" Tommy was never a bad fellow. If you could
only get the conceit out of him, he would be a good
fellow. Being the biggest toad in the puddle did
not agree with his constitution."
"Well, I don't know but that is enough to spoil
almost any fellow. Did Jed thrash him, or anything
of that sort," inquired the major, curiously.
"'I promised Tommy that I would not say any.
thing about it. Don't ask me, Briscoe."




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            269
" I won't."
"IIe feels very sore."
"In his bones?"
"InT spirit; and in his bones, too. I think he must
have taken a severe cold, for I cannot account for
his condition in any other way,"
The battalion had formed in column, and the march
to -Iitaca was commenced. It was a magnificent day,
and our fellows had rested  enough to make them
fiesh and vigorous. The band  played its choicest
airs, and I never saw soldiers march better " than
those of the battalion.  The applause bestowed upon
them by the Priamites stimulated.them to do their
best  We were followed for some distance by the
juvenile portion of the people of the town, but they
soon left us; the "route step" was ordered, and we
went along as happily as though we had not just
passed through the' war of the students."
The scenery ii this locality was magnfiicent. There
are half a dozen cataracts in the vicinity of Hitaca,
one of which is fifty feet higher than Niagara, though,
of course, its volume of water is vastly less. Our
march, therefore, was full of interest, and, with the




27 0           SWITCH OFF, OR
sublime and beautiful around us, we knew no such
thing as fatigue. Halting for an hour for dinner, we
entered Ilitaca in the middle of the afternoon, almost
as fresh as when we started, for we had made frequent stops to rest and view the scenery.
We were handsomely received by some of the principal citizens, who had been apprised of our approach,
A field, near the head of the lake, was appropriated
to our reception, and we were invited to a collatilo
in the evening. We pitched our tents, brushed the
dust from our uniforms, and soon looked as spruce
and tidy as when we started.
"We shall be full of soldiers to-night," said one
of the gentlemen who visited us to me.
"We are only a hundered and fifty," I replied.
" But the others will be here to-night."
"What others, sir?" I inquired.
"Why, the battalion from the other side of the
lake -the Wimpleton students," laughed the gentleman, as though he were familiar with the quarrel
which had so long existed between the two institutions
"Indeed! Are they coming too?," I exclaimed,




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          271
astonished at the information; though I need not have
been, for one side never did anything in which the
other did not immediately follow suit.
"We heard of them at Port Gunga this morning,
and they must be here very soon," answered the
citizen.
I did not exactly like the idea of meeting the
7Vimpletonians at first. I dreaded a collision of any
kind, which the rivalry between the two Institutes
was likely to produce. I went to Major Briscoe at
once with the information.
" Good!" replied he. " I am glad we arrived first."
"We must keep our men close to-night, or there.
may be a row, which would be very mortifying to all
of us "
"W Ve will not have any row, or anything of the
kind. Colonel WTimpleton and Major Toppleton may
quarrel, if they are so minded, but I will have nothing
to do with their feud. We will do the handsome
thing, Skotchley."
"What's that?" I asked with deep interest.
"Let us have peace," said the major, impressively;
and I am not sure he was not the original author




272             SWITCH OFF, Or0
of this celebrated  expression. "It takes two to
quarrel. We will be the first to hold out the olivebranch.  I purpose  to  march out and escort the
Wimpletonians iato town with all the honors. We
will treat them  with the utmost respect and consideration; and I am sure there will be nothing but
the best of feeling."
"I like that," I replied, with emphasis.
If we are cross and sullen, they will also be so;
and then it won't take much to get up a quarrel."
I was delighted with this proposition;  It was exactly in accordance with  my own feelings.  Major
Briscoe ordered the lines to be formed, and then resolved the battalion into a hollow square.  He stated
briefly that the Wimpletonians were on the march
for iitaca, and would soon arrive.  IIe was in favor
of conciliation and good feeling, especially as we were
to drill with them the next'day. IIe meant to be
courteous to them, and should, therefore, tender them
an escort. The fellows clapped their hands, perhaps with a few exceptions. Briscoe then cautioned
his officers and men to treat our rivals as though
they were our best friends.




THE WARTl OF THE STUDENTS.        273
The speech concluded, the battalion broke. into
column, and we marched out on  the Southport
road. TWe halted just outside of the town, and Briscoe appointed me to go forward and meet the Wimpletonians. I was to " do the pleasant" in the most
agreeable manner, to tenler the escort, and arrange
the formalities according to thle instructions given
me by the major. I walked about half a mile, and
stopped to view a beautiful cascade. While I was
appreciating its beauties, I heard the drum-beat of
the Wimpleton column. I waited until it came up.
Magnanimous as I was disposed to be on my erand of peace, I could not help feeling that our
rivals did not quite come up to our standard. Their
uniforms were not so new and bright, and they had
only a drum  corps. I stepped up to Major Ben
Pinkerton, who was in command, and, saluting him
with my sword, delivered my message.
"That's handsome, and I'm  very much obliged
to you," replied the major. " I'll speak to our fellows, and give you an answer in a few moments."
He halted his column, and, after consulting his
officers and men, informed me that the polite offer
18




*274             SWITCH  OFF, OR
of Major Briscoe was gratefully accepted. I had
delicacy enough to retire, after I had stated the programmee suggested by my commander, in order to
enable Major Pinkerton to give such instructions to
his force as the unexpected meeting might require.
I did not hear what he said to them, but I have no
doubt they were substantially the same as those to
which I had listened in our own battalion.
The march was resumed, and in due time, the
Wimpletonians reached our battalion, which was
drawn up in a line at the side of the road.
" Present - arms!" shouted Major Briscoe; and the
band played the appropriate air.
The Centreport battalion marched by the other,
and, in turn, forming at the side of the road, presented arms, while we marched in front of it. We
then took the head of the column, and escorted our
guests into Hitaca, where we were received with applause. On the ground appropriated to the Wimpletonians we presented arms again. The two majors
met, shook hands, and appeared to be the best of
friends. In fact it was a jolly time. We helped the
Wimps pitch their tents, and did all we could to




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         275
assist them. Such a fraternizing of ancient enemies
was never seen, and I began to think we should
get to hugging one another before the scene was
finished
At seven o'clock we formed again. More courtesies followed. The majors each reviewed the battalion of the other, and we marched in one column
to the festivities of the evening. We had a grand
time, — all the better for the sudden and unexpected
meeting with the Wimpletonians. At ten.we went
to our camps.




? 276             SWITCH OFF, OR
CHAPTER XXVI.
TOPPLETON TRIUMPHANT.
T an early hour the next morning, Briscoe
8\'called, me and the battalion was soon on its
feet. At half past five we had finished breakfast,
and everything was ready to embark in the steamer.
Not a little to our surprise, we saw that the Wimpletonians, who were encamped near us, were under
arms. Knowing that we were to leave before them,
they tendered us an escort, which was gratefully accepted. We marched down to the landing-place,
countermarched, presented arms, and saluted, each
battalion in its turn.  When we were on the promenade deck of the boat, we cheered each other with
abundant good will. So far as the relations of the
two Institutes were concerned, the millennium  appeared to have come; for, instead of battling with each
other on the slopes of the Horse Shoe, as we had done




THE WAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.         277
during the preceding season, we were trying to see
which could outdo the other in courtesy and good
feeling
As the Ucayga did not start till three quarters of
an hour later, Volf Penniman came on board of the
steamer to see us. No one could have been more
delighted than he was when he saw the rival academies on such friendly terms. Hie declared that it did
his heart good to see the sight, and that he should
almost willing to tlie if lie could only see Colonel
Wimpleton and Major Toppleton reconciled to each
other.
" i have some hopes of it," he added, " after what
I have seen to-day and last evening."
"I don't know," I replied, doubtfully. "They have
been quarrelling for several years, and it will be hard
for them to make up."
"To brake up you mean," added Wolf, in railroad
parlance.
"Since Waddie and Tommy ha-ve both switched off,
it is possible that their fathers may brake up.  But
how was Tommy when you left him?"
I Ie was quite sick. I sat with him most of the




278            SWITCH OFF, OR
time, in my state-room, during the passage, and I was
satisfied that he had indeed switched off. He confessed to me that he had been rather rough on the
fellows,. When the boat arrived at Centreport, he
concluded to go down to Ucayga with me, and return
so that I could see him home at noon. I think the
events of the last few days have knocked the conceit
all out of him   He is particularly grateful to you,
Ned, for what you did, after he had treated you
so shabbily. That's what turns an enemy into a
friend."
" I was trying to imitate your example, Wolf, for I
— believe in it."
"0, my example is nothing! So far as Waddie was
concerned, I only did what my mother taught me-'Love your enemies.' That's the true principle. It
is hard sometimes, but it pays in the long run, or the
short one either. I only hope that Tommy will do
as well as Waddie has done. After we had landed
our passengers at 2nntreport, I ran the Ucayga over
to Middleport, and, procuring a carriage, conveyed
Tommy to his father's house. Tile famnily-were very
much alarmed about him, and sent for tne physician.




THE WVAR OF TIIE STUDENTS.          219
I shouldn't wonder if he had a fever. I staid with
him till it was time for the boat to make hereafternoon trip."
"Did you see Grace?" I asked.
"I did," replied Wolf, blushing.  "She was very
grateful to us for what we had done for her brother.
I shall see him again to-day noon."
The bell rang for the departure of the boat, and
Wolf hurried on shore. As the old steamer worked
out from the wharf, the Wimpletonians cheered us
again, and we lustily returned their parting salute. I
saw Waddie in the ranks, as I had seen him several
times before. IIe did his duty as a private, and I was
told that he never even suggested any orders, much
less dictated the movements of the battalion.  When
he was cosulted, he gave his opinion freely; but he
never put himself forward, and positively refused to
accept any office.
Our battalion formed almost the entire company
of passengers on the railroad boat. The fight between
the two lines did not rage very fiercely after the first
-season. Major Toppleton always said he intended
to do something to recover his lost ground, but he




280             SWITCH OFF, OR
had  accomplished nothing yet. He had caused a
partial survey to be made for a continuation of the
Lake Shore Railroad to Hitaca, but the expense of
constructing the road through the wild region was
too appalling even for him.
Colonel Wimpleton was waiting to see what the
major intended to do. When he found that the
Ucayga, working according to the plan arranged
by Wolf, took the greater portion of the travel, he
concluded not to build another steamer at present.
The steamboat line was paying well, and another
boat might carry the balance over to the other
side of the ledger.
On the other hand, the Lake Shore Railroad was
doing a good business with its local freight and passengers, so that the major hesitated before he embarked on a new venture. The first excitement of
the competition had subsided, and I am sorry to add,
that the personal habits of Colonel  ATimnpleton were
such that he did not give much attention to business
of any kind.
Our battalion landed at Gulfport, and immediately
marched for Centreport, where the prize dril, was to




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.            281
take place. At the picnic grounds we halted for
rest and drill. The companies were addressed by the
major and by the captains, in order to fire their zeal
in the approaching friendly contest with the Wimpletonians.  Our fellows drilled splendidly, and I was
morally certain that we should carry off the banner.
The march was resumed, and when we arrived at the
entrance of the town, we were met by the Wimpletonians, who had come down from Ilitaca in the
Ucayga  All the courtesies we had,practised before
was gone through with again; and under their escort
we marched to the green in front of the Wimpleton
Institute, where the drill was to take place.
Already a great crowd of' people from  both sides
of the lake had assembled to witness the show. The
two-battalions were dismissed for half an hour, and our
new-made friends invited us to the refectory of the
Institute, where a substantial collation had been provided for the contestants. The rival students mingled together in harmony, and the utmost good will
prevailed. Parties on both sides declared that whatever the result of the contest, they should be satisfied; and there were not wanting those on each side
who hoped that the other would win the prize.




282             SWITCII OFF, OR
Colonel Wimpleton was present, but Major Toppleton was detained at home by the illness of Tommy.
The judges were West Pointers, having no interest
in either party, and we all expected a just judgment
from them. At one o'clock we formed ill line, and
both battalions were reviewed by Colonel Wimpleton
and the judges. Then each companly alternately, one
from the Centreport battalion, and then one from the
Middleport, was drilled separately. The Wimpletonians followed with their battalion movements, and the
contest was concluded by the Toppletonians.
There were three judges, each of whom estimated
the excellence of each company and each battalion on
a scale of one hundred. The average of their figures,
made without consultation among themselves, was
taken as the mark of the company or battalion. As
the Wimpleton battalion had three companies, while
the other had but two, two thirds of the total of
its marks were taken as its aggregate for the company
drill. The results of the company and the battalion
drill of each party were then added together, and the
one which had the Inost was entitled to the banner.
The chairman ot the judges, after a hollow square




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         283
of both battalions had been formed, stepped forward
to announce the decision. He began by commending
both parties for the friendly spirit they had exhibited.
He* then praised the general excellence of the drill in
both battalions, declaring that it would compare very
favorably with that of any volunteer organization
which  the speaker had ever witnessed   Both sides
lustily applauded this statement, and when the noise
had subsidel, the chairman proceeded to read the
figures of the several judges. The Toppleton battalwas ninety-three, while the Wimpletonl was eightyfour; and Company A of the former had the highest
mark for company drill. These results decided the
contest in our favor, and the banner was awarded to
Toppleton by a majority of twenty-two marks.
The WimpLetonians applauded with all their might.
When the result had been read, I saw  Colonel Wimpleton biting his lips; but if he was disposed to ilndulgec in any unpleasant remarks, the generous conduct
of the battalion which bore his name silenced him.
It was a fair thing all around; but it ought to be said
in justice to the Wimpletoniaits, that they had many
new recruits, whose clumsiness affected the general
result.




284                 SWITCH OFF, OR
Our fellows were more than satisfied: they had
won the prize; but what was better, they had won
the hearts of their rivals.  The beginning of all this
friendly feeling was the act of Briscoe in tendering
the escort to the AVimpletonians. A sneer, a few h.Lrd
words, or even a little coldness on our part, would
have kept alive and fanned the old feeling of resentment.  We had not been able to beat our rivals on
the hard-fouglht field of the IIorse Shoe, but we had
conquered them with the mighty weapon of love, and
our victory was complete.  "Love  your enemies,"
Wolf would have said, if lie hlad been there; and the
blessed truth is as good for boys' play as it is for
the serious businesss of life.
The Wimpletonians invited us to spend the afternoon with them, and we did sD. Towards night we
were ferried  across the lake  by our friends, and
everything was "lovely" to the  end.  As soon as
our battalion landed, I hastened to the lhouse of Iajor
Toppleton, to see Tommy.  IIe was really very sick;
but he was glad to see me, and I told him  all that
thad tranlspired since he left us. I-Ie was very sorry
for the loss of Jed's colt; but lie smiled with genu.i




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.          285
mne satisfaction when I told him how we had made
friends of the Wimpletonians.
I could not believe he was the arrogant, conceited, tyrannical Tommy Toppleton I had known
so long; but he was sick, and there was no assurance
that he would not have a moral relapse when his
physical health was restored. For a fortnight he did
not go out of his chamber. Every day, at noon, Wolf
caine over to see him —and Grace. Then he began
to improve, and in a short time went out. Then
Wolf told him about Waddie, and the vast change
which had been wrought in him; how everybody on
the other side loved him, and would do anything for
him; and how Ben Pinkerton had insisted upon
resigning, in order that Waddie might be again
elected major of the battalion.
Tommy listened to the story with deep interest.
He did not say anything. I-Ie made no promises, as
his rival and prototype on the other side had done;
but as the months rolled on, we realized that he
was another fellow.  He imitated the example of
Waddie, and took his place as a private in one of the
companies. I shall never forget the love and devo.




286              SWITCH OFF, OR
tion which his mother and Grace always manifested
towards him, for he was another boy in the house as
well as abroad.  His father was more reserved, and
said nothing; but he could not help being impiessed
by the altered behaivor of his son.
If Colonel Wimpleton and Major Toppleton still
kept up their former ill will and resentment, it was
confined to them, for the two Institutes could no
longer be regarded as the rival academies. Each
visited the other occasionally, and at one of these
meetings some one proposed that the two battalions
should be consolidated into a regiment. Tommy and
Waddie, who had cordially joined hands, favored the
proposition. It was carefully discussed for a whole
afternoon, and a committee appointed to arrange the
union. The two battalions agreed to meet the next
holiday on the Ho;se Shoe to hear the report.
When the day came, it proved to be an exceedingly
interesting occasion. The committee reported that
each battalion should retain its present organization
for separate parades. Field and staff officers were to
be elected or appointed for joint parades. A Colonel
and lieutenant colonel were to be elected. Pinkerton




THE WAR OF THE STUDENTS.         287
was to be major, and Briscoe adjutant. A ballot for
the two field officers to be elected resulted  in the
choice of Tommy Toppleton as colonel, and Waddie
Wimpleton as lieutenant colonel, for they were really
the two most popular fellows in the regiment, under
the new order of things. Both of them, with the
modesty becoming the new life upon which they had
entered, declined, and insisted  that Pinkerton and
Briscoe should have the highest positions; but we
finally persuaded them to accept, and we weie never
sorry for their action or our own.
In the fall, the regiment marched entirely around
the lake, using a fortnight for the tour, and had a
magnificent time. We did not stop at Trottwood's
this time, though we saw Jed and his father at work
in the field. They never troubled Christy Itolgate,
and I doubt whether he ever went near them. Peace
and harmony reigned throughout the regiment. We
camped one night on High Bluff, and laughed over
the war of the students which had been fought there;
but I think all of us were satisfied with the final result, when Tommy Toppleton switched off.
Christy Holgate was not disturbed by the officers




288              SWITCH OFF, OR
of justice. He was a temperate, well-behaved man,
and  no one was disposed to meddle with him after he
nad made all the reparation in his power for his crimne.
iMr. Penni man divided the labor on the boat with him,
so that Christy ran the Ucayga from  Centreport to
Hitaca, and down to the same point the next morning.
This arrangement enabled the Pennimans to occupy
their place in Middleport, though Wolf was absent
much of the time. Christy moved his family to
Hitaca, so that he was with them every night.
But I have told my part of the story, and if the
moral of it is not already apparent, I will simply add,
that, when you find yourself leading a wicked or useless life,-in other words, when you. are on the wrong
track,-do as my good friend Tommy  Toppleton
did  SWITCH OFF,