Part 20 (1/2)
”You'll soon get ahead of me, Andy.”
Meanwhile G.o.dfrey had taken his place in school, feeling far from comfortable. He was outraged by the thought that Andy, whom he regarded as so much beneath him, should have had the audacity to throw him down, and put his knees on his breast. It made him grind his teeth when he thought of it. What should he do about it? He wanted to be revenged in some way, and he meant to be.
Finally he decided to report Andy to the teacher, and, if possible, induce him to punish him.
”The teacher knows that my father's a man of influence,” he said to himself. ”He will believe me before that ragam.u.f.fin. If he don't, I'll try to get him turned away.”
When, therefore, the bell rang for recess, and the rest of the scholars hurried to the playground, G.o.dfrey lingered behind. He waited till all the boys were gone, and then went up to the teacher.
”Well, G.o.dfrey, what is it?” asked the master.
”Mr. Stone, I want to make a complaint against Andrew Burke,” said G.o.dfrey.
”What has he done?”
”He is a brute,” said G.o.dfrey, in an excited manner. ”He dared to come up behind my back before school began, and knock me down. Then he put his knee on my chest, and wouldn't let me up.”
”What made him do it?”
”He knows I don't like him, and am not willing to a.s.sociate with him.”
”Was that all the reason?” asked the teacher, keenly.
”I suppose so,” said G.o.dfrey.
”I was not aware that Andy Burke was quarrelsome,” said the teacher.
”He behaves well in school.”
”Because he knows he must.”
”Very well; I will inquire into the matter after recess.”
G.o.dfrey went back to his seat, triumphant. He didn't doubt that his enemy would be severely punished.
CHAPTER XIII G.o.dFREY'S REBELLION
Having made his complaint, G.o.dfrey waited impatiently for the recess to close, in order that he might see retribution fall upon the head of Andy. He had not long to wait. Meanwhile, however, he was missed in the playground.
”Where's G.o.dfrey?” asked one of the boys.
”He don't want to come out. He got a licking from Andy Burke.”
”I ain't much sorry. It'll cure him of some of his airs.”
”I don't know about that. It comes natural to him to put on airs.”
”If anybody has insulted G.o.dfrey,” remarked Ben Travers, his toady, ”he had better look out for himself.”