Part 12 (2/2)

”Your cow,” translated the princ.i.p.al.

”Oh, you mean this critter. Sure, yes, she'll follow me. Come on, Bess,”

and he held out a handful of salt, which the cow began to lick up greedily. Then the farmer retreated down the stairs, the animal slowly following.

”Sorry you couldn't do that experiment,” Mr. Craft called out as he gave the cow more salt. ”I'd liked to have heard that there phonograph machine. You see my critter's real tame. She often comes up to the back door, and once, when she was a calf she came into the kitchen. So I said, when that there young feller, Mr. Bo Vine, asked if the cow could walk up a short flight of stairs, that she could. And she done it too,”

he added proudly. ”Well I'll bid you good day,” and the farmer, who by this time had gotten the animal into the lower court placed a rope about the horns and led her away.

”So that's Ned's trick,” said Bart softly to his chums. ”Wouldn't wonder but what he'd be expelled for it.”

”If he gets found out,” put in Frank.

It was some time before the school quieted down. Jennie, under the ministrations of Alice, recovered from her fainting fit, and the prospective nurse began looking around for others whom she might practice on. But there were no more. The women teachers, and those girls who had hidden under desks returned to their seats.

”Young ladies and gentlemen,” began Professor McCloud, ”this has been an unexpected--”

Then he happened to think of Mr. Kenton's mistake, and he had to turn aside to cover a laugh.

”I think, under the circ.u.mstances, we will omit the rest of the program,” he added. ”I will say nothing further about--about the cow. I think I understand how it happened, and, in view of the fact that it is the close of the term, we will overlook what otherwise we could not. The seniors will now come forward and receive their diplomas and the exercises will be at an end.”

The senior cla.s.s advanced to the platform and stood in a semi-circle about it. Ned's chums noticed that he had quietly entered the a.s.sembly hall by a rear door and taken his seat.

”You're a lucky dog,” whispered Bart.

”Why?” asked Ned, in seeming surprise.

”Oh, just as if you didn't know! I always believed you were very fond of milk.”

”Milk?”

”Yes, and cows.”

”Cows? Was there a cow here?” and Ned acted as though that was the first he had heard of it. ”I was in the laboratory getting some chemicals for home experiments during vacation,” he added with a perfect look of innocence on his face.

”Yes, you were,” and Bart smiled. ”But never mind,--it was a peach of a joke. We'll soon be out now.”

”Let's serenade the seniors,” suggested Ned.

”How?” asked Frank, coming over to where the two chums were. Discipline had ended for the day, as the last of the diplomas had been presented without formality.

”Follow me. We've got to honor 'em somehow. It's the last we'll see of 'em.”

As the seniors, bearing their precious diplomas, filed out, which was a signal for the rest of the pupils to follow, the four chums, led by Ned, went down a rear stairway. Ned took them into the now deserted lunch room and produced several comical false faces, some paper hats of odd design and a number of tin fifes.

”Get some of the other fellows,” Ned said to Stumpy. ”We must have enough for a band.”

About ten other lads came, in answer to Fenn's quick summons, and were soon arrayed in the masks and caps, while their coats, turned wrong side out, added to their fantastic appearances.

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