AT chapel the next morning Mr. Fernald, the principal, after the usual
announcements had been made, lifted a newspaper from the table at his
side and ran his eyes over an item there. "I have here," he said, "a
copy of this week's Brimfield _Times_, which tells of an incident of
which I had not learned. In telling of a fire on Saturday night last
which destroyed a barn and damaged other buildings on the farm of Mr.
William Corrigan, some three miles from the village, the _Times_ makes
mention of the valuable assistance of a Mr. Grover Brady and four boys
of this school. According to the _Times_, Mr. Brady and four boys dashed
to the scene in a high-powered automobile, organised a bucket brigade
and saved"--Mr. Fernald consulted his authority again--"saved the
dwelling house from the devouring element. The metaphor is that of the
paper. Possibly the _Times_ is misinformed with regard to the heroic
young firemen, although I hope not. I should be very pleased to
discover that they were really Brimfieldians. If they were, if they are
before me at this moment, I trust they will signify the fact by standing
up. I'm sure we'd all like to know their identity and give them
well-deserved applause. Now then, will the modest heroes kindly reveal
themselves?"
Silence ensued, a silence broken only by a few whispers and some
shuffling of feet. Every fellow's eyes searched the room, or, at least,
that is true of almost every fellow. Tim smiled innocently and
expectantly at the principal, Clint studied the back of the head in
front of him most interestedly, Don observed the scar in his hand
absorbedly and Tom grinned because Steve Edwards was whispering from the
side of his mouth: "Why don't you get up, you bloomin' hero, why don't
you get up?" Harry Walton was smiling that knowing smile of his and
doing his best to catch Don's eye. And Don somehow knew it and didn't
dare look toward him.
"I'm disappointed," said Mr. Fernald after a minute. "Either the paper
is mistaken or the fellows are over-modest. Well, if they won't speak
for themselves perhaps someone else will volunteer to wrest them from
the obscurity they so evidently court. How about that, boys? Anyone know
who the heroes are?"
Again silence for an instant, and then, in various parts of the room,
the sudden moving of seats or tramping of feet as though someone was
about to get up. But no one did, and some of the younger boys in front
began to titter nervously. Mr. Fernald smiled and laid the Brimfield
_Times_ back on the table.
"No heroes amongst us, eh? Well, doubtless if any of you had been there
you'd have performed quite as well as these unknown young gentlemen did.
I like to think so. Dismissed."
"Do you think he suspects us?" asked Tom as he ranged himself beside Tim
on the way out. "Gee, I thought once he was looking right at me!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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