He didn't care particularly what they did. The other boys were
delighted that Tad was to be made the mark this time. They followed
along laughing and jeering at their companion.
The Rangers fell in behind the two who were carrying Butler, in solemn
procession. To look at their faces one would have thought they were
performing a solemn duty. The boys wondered where it was going to end.
They discovered a few minutes later. Tad was taken out where the
gentle murmur of the Spring falling over the rocks could be heard when
the Pony Rider Boys were not making too much noise.
"Do you withdraw the flippant words you used to a member of this august
body?" demanded a deep voice.
"No!" cried Tad Butler. "Never! I'll die first!"
"Then take your punishment!"
With that they gave the boy a swing, one holding to the feet the other
the shoulders of the lad. When they let go, Tad sailed several feet
through the air. Quick as a cat in his movements Tad turned over
before he landed, going down on all fours. He thought he was going to
strike on the hard ground. Instead he landed at the bottom of a deep
pool of water cold as ice it seemed to him. He went in all over. Not
expecting anything of this sort the boy was not holding his breath.
The result was that he got a mouthful of water. He came up choking,
then pretended to go down again. Instead he crawled up to the bank,
under which he hid.
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