It _wasn't_. Dr. Thornton was a man of so few and direct words
that the boys gathered on the male side of the big assembly room
looked around at each other in plain dismay.

"That miserable old Board of Education is equal to shutting down
on us right in the middle of the season," whispered Frank Thompson
to Dent, who sat next him.

"You know the answer?" Dent whispered back.

"What?"

"Give the board no excuse for any such action. Keep up to the
academ. grind."

"But how do that and train-----"

A general buzz was going around on the boys' side of the room.
Several of the girls, too, were whispering in some excitement,
for most of the girls were enthusiastic "fans" at all of the
High School games.

Whispering, provided it was "necessary" and did not disturb others,
was not against the rules. These were no longer school children,
but "young gentlemen" and "young ladies," and allowed more freedom
than in the lower schools. For a few moments Dr. Thornton tolerated
patiently the excited buzz in the big assembly room. Then, at
last, he struck a paper-weight against the top of his desk on
the platform.