an' no mistake--hey, fellers?"

"You bet," promptly responded the remainder of the committee.

"Good!" said the judge. "What does she want?"

Toledo's countenance fell.

"By thunder!" he replied, "we got out 'fore she had a chance to tell
us!"

The judge stared sharply upon the young man, and hurriedly turned to
hide a merry twitching of his lips.

That afternoon the boys were considerably astonished and scared at
seeing the schoolmistress walking quickly toward the creek. The
chairman of the new committee was fully equal to the occasion. Mounting
a rock, he roared:

"You fellers without no sherts on, git. You with shoes off, put 'em on.
Take your pants out uv yer boots. Hats off when the lady comes. Hurry
up, now--no foolin'."

The shirtless ones took a lively double-quick toward some friendly
bushes, the boys rolled down their sleeves and pantaloons, and one or
two took the extra precaution to wash the mud off their boots.

Meanwhile Miss Brown approached, and Toledo stepped forward.

"Anything wrong up at the schoolhouse?" said he.