Your brother has broken the rules of this school, and must suffer for so doing." "It's inhuman to make a fellow freeze," burst out Tom.

"I don't believe Captain Putnam would do that." "Not another word from either of you," came sharply from the teacher.
"Your brother will not freeze to death, but the cold may teach him a useful lesson." "If he gets sick, I'll get my father to hold you legally responsible," went on Tom.
At these words the teacher turned slightly pale, a vision of a lawsuit with damages to pay floating across his miserly mind.
"To ease your mind Rover, let me say I'll see to it that he doesn't get sick," he said, and before Tom or Dick could question him further he passed out of the room.
"If he isn't the worst yet!" burst out Fred, who had listened with interest to what was said.
"I shan't stand it," returned Tom.

"Will you, Dick ?" Dick, older and more thoughtful, mused for a moment.
"I'd certainly like to help Sam," he said.

"But we must be careful and not get into trouble with Captain Putnam." "I'm going to find my way to the door of the cell somehow," went on Tom.
"Old Grinder left that door unlocked when he came out," said George, who had joined them.
"Good! I'm going through before he comes back." As good as his word, Tom slipped past the various tables at which the students were sitting, until he reached the door which connected with Captain Putnam's private apartments.
Usually this portion of the Hall was forbidden ground to the scholars.
But Tom had been inside the rooms a number of times, so knew the way well.

Passing through a private sitting room and a small library, he came to a narrow hall connecting with the main hall, at the end of which were the stone cell and the empty storeroom.
He was just about to step into the main hall when he heard somebody coming down from the floor above.