_Fred._ All hail the champion of the Blue!
_Dilly._ Red, White, and Blue,--hurrah for the race of the Red, White, and Blue!
_Mrs. L._ The victor should be rewarded with an ensign. Suppose, Lucy, we go and make one while the young men are preparing for the race. (_Exit, L._)
_Lucy._ That’s a capital idea! (_Exit, L._)
_Dilly._ Little girl?--I want you to understand, Mr. Harry, that I’m a young lady. I can cut out the stars if I can’t do any thing else. (_Exit, R._)
_Bob._ If I’m not much mistaken, you’ll cut out a great many stars when you grow older.
_Harry._ Good for you, Bob. Well, lads, when shall we start?
_Fred._ It’s just ten o’clock. Let’s start in half an hour: ’twill give the ladies a chance to make their flag.
_Harry._ } (_Agreed. Enter BUTTS, C._) _Bob._ }
_Butts._ I’ve caught you, have I?--you rascals, you rapscallions!
_Harry._ Come, come, Mr. Butts, hard words!
_Fred._ What in the world is the matter now?
_Butts._ Old Hookey!--young man, respect the law.
_Harry._ What’s the matter, Mr. Butts? Whose eggs are missing now?
_Butts._ Eggs, chimneys, water-melons,--Oh! I shall choke.
_Bob._ Do: ’twill save the sheriff a job.
_Harry._ Come, come, speak out man. What burglary has been committed?
_Butts._ Stop, stop, stop! In the name of the law, I command you! I’ve been outraged, my office broken into; and I charge you three with the perpetration of this foul outrage.
_Harry._ Hold on, Mr. Butts: this is a serious charge. We acknowledge we have sometimes overstepped the strict boundaries of the law; but to break into a man’s office is something not even the mischief-loving pupils of Greenlake Seminary would be guilty of. Explain yourself!
_Butts._ My office was broken into between the hours of seven, P.M., last night and seven, A.M., this morning; my window thrown open; a stuffed figure placed in my arm-chair with a scurrilous label attached to it: now who did it?
_Fred._ I never thought of doing such a thing.
_Butts._ ’Tis false: all three were concerned in it.
_Harry._ Do you charge us with falsehood?
_Fred._ Mind what you’re about: I won’t be called a liar.
_Bob._ No, sir! If you say we lie, you’ll find yourself lying on the floor.
_Harry._ Oh, come! I can’t stand that. Let’s throw him into the lake!