Jack: Book One in the Trilogy, the Battle Begins

Jack Confronts the Twins Part 31

"Yes Your Honor, I call the Slineys back to the stand," said Jack.

The twins took the seats at the front and the entire class riveted their attention on Jack.

"So, are either of you friends with Jeremy?"

"Not really," said Johnny.

"What about your brother?"

"No, you know I'm not."

"Friends with Mike?" Jack asked.

"Nope."

"Nope," said Stephen.

"Friends with Jimmy?"

"Nope."

"You're friends with Brooksy then?"

"You're kidding right?" said Stephen.

"Nope,"said Johnny.

"Why not? Why would I be kiddin?"

"Cuz."

"Cuz why, ain't he good enough for you?"

"It's not that," said Randy. "Brooksy's not somebody we would normally associate with."

"But why not?"

"He's too weird!"

"You don't like him do you?"

"Can't say as I do."

"Same here," said Johnny.

"Do you like me?"

"No."

"Nope", said Stephen.

"Why not?"

"Because you're a lousy student and you're a bully, always picking on me and my brother."

"You recall what happened about two weeks ago right outside this school when your brother gave me some lip?"

"Yeah," said Johnny. "You picked him up by the seat of his pants and dumped him into the trash barrel head first! It was unforgivable."

The class roared. Whittemore glared at them, causing an immediate cessation of their fun - at least on the surface.

"That's right it was unforgivable wasn't it? And didn't you say I was goin' to pay?"

"So what?"

"So now you're makin' me pay and what's worse you're makin' my good friends pay who are no friends of yours?"

"No."

"No? Did master want you to say something against us?"

"Not at all," said Stephen. "He just wanted us to say what we saw."

"Say what you saw or make it up?"

"Say what we saw, obviously."

"He make any promises?"

"No. Just said we were two of his better students which everyone knows we are and we probably were going to pass with high marks."

"Oh so he promised you both good grades if you talked against us, now I get it!"

"I didn't say that."

"No? What did ya say, moron?"

"Objection!" said master rising from his seat. "Mr. Stone is being abusive to the witness."

"Yes, please stop that behavior, Mr. Stone," said the judge.

"No problem judge. So Mr. Stephen Hiney and Hiney's brother, you don't like any of the accused boys including myself and you say master brought up the subject of good grades while you was talkin' to him about what you were going to tell the judge?"

"Objection to Mr. Stone referring to the witnesses as 'Hiney and Hiney's brother'," said Whittemore.

"Yes sir, last warning Mr. Stone."

"No problem Your Honor," said Jack. "So, Mr. Stephen, sir, you were saying'?"

"Yes, that we get good grades anyway and master was just saying it in passing."

"What exactly did he say?"

"He said what I said - we were good students and probably would get good grades."

"How 'bout you Johnny Sliney? What did master say 'bout your grades?"

"Said the same thing. I'd get good final grades because I was a responsible student."

"Didn't you think that he was tryin' to bribe you or something with grades if you'd say bad things at the court today?"

"No I didn't think that. We always get good grades because we respect authority and our teacher."

"What did you think master was tryin' to do?"

"I think he thought it was the responsible thing to do."

"What was?"

"Tell what happened"

"Or what didn't happen?"

"No."

"You lied for good grades?"

"Objection judge!" yelled Whittemore.

"You lied because me, Jeremy, Brooksy, Mike and Jimmy all say we never did any of those things."

"Not true. You did 'em."

"Your brother convinced you to lie cuz I dumped his ass in a barrel and he said he was goin' to get revenge! Isn't that what really is a'happenin' here Hiney's brother?"

"Objection!" yelled Whittemore.

"You lied didn't you?"

"No way!"

Jack turned to the class and said during a stream of noisy objections from Whittemore: "Stand up and say the Hineys are lyin' if you think they are and that we are innocent!"

At that the whole class stood and yelled "Innocent! Innocent!" and "the Hineys are liars!"

Mike and Jimmy and me stood our benches and yelled:

"Masters a cheat! Masters a cheat!"

Jack threw a book at Stephen Sliney, hitting him in the shoulder. Mike countered by throwing a piece of charcoal pencil at the judge missing his head by inches. Then the whole class except the Slineys chanted: "Master's a cheat! Master's a cheat! The Hiney's are liars! Liars and cheats! Liars and cheats!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" Whittemore screamed. He finally asked the judge what was the verdict.