noon
The first-year lads had hoped to keep Ned a prisoner until the affair was at an end , but , it developed , there was a misunderstanding in the plans of the conspirators , and those boys who were supposed to be left to guard the prisoner , went away , giving Ned a chance to escape . But the contest with the older students gave the first-years chance enough to crow , and they lost no opportunity to do so . `` What 'll we do to pay 'em back ? '' asked Ned of Bart at the noon recess . `` They 're making all sorts of fun of us . '' `` Let 'em laugh . Our turn will come sooner or later . ''