midday
There was a pleasant story that in the days of our fathers there had been such a fall of snow and so fierce a wind that the bridge had been drifted up , and no one could cross that morning from the other side . The boys from the south side of the town had brought news of the drift to the school , and the earlier arrivals , who had come in hope of a snow-fight , were so mightily taken with the news that they hurried to the Muirtown end of the bridge to look at the drift , and danced with joy at the thought that on the other side Bulldog was standing , for once helpless and dismayed . Speug 's father , true ancestor of such a son , had shouted across the drift invitations for Bulldog to come over , secure in the fact that he could not be seen across its height , and in the hope that Bulldog would not know his voice . When they were weary celebrating the event , and after a pleasant encounter with a hastily organised regiment of message boys , the eager scholars sauntered along to the school , skirmishing as they went , just to be ready for the midday fight with the `` Pennies . '' For the pure joy of it they opened the door of the mathematical class-room , merely to see how it looked when Bulldog was not there , and found that estimable teacher at his desk , waiting to receive them with bland courtesy . Some said that he had stayed in Muirtown all night , anticipating that drift , others that he had climbed over it in the early morning , before Muirtown was awake ; but it was found out afterwards that he had induced old Duncan Rorison , the salmon-fisher , to ferry him across the flooded river , that it took them an hour to reach the Muirtown side , and that they had both been nearly drowned in the adventure . `` Come in , my boys , '' was all that he said .