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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/30985-h.zip b/30985-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6deb354 --- /dev/null +++ b/30985-h.zip diff --git a/30985-h/30985-h.htm b/30985-h/30985-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6580b97 --- /dev/null +++ b/30985-h/30985-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6209 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Mark Of The Knife, by Clayton H. Ernst. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} +--> + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mark of the Knife, by Clayton H. Ernst + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mark of the Knife + +Author: Clayton H. Ernst + +Illustrator: Chase Emerson + +Release Date: January 16, 2010 [EBook #30985] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MARK OF THE KNIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h1>THE MARK OF THE KNIFE</h1> + +<h2>BY CLAYTON H. ERNST</h2> + + +<h4>WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY<br /> +CHASE EMERSON</h4> + +<h4>BOSTON<br /> +LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY<br /> +1920</h4> + +<h4><i>Copyright, 1920</i>,<br /> +<span class="smcap">By Little, Brown, and Company</span>.</h4> + +<h4><i>All rights reserved</i></h4> + +<h4>Published October, 1920</h4> + +<h4>Norwood Press<br /> +Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Cushing Co.<br /> +Norwood, Mass., U. S. A.</h4> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus1" id="illus1"></a> +<img src="images/illus1.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3><span class="smcap">In their eyes, for the time being at least, it surpassed +the battle of the Marne.</span></h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<!-- Autogenerated TOC. Modify or delete as required. --> +<p> +<a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I <span class="smcap">The Newcomer</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II <span class="smcap">A Blemish</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III <span class="smcap">A Plan and a Game</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV <span class="smcap">Two Visits and a Theft</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V <span class="smcap">Teeny-bits' Chance</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI <span class="smcap">Discoveries</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII <span class="smcap">On the Eve of the Struggle</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII <span class="smcap">Strange Captors</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX <span class="smcap">The Great Game</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X <span class="smcap">At Lincoln Hall</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI <span class="smcap">Mysteries in Part Explained</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII <span class="smcap">A Visit To Chuan Kai's</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII <span class="smcap">Days of Pleasure</span></a><br /> +<a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV <span class="smcap">A Tale of the Far East</span></a><br /><br /> +<a href="#By_CLAYTON_H_ERNST">By CLAYTON H. ERNST</a><br /> +</p> +<!-- End Autogenerated TOC. --> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<p><a href="#illus1">In their eyes, for the time being at least, it surpassed the battle of +the Marne</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus2">At the beginning of the final quarter Coach Murray sent in Teeny-bits to +take the place of White</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus3">Only three of them had a chance to reach the Ridgley player</a></p> + +<p><a href="#illus4">From the foot of the slide they mounted slowly, tracing backward the +five double tracks</a></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE MARK OF THE KNIFE</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<h3>THE NEWCOMER</h3> + + +<p>Ridgley School, with its white buildings set comfortably among the +maples and the oaks that crown the flat top of the hill a mile to the +west of the village of Hamilton, attracts and holds the attention of all +eyes that fall upon it. Partly perhaps because the dormitories and the +recreation halls fit into the landscape and do not jut boldly and +crudely above the trees—as so many buildings on hilltops do—there is +an air of hominess and informality about the place which new visitors +generally notice and mention to Doctor Wells, its head.</p> + +<p>But it is one thing to ride up to Ridgley School in an automobile from +the Hamilton Station with half a dozen other new Ridgleyites, some of +whom have already become your friends, and to get your first view of the +campus while cheerful voices are sounding in your ears, and quite +another thing to walk up the long winding road from the village alone +and to wonder as you come nearer and nearer to those neat white +buildings whether you will succeed in making any friends at all among +the fellows who have come up in the automobiles. Under those conditions +Ridgley School might seem cold and austere and full of unpleasant +possibilities.</p> + +<p>That in fact was the situation of the newcomer who was walking swiftly +toward the white buildings one morning late in September. He was +entering upon an adventure that filled him with mingled excitement and +gloom—excitement because of the mystery of the new life opening before +him, gloom because of the necessity of giving up so much that had made +him happy in the past. He went directly to the office of the Head in the +building nearest the road and announced himself to Doctor Wells:</p> + +<p>"I am Findley Holbrook."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells, whose face looked young in spite of the gray hair at his +temples, got up from his chair and shook hands gravely. "I'm glad to see +you, Findley," he said; "I hope you're going to like the school and that +the school will like you. We've assigned you to Gannett Hall; I'll have +one of the masters take you over and introduce you to the boys who've +already come. We don't do much to-day except get settled. Did you bring +your things?"</p> + +<p>"My father is going to bring them up this noon," Findley replied. "I +thought I'd better come early to start in with the other fellows."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells put him in charge of Mr. Stevens, who took him over to +Gannett Hall, a three-story building with its ivy-covered front to the +campus and its back to the tennis courts. A dozen boys were standing on +the steps; they had been talking and laughing, but as the newcomer +approached them with the master, their voices died away and they paused +in their conversations. A black-haired boy, tall and heavily built, +immediately called out:</p> + +<p>"Hello, Teeny-bits!"</p> + +<p>The new boy recognized the one who had hailed him as Tracey Campbell, +who had been in the class above him in the public school at Greensboro. +"Teeny-bits" was the name by which Findley Holbrook had been known ever +since he could remember and to hear himself thus addressed brought to +him a momentarily pleasant feeling, even though Tracey Campbell had +never been a special friend of his. When Findley was younger he had been +so small that some one had called him "Teeny-bits" and the name had +stuck. At the public school in Greensboro, in the village of Hamilton, +in his home, every one called him Teeny-bits, and though the name did +not apply to him now as appropriately as it had applied when he was four +or five years younger, it still fitted him so well that no one +questioned it.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens smiled as he heard it from Tracey Campbell's lips and +glanced at his young companion. A compact, slim body somewhat under the +average height for seventeen, square shoulders, a very youthful mouth, +eyes that seemed older than the rest of him and light brown, almost +tow-colored hair, were the characteristics of Teeny-bits Holbrook that +Mr. Stevens, the English master, saw. He said to himself that Teeny-bits +was an apt nickname.</p> + +<p>There were other characteristics that Mr. Stevens did not see; one of +them revealed itself half an hour after the master had introduced +Teeny-bits to the members of the school who occupied the third-floor +rooms in Gannett Hall. The newcomer found himself possessed of a small +and plain, but comfortable room, in which a bed, a chest of drawers, a +table and two chairs were the chief articles of furniture. It looked out +on the tennis courts and commanded a view of Hamilton village with its +twin church spires sticking up through the trees like white spar-buoys +out of a green sea. It made Teeny-bits a little homesick to look down +there. His thoughts were quickly turned in other directions, however. +Several of the boys came into his room, led by a tall, over-grown fellow +who had been standing on the steps of the hall when Teeny-bits had +entered. He came in at the head of the others, grinning confidently as +if he were looking forward to something that would provide amusement.</p> + +<p>"Friends," he said in the stagey sort of voice that a person might use +in talking to an audience, "meet Teeny-bits—that's his name."</p> + +<p>The boys behind the leader smiled in a way that suggested something else +about to happen.</p> + +<p>"Let me introduce myself," said the tall boy. "I'm Bassett, the Western +Whirlwind, manager of Terrible Turner, the fighting bear-cat."</p> + +<p>All of the boys laughed or snickered, and Teeny-bits smiled expectantly.</p> + +<p>"Here is Terrible Turner himself," said Bassett, laying his hand on the +shoulder of a pug-nosed lad whose freckled face wore a queer look of +combined insolence and friendliness. "For the honor of the school he +will wrestle you to test your mettle—he's a wrestler from way-back. Do +you accept the challenge?"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits looked at Terrible Turner and then at Bassett, the Whirlwind.</p> + +<p>"No," he said, "I don't want to wrestle in these clothes."</p> + +<p>"Take off your coat, then; we consider it an insult to the whole school +if you don't accept the challenge. Are you afraid of Terrible Turner? +He's no bigger than you are."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits saw that the freckle-faced boy was in fact no larger than he, +but he did not seem any the more inclined to accept the call to combat.</p> + +<p>After waiting a moment, Bassett said in a taunting voice: "Friends, let +me introduce you to Teeny-bits, the quitter."</p> + +<p>The words had an effect that the Western Whirlwind scarcely expected. +Teeny-bits solemnly pulled off his coat, laid it on the bed, and replied +to the challenge.</p> + +<p>"I won't wrestle with Turner," he said. "He's younger than I am. I'll +wrestle with you."</p> + +<p>The action that took place during the next few minutes was not quickly +forgotten by the members of Ridgley School who were fortunate enough to +witness it. In their eyes, for the time being at least, it surpassed the +battle of the Marne.</p> + +<p>Bassett made a scornful reply to Teeny-bits' challenge and let escape +the remark that he wasn't a "baby-killer" and wouldn't wrestle any +"bantams."</p> + +<p>The words were still in his mouth when Teeny-bits launched himself upon +him. There was a brief collision and with a mighty thump Bassett, the +Whirlwind, hit the floor flat on his back.</p> + +<p>A mighty howl went up from the onlookers; it carried to the farthest +corners of Gannett Hall,—and there was such a note of pure enjoyment +and hilarious surprise in it that every son of Ridgley upon whose ears +it fell wasted no time in abandoning whatever was at hand and dashing +madly to the scene of combat. As Bassett struggled to his feet all the +roomers in Gannett Hall began to converge on Teeny-bits' room, and by +the time the Western Whirlwind had thrown off his coat and laid hold on +his opponent again, they were crowding in at the door and craning their +necks to get a view of the fracas.</p> + +<p>Bassett's face was the color of a ripe tomato; he considered that he had +been caught off his guard, and the hilarious shout of his erstwhile +admiring audience caused chagrin, disgust and rage to sweep over him in +swift succession. He was mad clear through, and he meant to teach this +impudent young Teeny-bits a lesson. He was twenty-five pounds heavier +and half a head taller than the newcomer, and he had no other thought in +his mind than that he could quickly regain his prestige and wipe out his +disgrace,—and he meant to do it in no gentle manner. Teeny-bits should +hit the floor and hit it hard, and if the fall should shake the whole +building he would not care.</p> + +<p>With a bull-like rush Bassett made for Teeny-bits, seized him with rough +hands and gave a heave that was intended to finish the bout in one +brilliant coup. But in some clever way his small opponent with quick +work of his hands secured the under holds and though Bassett lifted him +off the floor he clung on like a leech, found his feet after a second +and saved himself from going down. The Western Whirlwind wrenched and +twisted and heaved; he tugged with both hands, striving mightily to +"break the back" of his opponent, he grunted as he worked and left no +doubt in the minds of the howling audience that he meant to put an +effective finish on the combat. The wonder of the crowd was that +Teeny-bits did not immediately fall an easy victim. They gave him the +ready sympathy that is generally accorded to the under dog.</p> + +<p>"Hold him off, Teeny-bits!"</p> + +<p>"Don't let him get you!"</p> + +<p>"That's the way!"</p> + +<p>"Look out!"</p> + +<p>"Trip him up!"</p> + +<p>Those were the shouts that filled the room with pandemonium. One moment +the struggling pair were over against the wall, the next they bumped the +bed or knocked over a chair. Surprise showed on the face of Bassett; he +could not understand how this little chap was able to keep his feet. He +grunted more fiercely and tried to get a new grip, but Teeny-bits +squirmed and shifted and somehow saved himself. The Western Whirlwind +began to puff and wheeze; sweat came out on his forehead and his face +became redder than ever. Then for an instant he let up in his heaves as +if to take breath for a new and more furious attack.</p> + +<p>It was a fatal pause. Until that moment Teeny-bits had been content to +cling on and make a defensive fight of it. Now suddenly he changed his +tactics to the offensive. By clever leg-work he got Bassett lurching +backward. He pressed home his advantage and while a shout of amazement +and delight rang in his ears, brought his big antagonist down to the +floor with a jar that made the windows rattle.</p> + +<p>Bassett, the Whirlwind, lay on his back, half dazed with amazement and +feeling too weak to rise because most of the wind seemed to have been +knocked out of him. Once more, as of old, David had slain Goliath, and +the victor was receiving congratulations.</p> + +<p>At that moment a boy larger than any who had been in the room pushed his +way through the crowd. "No fighting in the dormitory!" he cried. "What's +all this about?" And then he saw Bassett just rising weakly to a sitting +posture and observed the other boys slapping Teeny-bits on the back. He +gazed in doubt from one to the other and then said to the diminutive +conqueror: "Did you put this big lummux down?"</p> + +<p>"You bet he did!" cried a dozen voices.</p> + +<p>"Well, you did a mighty good job," he declared. "You're new here, but a +lot of these other fellows are not, and they know as well as I do that +we're not supposed to fight or have wrestling matches in the +dormitories. Get on your feet there, Bassett, and mind your own business +hereafter. I know well enough that you started this. You got just what +you deserved, didn't you!"</p> + +<p>In an authoritative way that was confident without being "bossy" he +ordered the boys out of the room, and when the last of them had gone and +the sound of their joking remarks to the crestfallen Bassett was +receding, he said to Teeny-bits:</p> + +<p>"You must be a whale of a scrapper for your size—and I'm mighty glad +you gave that fresh-mouthed Bassett a good lesson. But don't get into +any more trouble with him. You know we have a sort of self-government +here, and we can't be smashing up things in the dormitory. I room +downstairs in Number 26. Come in sometime soon."</p> + +<p>Later in the day Teeny-bits learned that his visitor was Neil Durant, +pitcher on the baseball team, and captain of the football eleven. He was +dormitory leader, which meant that he represented Gannett Hall on the +self-government committee of the school. Turner, who gave Teeny-bits the +information, was only one of many boys who dropped in that day to see +the conqueror of Bassett, the Whirlwind. Turner—the same Terrible +Turner who had been willing enough for combat earlier in the +morning—confessed with a grin that he was pretty glad Teeny-bits hadn't +wrestled with him! "If I'd hit the floor as hard as Bassett did, I'd bet +my backbone would have been broken into forty pieces," he said. "Oh, +what a pippin of a thump!"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits liked Turner's frank, outspoken way. He made up his mind that +he liked him still better when Turner said:</p> + +<p>"None of the fellows call me Terrible Turner, you know—that was just +some bunk that Bassett invented. They all call me Snubby—on account of +my nose, I guess."</p> + +<p>That noon an incident occurred that some of the roomers in Gannett Hall +noticed: just before lunch Teeny-bits' trunk came. Mr. Holbrook brought +it up from the village in a buggy drawn by a sorrel horse and with +Teeny-bits' help carried it to the room on the third floor. Several of +the boys remembered seeing Mr. Holbrook in the Hamilton station and when +Teeny-bits introduced him as his father they suddenly realized that the +conqueror of Whirlwind Bassett and the bearer of the queer nickname was +the son of the station agent and a native of the little hamlet that +nestled at the foot of the hill.</p> + +<p>Mr. Holbrook was white-haired and he walked with a slight limp that made +him seem old. He looked at Teeny-bits' new friends with a kindly twinkle +in his eyes and told them that they were all "lucky boys to go to such a +fine school" and advised them to "study hard so as to be smart men." If +he had not been Teeny-bits' father, they might have thought he was a +queer old duffer.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Holbrook had said good-by to Teeny-bits he went over to Doctor +Wells' office and remained alone with the Head for half an hour. At the +end of that time he came out and drove the old sorrel horse through the +campus and down the hill toward the village. One or two of the boys who +saw him wondered what he had been talking about so long with the Head.</p> + +<p>Old Daniel Holbrook with the limp and the white hair meant every word +that he had said about the boys being lucky to go to such a fine school, +but he meant it particularly in the case of Teeny-bits, whose situation +in life was entirely different from the situation of most of the other +Ridgleyites. They came to Ridgley from half the states in the +Union—from California and Ohio and the Carolinas and New York and New +England—they came well-equipped and carried themselves with a manner +that suggested the well-to-do homes they had left. Teeny-bits Holbrook +was there because he had won the scholarship that under the terms of the +endowment of the school was awarded each year to a public-school student +who lived within the confines of Sherburne County. Fennimore Ridgley, +whose coal mines had yielded the fortune with which he had founded the +school on the hill above the village of Hamilton, had been born and bred +in Sherburne County. He had long been lying in a peaceful grave with a +tall granite shaft above it, but each year one of the boys of Sherburne +County received a gift from him—the privilege of coming free of expense +to Ridgley. For two years Teeny-bits had been going to the high school +at Greensboro, covering the four miles on his bicycle morning and +afternoon. Then the unbelievable had happened: he had won the Ridgley +scholarship, and father and mother Holbrook, whose hearts were centered +on his future, received the news as a direct gift from Heaven. Their +pride in him made up for the loneliness of the house after he had gone.</p> + +<p>The career of Teeny-bits at Ridgley was not to be without its incidents, +it seemed. He had been a roomer in Gannett Hall only ten days and the +feeling of newness had not worn off when the school was treated to a +sensation that caused no little talk and brought him into more +prominence than had the victory in the wrestling match.</p> + +<p>On a Wednesday morning before breakfast a sheet of paper was found +tacked to the bulletin board that hung inside the door of the dormitory. +The message that it bore had been typed crudely as if the person who had +done it were a novice in the use of the typewriter. It consisted of two +straggling lines and the words were:</p> + +<p>"Beware of Teeny-bits! Holbrook is not his name! He's ashamed to tell +the truth!"</p> + +<p>Two dozen boys saw the paper and read the message before Snubby Turner +tore it down and carried it up to Teeny-bits' room. They told other boys +about it and no end of talk went round the school.</p> + +<p>"This was on the bulletin board," said Snubby to Teeny-bits. "A lot of +the fellows wonder what the dickens it means."</p> + +<p>"You're a good friend of mine, Snubby," said Teeny-bits, "and I'll tell +you what it means. I wonder if Bassett put it up—but I don't see how he +knew anything about me—unless Tracey Campbell told him. Tracey lives +over in Greensboro and went to public school with me."</p> + +<p>"Bassett tags around after him like a tame sheep—I don't like either +one of them," said Snubby.</p> + +<p>The story that Teeny-bits told his friend was the same story that Mr. +Holbrook had told Doctor Wells.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits had never known who his father and mother were—and yet his +mother, or at least the woman whom he believed to be his mother, lay +buried in the village cemetery. Her grave was marked with a plain slab +of marble in which was cut the brief inscription:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"An unknown Mother. Died August 9th. 1903."</p></div> + +<p>Teeny-bits remembered well the story of that tragic day as told him by +the man whom he had always fondly known as Dad,—old Dad Holbrook with +the white hair and the limp. On that long-ago day a train had crawled +slowly into the station at Hamilton. There was a hot box on one of the +cars, and while the train waited for the heated metal to cool, a woman +with a small child—a boy of about a year and a half—stepped down to +the track to find relief from the stifling air of the car. The Chicago +express had come hurtling down the track at fifty miles an hour. Warning +shouts had gone up, but the young woman had appeared oblivious of her +danger. Those who saw the tragedy were convinced that she was deaf. At +any rate every one agreed that she was unaware of the oncoming express +until too late. Then, sensing the danger or hearing at last the shriek +of the whistle behind her, she snatched up the child and tried to leap +to safety. The realization that she was too late must have come upon +her, for in the last fraction of a second she tossed the child to one +side. The express, grinding all its brakes in a vain endeavor to stop, +had instantly killed her. The baby escaped with a few scratches.</p> + +<p>The matter of identifying the unfortunate mother had at first seemed not +too difficult, but a search of the bag that she had left in her seat in +the car revealed nothing that in any way offered a clue as to who she +was or whence she had come. Daniel Holbrook had attended to the burial +of the unknown mother and had taken the child home, thinking their +relatives would soon appear to claim him. But no one had ever come for +the boy and none of the notices that the Holbrooks had put in the +newspapers had brought a claimant. After a year the Holbrooks had +adopted the child and had put a stone over the unnamed grave in the +cemetery.</p> + +<p>When Teeny-bits finished telling his story, Snubby Turner's eyes were +round with wonder. Instead of detracting from the prestige of +Teeny-bits, the story had the effect of enhancing it, and if the person +who put the paper on the bulletin board intended it to effect an injury, +his attempt defeated itself, for the true story of Teeny-bits rapidly +spread by word of mouth and, instead of bringing him into disrepute, +cast about him a certain air of mystery that caused the boys in other +dormitories to seek him out to make his acquaintance. Thus, through no +effort of his own, Teeny-bits Holbrook found himself somewhat of a +character at Ridgley School before he had been there two weeks.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<h3>A BLEMISH</h3> + + +<p>In the middle of October Teeny-bits surprised every one by going out for +the football team. Even his most loyal friends thought that he had lost +his senses. The team was particularly heavy this year; the first-string +men were big, well-formed, aggressive players of the type of Neil +Durant, who weighed one hundred and sixty pounds with not an ounce of +fat, and who was quite as good a half-back, it was said, as many college +players. The most that Teeny-bits could hope for was a place on the +scrub, but that meant drudgery of the worst sort and a daily mauling +that was enough to take the courage out of larger boys than he.</p> + +<p>"They'll make Hamburger steak out of you!" warned Snubby Turner. "You'd +better not do it."</p> + +<p>"Good night, Teeny-bits! do you want to commit suicide!" said Fred +Harper. "I'll hang a wreath on your door."</p> + +<p>But the first team did not put an end to Teeny-bits' career. They +laughed when the coach gave him a chance on the scrub one afternoon and +laughed harder when he at last got a chance to carry the ball and by +clever dodging succeeded in making a twenty-yard gain. He slipped out of +the grasp of Ned Stillson and nearly eluded big Tom Curwood, who covered +Teeny-bits so completely when he finally had him down that ball and +runner were almost completely out of sight.</p> + +<p>"He's as slippery as an eel," said big Tom.</p> + +<p>"And so small you can't see him," growled Ned Stillson.</p> + +<p>After that the first team watched him like tomcats watching a mouse and +Teeny-bits got no chance to break away.</p> + +<p>In the locker room after practice Mr. Murray, the coach, came over and +laid a friendly hand on his arm. "Keep it up," he said; "if you weighed +about twenty-five pounds more, by jingo, I believe you'd make the team."</p> + +<p>The members of the eleven also were friendly and treated him as they +might have treated a mascot in whom they had great faith. In the +shower-bath room Neil Durant jumped out from under the cold spray and +shook the water from his lean, firmly-muscled body just as Teeny-bits +came in. The big half-back looked admiringly at the new candidate for +the scrub and said:</p> + +<p>"Good work, Teeny-bits! You're the original bear-cat all right."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits grinned appreciatively as he stepped under the shower. Neil +stood near by, drying himself with a Turkish towel. As the smaller boy +turned this way and that under the spattering water the half-back looked +critically at his compact body and firm muscles. To be sure, Teeny-bits +was small, but he was shaped like a young god and modeled with perfect +symmetry. Something else, however, attracted Neil's attention.</p> + +<p>"That's a peculiar mark you have on the back of your shoulder," he said, +as Teeny-bits turned off the water.</p> + +<p>"It's a sort of birthmark, I guess," said Teeny-bits. "My trademark."</p> + +<p>What Neil Durant referred to was a five inch, terra-cotta colored +blemish on Teeny-bits' smooth back. The shape of the mark was what made +it peculiar. It resembled strikingly a dagger-like knife with a tapering +blade and a thin handle. Once seen it was not likely to be forgotten.</p> + +<p>In the same manner that the true story of Teeny-bits had spread through +the school after his unknown ill-wisher had tried to injure his name by +posting the notice on the Gannett Hall bulletin board, the news spread +from boy to boy that the conqueror of Bassett and the new candidate for +the scrub bore on the smooth skin of his shoulder a strange and +curiously formed mark, and during the days that immediately followed +Teeny-bits' first appearance on the football field, more than one +candidate for the team made it a point to be present in the shower-bath +room in order that he might cast seemingly casual glances at the unusual +mark. Some of the Ridgleyites were more open in their curiosity and did +not hesitate to question Teeny-bits, but they all received answers +similar to the one that Neil Durant had received. To Teeny-bits there +was nothing strange about the mark, for it had been there from the time +of his earliest memory and he had thought little more about it than he +had of the fact that he possessed hands and feet. Snubby Turner, whose +bump of curiosity was as big as a watermelon, lingered one night in +Teeny-bits' room while the new boy was undressing.</p> + +<p>"I want to see that knife-thing on your back that I heard the fellows +talking about," said Snubby frankly. "Come over under the light so I can +get a good look. That <i>is</i> queer—the hilt of the knife is curved a +little just the same on both sides. It looks to me as if somebody had +drawn it on your back—only the color doesn't look like a tattoo."</p> + +<p>"Just a freak of nature," said Teeny-bits with a laugh. "I guess I was +born with it."</p> + +<p>Sudden popularity has been the downfall of many a schoolboy and many a +man, but it did not seem to have any adverse effect on Teeny-bits +Holbrook.</p> + +<p>"It rolls off him like water off a roof!" exclaimed Fred Harper, who was +one of the newcomer's greatest admirers. And so it seemed, for +Teeny-bits went about his work methodically and seemed entirely +unimpressed by the attentions of his numerous followers. He made time to +do his studying and did it well, but he was not what his classmates +called a "shark"; he had to work and work hard for what he got.</p> + +<p>One morning during a class in English literature, Mr. Stevens asked +Bassett to tell what he knew about the writings of Walter Pater.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Bassett, putting on a look of extreme intelligence, "he +wrote quite a while ago and he didn't succeed at first very much, but +toward the end he was more successful."</p> + +<p>"Is that all you can tell me?" asked Mr. Stevens.</p> + +<p>"Oh, no!" said Bassett with the manner of one whose knowledge has been +underrated. "He was quite a figure in his time and he wrote a lot of +stuff—I think it was——poetry."</p> + +<p>"That's enough, Bassett," said Mr. Stevens. "Holbrook, can you tell me +anything about Walter Pater?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, I can't," said Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Thank you," said Mr. Stevens. "I'd rather have an honest answer than an +attempt to bluff!"</p> + +<p>Every one in the room looked at Bassett, who scowled back at the smiles +of his classmates. "I didn't try to bluff, sir," he said to Mr. Stevens, +but the English master paid no attention to the denial and every one +knew that the self-styled "Whirlwind" had been guilty of treating the +truth as if it had been a rubber band.</p> + +<p>The incident was small, but it increased the enmity that Bassett had for +Teeny-bits and added another score to those scores that he intended some +day to wipe out.</p> + +<p>There were others in Ridgley School who bore Teeny-bits no +affection—one of them was Tracey Campbell, who had been the first to +hail the newcomer by his nickname. Tracey Campbell was a candidate for +the football team playing on the scrub; Coach Murray, it was said, +looked with favor upon him and was about to promote him to the first +eleven. But of late Mr. Murray had not paid so much attention to +Campbell; his interest, as far as the scrub was concerned, seemed to be +veering in another direction.</p> + +<p>It may have been that Tracey Campbell had something in mind more than +merely playing a prank when he took it upon himself on a Wednesday night +to amuse some of the fellows who were lounging about the steps of the +dormitories.</p> + +<p>Old Daniel Holbrook had driven up from the station, sitting erect in the +buggy behind Jed, the sorrel horse. His errand, as he had explained to +Ma Holbrook, was to see how Teeny-bits was "getting along." He arrived +at dusk and, after hitching the sorrel to a post outside Gannett Hall, +mounted the two flights of steps to Number 34. He found Teeny-bits just +beginning to study.</p> + +<p>"Well, now, it does seem nice to see you," he said. "Your Ma and I've +been kind o' lonesome, and she allowed as how I ought to pay you a mite +of a call. I said as how she ought to come too, but I couldn't budge +her. She said wimmen folks weren't wanted around boardin' schools."</p> + +<p>"It's great to see you," said Teeny-bits. "The fellows here have been +wonderful, but of course it isn't home, you know, and I've missed you +folks a lot. I wish Ma <i>had</i> come; you tell her not to be so bashful +next time."</p> + +<p>Old Daniel Holbrook smiled benignly. It pleased him to have Teeny-bits +so obviously glad to see him and so sincerely speaking of Ma and his +wish to see her.</p> + +<p>"I suppose wimmin folks <i>are</i> a trifle more timid than men folks about +putting themselves forred," he remarked, "but when it comes to +thoughtfulness you can't get 'em beat. Now take this box that she put +into my hands—I don't know but what I'm entering into a conspiracy to +break some of the rules of this school, but Ma just plain insisted that +I bring it along and I have a <i>faint</i> suspicion that it contains +somethin' to eat. I seen her fussin' round the kitchen with choc'late +frosted cake and some other contraptions, and from the size of the +package I'd say she'd put most of 'em in. The question is: am I breakin' +any regalations if I leave it? Just say the word, and I'll take it back +home."</p> + +<p>"Not on your life!" said Teeny-bits fervently. "You're not breaking any +rules, and believe me, whatever it is, it won't last very long. I've +some friends around here who would climb right through the transom if +they knew that there was anything like that in this room."</p> + +<p>"That being the case," said the station master, "here she remains. I'll +put it on the table. Now tell me, how's things going?"</p> + +<p>"It's so much better than I thought it would be," said Teeny-bits, "that +it hardly seems real. I want to tell you that there are some of the +finest fellows in the world in this dormitory, and the whole school is +just O. K."</p> + +<p>While Daniel Holbrook, sitting back comfortably in Teeny-bits' spare +chair, listened to the newcomer's impressions of Ridgley School, a bit +of action was beginning to develop outside on the campus. Tracey +Campbell, strolling across to Gannett Hall with Bassett and three or +four other members of the school, who for one reason or another seemed +to find pleasure in the company of the two, came in sight of the sorrel +horse. There was no question that the station master's steed was +ungainly and that harnessed to the old-fashioned buggy he presented to +persons who were straining their eyes for the ludicrous a more or less +amusing spectacle. The evening was warm and Tracey Campbell had pulled +off his sweater. As he went by the sorrel horse he gave the garment a +snap which sent one of the sleeves flying against the animal's neck. +With a snort of surprise the horse lifted his head and danced backward a +step or two in a manner that called forth laughter from the group of +Ridgleyites.</p> + +<p>"Whoa, Ebeneezer!" said Campbell. "Calm yourself," And then an idea came +to his mind. "Here's a chance for a little moonlight ride," he said. +"Who'll come along? We'll borrow this old nag for a few minutes and tour +the campus."</p> + +<p>Bassett, who was ready for any excitement that offered itself, climbed +into the buggy after Campbell, while one of the other fellows untied the +hitch-rope.</p> + +<p>"All right, we're off," said Tracey, lifting the whip from the socket +and snapping it vigorously.</p> + +<p>Old Jed apparently wasn't accustomed to the sound or the feel of the +whip, for when Campbell touched his flank smartly he plunged forward and +began to trot around the driveway that circled the campus.</p> + +<p>"Some racer!" said Bassett. "Can't you get any more speed out of him +than that? I'll show you how to drive him."</p> + +<p>"No, you won't," said Campbell. "I can get as much speed out of him as +anybody can. I'll bet you that if you'll get out and run, I can beat you +round the campus."</p> + +<p>"How much'll you bet?" asked Bassett.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I'll bet you a good dinner," said Tracey.</p> + +<p>"All right," said Bassett, and jumped over the side of the buggy.</p> + +<p>By this time several members of the school who were passing through the +campus had paused and were watching the performance. Some one called +out: "Ready, get set, go!" and Bassett, who had never been much of a +runner, started out at a lumbering pace around the drive. Campbell +immediately brought the whip down heavily upon the sorrel's back, which +so surprised the horse that instead of dashing forward in pursuit of +Bassett, he did what he had never been known to do before,—put his head +down and made his heels rattle a vigorous protest against the +whiffletree and dashboard. Shouts of laughter rose louder and louder +over the campus, and dormitory windows were thrown up here and there +while the occupants of the rooms thrust out their heads to get a view of +what was going on.</p> + +<p>"Get up, you bucking bronco!" yelled Campbell, and once more brought the +whip down on the sorrel. By this time, consternation and terror had +taken possession of old Jed; he suddenly abandoned his kicking and set +out at a gallop around the driveway. Campbell stood up like a Roman +charioteer and urged his steed on, but the lumbering Bassett had gained +too much of a start, and although the finish was close, the so-called +Whirlwind passed the steps of Gannett Hall while the sorrel was still a +length or two behind. Tracey Campbell braced himself firmly and jerked +back on the reins so roughly that the horse was brought to a sliding +stop.</p> + +<p>"You win," he yelled to Bassett. "I'll buy the dinner."</p> + +<p>Attracted by the commotion, Teeny-bits had thrust up the window of his +room, and old Daniel Holbrook had joined him in looking down upon the +scene. At first the station master had laughed a little and said:</p> + +<p>"Some of your friends seem to be playing a few pranks on me."</p> + +<p>But when he heard the noise of the whip and saw the horse jump with +fright and pain, his expression had changed and he had started down to +the campus. Teeny-bits followed close behind him; they had reached the +steps of Gannett Hall when the spectacular finish of the race occurred. +Tracey Campbell, seeing the owner of the horse, leaped out of the buggy +and said facetiously:</p> + +<p>"I just borrowed this animule of yours for a minute. He's some <i>racer</i>, +I'll say."</p> + +<p>"I'll say to you, young man," said Daniel Holbrook, "that that isn't any +way to treat a horse. I don't mind a mite having you borrow my rig, but +I <i>do</i> mind having you abuse a dumb animal that hasn't any way to come +back at you."</p> + +<p>Two or three of the boys in the crowd tittered, but most of them were +silent. They knew that the station master was right, and they were +ashamed that they had joined in the laughter. But Tracey Campbell still +seemed to take it as a joke; he looked at the station master with a grin +and said in a tone which suggested that he was imitating:</p> + +<p>"He's blowin' and puffin' <i>a mite</i>, but I guess he ain't injured none, +and I reckon as how he'll pull through the crisis and amble you home if +you drive real calm."</p> + +<p>Campbell's attitude and manner of speaking carried an open insult; it +stirred up in Teeny-bits a feeling of intense rage. A great desire came +over him to walk up to his rival for the football team and punch him in +the head. He started forward and said in a voice which trembled a little +in spite of him:</p> + +<p>"When you speak to my father I want you"—</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits did not finish what he had intended to say, for at that +moment Mr. Stevens came briskly up to the group and in no uncertain +tones demanded to know what was going on. Some one started to explain, +but only a few words had been said before the English master +instinctively, as it were, grasped the import of what had been +happening.</p> + +<p>"Campbell," he said, "get up to your room and be quick about it! We've +had enough from you for to-night. And Mr. Holbrook, I'm sorry that there +has been any trouble. I hope it was merely thoughtlessness."</p> + +<p>"No damage done, I guess," said the station master. "I don't like to see +young fellows misusing animals, but I suppose it was just a bit of high +jinks, so we'll forget all about it."</p> + +<p>The old man's sportsmanship and generosity in this last remark won for +him the respect of the Ridgleyites who had remained on the scene, and +the result of the incident was to make them feel that Campbell had acted +with little or no decency.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits' first appearance on the football field and his rather +spectacular work had not been a mere "flash in the pan." He had gone out +every afternoon with the scrub, and the members of the first team had +learned that it was just as well to keep their eyes wide open and their +heads up when there was any likelihood that Teeny-bits would run with +the ball. In spite of their vigilance he succeeded nearly every +afternoon in making a gain that called attention to his ability to +squirm through a broken field.</p> + +<p>He did not approach the skill of some of the first team members, +particularly Neil Durant, the captain, who regularly romped through the +scrub as if they were wooden Indians, but he did seem to have a natural +ability to dodge and to worm his way through opposing tacklers.</p> + +<p>An incident occurred on the last Wednesday of October that had a +distinct influence on Teeny-bits' career. That day before practice Coach +Murray talked to the scrub in no mollycoddle terms.</p> + +<p>"The first team isn't getting enough competition," he declared. "You +fellows on the scrub go to sleep and take a nap every afternoon; you +don't play the game with any heart; every time you see one of the +first-string backs charging through your line, you act as if you thought +you were a party of snails on a railroad track trying to tackle an +express train. There's nothing to be afraid of; if any of you expect to +be advanced to the first squad you'd better begin to acquire a little +ambition. We have a hard game Saturday with Wilton; I want to see you +chaps come back to life to-day and show me whether you are candidates +for a team or for a grave-yard."</p> + +<p>The scrub tried hard; they charged low and fast and for ten minutes +prevented the first team from scoring; they even recovered the ball on a +fumble and in six rushes, in which Tracey Campbell figured largely, +carried the ball forward twenty yards to the middle of the field. Fred +Harper, the scrub quarter-back, then snapped the ball to Teeny-bits, who +eluded the opposing end, slipped out of the clutches of the left +half-back and was finally downed by Neil Durant ten yards from the first +team's goal line.</p> + +<p>The scrub was within striking distance and Harper gave his signals with +nervous eagerness; he felt as if his life depended on seeing the ball +placed behind that goal line ten short yards away. But the first team +held solidly and then on the third try Tracey Campbell fumbled the ball. +Neil Durant picked it up and tucking it under his arm was off like a +grey-hound. Two of the scrub tackled him, but he shook them off and ran +on with every chance apparently of covering the length of the field for +a touchdown. Coming from the right was Teeny-bits, but at first no one +gave the new member of the scrub a thought, for Durant was a sprinter +and he was going down field at his best pace. To every one's surprise, +however, Teeny-bits held his position and gradually began to force +Durant nearer the side line. No one else was in the race. The captain +glanced sideways and saw who his pursuer was; he veered further toward +the left and concentrated on speed; still Teeny-bits held his own. Then +suddenly Durant, seeing that the side-line was dangerously close, +shifted direction and tried to pass his pursuer. But Teeny-bits was not +to be evaded; he gathered himself and plunged, and next moment the +captain of the big "team" was down at the fifteen-yard line with his +smaller opponent gripping him tightly around the shins. For the second +time Neil Durant had a word of approval for the younger boy.</p> + +<p>"Good work!" he said. "You got me clean."</p> + +<p>The scrub endeavored to live up to the pace that Teeny-bits had set, but +they had shot their bolt and the first team pushed the ball over in +three tries and scored two more touchdowns in the course of the next +fifteen minutes.</p> + +<p>One result of the day's play was that the scrub received some +well-deserved praise; another was that Coach Murray called Teeny-bits +aside and said some words that sank in deeply and that seemed to the +newcomer at Ridgley to carry an import that presaged the realization of +one of his fondest hopes.</p> + +<p>"Teeny-bits," said the coach. "I'm going to pull you up to the first +squad; you may not get a chance to play in many of the games, but I +think I can use you as a substitute back. That was a good tackle you +made and a good run, but you have a lot to learn yet. One thing is +change of pace when you carry the ball. If you sprint the way you do in +a track dash, the men against you have a good target for a swift tackle, +but if you keep something in reserve and turn it on just as you're about +to be tackled, you'll do better. Watch Durant; you can learn a lot from +him."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits walked on air on the way back to his room, but no one knew +it, for it was his way not to show elation in things that concerned +himself, and he told no one of his promotion, for he preferred to let +the news get abroad by other means. Neil Durant overtook him before he +reached the campus and walked with him to Gannett Hall. "You're always +springing surprises, aren't you, Teeny-bits?" said the big half-back +with a smile. "I didn't think you had so much speed."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe I could do it again," said Teeny-bits deprecatingly.</p> + +<p>"Of course you could," declared the captain. "Coach just told me you're +to join our squad. I'm glad; I'm counting on you to do big things."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits looked up at his companion and said to himself that one of +the biggest reasons why he wanted to do big things was to win the close +friendship of this hard-fighting, clean-playing "regular" at his side. +Aloud he said: "I'm going to try like thunder!"</p> + +<p>When Coach Murray at the beginning of practice next day announced that +Holbrook was to leave the scrub and join the first squad there were +murmurs of approval that were joined in by nearly every one. The +exception was Tracey Campbell, who considered that Teeny-bits had been +unjustly promoted over his head. He determined to show up the newcomer +if the opportunity came, and it was noticeable in the practice that +afternoon, when Teeny-bits got a chance to play with the first team for +a few minutes, that Campbell made a tremendous effort to down the new +member of the squad with a crash.</p> + +<p>Bassett was watching on the side lines and that evening he came round to +Campbell's room with a proposition.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<h3>A PLAN AND A GAME</h3> + + +<p>Campbell and the Western Whirlwind had certain qualities in common; both +had ambitions to be "sporty." They shared an inclination for lurid +neckties, fancy socks and striped silk shirts; they believed themselves +wise as to the ways of the world, and each had been heard to express the +opinion that Ridgley School was a "slow old dump." Campbell was the +leader of the two—he dominated Bassett as a political boss dominates +his hench-men. One reason was that Bassett foresaw favors to be had at +the hands of Tracey Campbell.</p> + +<p>Tracey's home was only eight miles away—just on the other side of +Greensboro—and within recent years his life had been greatly changed +through the fortunes of war. To many homes in the busy town of +Greensboro the struggle in Europe had brought privation and to some it +had brought tragedy, but to the Campbells it had brought prosperity. +Campbell, Senior, was a wholesale dealer in leather; he had caught the +market just right and, in the expressive words of his neighbors, had +made "a mountain of money." He had moved from his modest home in the +town and had built a pretentious house on a hillock two miles to the +west. Those of the townspeople who had been inside "the mansion" +declared that every chair and every picture on the wall was screaming +aloud, "He got rich quick! He got rich quick!"</p> + +<p>Campbell, Senior, did not believe that the son of a man who had made a +million should remain in the public school, and so he had arranged to +have Tracey go to Ridgley. The younger Campbell had come to the school +on the hill with a certain feeling of superiority that was in no small +measure owing to his belief that his father was richer than the father +of any other fellow in sight.</p> + +<p>Bassett had been brought up in a somewhat similar home; his father was a +promoter of mines and oil wells and had come naturally by a bombastic +manner which he had in turn passed on to his only son. The elder Bassett +was known behind his back as Blow-Hard Bassett, and it was said of him +that he owned more diamond stick-pins than any other man alive.</p> + +<p>On the night after Teeny-bits had practiced for the first time with the +"big team", Bassett knocked on Campbell's locked door.</p> + +<p>"Who is it?" demanded Campbell, and slipped the catch when he heard +Bassett's voice. As soon as the "Whirlwind" had stepped inside, Campbell +went over to the window and resumed the occupation in which he had been +engaged when Bassett had interrupted him. From the window sill he took a +smoldering cigarette and, holding it in his cupped hand so that the glow +could not be seen from outside, sucked in, and after a moment cautiously +blew the smoke out into the night air. Bassett watched him in silence +for a moment and then he said:</p> + +<p>"They slipped something over on you, didn't they?"</p> + +<p>"What can you expect?" was Campbell's reply. "But I can tell you +this—if I don't get a fair show pretty quick, I'm going to quit—and +I'll not only quit playing football, but I'll say good-by for a lifetime +to Ridgley School. I'm not going to be the goat much longer—you can bet +your gold pieces on that."</p> + +<p>"You'd have been on the first team already if it hadn't been for +Teeny-bits," said Bassett.</p> + +<p>"Some day I'm going to show that fellow up," said Campbell. "It makes me +sick the way the whole crowd falls for him."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?"</p> + +<p>"Well you watch and see!"</p> + +<p>"Got any plan?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet."</p> + +<p>"I have—one that will work this time." Bassett looked at his friend +keenly and seeing that Campbell's face betrayed skepticism he prepared +himself mentally to exercise the same talents that had made his father, +Blow-Hard Bassett, a successful seller of mining stock.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>The game with Wilton, on the last Saturday in October, was the first +hard test of the season. The outcome of the struggle with Wilton had +always been taken at Ridgley as an indication of the probable result of +the game with Jefferson,—the final athletic event of the year and the +crisis of the football season. If Ridgley pushed back the sturdy Wilton +team and snatched victory from the wearers of the purple, then there +were reasonable grounds for hoping that three weeks later there would be +a bonfire on the campus and a midnight parade to celebrate a victory +over Jefferson, the ancient and honored foe of Ridgley. If, on the other +hand, Wilton showed an impertinent disregard for the best line that +Ridgley could assemble and carried their impertinence to such an extreme +as to romp home with the victory, the situation looked black as ink, and +the tense atmosphere that accompanies forlorn hopes took possession of +Ridgley School and penetrated not merely to the recitation halls, but +even, it was said, to the office of Doctor Wells, the head. In such +times there were mighty efforts to bolster up the spirit of the team, to +feed it concentrated football knowledge and to ward off by Herculean +effort the black shadow of defeat that raised its ugly head like a +thunder cloud pushing itself higher and higher over the white buildings +on the hill.</p> + +<p>Before the Wilton game Coach Murray had a few words to say to the team +that made every member tingle with a desire to show what he could do. +When the whistle blew and the game began, Teeny-bits was sitting on the +side lines with the other substitutes.</p> + +<p>Ridgley kicked off to Wilton, and immediately received a terrific +surprise. The pigskin went sailing through the air impelled by the heavy +boot of big Tom Curwood; it fell into the purple-covered arms of a rangy +Wilton half-back who, instead of running with the ball, immediately sent +away a long spiral punt that flew over the heads of the charging Ridgley +players. Neil Durant yelled out a quick warning and turned with his +team-mates.</p> + +<p>Ned Stillson was nearest the ball when it struck the ground; he intended +to gather it up as it bounced, and then he meant to carry it far back +toward the Wilton goal, but his calculations went wrong. His +outstretched fingers touched the ball and almost grasped it, but the +pigskin oval slipped from him and next instant—to the horror of the +Ridgley watchers—was seized by a swift-footed son of Wilton who had +come tearing downfield as if some weird instinct had informed him that +Ned was to make the fatal error. Before any Ridgley player could +overtake him he was lying between the goal posts with a satisfied grin +on his features. The game was scarcely thirty seconds old and the score +was 6-0 in favor of the invaders! A moment later the Wilton captain +kicked an easy goal and the tally was seven.</p> + +<p>Nor was that all of the misery in store for Ridgley; before the +timekeeper had signaled the end of the first quarter, another disaster +had occurred; and this time the element of luck, which might have been +said to enter somewhat at least into the scoring of the first touchdown, +played favorites no more with Wilton than with Ridgley. The home team +was outgeneraled. By a series of strong rushes the visitors carried the +ball sixty-five yards for a well-earned touchdown. The baffling thing +about their play was a sudden shift; the quarter-back began to shout his +numbers, then he yelled "Shift" and with a quick jump several members of +the Wilton team took new positions; almost instantly the pigskin was +snapped and before the Ridgley players had the Wilton runner down, the +ball was five or ten yards nearer their goal line. That had happened +again and again during Wilton's successful march to Ridgley's goal line. +Wilton scored near the corner of the field and failed to kick the goal. +The tally was 13-0.</p> + +<p>The brief rest between the first and the second quarters was put to good +use by Neil Durant; he got his players together and so rallied their +spirits that in the second quarter they not only held their own, but +gradually pushed their opponents back and back until they were +threatening the line. But they did not quite succeed in scoring; with +thirty seconds more to play, Ridgley had the ball on Wilton's five-yard +line. It was first down. A rush through tackle failed and while the +Ridgley team was lining up for another try, the timekeeper's whistle +blew. The chance had been lost.</p> + +<p>The third quarter started more auspiciously; two forward passes netted +Ridgley forty yards of gain. The ball was far within the enemy territory +again, but Wilton held, and on the fourth down Ned Stillson fell back +and made a successful drop kick.</p> + +<p>During the rest of this quarter there was a good deal of seesawing back +and forth and neither side seemed to have the advantage, until Tom +Curwood recovered a fumble on the visitors' twenty-five-yard line. Again +the Wilton line held and again the Ridgley team scored by a drop kick. +This time it was Neil Durant's toe that sent the oval between the +uprights and over the cross-bar. The third quarter ended with the score +13-6, and Wilton's cheering section indulged in vociferous expressions +of glee.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of the final quarter Coach Murray sent in Teeny-bits to +take the place of White, the left half-back, who was limping. The Wilton +players glanced at the substitute and exchanged looks of satisfaction; +the newcomer seemed too small to be dangerous. It was the first big game +that Teeny-bits had ever been in; he was quivering with eagerness to run +with the ball. But the opportunity did not seem to come; most of the +time Ridgley was on the defensive, fighting desperately to hold back the +Wilton plungers.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus2" id="illus2"></a> +<img src="images/illus2.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3><span class="smcap">At the beginning of the final quarter Coach Murray sent +in Teeny-bits to take the place of White.</span></h3> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>When Ridgley finally did get its chance the time was slipping swiftly +away, and hope was glimmering but faintly in the home stands. There was +to be one more sensation, however. The ball was Ridgley's on its own +twenty-five-yard line. Durant carried it forward ten yards, then Tom +Curwood plunged through for five more. Then Dean called on Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Twenty-seven, sixteen, eleven," he called out, and the ball came back +swiftly into his hands. Teeny-bits took it from Dean on the run and +began to circle the right end of the line; a gap opened for an instant; +he was through it like a rabbit diving through a hedge and with a thrill +dashed on. He did not mean to stop until the last whitewashed line was +behind him.</p> + +<p>In front, the Wilton quarter-back was crouching tensely to intercept +him. Teeny-bits shifted direction to pass him, but the quarter-back was +not only wily, but swift; he was after Teeny-bits like a cat and began +to force him to run diagonally across the field. Two Wilton players +converged on Teeny-bits from the other side and one of them made a +desperate tackle. Teeny-bits used his straight arm to ward off the +attack and succeeded in slipping from the tackler's clutches, but the +fraction of a second that he lost opened an opportunity to the Wilton +quarter-back. Teeny-bits felt himself tackled heavily; he fell against +the player who had first tackled him and to his utter dismay felt the +ball knocked from his grasp and saw it go bounding over the ground. He +lay sprawling, so tangled with the Wilton players that for the moment he +could not rise. With horrified gaze he saw the leather oval roll free +and he felt the overwhelming shame of one who has failed to be equal to +the demands of a crisis. But his feeling of self-condemnation +immediately gave way to an entirely different emotion, for a swiftly +moving pair of legs incased in the Ridgley red and white came within the +range of his vision. He glanced up and saw that it was Neil Durant. Two +Wilton players were after the ball also, but the Ridgley captain was +before them; he scooped it up and ran swiftly down the field. While the +stands roared in a frenzy of delight, Neil crossed the goal line and +circled round till he placed the ball squarely behind the posts. Tom +Curwood kicked the goal, and two minutes later the game ended with the +ball in mid-field and the score 13-13.</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you dropped that ball," said Durant, joining Teeny-bits as the +substitute half-back was walking off the field; "it came just right to +bounce up into my hands."</p> + +<p>"It <i>was</i> lucky," admitted the candidate, "but I was mighty ashamed of +myself."</p> + +<p>"Well, it was a hard tackle," said Durant. "I don't blame you for +dropping the ball."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was about to make a reply when he saw coming toward them a +white-haired man who walked with a limp. "There's Dad," he said, "I +didn't know he was coming to the game."</p> + +<p>Old Daniel Holbrook approached them with a beaming face. "Well, well, +son!" he exclaimed, "I thought maybe you'd play, so I came to see the +game."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits introduced Durant and tried to smother a feeling of +embarrassment, the source of which he would not have cared to probe.</p> + +<p>"Your ma, Teeny-bits, wants you should come down for Sunday dinner +to-morrow," said the station master, "and she's particular for you to +bring a friend. I've killed two young roosters and ma's fixin' 'em up +with the kind of stuffin' you like. Now if this friend of yours here +would like to come down with you I'll drive up and get both of you in +the morning after church. He looks as if he'd have a good appetite."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits expected to hear Neil Durant express courteous regret; he did +not for a moment think that the son of Major-General Durant and the most +popular member of Ridgley School would be interested in visiting the +humble Holbrook home. He was even a little ashamed that Dad Holbrook had +extended the invitation with so much genial assurance.</p> + +<p>"I'll be mighty glad to come—if Teeny-bits wants me to," said Durant, +and Teeny-bits looked at him with such a queer expression of surprise +and pleasure that Neil added: "You didn't expect me to refuse an +invitation like that, did you?"</p> + +<p>At the steps of the locker building Durant left them, and Teeny-bits +remained outside for a few minutes to talk to the station master. Then +he said good-by and went inside to take his shower.</p> + +<p>He found his team-mates discussing the game in detail and bestowing +praise on Neil Durant.</p> + +<p>"Well, cap'n, old scout," Ned Stillson was saying, as Teeny-bits came +clamping in, "you sure were Johnny-on-the-spot."</p> + +<p>Though there was nothing in the words to signify actual criticism of any +one, Teeny-bits felt that the real meaning behind them was that when +some one else had failed, Durant had saved the day. That some one else +was himself, and, though the members of the team treated him as +cordially as ever, he had the unpleasant feeling that they looked upon +him now as one who had failed in a crisis, and he had to admit to +himself that their opinion—if they held it—was justly founded. He went +back to his room and for half an hour before supper sat by his window, +thinking deeply. The conclusion to which he came was this: if he ever +got another chance to run with the ball for Ridgley he would squeeze +that leather oval so hard that the thing would be in danger of bursting. +He resolved to make no apologies to Coach Murray, but to show by future +deeds that he could be trusted. When he went over to Lincoln Hall for +dinner he found the fellows at his table apparently unchanged in their +attitude toward him. They seemed to have forgotten that he had covered +himself with no glory.</p> + +<p>While the soup was being disposed of some one who came in late brought a +bit of news that spread from table to table as if by magic. It seemed to +fly from one end of the room to the other and instantly it became the +topic of excited conversation. Everywhere it went it created looks of +dismay on the faces of the Ridgleyites, for there was a portentous +quality in it that boded bitter things for "the best school in the +world."</p> + +<p>While Ridgley had been striving mightily to hold its own against Wilton +and had found its opponent so redoubtable that the tie score seemed to +be fully as much as it deserved—and perhaps a little more—Jefferson, +the big rival of Ridgley from time immemorial, had been winning the +laurels. Jefferson had trampled mercilessly upon Goodrich Academy and +with seeming ease had scored touchdown after touchdown. The final score +was 34-0 and herein lay the menace for Ridgley: only a week before, +Goodrich had defeated Wilton 7-0. If Goodrich were better than Wilton +and Wilton were as good as Ridgley, what chance did Ridgley stand +against Jefferson, which had apparently toyed with the Goodrich eleven +and scored at will? It was a problem that would seem to be answered +correctly only by three dismal words: None at all! A buzz of talk filled +the dining hall and every one knew that Ridgley was face to face with a +forlorn hope.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll have to fight," said Mr. Stevens, who sat at the head of +Teeny-bits' table, "and fight hard—it will never do to get +discouraged."</p> + +<p>But discouragement is subtle; there was good need of something to +instill spirit into the Ridgley team, for in the days that followed, +rumors like the fables of old began to reach the school on the hill. It +was said that tacklers found it almost impossible to stop Norris, the +Jefferson full-back. Half a dozen colleges were begging him to bestow +honors upon them by making them his Alma Mater. He could run a hundred +yards in ten and one fifth seconds and he weighed one hundred and +seventy pounds stripped. In the Goodrich game time and again he had made +ten yards with two or more of the Goodrich players clinging to him as +unavailingly as Lilliputians clinging to a giant. No less fearsome tales +were told of Whipple, the Jefferson punter, and of Phillips and Burton, +the two ends.</p> + +<p>The punter could send a wickedly twisting spiral sixty yards, and the +ends had an uncanny way of catching forward passes. Through the +newspapers, through word of mouth and by letters the news arrived,—and +it became increasingly disconcerting. Unless Ridgley wished to be +disgraced before the eyes of the world something must be done—and done +soon—to bolster up the team.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<h3>TWO VISITS AND A THEFT</h3> + + +<p>True to his word, old Daniel Holbrook drove his sorrel horse up to the +school at noon on Sunday and brought Neil Durant and Teeny-bits down to +the little white house that had been his home for thirty years. "Ma" +Holbrook was a motherly person, plump, gray-haired and smiling.</p> + +<p>"I do hope you two are good and hungry," she said, after Teeny-bits had +introduced Neil. "We'll sit right down and keep sittin' till we're +full."</p> + +<p>It came over Teeny-bits suddenly as he sat down at the oval table and +faced the familiar array of thick china, glassware and inexpensive +cutlery what a different life he had been leading for the past few +weeks, and he glanced at Neil to see what effect this homely air of +simplicity would have on the son of a major-general. But the football +captain showed by neither word nor sign that he noticed anything crude +or unfamiliar. Dad Holbrook whetted the carving knife briskly on a steel +sharpener and stood up to attack the two roosters. He heaped a bounteous +supply of white and dark meat and "stuffing" on each plate and passed it +to "Ma", who put on brown corn fritters and sweet potatoes baked with +sirup.</p> + +<p>"I never saw anything look so good in my life," said Neil, and a moment +later he added: "Or taste so good, either."</p> + +<p>Ma Holbrook beamed with pleasure, and said to herself that Teeny-bits' +friend was "real nice." Teeny-bits himself ate with relish and +enjoyment, and at the sight of Neil's contented manner of attacking the +food lost most of his feeling of uneasiness.</p> + +<p>"Land of Goshen!" Ma suddenly exclaimed, "I forgot to bring on the +conserve!" And getting up hurriedly from the table she stepped quickly +out into the pantry. From that little room presently came the sound of a +creaking chair, and Teeny-bits knew that Ma was standing on the seat to +reach one of those richly laden jars that adorned the upper shelves, row +on row. There was the scrape of a spoon against glass and then Ma +Holbrook appeared in the door, bearing a dish full of a golden substance +that Teeny-bits recognized as her famous preserved watermelon. No one +had ever failed to become the slave of his appetite when confronted by +this masterpiece of Ma's handiwork, and Neil Durant, after putting one +mouthful to his lips, looked at Teeny-bits with such a blissful +expression that Teeny-bits felt all constraint and uneasiness slip +suddenly away.</p> + +<p>"You can't beat it anywhere in <i>this</i> world," he said with a smile.</p> + +<p>It was an unpretentious sort of pleasure that Teeny-bits and his friend +shared that Sunday afternoon. When the meal was over they walked lazily +through the village to look at some of the old buildings that were +standing in Revolutionary days and then they came lazily back and Dad +Holbrook harnessed the sorrel horse and drove them up to Ridgley. Neil +Durant spoke sincerely when he said:</p> + +<p>"I don't know when I've had such a good Sunday, and as for the dinner—I +could talk a week about it."</p> + +<p>While Teeny-bits and the football captain were spending the afternoon in +Hamilton, two of their schoolmates, Campbell and Bassett, were using +their time, as it seemed to them, to no little advantage. Campbell had +telephoned to his mother and had persuaded her to send the family +automobile—a heavy, seven-passenger machine—to the school for him.</p> + +<p>The chauffeur brought it to a stop in front of Gannett Hall at twelve +o'clock and Campbell had the satisfaction of ordering the driver to take +the rear seat and, with Bassett at his side, of piloting the big car out +of the campus. He went by the most roundabout way and cut the corners of +the gravel drives at a pace that was intended to make the Ridgleyites +who were lounging in the dormitory windows sit up and take notice. After +a spin out through Greensboro they arrived at the Campbell place in time +for dinner and Bassett had an opportunity to see the "got-rich-quick" +pictures and to eat from plates that were lavishly decorated in the best +style of the shops that cater to the tastes of those persons whose +family crest is the dollar sign. Bassett thought it was "grand and +gorgeous" and he made a mental note of several things that he intended +to have duplicated in his own home at the next available opportunity.</p> + +<p>Campbell, Senior, was away on a business trip, but Mrs. Campbell +succeeded in making the dinner sufficiently impressive. She was a large +woman with a heavy, double chin and a high, somewhat whining voice which +she kept in constant use. Obviously she was much attached to Tracey, and +Bassett could see with half a glance that her son could, by using his +talents, persuade her to do almost anything for him.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you two are great friends," she said to Bassett. "Every one +likes Tracey."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, we go around together a lot," said the Whirlwind with his most +winning smile.</p> + +<p>"And are you as athletic as Tracey is?" asked Mrs. Campbell.</p> + +<p>"Well, you see, I've got flat feet," said Bassett in a tone that implied +that if he were not so afflicted he would be captain of all the major +sports in the school.</p> + +<p>"You're on the first team now, I suppose, Tracey," said Mrs. Campbell.</p> + +<p>"No," said Tracey, "they're still making me play with the scrub."</p> + +<p>"Why?" demanded his mother, raising her shrill voice. "You told me two +weeks ago that the coach was going to promote you. What happened, will +you tell me?"</p> + +<p>"They're not giving Tracey a fair show, Mrs. Campbell," declared +Bassett. "The coach has a few favorites and he can't see <i>anything</i> that +any one else does."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Campbell let her fork fall into her plate with a clatter. "I'm +going to see Doctor Wells about it!" she declared. "Such a condition is +perfectly shameful! Why, it's—it's——"</p> + +<p>"Now, mother, don't do anything like that," warned Tracey. "You'd only +spoil what chances I've got."</p> + +<p>"Well, if they can't treat you fairly, I'd rather have you leave the +school. Your father will have something to say about this when he comes +home. I don't doubt that he'll go right up there and make them stand +around a bit."</p> + +<p>"By the time he gets home I'll be on the team," said Tracey.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon Campbell and his satellite rode out into the country +without the chauffeur and Tracey took occasion to race any automobile +that would accept an obvious challenge. It was his particular delight to +drive alongside a car of one of the cheaper makes and to pretend that he +was doing his utmost to pass and in that way to lure the small-car owner +into competition. Sometimes he succeeded and after he had made his +victim believe that the big car was about to be vanquished he would step +hard on the accelerator and leave the scene of competition in a cloud of +dust. On such occasions Bassett felt called upon to turn and thumb his +nose at the crestfallen driver.</p> + +<p>At dusk the pair came back to Greensboro for refreshment and Campbell +declared that he would take Bassett to a "regular place."</p> + +<p>Greensboro was a bustling town in which there were department stores, +theaters and restaurants. The stores and theaters were closed, but the +restaurants were open, though Sunday business was dull. Campbell drove +the big car down a side street and stopped in front of a building that +was decorated with an Oriental sign announcing to the world that this +was the Eating Palace of Chuan Kai. "Here's where I feed you the dinner +I owe you," he said.</p> + +<p>Tracey seemed to be well known to the Oriental managers of the +restaurant. Chuan Kai himself, a yellow Chinaman in American clothes, +greeted him in with a smile that showed his tusks; he directed the two +to a table set in a little booth that was decorated with panels showing +dragons and temples. Here Tracey and Bassett lolled back at ease, ate +chow mein and chop suey with mushrooms, drank tea from small cups +without handles and smoked till the air of the little booth was blue.</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai stole softly in and out and occasionally glanced with +satisfaction at the two students. They were spending money freely and +the wily old Oriental knew that young Campbell would drop a fat tip into +his yellow palm when it so pleased him to leave the restaurant. Silently +the Chinese waiters in their slippers and loose trousers slipped in and +out of the mysterious regions where the strange food was prepared. +Tracey, displaying nonchalance for Bassett's benefit, declared that old +Chuan Kai kept "a dozen Chinks on the job", and that they all slept in +rooms directly above the restaurant. The persons who sat at the inlaid +tables and leaned heavily on their elbows as they scanned the +much-fingered menus were a nondescript lot—some the riff-raff of the +town who found it cheaper to eat at Kai's than to eat elsewhere, others, +more respectable in appearance, who doubtless had been drawn to the +place by curiosity.</p> + +<p>"Do you really want to give him a good jolt?" said Bassett to Campbell.</p> + +<p>"I told you I did."</p> + +<p>"Then why not try my plan? I know it will work."</p> + +<p>Bassett leaned forward and talked in low tones as if fearing to be +overheard, but there was no danger of that, for the other persons in the +restaurant were too much interested in their own affairs to eavesdrop on +two young fellows chatting in a booth.</p> + +<p>At eight o'clock Campbell and Bassett sauntered out and Chuan Kai +received his fat tip. The big car rolled out to the "mansion" on the +hillock and, when the chauffeur had been found, sped to Ridgley School. +Five minutes before nine it discharged its burden at the doors of +Gannett Hall.</p> + +<p>During the week that followed there was a frenzy of football talk in +every Ridgley dormitory. At chapel on Tuesday morning Doctor Wells +granted Neil Durant's request to speak to the school. The football +captain mounted the platform a little nervously, but he made a +straightforward speech in which he appealed for more candidates for the +scrub. "There are a good many likely-looking fellows in this school who +have never tried for the football team," he said. "It's late in the +season, but there's a chance for them now on the scrub and, if they show +any real ability, an opportunity with the team. We've got to do our best +to beat Jefferson this year and we can't afford to overlook good +material even now, so if you want to show your school spirit come down +to the field this afternoon."</p> + +<p>The result of the speech and of numerous personal appeals was that a +dozen new players appeared with the scrub that afternoon; they were not +a remarkable addition in respect to quality, however, and after a couple +of days of looking them over Coach Murray remarked to Neil Durant that +he was afraid that none of them would "set the world on fire."</p> + +<p>Those were days of feverish activity on the football field; the coach +drove the members of the first team for all they were worth and when he +thought they were in danger of being overworked from too much +scrimmaging he called them together in the locker building and gave them +blackboard talks. In the middle of the week he advanced Tracey Campbell +and Fred Harper to the first squad; he then began to test some new and +intricate formations.</p> + +<p>Among the candidates who had responded to Neil Durant's appeal had been +Snubby Turner. Snubby succeeded Fred Harper as quarter-back of the scrub +and felt an immense elation which he intimated to Teeny-bits one +afternoon on the way back to the campus.</p> + +<p>"Keep it up, Snubby," said Teeny-bits. "You're putting life into the +scrub."</p> + +<p>"If I'll come up to your room to-night, will you give me a few pointers +about running with the ball?" asked Snubby as the two approached the +Gannett Hall steps.</p> + +<p>"Come up right after supper and we'll talk for half an hour; then I'll +have to study," said Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>Snubby Turner came—but not to talk about football. He closed the door +softly behind him and looked at his friend with such a strange +expression on his freckled face that Teeny-bits said:</p> + +<p>"What in the name of mud is the matter, Snubby?"</p> + +<p>"Do you suppose there's any one in this school mean enough to steal?" +asked Turner. "When I went down to football practice to-day I left my +gold watch and a purse with twelve dollars in it in the top drawer of my +chiffonier. They're both gone!"</p> + +<p>"Are you sure?" asked Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I am," declared Snubby. "Absolutely sure."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<h3>TEENY-BITS' CHANCE</h3> + + +<p>Snubby Turner was not the only member of Ridgley School who lost +property during the days that preceded the game with Jefferson. His gold +watch and the twelve dollars that had mysteriously disappeared from his +chiffonier were the first to vanish, but they were quickly followed by +other bits of jewelry and money—not only from the Ridgleyites in +Gannett Hall but also from those in other dormitories.</p> + +<p>Ned Stillson, over in Ames Hall, lost six dollars and a small +gold-handled penknife that a maiden aunt had given him; Fred Harper +reported the disappearance of a silver trophy of which he was +inordinately proud,—a graceful little model of a sailing boat which he +and his brother had won during a season of boat racing with their +twenty-footer. The actual value of the trophy, aside from its +sentimental value, was said to be thirty-six dollars.</p> + +<p>In the case of Harper's loss there was an additional interest because of +the fact that Fred nearly succeeded—unwittingly—in discovering the +identity of the thief. His room was on the first floor of Gannett Hall, +and he remembered that on the Wednesday night when the theft occurred he +had left the window wide open at the time he went over to Lincoln Hall +for supper. He had gone from the table early and on arriving at the +dormitory had immediately entered his room. As he opened the door he saw +a dark form outlined in the window and it occurred to him that perhaps +one of his schoolmates was attempting to play a practical joke upon him.</p> + +<p>"What's the idea?" he had said. "Why don't you come in the front door +like a human being?"</p> + +<p>He had expected an answer in harmony with his question, but to his +surprise the person in the window had immediately scrambled out, jumped +down five feet to the ground and had lost no time in running out of +sight around the corner of the building. Fred Harper had peered out of +the window, still thinking that he had been the victim of a prank, and +had not noticed the loss of his silver sailing trophy until he had +turned on the electric lights and had seen that the place where it stood +on the mantelpiece was vacant. He had then dashed out of the dormitory +in the hope of intercepting the fugitive as he crossed the campus, but +no one was in sight except his schoolmates returning from Lincoln Hall. +To these he reported his loss, and a dozen of the Ridgleyites made a +hurried search of the campus; they investigated all the shaded corners +and unlighted doorways but found nothing that in any way offered a clew +to the identity of the mysterious thief.</p> + +<p>Within a week a dozen other thefts had been reported, and no little talk +went the rounds of the school. Poor Jerry, the grizzled old-timer, who +for years had been general helper to Slocum, the head janitor, was an +object of suspicion in the eyes of some of the newcomers at Ridgley. +There was no doubt about it, Jerry did have a most fearsome cast of +features. Mr. Stevens, the English master, once remarked that he +looked like an "amiable murderer." It was an apt description. Jerry +had an expansive smile, but it was bestowed only upon those +Ridgleyites—masters and pupils—who, for some subtle reason, loomed +high in his esteem. All others he glowered upon with an expression +ferocious and uncompromising. It was said that Doctor Wells was head of +the school six months before he gained the reward of the smile that +Jerry bestowed on the elect. But Jerry's heart was in the right place, +and the older members of Ridgley School laughed to scorn the suggestion +that he had any connection with the thefts.</p> + +<p>"I'd as soon suspect my own father as Jerry!" said Snubby Turner, "but +that gives me an idea."</p> + +<p>What the idea was he revealed to no one except Jerry himself. For some +reason Jerry had taken a great liking to the genial Snubby, and when he +received a call from that young man down in his basement room, his +seamed features took on an expression that might have caused Mr. Stevens +to add the adjectives happy and harmless to the "amiable murderer."</p> + +<p>"I have an idea, Jerry," said Snubby. "You know some one's been getting +away with a lot of valuable truck from the fellows' rooms. It would be +an awfully clever stunt to catch him. Why don't you snoop around and +find out who it is?"</p> + +<p>"There's ijeers and ijeers," said Jerry. "I got my ijeers too. I ain't +got no need to snoop around. I got eyes an' ears as are uncommon good, +even though I been usin' the same ones for nigh on to seventy year. I +got my own ijeers as to who's sneak-thieving this school and bime-by +somebody's goin' to get ketched."</p> + +<p>"What <i>are</i> your ideas?" asked Snubby. "Do you know who's doing it?"</p> + +<p>But old Jerry had no further enlightenment for his friend, even when +Snubby pressed him further. "I got eyes an' ears," said the old man, +"an' I got my ijeers too."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells referred to the mystery indirectly one morning at chapel. +"How foolish it is for any of us to believe that we can commit a wrong +and escape the penalty merely because no one sees us," he said. "Every +evil deed leaves its heaviest mark not on the <i>victim</i> of it but on the +misguided person who performs it. Once in a while something happens at +our school that proves anew that old, old truth."</p> + +<p>There was absolute silence in the hall; every one knew to what the head +was referring.</p> + +<p>But other incidents of more stirring nature were under way at Ridgley +School. As the impending struggle for football honors with Jefferson +drew nearer, each day seemed to be more strongly charged with suspense +and excitement until the very air that wafted itself among the maples +and elms, which were now dropping their red and yellow leaves on the +campus, seemed electric with possibilities both glorious and disastrous.</p> + +<p>Since the game with Wilton, Teeny-bits had practiced regularly with the +first squad and more than once had demonstrated that his ability to run +with the ball was above the average. White, whose place he had taken in +the Wilton game, recovered from his slightly sprained ankle, however, +and resumed his old position as left half-back. Teeny-bits continued to +be a substitute.</p> + +<p>Tracey Campbell, who likewise had been promoted to the first team, +seemed to have regained the attention of Coach Murray. On the Saturday +that followed the tie game with Wilton, Ridgley journeyed to Springfield +to play Prescott Academy. Ridgley won the game by the score of 17 to 0, +but more than once had to fight to keep the light but active Prescott +team from scoring. Both Teeny-bits and Campbell played through the whole +fourth quarter and, to an impartial observer, might have seemed to +display a nearly equal ability. Five minutes before the end of the game, +however, Teeny-bits brought the spectators to their feet by catching a +punt and dodging through half the Prescott team for a gain of fifty-five +yards before the home quarter-back forced him over the side line. The +spectacular thing about the run was that Teeny-bits somehow wriggled and +squirmed out of the grasp of four Prescott players who successively had +at least a fair opportunity to tackle him. The play did not result in a +touchdown, for Prescott recovered the ball on an attempted forward pass +and the game soon came to an end.</p> + +<p>Coach Murray seemed to be pretty well satisfied with the playing of the +Ridgley team. "What I liked best," he said on the way back, "was that +you played an intelligent game—you took advantage of your +opportunities—but let me add in a hurry that you will have to play +better and harder football than you've played yet when you meet +Jefferson."</p> + +<p>On the same Saturday, Jefferson performed in a manner that brought no +encouragement to Ridgley. With Norris, the mighty full-back, leading the +team, Jefferson had "snowed under and buried", as one newspaper put it, +the lighter Dale School eleven, which previously had won some little +attention by its development of the open game, especially forward +passing. Against Jefferson, Dale seemed helpless. She was stopped before +she could get started; her players kept possession of the ball only for +brief moments, and as soon as it came again into the hands of the bigger +team another procession toward a touchdown started. The final score was +69-0, nine touchdowns and three drop kicks.</p> + +<p>Of the nine touchdowns, Norris had made six, which was said to establish +a record for school games in the state. Three goals were missed.</p> + +<p>At Ridgley the name of Norris became a thing of dread; the leader of the +Jefferson team had assumed the proportions of a Goliath.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet Neil Durant can stop him," Fred Harper loyally declared to a +group on the steps of Gannett Hall. But there was no great assurance in +his voice and the answer that came back revealed the doubt that was in +every one's mind.</p> + +<p>"He can if <i>any one</i> can."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was walking up from the locker building with Neil Durant +after practice when the captain surprised him by saying:</p> + +<p>"I used to know Norris; we used to go to a day school in Washington +together."</p> + +<p>"You did!" exclaimed Teeny-bits. "What was he like?"</p> + +<p>"It was four or five years ago and we were young kids, but I remember +that Norris was gritty as the dickens; he used to play quarter-back +then; of course he's developed a lot since those days."</p> + +<p>Somehow that little incident seemed to change Teeny-bits' state of mind +toward Norris; he had been unconsciously thinking of him as scarcely a +human being, rather as a super-athlete who was virtually invincible. He +began to develop a great desire to play against him, and then suddenly +something happened that seemed to make what had been a remote +possibility almost a certainty.</p> + +<p>Ten days before the big game, during a scrimmage in front of the scrub's +goal line, White's weak ankle gave way sharply beneath him with the +result that the bone was cracked and White was out of the game for the +season. It was a heavy blow to the team; White had never been a +spectacular player, but by hard work he had earned the reputation of +being the "Old Reliable" of the team. Neil Durant and Ned Stillson were +better at running with the ball and played perhaps more brilliantly, but +White was steady and sure. His team-mates called him "a bear at +secondary defense." He had an uncanny way of guessing where a play was +coming through, and he made it his duty to plant himself in front of +it,—and to stop it. If he had had more of leadership in his +personality, he might have made as good a captain as Neil Durant made.</p> + +<p>Coach Murray and Neil helped him off the field, plainly showing their +disappointment and sympathy.</p> + +<p>"Two of you fellows help White over to the locker building and 'phone +for Doctor Peters to come down with his car," said the coach, addressing +a group of substitutes at the side lines.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits jumped forward, but the coach said:</p> + +<p>"Let some one else do that, Teeny-bits. I want you out on the field."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits walked back to the scrimmage line with the captain and the +coach. A moment ago he had been a substitute; now suddenly he had become +a regular. The other members of the team had a word of encouragement for +him, but it was impossible for them to hide completely their belief that +a disaster had come upon the eleven. Teeny-bits was a good substitute, +they all acknowledged, but as a regular against such a team as +Jefferson, well, he was too light in spite of his quickness and grit.</p> + +<p>After a quarter of an hour of practice, Coach Murray sent Teeny-bits +back to the side lines and called Tracey Campbell out. A few minutes +later he recalled Teeny-bits and put the team through a long signal +drill in which the new plays that he had been developing were practiced +again and again. Those two maneuvers on the part of the coach indicated +plainly enough that he had chosen Teeny-bits as regular left half-back +in the place of White and that he had selected Tracey Campbell as first +substitute.</p> + +<p>At the end of practice Mr. Murray asked Neil and Teeny-bits to stay on +the field for a few minutes.</p> + +<p>"Three or four weeks ago, Teeny-bits," said the coach, "I looked upon +you as an interesting possibility for the team next year. Now you've +landed on the eleven, and I'm sure you can make good. You're quick and +you've got a good eye for plays, but I want you to make up your mind +that you are going to show us something that you never thought you had +in you. I have an idea for a surprise play that I'm going to build +around you. It may prove to be pretty important in the game with +Jefferson. I want you to work on change of pace and shifting direction. +Neil has both better than you have, and we'll depend on him and Ned to +carry the ball a good part of the time; then if we can trust you to do +the rest, things will look hopeful as far as our offense goes."</p> + +<p>For half an hour Neil went through a practice with Teeny-bits that was +intended to give the new member of the team greater flexibility as a +runner with the ball.</p> + +<p>"You see," said Coach Murray, "it's like this: if a fellow runs straight +ahead with the ball he makes a clear target for the tackler—in other +words he's an 'easy mark.' But if he's shifty and is able to fool the +enemy by putting on a little extra steam at just the right moment or by +slowing down in such a way that the tackler doesn't know what to expect, +he has a tremendous advantage.</p> + +<p>"Now suppose, for example, that the opposing end comes in swiftly toward +you when you have started for all you're worth around his territory. If +you have something in reserve which you can turn on just at the instant +he's reaching for you and if you rely furthermore on a good straight arm +to take care of him when he gets too close, the chances are that you'll +go through to open ground. When I was in college I remember two fellows +who came out for the team. One was the 'varsity sprinter and could cover +a hundred yards in ten flat. The other was a fellow of about the same +build who didn't have as much speed—I think the best he could do in the +century dash was eleven or eleven and a half—yet that first man failed +to make the team and the other fellow, who would have been left far +behind in a sprint, was a regular on the eleven for three years and +could always be relied upon to do his share in carrying the ball. He had +a way of running straight at a tackler and then shifting direction in +such a manner that you couldn't seem to bring him down. And then, of +course, he was clever in using the straight arm and he always ran with +high knee-action. When you tackled him it felt just as if you were +tackling a man with a dozen legs, all of which were going up and down +like the piston rod on a steam engine.</p> + +<p>"Now you get down there in the middle of the field, Teeny-bits, and try +to pass Neil and me. See what you can do to keep us guessing and when +you use your straight arm remember to throw your hips; don't stand up +stiff like a wooden Indian target."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits followed directions and again and again came down upon the +coach and the captain, remembering their instructions to shift, to use +his straight arm, to dodge, to change his pace and to exercise every +stratagem that differentiates the skilful back-field runner from the +novice. He felt that he was learning real football and took each bit of +advice that was offered with an intense concentration.</p> + +<p>"I wish you could have seen some movie pictures of one of the college +games that I saw last year," said Coach Murray. "It showed better than +any talk could show just what I mean by change of pace. The back that +made the greatest gains of any man on the field had an uncanny way of +eluding tacklers. The films showed how he did it. Again and again he +slowed down just before the opposing tackle reached him—when they were +running the film slowly it looked almost as if he stopped—and then, +when the tackler leaped forward to bring him down, that shifty runner +would slip around like a fox leaping away from a dog, and on he would +go, leaving the tackler sprawling on the ground. Now try it again!"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits put his whole soul into this practice and at the end of the +half-hour felt that he was making real headway.</p> + +<p>"You're getting it great," said Neil Durant, as they walked back to the +campus together. "The coach is wonderful on helping a fellow; and you +can always be sure that what he says is exactly right. When he was in +college he made the All-American team two years in succession."</p> + +<p>The game at the end of the week—the next to the last of the season—was +played in the midst of a steady drizzle on a muddy field. Dale School, +which had fallen such an easy victim to Jefferson, visited Ridgley and +went home defeated, 21-7. Coach Murray instructed the quarter-back to +use only straight plays—to reveal none of the strategy that he had been +drilling into the team during the past few weeks. Ridgley made three +touchdowns in the first two quarters, one each by Neil Durant, Ned +Stillson and Teeny-bits. At the beginning of the third quarter Mr. +Murray sent in one substitute after another until finally big Tom +Curwood and Teeny-bits were the only regulars left. Tracey Campbell then +took Teeny-bits' place.</p> + +<p>With an entire team of substitutes on the field Ridgley was at first +able to hold her own against Dale, but presently the visiting team +seemed to see its opportunity and by persistent rushing crossed the +Ridgley goal line. Had it not been for the strong playing of Tracey +Campbell, the Dale team might have scored at least another goal; +Campbell was the main strength of the substitutes and again and again +stopped the rushes of the Dale regulars. There was no question about +Campbell's right to the place of first substitute back.</p> + +<p>After the game, Coach Murray announced the probable line-up of the team +for the Jefferson contest. There were no surprises. Neil Durant, Ned +Stillson and Teeny-bits were to play in the back-field with Dean, the +regular quarter-back.</p> + +<p>That week-end Tracey Campbell went home to the "mansion" on the hillock. +After the game with Dale he approached Neil Durant and invited the +captain to be his guest. He did not say that he was acting under orders +from his father. The elder Campbell was ambitious for his son to be +prominent, as befitted the scion of a man who had made a million. He had +written a letter to Tracey that week in which he had devoted two pages +to advice in the matter of "getting ahead." One of his bits of +instruction ran as follows:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"There's one lesson you've got to learn right now—the lesson of +politics. Every big man knows how to use his friends to help him +along. Don't let the other fellow beat you out by getting the +inside course. Get the <i>jump</i> on him. Now this football business is +just like any other business—you've got to use friends. I want you +to ask that Durant fellow home over the week-end. He must have +influence with the coach. Bring some others too, if you want to."</p></div> + +<p>Campbell put his invitation as casually as he could. "The old man wants +me to bring some one home with me this week-end," he said. "Don't you +want to come? Thought we could go to a show in Greensboro and to-morrow +we'll tour around in the car."</p> + +<p>Durant looked at Campbell keenly, but he showed neither surprise nor +indifference. "It's mighty good of you to ask me," said the captain, +"but I can't make it; I've got to study to-night, and to-morrow I think +I'd better stay at the school. Much obliged, though!"</p> + +<p>"Sorry. Some other time will be just as good."</p> + +<p>Campbell spoke in an off-hand manner, but his words did not express the +thoughts in his mind.</p> + +<p>It was the faithful Bassett who finally went home with Campbell and +accompanied him to the theater in Greensboro. At dinner Bassett put in a +few words of praise for Tracey and phrased them in such a way that +without telling any actual falsehoods he gave the impression that the +game with Dale had been an important one and that Tracey had been +chiefly responsible for saving Ridgley from defeat.</p> + +<p>Tracey took the compliments gracefully and even denied that he had done +<i>quite</i> as much as Bassett asserted.</p> + +<p>"You mustn't be <i>too</i> modest, Tracey," declared Mrs. Campbell in her +shrill voice. "Take the credit that's <i>due</i> you. I suppose this means +you've won the letter that you talk so much about."</p> + +<p>"You know about as much football as a porcupine, Ma!" exclaimed Tracey. +"A fellow has to play in the Jefferson game to get his R."</p> + +<p>"Well I'm glad you've proved that you've got the goods," declared +Campbell, senior. "If you do as well in the big game I might be +favorable toward giving you that racy runabout you've been nagging me to +buy you."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<h3>DISCOVERIES</h3> + + +<p>That third week in November at Ridgley School was like the home stretch +in a mile race. The finish was in sight and the victory could be lost or +won by what was about to take place. The Ridgley team was +trailing—every one admitted that—but by a magnificent burst of speed +it might yet come abreast of its rival—and might even snatch the +victory. Nothing is impossible; we can do it if we have the spirit: that +was the word on every one's lips—spirit not alone in the team but in +the heart of every son of Ridgley,—such a spirit through the whole +school that those eleven fellows in whom rested the entire hope of +several hundred should go on the field with the conviction that however +well the Jefferson team played, the Ridgley team would play better.</p> + +<p>There were mass meetings at which Coach Murray and Neil Durant and +prominent members of the team spoke. All of them made the point that +victory depended on the spirit of the whole school as well as on the +team. At the meeting on Monday night in Lincoln Hall after Neil Durant +had spoken, some one in the crowd yelled, "We want Teeny-bits," and the +cry was instantly taken up by others until in the space of a few seconds +the whole hall was resounding to the concerted clamor for the smallest +and the newest member of the eleven.</p> + +<p>There was some little delay, for Teeny-bits, surprised and dismayed, had +settled himself lower in his seat, hoping thereby to escape detection +until a demand had started for some other member of the team. But the +Ridgleyites who were sitting beside him yelled, "Here he is!" and Neil +Durant, perceiving him at last, leaped down from the platform and laid +hold on him with vigorous hands. In a second or two Teeny-bits was +standing up there facing the school with such a shout of greeting +ringing in his ears that his head swam a little. There was no room for +the slightest doubt that the sons of Ridgley liked this quiet, +unassuming, new member of the school and that they admired his manner of +saying little but doing much. The school would have excused Teeny-bits +if he had stammered a bit and sat down to cover his embarrassment, but +there was no need for excuses of any sort. Teeny-bits suddenly found +that he had something to say and he said it in a manner that brought the +already enthusiastic crowd to its feet.</p> + +<p>"I want to tell you," he said, "that I'm glad Jefferson has such a good +team; every one says it's the best their school has ever produced. +That's something worthy to strive for—to beat their <i>best ever</i>—and I +know that every member of our team has his mind and heart and <i>soul</i> +made up to meet Jefferson more than halfway and to fight so hard for +Ridgley that when the game is over there'll be shouting and bonfires on +our hill."</p> + +<p>That was all Teeny-bits said but he spoke with a manner that almost +brought tears to the eyes of those loyal sons of Ridgley whose faces +were turned up toward him where he stood in the bright lights of the +platform. A hoarse shout of confidence and satisfaction shook the hall.</p> + +<p>Instead of jumping down and returning to his seat, Teeny-bits left the +platform by the back way and hurried out of the building by the rear +door. He wanted to be alone just then. The November night air was cool +on his flushed face and he strode swiftly toward his room, thinking of +all the things that had happened to him in the few short weeks since he +had come to Ridgley and of all the friends he had made. Never had he +seen the campus so deserted; every one was at the mass meeting, it +seemed. There were lights only in the entries of the dormitories. He +took a short cut across the tennis courts and approached Gannett Hall +from the rear.</p> + +<p>When the grayish-white bulk of the building was only twenty-five yards +away, Teeny-bits heard a sudden sound that caused him to gaze upward. +What he saw instantly dispelled from his mind the pleasant thoughts in +which he had been absorbed. A window in the third story was open; +stretching downward from it was one of the fire-escape ropes with which +each room was equipped. Some one was letting himself downward by sitting +in the patent sling and allowing the rope to slide slowly through his +hands. Teeny-bits stepped behind one of the beech trees that grew close +to the building. While he watched, the person on the rope came down even +with the second story. There he paused, resting his feet on the ledge of +a window. In a moment he had raised the sash and had climbed inside.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits remained behind the tree, peering upward and wondering if he +had hit upon the solution of the mystery of the petty thefts. Inside the +room on the second floor a dim light shone for a moment and then went +out; the thief was using a flashlamp. Teeny-bits' first thought was to +notify some one in authority, but he quickly made up his mind that he +would do better to observe developments and to stay on watch until the +thief should come out.</p> + +<p>Close to the wall of the building grew some shrubs which seemed to offer +a better vantage point from which to watch. Teeny-bits stepped quickly +among them and crouched down so that, as seen from above, the dark +shadow of his body would seem to be part of the shrubbery. Looking +upward he could see any object on the side of the building outlined +clearly against the starlit sky. Two or three minutes after he reached +this new place of concealment a foot was thrust out of the second story +window above him; some one climbed out and after closing the window +began to clamber swiftly upward, using his hands on the rope and his +feet against the wall.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits at once recognized the person who was performing this +suspicious-appearing bit of acrobatics but he was astounded by his +discovery. The person who was fast making his way upward, who even now +had reached the third story and was climbing into the open window, was +none other than Snubby Turner, the genial and innocent-appearing +quarter-back of the scrub team. In the first place it was almost +unbelievable that Snubby with his tremendous interest in the approaching +football game should be absent from the mass meeting; in the second +place it seemed even more incredible to Teeny-bits that this friend of +his should be guilty of stealing the property of his schoolmates.</p> + +<p>The newcomer at Ridgley remained standing in the bushes as if frozen to +the spot. He was revolving in his mind many things: Snubby's seemingly +frank and happy manner, the fact that it was he who had first reported a +loss, his interest in the subsequent thefts. It seemed impossible; and +yet here was indisputable evidence that Snubby had chosen a moment when +the dormitory was deserted to break into one of the rooms.</p> + +<p>Whose room was it, anyway? Teeny-bits, still looking upward, suddenly +realized that the room into which Snubby had broken was Tracey +Campbell's; confusing thoughts were still sweeping through his mind when +he became aware that some one who was stepping swiftly along the walk +that passed close behind the hall was almost upon him. Teeny-bits never +knew just why he followed the sudden impulse that came over him. His +first thought was that he did not want any one to see him standing there +in the shrubbery apparently without reason; he started to crouch, but +his quick movement caught the eye of the person who was passing. The +footfalls came to a sudden pause, and a voice, which Teeny-bits +recognized as that of Mr. Stevens, the English master, called out:</p> + +<p>"Who's that?"</p> + +<p>With a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, Teeny-bits stepped +out of the bushes and said:</p> + +<p>"It's Findley Holbrook—" and then, as if for good measure, he added his +nickname—"Teeny-bits."</p> + +<p>"What's up?" asked Mr. Stevens.</p> + +<p>The question was put pleasantly, but Teeny-bits knew that behind it +there must be wonder and suspicion—yes, surely suspicion—for it was +not an ordinary circumstance to find a member of the school concealing +himself close to the rear windows of one of the dormitories when all the +rest of the school was absent at a mass meeting. For the life of him +Teeny-bits could think of nothing to say—he had made up his mind +instantly not to tell what he had seen—and there did not seem to be +anything else left. For seconds that seemed like hours he did not answer +Mr. Stevens' question and then he managed to get a few words across his +benumbed lips.</p> + +<p>"It's nothing," he said. "I just—I'm—I was coming back from the mass +meeting."</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens looked at him keenly and laid a hand on his shoulder. +"What's the matter, Teeny-bits?" he asked, and the newcomer at Ridgley +knew from the very fact that the master addressed him by his nickname +that he expected a straightforward answer.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits looked at Mr. Stevens in dumb misery and said nothing.</p> + +<p>"Can I help you?" asked Mr. Stevens.</p> + +<p>"No," said Teeny-bits. "Thanks, but I'm just going up to my room; that's +all."</p> + +<p>They walked round to the front of the hall together; Mr. Stevens said +nothing more, and Teeny-bits ran up to his room and sat down to think. A +few minutes before the impending struggle with Jefferson had filled his +mind so completely that there seemed to be room for nothing else; now +suddenly this other thing had come upon him and in an instant had +engulfed his mind. Circumstances had involved him in a situation from +which he would have given a year of his life to escape. He suddenly +realized that he valued his good name above everything else.</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells had been away from Ridgley over the week-end, to make an +address in Philadelphia. He came back to the school Monday afternoon and +did not get an opportunity to attend to his mail until evening. One +letter that came to him contained a brief but surprising message. He +read it once and then again, and forgot the rest of his mail. He got up +from his desk chair and walking over to the window looked out into the +night. Voices came to him faintly,—the eager, confident, carefree +voices of youth. He knew that the boys were returning from the mass +meeting. He turned away from the window, drew down the shade and read +again the brief message.</p> + +<p>It never took Doctor Wells long to make a decision; the course of action +he determined on now he quickly put into execution. He reached for the +telephone and in a moment was talking with Mr. Stevens, whose room was +situated in Gannett Hall.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stevens," he said, "I want you to go up to Holbrook's room and ask +him to come over here immediately. I'd like to have you stay with him +until he starts."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was not greatly surprised when Mr. Stevens came into his room +a quarter of an hour after he had said good night to him. When any one +was in trouble Mr. Stevens had a way of dropping round to see how he +could help. Teeny-bits <i>was</i> surprised, however, when the English master +delivered Doctor Wells' message. The first thought that came into his +mind was that Mr. Stevens had reported what he had seen and that Doctor +Wells was calling him to his office to request an explanation. Mr. +Stevens may have read his thought for he looked at Teeny-bits rather +searchingly and said:</p> + +<p>"I don't know why Doctor Wells wants to see you; I haven't talked with +him since he returned except to answer the request that has just been +made. If you need me in any way, let me know."</p> + +<p>That was the second time the English master had offered himself.</p> + +<p>"I guess there isn't anything you can do," said Teeny-bits as he picked +up his hat and started out of the room. "I'll run over to the office and +see what Doctor Wells wants."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits' heart was pounding a little as he mounted the granite steps +of "The White House", as every one called Doctor Wells' home. It was +always an impressive thing to make a call on Doctor Wells—and one +calculated to make the blood run a little faster, whatever the errand. +There was something about this summons, moreover, that gave it an +unusual quality, and to Teeny-bits, who had passed through two +experiences that evening, it seemed to be a climax that held for him +vague and perhaps unpleasant possibilities. He rang the bell and was +ushered immediately into Doctor Wells' study where the soft lamplight, +the paintings on the walls and the garnet-colored rugs, which harmonized +with the mahogany furniture, gave an atmosphere of dignity and +refinement. One always carried himself with a certain feeling of awe—at +least every member of the school did—in Doctor Wells' office. But there +was no unpleasant formality in Doctor Wells' manner. He shook hands with +Teeny-bits cordially, asked him to sit down and came to the point +immediately.</p> + +<p>"I received a letter in the mail to-day which has something to do with +you, Holbrook. I thought you'd better see it immediately. It isn't a +pleasant subject and I want you to tell me frankly what you know about +it."</p> + +<p>He handed over a sheet of paper on which were three or four lines of +typewritten words. They were simple enough in their meaning, but +Teeny-bits had to read them twice before he completely grasped their +import. There were two sentences:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Holbrook has the things that were stolen from the dormitories. He +keeps them hidden under the floor in his closet.</p></div> + +<p>Teeny-bits' face became red with anger and mortification; he looked +Doctor Wells squarely in the eyes and said:</p> + +<p>"Whoever sent you this, sir, wrote a lie! He didn't dare to sign his +name!"</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells never took his eyes from Teeny-bits' face, but the +expression in them underwent a slight change; it was as if he had been +looking for something that he greatly wanted to see—and suddenly had +seen it.</p> + +<p>"I believe in you, Holbrook," he said. "And I want you to know that I +sympathize with you as I would with any one else against whose honesty a +cowardly assault has been made. One has to defend himself sturdily +against such underhand attacks. Have you any enemies who might try to +injure you in this way?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know; I shouldn't think that any one in <i>this</i> school would be +mean enough to do it. Doctor Wells, I want you to come over to my room +now, and let me prove that it's a lie."</p> + +<p>"I'll be glad to," said the Head, "but we might as well wait a few +minutes until the lights-out bell rings. We don't need to advertise our +business to any of the fellows in Gannett Hall."</p> + +<p>For fifteen minutes Teeny-bits sat in the study with Doctor Wells; he +never remembered in detail what they talked about, but he had a vague +memory that it concerned football and the game with Jefferson.</p> + +<p>Gannett Hall was dark and quiet when the Head and the newcomer to the +school stole softly up the stairs and stopped at Number 34 on the third +floor. Teeny-bits unlocked the door, reached in to switch on the +electric lights and stood aside to let Doctor Wells enter first. He +followed and led the way directly to the closet where he kept his +clothes. Swinging open the door he looked down.</p> + +<p>At first glance it seemed that the boards were not in any way disturbed +from their normal appearance, and Teeny-bits was about to speak when his +eyes fell on a groove at the point where the ends of two boards came +together. He had not for an instant supposed that he and Doctor Wells +would discover anything in the closet, but now suddenly a great fear +came over him.</p> + +<p>"There's a mark on this board," he said, getting down closer, "and the +nails have been pulled out."</p> + +<p>A minute or two later Teeny-bits and Doctor Wells had pried up the loose +boards with a heavy paper-knife from Teeny-bits' table and were gazing +down at a small pile of loot which consisted of the objects that various +members of the school had reported as lost. It included Fred Harper's +silver sailing trophy, Ned Stillson's gold knife, Snubby Turner's watch +and ten or a dozen other trinkets. Teeny-bits felt stunned. Doctor Wells +had picked out the articles one after another before Teeny-bits found +his voice. Then he said:</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you think, Doctor Wells, but the honest truth is that +I didn't know a thing about this. I can't even guess—"</p> + +<p>He could say no more; his voice broke a little and he felt as if he were +half a dozen years younger and about to cry in little-boy manner.</p> + +<p>"Teeny-bits," said Doctor Wells—it was the second time that night that +Findley Holbrook had been thus addressed by a person in authority at +Ridgley—"I've said once that I believe in you; this doesn't shake my +confidence in your honesty. I'll take charge of these things; I think +you'd better go to bed now and let me see what I can do to solve the +problem. I'll borrow this empty laundry bag."</p> + +<p>After Doctor Wells had gone, Teeny-bits undressed and got into bed, but +for hours he did not fall asleep. He kept thinking of Snubby Turner +climbing down the fire escape. Could it be possible that the genial +Snubby was guilty of stealing from his friends, of professing to have +lost property himself and finally of attempting to throw the blame on +another? It seemed unbelievable. But why had Snubby stayed away from the +mass meeting except to break into the rooms of his classmates? It was +all too confusing. Teeny-bits could evolve no satisfactory explanation. +At two or three in the morning he fell into a troubled sleep during +which he dreamed that he was playing in the Jefferson game and that the +stands were yelling in a tremendous chorus:</p> + +<p>"He's a <i>thief</i>; he's a <i>thief</i>!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<h3>ON THE EVE OF THE STRUGGLE</h3> + + +<p>On the morning after the discovery of the loot hidden under the floor of +the closet at 34 Gannett Hall Teeny-bits awoke with the feeling that he +had been experiencing a nightmare in which disaster and unhappiness had +fastened a death-like clutch upon him. It scarcely seemed possible that +those events with which the evening had been crowded were real.</p> + +<p>The speech at the mass meeting, the discovery of Snubby Turner sliding +down the side of the fire rope and breaking into Campbell's room, the +incident with Mr. Stevens, the summons to Doctor Wells' office, the +visit to Gannett Hall and the astounding secret that revealed itself +when the boards of the closet were lifted,—all those events seemed like +strange imaginings. Teeny-bits jumped from bed and opened the door of +the closet. The little marks that he and Doctor Wells had made with the +paper-knife were sufficient evidence to bring back the reality of each +incident and to plunge Teeny-bits into a gloomy perplexity from which +not even the crisp brightness of the November day or the prospect of the +Jefferson game could divert his mind.</p> + +<p>The worst of it was that there seemed to be nothing that he could do +except await developments; he thought of going to Snubby Turner and +demanding an explanation of the part that Snubby had played in breaking +into Tracey Campbell's room, but he could not bring himself to make what +would be nothing less than a serious accusation of his friend. He +determined to wait.</p> + +<p>Throughout the day it seemed to Teeny-bits that he was leading two +lives,—the one absorbed in the personal problem that had been thrust +upon him, the other concerned with the mechanical performance of the +various duties that came his way. He attended classes, ate his meals and +took part in the regular football practice, but his mind was elsewhere.</p> + +<p>Coach Murray was the first to notice that everything was not quite +right. When the practice was two thirds over he spoke to Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Aren't you feeling fit?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right," replied the half-back.</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid you've been working a little too hard," said the coach. +"We'll call that enough for you to-day."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells had a habit of conferring with Mr. Stevens in matters that +concerned his personal relationship with the members of the school. He +had a great respect for the English master's understanding of character. +On Tuesday morning he summoned Mr. Stevens to his office and put a blunt +question.</p> + +<p>"What do you think of Holbrook—Teeny-bits, as they call him?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I've always liked him," said Mr. Stevens.</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of him?"</p> + +<p>For an instant Mr. Stevens did not answer, and then he said quickly: +"Yes, I——, oh, I'm sure he's all right. In fact, I've considered him +as the same type—though, of course, with a different background—as +Neil Durant; and you know what I think of Neil."</p> + +<p>If Doctor Wells had noticed the slight pause which preceded the English +master's reply, he gave no sign. "I agree with you," he declared. "But I +want to tell you about a puzzling incident that happened last night."</p> + +<p>Briefly, but omitting no important detail, Doctor Wells told Mr. Stevens +of the unsigned letter that accused Teeny-bits, of his conference with +the newcomer and of the visit to Gannett Hall. When the Head described +the discovery of the stolen property beneath the floor of Teeny-bits' +closet, the expression on Mr. Stevens' face changed.</p> + +<p>"You actually found those things in his room!" exclaimed the English +master. He was sitting in the same chair in which Teeny-bits had sat +just twelve hours before.</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells, sitting opposite, smiled slightly at the surprise in Mr. +Stevens' voice; he had heard just such a quality of surprise mingled +with indignation in the voice of Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"It astonishes you as much as it did me," said the Head. "What do you +think of it?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens sat and looked into the fire and did not answer the +question. The room became so quiet that the clock on the mantel seemed +to raise its voice,—as if suddenly it had become animate and wished to +make itself heard. It ticked out a full minute and sixty seconds more +and then—as it were—became silent, for the voice of the English master +drowned it out.</p> + +<p>"That put a real problem up to me," he said. "I didn't know at first +what to do, but I think I see clearly now. Something happened last +night—something I couldn't quite explain; I've been puzzling over it. +Unless I were sure—well sure that you know just what weight to give to +outward appearances, I shouldn't tell you this; everything considered, +however, I think you ought to know it. The incident happened last night +only a few minutes before you asked me to send Holbrook over to you."</p> + +<p>While Doctor Wells listened with an intentness that was revealed by the +lines of his contracted brows, Mr. Stevens described how he had found +Teeny-bits crouching in the shrubbery behind Gannett Hall and mentioned +the newcomer's confusion at being discovered.</p> + +<p>"I've always believed that character inevitably expresses itself in a +person's face," said Doctor Wells, "and I have come gradually into the +conviction that I can read faces. I <i>thought</i> I had made no mistake in +this case—and I think so still. But they say there <i>are</i> exceptions to +the general rule. I don't know—well, for the present, the only thing to +do is to wait. Time is a great revealer of secrets."</p> + +<p>On Wednesday and Thursday the Ridgley football team went through light +signal practice which was intended, as Coach Murray said, to "oil the +machinery" and "polish off the rough spots." Thursday afternoon the +whole school marched down to the field to watch the practice and to test +their cheering and their songs.</p> + +<p>At dark when the team was in the locker building Coach Murray announced +that there would be no practice on Friday. "I want you to <i>forget +football</i> from now until Saturday," he said. "Imagine that no such game +ever existed. To-morrow, go on a little walk somewhere or take it easy +in any way you like, but don't bother your brains with any football +thinking."</p> + +<p>On Friday afternoon Tracey Campbell, at the suggestion of Bassett, +decided to "forget football" by taking a little tour in his father's +automobile. Tracey telephoned home, discovered that the elder Campbell +was out of town, and had little difficulty in persuading his mother to +send the chauffeur over to Ridgley with the car. Tracey suggested that +he might take along one or two members of the football team, but Bassett +made a remark or two that caused the substitute back to change his mind. +After driving to the "mansion" and leaving the chauffeur, Tracey and +Bassett rode out into the country and came back by the way of +Greensboro. Their conversation had been none too pleasant, for there +were certain things between them that furnished grounds for differences +of opinion. But Bassett was clever—more clever than most of the members +of Ridgley School believed him to be—and he had a way of putting his +finger on weak spots and causing irritation that resulted in action. As +on two previous occasions, the pair stopped at Chuan Kai's Oriental +Eating Palace, and there Bassett gave voice to what he considered as a +finality.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, "if Teeny-bits weren't on hand for the game, of course +you'd play in his place, as you deserve to, and then you'd get your +letter and the runabout."</p> + +<p>"Well, he'll be there, so don't worry yourself about that," said +Campbell. "He's on the inside and nothing you can do—got a match? I'm +going to smoke."</p> + +<p>"Didn't you tell me one time that Chuan Kai had a regular den upstairs +where no one ever went—except the Chinks?"</p> + +<p>"I guess so," said Tracey.</p> + +<p>"The trouble with <i>you</i>," was Bassett's next remark, "is that you can't +see a real chance when it's right in front of your nose. Now listen, and +I'll tell you something."</p> + +<p>The result of the conversation that went on between Bassett and Campbell +during the next quarter of an hour was that Campbell finally got up from +the table and said:</p> + +<p>"We'll talk to Chuan Kai."</p> + +<p>As an outcome of what passed between the two members of Ridgley School +and Chuan Kai, an agreement was made which involved the payment of a +certain amount of money. Chuan Kai counted the bills and slipped them +out of sight within the folds of his loose-fitting coat. He had more +than one reason for undertaking to help these two young members of the +white race; they had money which moved from their pockets to his pockets +and they had promised him more; the owner of the building in which Chuan +Kai had established the business of the Oriental Eating Palace was +Campbell, the leather dealer. Third reason, and greatest in the Chinese +mind, was the fact that years ago, but not so long but that the memory +of it was as vivid as a lightning flash on a black night, Campbell—who +had not been above turning his hand to various undertakings that, though +murky of purpose, were productive in returns—had circumvented certain +laws that prevented a yellow man from gaining entrance to the land of +the Americans. The father of this youth held Chuan Kai in the hollow of +his hand, and Chuan Kai knew that a few words spoken to the +enforcers-of-law would send him away from these shores, where living +came so easily, back to China where stalked a specter which he had +reason to fear with the fear of one whose heart trembles like the heart +of a field mouse that hears the cry of the long-taloned owl. Those +reasons trooped through the Oriental's mind as his black eyes shifted +from the face of Campbell to the face of Bassett.</p> + +<p>"You understand," said Bassett. "It's an initiation for one of our +school societies and it must be always a secret—never tell any one we +had anything to do with it. You understand?"</p> + +<p>Yes, Chuan Kai understood; he knew English and he knew well enough what +societies were; this he imagined was a "play" society, the kind with +which young Americans amused themselves, quite unlike some societies he +knew about.</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai called out suddenly two words that sounded to Bassett and +Campbell like "<i>Ka-wah changsee</i>", and within twenty seconds one of the +Chinese waiters stood in the doorway with an expectant look in his eyes. +More words of Chinese like pebbles rattling over stones and falling into +water flowed from the singsong lips of Chuan Kai. The waiter went away +and came back with a broad-shouldered Chinaman whose sleeves were rolled +up, revealing sinewy yellow muscles. Campbell and Bassett guessed that +he came from the kitchen where he had been cutting meat, for his hands +were red and the apron he wore was stained. Chuan Kai spoke to these two +hench-men at some length; they replied in guttural syllables that +signified understanding.</p> + +<p>A little after dark, on that same Friday evening, Teeny-bits came back +from supper at Lincoln Hall and went up to his room. He had taken a walk +with Neil Durant and Ned Stillson and had made up his mind that he would +go to bed early and keep his thoughts away from the things that were +troubling him. He had started to undress and had removed his shirt and +collar, when some one shouted up from below:</p> + +<p>"Oh, Teeny-bits, you're wanted on the telephone."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits pulled on a sweater and went downstairs. In answer to his +inquiry he heard a voice—an unnaturally gruff voice, he remembered +afterwards—telling him startling news. His father, old Daniel Holbrook, +had been hurt—a train had struck him at the station—Teeny-bits was +wanted at home at once.</p> + +<p>Waiting to hear no more, he hung up the receiver and without pausing to +tell any one where he was going, hurried out of Gannett Hall and ran +across the campus toward the hill-road that led down to the village of +Hamilton a mile away. He had covered half the distance when he saw an +automobile just ahead of him standing beside the road. As he approached, +he noticed that, though the lights were out, the engine was running; he +determined to explain the emergency and ask for a ride to the village. +He never made the request, however, for as he came abreast of the car he +heard a sharp whistle close beside him and was suddenly assailed by two +dark figures that sprang upon him and, almost before he could struggle, +bore him to the ground.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits had been in many a rough-and-tumble wrestling match and was +able to take care of himself in competition with any ordinary opponent, +even when weight was against him; he struggled desperately, but within +the space of a very few seconds he realized that he was helpless. At the +first onslaught something that felt like a voluminous cloth had been +thrown over his head and he found himself enveloped in its folds; he +tried to cry out for help, but his voice was muffled and ineffective. +Though unable to see his assailants, he kicked and struck out with +desperation, but all to no avail. His feet were brought together and +fastened with the same material that covered his head and pinioned his +arms to his body. In a moment he felt himself raised from the ground and +realized that he was being lifted into the automobile. Hands fumbled at +the cloth about his head, tightening the folds over his mouth and eyes, +loosening the folds over his nose so that, though he could neither see +nor talk, he could breathe without difficulty.</p> + +<p>The whole attack had been carried out swiftly, and it was so entirely +different from anything that Teeny-bits had experienced that he felt +dazed and bewildered. The automobile was moving rapidly now, as he could +tell by its tremulous motion and its frequent lurches. No sound that +would aid him in identifying his assailants came to his ears, however, +and he could only helplessly await the next development. A cautious +tightening of his muscles convinced him quickly that it was of no use +whatever to strain against his bonds. Whoever these men were who had +bound him in so strange a manner, they had done their work well. Minutes +passed, and still the automobile rolled on swiftly; whither it was +carrying him—north or south or east or west—Teeny-bits had no way of +knowing. Finally it began to move more slowly and after a few moments +vibrated as if passing over cobble-stones.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits knew instantly when it came to a stop, for the vibrations +ceased. Only a moment passed before he felt himself lifted by two pairs +of hands and a moment later realized by the sound and the motion that he +was being carried up a long flight of steps. He heard a door open and +shut and he sniffed a strange odor; food cooking and smoke, it seemed to +suggest, but strange food and strange smoke. Another flight of steps was +mounted, another door was opened, and Teeny-bits felt himself deposited +upon something that seemed like a mattress. He tried to speak, to ask +where he was and what his captors intended, but only muffled mumblings +came from his lips. He heard the door close and knew that he was alone. +A feeling of despair, the equal of which he had never experienced, swept +over him; he was in the power of nameless enemies whose purposes were +unknown and perhaps sinister.</p> + +<p>For a long while Teeny-bits lay in dumb misery, while one dismal thought +after another marched through his mind. On the eve of the big game—the +game in which for long weeks his hopes had been fastened, first with +interest and then with an almost feverish anticipation—he had been +mysteriously spirited away. Now he would not even witness the great +struggle between his school and its ancient rival—to say nothing of +playing and winning his R. But there were other thoughts. What of his +father,—old Daniel Holbrook? Teeny-bits now suspected that the +telephone summons was part of a plan to entice him away from the school, +but, of course, there was a possibility that an accident had occurred +and that even now Daniel Holbrook was hovering between life and death, +and wondering why Teeny-bits did not come to him. There was still +another thought: circumstances had cast about him a cloud of suspicion +which was evident to two persons whose respect he wished to +retain,—Doctor Wells and Mr. Stevens. What would their feeling toward +him be when they learned that he had disappeared from the school without +saying a word to any one? They could arrive at only one conclusion: that +he was guilty of stealing from his schoolmates and that, fearing to face +the charges against him, he had run away like a coward. If the worst +should happen—if he should not come out alive from the predicament in +which he now found himself—his name would be remembered forever as that +of one who had neither honor nor courage.</p> + +<p>Those thoughts seemed to Teeny-bits more than he could bear, and +suddenly a feeling of bitter rage welled up within him against the +unknown enemy who had caused him all this misery. He could not believe +that Snubby Turner had anything to do with it. The only persons in +Ridgley School whom he had reason to suspect were Bassett and Tracey +Campbell. He made up his mind that if he ever escaped from his present +predicament he would go straight to those two members of Ridgley School +and ask them point-blank if they were at the bottom of his troubles. If +they could not come forth with an answer that rang true, he would give +them both a thrashing that they would never forget. He would welcome a +chance to meet them singly or as a pair. He began to struggle at his +bonds and was soon dripping with perspiration from his efforts. After a +time he saw the uselessness of it and, almost exhausted, lay breathing +deeply the close atmosphere of the room.</p> + +<p>The night before the "big game" at Ridgley School resembled the lull +before a storm; word had been passed as usual that the dormitories were +to be quiet and members of the school were to keep away from the rooms +of the football players, who, of course, needed, on this night of all +nights, a sound and long sleep. In Lincoln Hall, at meal time, there had +been a hum of eager conversation: the Jefferson team had arrived in +Hamilton and had gone to comfortable quarters at Grey Stone Inn, three +miles from the school. They would remain at the inn until just before +the game, when they would come to the field in automobiles. Several of +the Ridgleyites who had been in the station at the time of the visitors' +arrival reported that the Jefferson players were "huskies" and that +Norris, the renowned full-back, was the biggest "of the lot." The main +body of Jefferson students would arrive by special train at noon on +Saturday.</p> + +<p>Many a member of Ridgley School on this eve of the great struggle was +filled with a feeling of restlessness; it seemed that the minutes were +dragging with indescribable slowness, that the night would never pass +and that the hour would never come when the referee would blow his +whistle to start the contest upon which the Ridgley hopes and fears were +centered.</p> + +<p>Among those restless spirits who longed for some way to speed the +minutes was Snubby Turner. He had gone down to the Hamilton Station and +had come away not at all reassured by the sight that had met his eyes. +The representatives of Jefferson School were a formidable looking lot, +and it increased Snubby's peace of mind not at all to have had a close +view of Norris' athletic form. He sensed a feeling of overflowing +confidence in these big sons of Jefferson, and he longed to talk to some +one who could dispel his doubts and drive away the insidious fears that +were gnawing at what he called his "Ridgley spirit." In these +circumstances he would have gone to Teeny-bits, or he might even have +imposed upon the hospitality of Neil Durant,—if he had not known that +loyalty to the school demanded that he should not bother any member of +the eleven. He finally sought consolation by going down to the basement +of Gannett Hall to pay a visit to old Jerry. He found the ancient +janitor's assistant leaning back in a rickety chair reading by the light +of an unshaded electric bulb. The old man put the volume down upon his +knee and looked at Snubby with eyes that seemed to be gazing on distant +scenes.</p> + +<p>"What kind of book is that?" asked Snubby. "A novel?"</p> + +<p>Old Jerry thrust his head forward slightly, as if seeing his visitor for +the first time, and said:</p> + +<p>"There's <i>ijeers</i> in this book, I wanter tell yer. It's about an awful +smart feller who had ways of his own in gettin' at the bottom o' +things—kind of a detecative chap."</p> + +<p>Snubby looked at the title and saw that it was "The Mystery of the +Million Dollar Diamond."</p> + +<p>"It does a man good sometimes to exercise his brains on meesterious +happenin's," said old Jerry, "and you know we got plenty o' reason to +study up things o' that sort."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we have; but I'm not half as much interested in that stuff just +now as I am in the Jefferson game. Who do you think's going to win?"</p> + +<p>Old Jerry laid the book carefully aside on his table, looked at his +questioner seriously for a moment and said:</p> + +<p>"I got my ijeers about that too, but it don't do no good to tell +everythin' that is millin' aroun' in your head. Now I once heared of a +feller who had a job forecastin' the weather for a noospaper, and he'd +allus say right out <i>positive</i> whether it 'ud rain or shine—it was +allus goin' to be bright and clear or dark and stormy—and along come a +spell o' weather and every day for a week he said it was going to rain, +and I'll be singed if there was a cloud in the sky all through them +seven days—and the feller lost his job. Now the way I look at the game +is this: we got a big chance to win and we got a big chance to lose, and +if we do the things we oughter do it's goin' to be bright and fair, and +if we do the things we hadn't oughter do it's goin' to be dark and +stormy,—and I got my ijeers which is which. But, as I said, it don't do +too much good to tell <i>everythin'</i> you know."</p> + +<p>"It'll be an awful fight," said Snubby; "a terrible fight every single +minute of the time, and I'll bet you two cents to a tin whistle that +when that Jefferson crowd of heavy-weights gets through they'll know +they've been playing somebody. I wish there were something I could do. +I'm so doggone restless that I don't believe I'll sleep a wink +to-night."</p> + +<p>Old Jerry gave voice to a cackle of mirth. "Bet you'll sleep all right," +he said. "I never yet seen a feller like you that didn't sleep when the +time come for it, and as for helping, I guess you'll do your part if you +keep on believin' that Ridgley School can't be beat and when the game is +goin' on you yell your dumdest to encourage the team."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Snubby, "I suppose you want to go on readin' that +lurid-looking book of yours, so I'll be going up to my room, I guess."</p> + +<p>"It ain't so lurid," said Jerry, "but it's interestin' 'cause it's kind +o' teachin' me how to put two and two together so's they'll figger up to +make four, if you know what I mean, and then I'm a mite stirred up +myself about that game to-morrer and it's quietin' to my nerves."</p> + +<p>So Snubby Turner left his friend in the little basement room, walked +quietly up the stairs to his room and made up his mind that the best +thing for him to do was to turn in.</p> + +<p>Mass meetings, preliminary games and final practice were over and +everything now awaited the climax of the season. By half-past nine +lights were going out in the dormitories and presently quiet reigned +over the white buildings on the hill and the stars, sending down their +radiance from a clear sky, presaged fair weather for the great contest. +The light was out in Teeny-bits' room and no one in the school—with the +exception of two persons—doubted that the smallest member of the eleven +was not sleeping soundly beneath the roof of Gannett Hall.</p> + +<p>Saturday morning dawned as fair as the fairest day in the year; there +was a nip in the air that suggested winter, but as the morning wore on, +the mounting sun mellowed the chill until the "old boys"—men who had +played for Ridgley and Jefferson twenty years before and who had come +back to view once again the immortal combat between the "best school in +all the world" and her greatest rival—slapped each other on the back +and said:</p> + +<p>"Perfect football weather!"</p> + +<p>All roads led to Ridgley—or seemed to—on this day of days. The trains +came rolling into the Hamilton Station, discharged their burdens of +humanity and rolled on. Automobiles by the score climbed the long hill +to the school,—automobiles bearing the fluttering red of Ridgley and +the fluttering purple of Jefferson. There were shouts of greeting and +shouts of gay challenge, honking of horns and a busy rushing here and +there that suggested excitement, anticipation and hopes built high. And +then came the special train from Jefferson—the Purple Express, so +named—bearing hundreds of cheering students and a brass band of twenty +pieces which led the procession into Lincoln Hall to the strains of the +Jefferson Victory Song,—a fiendish piece of music in the ears of +Ridgley's loyal sons, a stirring pean of confidence and challenge in the +ears of those who waved aloft the purple. At Lincoln Hall the Jefferson +guests—according to immemorial custom—sat down to a luncheon that +Ridgley School provided. A year later the compliment would be returned. +The band played, the visitors cheered, the song leader jumped on a table +and swung his arms in time to the latest Jefferson song,—and all +Ridgley School knew that Jefferson was having the time of her life. She +had come to her rival with the best team in her history and she meant to +enjoy every moment of a triumph which she was confident would be +colossal. In all this excitement Teeny-bits' absence was not at first +noticed. At breakfast some one asked for him and some one else said:</p> + +<p>"I guess he's already eaten and gone; he probably didn't want to listen +to our football gossip."</p> + +<p>During the course of the morning two members of the faculty called for +him—Doctor Wells and Mr. Stevens. They had an identical thought in +mind—though neither knew that the other was thinking it. They were busy +in extending the hospitality of Ridgley to the members of the Jefferson +faculty and in greeting the "old boys" who had returned for the big +game, but both wanted to have a word with Teeny-bits,—to tell him that +they had confidence in him and that they knew everything would turn out +right in the end and that they should watch him with special interest +this afternoon and knew that he would forget everything else and play +his best for Ridgley. They left word for him at the dormitory.</p> + +<p>This was no ordinary game of football—Ridgley-Jefferson games never +were ordinary—and this would transcend all past contests between the +two schools. Jefferson was said to be irresistible; the Ridgleyites knew +that the spirit of their team was irresistible, and when two +"irresistible" forces come together something must give way. From +Springfield, the nearest large city, came numerous copies of the +<i>Springfield Times</i> with pictures of all the players and statistics in +regard to age, weight and height. The largest amount of space was given +to Norris, the Jefferson full-back, but Neil Durant came in for his +share and a paragraph was devoted to Teeny-bits who was described in +these words:</p> + +<p>"The Ridgley left-half will be the lightest player on the field; he +cannot be expected to do much against the heavy Jefferson line, but he +has gained a reputation as a shifty runner and deserves to be watched on +open plays."</p> + +<p>At noon, when Teeny-bits did not appear for the special luncheon that +was served to the members of the team in the trophy room of the +gymnasium, Neil Durant and Coach Murray began to make inquiries.</p> + +<p>"Where's Teeny-bits?"</p> + +<p>Nobody had an answer.</p> + +<p>"He'll probably be along pretty soon," said the coach. "He ought not to +be late to-day, though."</p> + +<p>When the luncheon was half-eaten Neil Durant got up and announced that +he was going to send some one to look for the missing member of the +team. He found Snubby Turner and asked him to run up to Gannett Hall and +look for Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>When Snubby came back at the close of the meal with the report that +Teeny-bits was not in his room and that nobody, as far as he could +discover, had seen him all the morning, Neil Durant said:</p> + +<p>"Maybe he went home. We'll probably find him down at the locker +building."</p> + +<p>But when the members of the team arrived at the field half an hour later +in order to prepare themselves leisurely for the game, Teeny-bits had +not appeared.</p> + +<p>"That's mighty queer," Neil said to Ned Stillson. "I can't understand +it. If he doesn't come we'll have to play Campbell in his place—and +somehow I haven't much faith in Campbell. I'm going to call up Mr. +Holbrook at the Hamilton station and find out if he knows anything about +Teeny-bits."</p> + +<p>In answer to Neil's call, Mr. Holbrook's assistant reported that Mr. +Holbrook had gone home to dinner and was not coming back till late in +the afternoon; he was going to the game.</p> + +<p>"The Holbrooks haven't a 'phone in their house, have they?" asked Neil.</p> + +<p>"No, they haven't," came the reply.</p> + +<p>"Well, do you know where Teeny-bits is?"</p> + +<p>"Why, up at the school, I suppose; I haven't seen him," was the answer.</p> + +<p>It was evident that Mr. Holbrook's assistant had no information; Neil +hung up the receiver and said to himself:</p> + +<p>"Well, if his father is coming that's a good sign. When Teeny-bits shows +up, I'll give him a lecture that'll make his hair stand on end."</p> + +<p>At quarter-past one, when the Ridgley team ran out on the field for +warming-up practice, Coach Murray looked over the squad and yelled +sharply:</p> + +<p>"Campbell, get out there in left-half and let me see you show some +<i>pep</i>."</p> + +<p>The tone of his voice was like a whiplash, and every member of the team +knew that he was angry clear through.</p> + +<p>Already the stands were beginning to fill with the friends of Ridgley +and of Jefferson, though the cheering sections were as yet empty. In two +long columns, stepping in time to the music of their respective bands, +the Ridgleyites and the Jeffersonians were marching to the field.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<h3>STRANGE CAPTORS</h3> + + +<p>Teeny-bits Holbrook was not the sort to give up hope quickly. When, +after struggling vainly against his bonds, he had exhausted his strength +and had at last lain back panting for breath, he had begun to think,—to +try in some way to devise a plan that would offer hope of escape. But +there seemed to be no possible loophole, no stratagem or maneuver by +means of which he could win release. Inaction was galling, and, after +lying still for a long time, Teeny-bits again began to struggle and +twist and squirm. These bonds with which his arms and hands and feet and +legs were fastened did not give way under his most violent efforts and, +as previously, he exhausted himself before he had accomplished anything.</p> + +<p>For hours Teeny-bits alternated these periods of struggling and resting. +Twice he was aware that some one came into the room and went +out,—evidently after watching him for a few moments. How much time had +passed since his captors had pounced upon him on the hill road to +Hamilton he had no means of knowing, but it seemed likely that more than +half the night had gone.</p> + +<p>In one of his struggles Teeny-bits rolled off the edge of the mattress +on which he had been lying; to his surprise he did not fall with a crash +some two or three feet, as he would have fallen from a bed of the usual +height, but merely dropped a few inches before coming in contact with +the floor. Evidently the mattress rested on springs that were laid +directly on the boards. Teeny-bits rolled himself this way and that +until he brought up against a wall. He was about to roll in the other +direction when he realized that the folds of cloth that bound him were +caught against something; from the feeling—the slight pull that was +exerted against the movement of his body—he came to the conclusion that +it was a nail. He wriggled a few inches length-wise along the wall, and +the sound of ripping cloth came to his ears,—a sound that brought a +thrill of hope. If the bonds that imprisoned him were too strong to be +broken by the power of his muscles, perhaps he could tear and rip them +by edging himself back and forth against the sharp projection which, +judging by sound, had already effected the beginning of what he desired. +By twisting and turning, he succeeded, in the course of the next five +minutes, in gaining a certain amount of freedom for his arms.</p> + +<p>When Teeny-bits had left his room in Gannett Hall to answer the +telephone call he had pulled on a light sweater. Now it occurred to him +that if he could catch the lower part of the sweater on the nail, he +might, by working his body downward, pull the garment over his head and +carry with it the stout cloth in which he was still swathed. At the cost +of some skin scraped from his back, he got the nail fastened in the +sweater and gradually succeeded in turning it inside out. In a minute or +two he said to himself, exultantly, he would have his hands free, and +then it would be quick and easy work to untie his feet.</p> + +<p>At that moment, when escape was almost within his grasp, dreaded sounds +came to his ears,—the opening of the door and the shuffle of running +feet. Teeny-bits was in a hopeless position to make any resistance; the +folds of tough cloth which had been wound about his body, pinioning his +arms, had been pulled upward with the sweater until the whole mass was +bunched across the top of his bare shoulders, and though he was able to +move his arms slightly, he was still so tangled that he could do nothing +except await whatever fate was in store for him. Two persons came into +the room; he heard them speak sharply and knew then that they were +Chinese; there was no mistaking the outlandish inflection of vowel and +consonant. In a second rough hands were laid upon him and he was dragged +away from the wall. He gave a few last futile wrenches and then lay +still, face down, on the floor.</p> + +<p>His captors had him at their mercy; they could do with him what they +wished. One of them was pulling at the folds of cloth; Teeny-bits could +feel the man's hands on his bare back. Suddenly the hands paused in +their work; then the sweater was pushed an inch or two higher and there +came to Teeny-bits' ears one of the strangest sounds that he had ever +heard: an exclamation, a startled cry in syllables that, though wild and +meaningless in themselves, conveyed an unmistakable effect,—discovery +and the highest degree of astonishment. This strange cry was answered in +kind by another voice, and Teeny-bits felt the two Chinese fumbling at +his back with trembling fingers. To his surprise he realized, after a +moment, that they were loosening the bonds, that they were freeing his +arms and legs and removing the folds over his mouth and eyes.</p> + +<p>In a few moments Teeny-bits sat up and looked about him; he had the same +sensation that a person sometimes experiences on waking at night in a +room away from home and finding the walls too near or too far and +windows where they should not be. He had imagined himself in a wide, +high, dimly lighted room with two villainous-looking desperadoes bending +over him with weapons plainly displayed. He found himself in a +low-ceilinged, box-like, little room lighted by a flaring gas jet, with +two astonished-looking Chinese gazing at him with slant eyes that seemed +to be almost popping from their heads. They were jabbering their +outlandish tongue up and down the singsong scale as if here before them, +sitting on the floor, were a new species of being, newly discovered and +strange beyond imagination. Teeny-bits did not know what to make of +them; he blinked his eyes and remained sitting there, wondering what +would happen next. Both of the Chinese seemed to be asking him questions +and they were pointing at him in a way that brought the thought to +Teeny-bits that they were both insane. Then he suddenly realized what +was the cause of their excitement—one of them came closer and pointed +down at his shoulder—at the terra-cotta colored mark which had excited +comment at Ridgley School because it so strikingly resembled a +dagger-like knife with a tapering blade and a thin handle.</p> + +<p>"What's the idea of all this business?" demanded Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>The Oriental who stood beside him bent down and touched the mark as if +trying to discover if it were real. He called out something to his +companion and a flow of words passed between them.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits stood up stiffly and began to pull on his torn sweater, while +the two Chinese watched him with fascinated eyes.</p> + +<p>"Why did you bring me here?" he demanded. "Are you <i>crazy</i>, or what <i>is</i> +the matter with you?"</p> + +<p>The two Chinese blinked at him vacantly; either they did not understand +English or pretended not to. Suddenly one of them got down on his knees +and began a queer song-like jabbering in which his companion joined.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits did not wait to listen, but began to move toward the door; he +expected the men to jump in front of him and bar the way, but neither of +them stirred until he was actually stepping out of the room. Teeny-bits +ran stiffly down a dimly lighted flight of steps, then down another +flight and out into a dark alleyway. Behind him he could hear the soft +pattering of feet; the two Chinese were not far in the rear. Determined +to waste no time in escaping, he dashed down the alley and came into a +dark street; he ran faster and faster as the stiffness in his legs +lessened, turning into one street after another, and he did not stop +until he was breathing hard and had left the place of his captivity +several hundred yards behind. He looked back then and listened. +Apparently he had distanced pursuit, for no sounds of pattering feet +came to his ears and he caught no glimpse of the two Chinese who had +acted so strangely.</p> + +<p>At any rate he was free,—though he did not know where he was; the +streets down which he had been running were deserted; the houses were of +brick tenement structure and stood close together. He went on at a swift +walk, turning every few steps to look over his shoulder, and presently +he came to a building which he recognized. It was the market that faced +Stanley Square in Greensboro, a yellow brick building with a tall tower +and a clock. As Teeny-bits gazed upward, trying to read the position of +the hour hand in the half-light of the street lamps, the big timepiece +boomed out two strokes. It was two o'clock.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits turned south along Walnut Street in the direction of +Hamilton. When he had attended the high school in Greensboro he had gone +twice each day on his bicycle over the four miles of road between the +village and the bustling young city. He now set out at a swift walk, and +as soon as he had passed the outskirts of Greensboro, he jogged along at +a pace that kept him warm, in spite of his scanty attire and the nipping +air.</p> + +<p>Twice, while still on the city streets, he had passed belated +pedestrians and once he had glimpsed a policeman under a street lamp. He +had not paused, however, for his one desire was to get home and to +discover if his father had been injured. It had occurred to him that +perhaps he should report his experience to the police, but the thought +then came to him that they might detain him,—and the one thing that he +wanted now was freedom. So he went on swiftly toward Hamilton and before +three o'clock was approaching the house that he had always known as +home. All of the windows were dark,—a reassuring sign. If anything +terrible had happened, surely there would be a light in the house.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits went round to the rear and tried the kitchen windows till he +found that one was unlocked. Cautiously he let himself in; he did not +intend to waken father and mother Holbrook unless there was evidence +that something had happened. The kitchen was warm, and the cat, which +always slept in a chair beside the woodbox, jumped down softly to the +floor and came over to rub her body against his leg. Teeny-bits reached +down and stroked the cat's soft coat; somehow, the contented purring of +the creature convinced him that nothing was wrong in the house. He +unlaced his shoes and tiptoed upstairs; in the hall he paused to listen; +the quietness of the house was broken only by a faint but regular +breathing; it came from the bedroom where old Daniel Holbrook slept. So +all was right, after all.</p> + +<p>With a great feeling of relief, Teeny-bits groped his way along the hall +to the rear and opened the door to his own room. Suddenly he felt very +tired and it seemed to him that he could not get into bed quickly +enough. He pulled off his clothes, raised one of the windows, and in a +moment had settled down upon the comfortable mattress and had pulled the +covers up to his chin. He said to himself that he would sleep a little +while and early in the morning hurry up to the school. A pleasant +feeling of relaxation stole over him, his thoughts merged into drowsy +half-dreams and almost immediately he sank into a slumber deeper than +any he had experienced for many days.</p> + +<p>He slept on and on; morning light came softly in at the curtained +windows; in the front of the house his father and mother rose and went +downstairs, and after a time old Daniel Holbrook went leisurely to his +duties at the station. Still Teeny-bits slept his deep sleep and only +the cat knew that he was in the house.</p> + +<p>Just after twelve o'clock Daniel Holbrook came home to dinner; he +stopped in the back yard for an armful of wood and entering the kitchen, +dropped it in the box beside the stove. The rumble penetrated to the +rooms above, and Teeny-bits sat up abruptly in bed, wide awake in a +flash. This was the day of the big game; it was morning; he must hurry +up to the school; he began hunting in the closet for fresh clothes and +pulling them on in desperate haste. He was two thirds dressed when his +door was pushed slowly open and father and mother Holbrook peered +cautiously in; the look that he surprised on their faces was so +ludicrous that he laughed.</p> + +<p>"Land sakes alive, Teeny-bits!" cried Ma Holbrook. "What a tremulo you +gave me. How'd you get here? Your pa and I heard you movin' around and I +thought sure it was burglars!"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits sat on the edge of the bed and laughed and laughed,—it +seemed so good to see them both alive and well; and old Daniel Holbrook, +holding the dangerous-looking stick of wood that he carried up from the +kitchen to use in dealing with burglars, slapped his thigh and laughed +harder than Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Don't tell me you've been here all night!" he said at last.</p> + +<p>"I came in through the kitchen window after you were asleep and I didn't +want to disturb you," said Teeny-bits. "I was looking for a good sleep +before the big game."</p> + +<p>"I guess you got it <i>all right</i>," said Daniel Holbrook.</p> + +<p>"What time is it?" asked Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>The station agent hauled out his big silver watch, looked at it +critically and announced: "Twenty-nine minutes past twelve."</p> + +<p>"Past <i>twelve</i>!" repeated Teeny-bits. "It can't be."</p> + +<p>Daniel Holbrook swung round the face of the watch and proved the +correctness of his statement. "Kinder late for a boy to be gettin' up," +he remarked with a chuckle.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits had made an instant resolve that this kindly couple who were +father and mother to him should not be burdened with his troubles. He +jumped to his feet and cried:</p> + +<p>"The game starts in an hour and a half; I've got to hustle up there."</p> + +<p>"Not until you've eaten," said Ma Holbrook, firmly. "Dinner's ready this +minute."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits did a bit of swift mental calculation; the team was already +at lunch; he could not reach the gymnasium in time to be with them; it +would be better to eat here and join the squad at the field.</p> + +<p>"I don't want much," he said. "Just a little and then I'll have to go."</p> + +<p>"I'll hitch up Jed," said Daniel Holbrook, "and we'll all ride up +together; your ma and I were intendin' to start pretty soon, anyway."</p> + +<p>Thus it happened that Teeny-bits Holbrook rode up to the game behind the +sorrel horse and arrived at the locker building fifteen minutes before +the contest was scheduled to begin. While the sound of the preliminary +cheering and singing rang in his ears he pulled on his football togs in +frantic haste, dashed out of the building and ran along behind the +stands until he came to the opening that led underneath to the field +itself. He appeared at the players' shelter just as Coach Murray was +about to shout out the order for Neil to bring the team in off the +field.</p> + +<p>Mr. Murray's features wore an expression that was sterner than any that +had been seen on his face that fall. The Ridgley team had been +experiencing a species of stage fright. It seemed that Neil Durant was +the only one of the back-field who could hold the ball. Campbell and +Stillson and Dean had fumbled again and again, and Campbell was the +worst of the three. When the coach saw Teeny-bits he closed his mouth +with a click and looked the left-half back through and through with eyes +that blazed; he laid rough hands on the newcomer's shoulders and said in +a voice that rasped:</p> + +<p>"Do you want to play in this game?"</p> + +<p>As Teeny-bits had come running from the locker building and heard the +volume of cheering, the fear had grown larger and larger that he was too +late—that the game had started, that he had lost his chance. He felt an +overwhelming eagerness and he meant every word of his answer to Coach +Murray's question.</p> + +<p>"I think I'll <i>die</i> if you don't let me," he said, and his face wore +such a look of earnestness and appeal that the coach's grim expression +relaxed a little.</p> + +<p>"Don't stop to explain why you 're late—I hope you have a good +excuse—but run out there and tell Campbell to come in."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<h3>THE GREAT GAME</h3> + + +<p>Teeny-bits raced out on the field as if he had been shot from a cannon. +The greeting that the team gave him was very different from the one that +they had accorded him that day a few weeks before, when he had run out +to take his place as a regular after the injury to White.</p> + +<p>"Here's Teeny-bits!" some one yelled.</p> + +<p>A chorus of shouts greeted the half-back, and Neil Durant came running +to meet him halfway.</p> + +<p>"I ought to <i>murder</i> you right now," said the captain, "but I'm so glad +to see you I'll wait till after the game. Gee, I'm <i>glad</i> you've come."</p> + +<p>By this time half a dozen of the team were slapping Teeny-bits on the +back and he had slipped into his position behind the line. Campbell had +needed no word to inform him that he was relieved of his duties at +left-half; he had given Teeny-bits one startled glance and had headed +for the side line. Dean called out the signals while the team ran +through a series of plays. "Come on now; we're all here; let's go," +cried Neil, and the team responded with a snap. The Ridgley cheering +section had noticed the advent of Teeny-bits and a buzz of conversation +went around, for his absence during the warming-up had been the subject +of increasing comment.</p> + +<p>Down at the other end of the field the Jefferson team was running +through signals and trying punts and drop kicks. Simultaneously the +teams ceased their practice and gathered at the two benches at opposite +sides of the field. Neil Durant, Norris and the referee then met in +mid-field and flipped a coin for choice of goals. There was little +advantage, for almost no wind was stirring, but Norris, who won the +toss, quickly chose the south goal and a moment later the two teams ran +out and took their places. Ridgley was to kick off to Jefferson.</p> + +<p>Neil Durant helped Ned Stillson set the ball on the mound of earth and +Ned drew back a few yards. A hush had settled over stands and field; +down in the shadow of the south goal posts stood Norris, bending +slightly forward, eager to get the ball in his arms; in front of him +were his team-mates spread out to cover their half of the field. Just +beyond the center was the line of Ridgley players. Suddenly these eleven +players moved, the referee's whistle cut the hush, the ball went sailing +down the field and shouts arose from every quarter of the stands. The +moment had at last arrived; the big game was on.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits felt keen and fit; his long sleep had completely refreshed +him. As he raced down the field one thought was in his mind: to get into +the play and tackle whatever Jefferson man caught the ball. Ned Stillson +had made a clever kick-off; the leather oval flew to the right of Norris +and settled into the arms of one of his team-mates, who had dashed +forward only ten yards when Neil Durant met him with a clean, hard +tackle and brought him solidly to earth. Even such a small incident as +that evoked a howl of delight from the Ridgley stands, for such was the +reputation of Jefferson that there were those who fearfully expected to +see the wearer of the purple dash through the whole Ridgley team and +score a touchdown at the first effort. The cheer leader ordered the +short Ridgley yell for the team and the stand responded with a hoarse +roar. There was scarcely a son of Ridgley gazing down on the field but +whose teeth were gritted together, whose breath was coming fast, and +whose voice as he shouted encouragement to the team was like the voice +of a man hurling defiance to a mortal enemy.</p> + +<p>As the two teams lined up for the first scrimmage, Teeny-bits got his +first close view of Norris. The famed full-back of the purple was of +about Neil Durant's height, of an impressively powerful build, but not +so heavy as to appear sluggish. He looked the Ridgley team over with +steady, appraising eyes; his face was keen and determined,—the very +look of him indicated that he was on the field for business.</p> + +<p>The Jefferson quarter was snapping out the signals; his voice cut the +medley of shouts that echoed back and forth across the field like the +shrill voice of a dog barking in a tempest. Suddenly the ball moved and +the first scrimmage was on. The Jefferson right half-back had the ball +and the play was aimed at center; big Tom Curwood, however, was equal to +the occasion; he stopped the play before the purple-clad son of +Jefferson had covered a yard beyond the Ridgley line.</p> + +<p>A second wild howl of delight went up from the Ridgley stands; those two +small incidents, the quick downing of the runner after the kick-off and +the stiff stand of the Ridgley line on this first play from regular +formation, had brought a sudden feeling of confidence. Down there on +that white-lined field the wearers of the red had begun to show that +they could hold their own. But the next play—an end run by the +left-half, who made seven yards and advanced the purple within two yards +of first down—brought a thunderous roar from the other side of the +field.</p> + +<p>The Jefferson captain now stepped back into kicking position. The ball +was snapped as if for a punt, but Norris, instead of kicking, started +around the Ridgley right end. Neil Durant went over swiftly, but one of +the Jefferson backs formed perfect interference and the big wearer of +the purple, evading the Ridgley end and the captain went through into an +open space,—and almost before the Jefferson stands had begun to shout +encouragement to him had covered twenty yards.</p> + +<p>It was Teeny-bits running diagonally across the field who finally made +the tackle. To the Ridgley left-half a strange feeling had come as he +saw Norris break away; it had seemed to him, for a brief instant, that +anything he could do would be of no use whatever. In the next moment he +found himself almost upon Norris and before he had time to think he had +made a tackle that turned the despairing groans of the Ridgley +supporters into a yell of relief. The great Jefferson full-back had been +stopped dead by the smallest man on the field. Norris got to his feet +and looked at Teeny-bits with the same expression of interest that had +appeared on the faces of the Ridgley regulars weeks before when +Teeny-bits had made his first appearance with the scrub.</p> + +<p>"Some tackle!" he exclaimed, and grinned, as much as to say: "Well, +well, that's pretty good for a little fellow."</p> + +<p>In the scheme of plays as outlined before the game by Coach Murray, +Ridgley when on the defensive was always to keep an eye open for Norris. +Neil Durant had been told off to watch the Jefferson captain; it was his +duty to shift his position always in accordance with any shift that +Norris made. Of course the Ridgley ends—and every member of the team +for that matter—had been drilled to be "in" on every play; upon Neil, +however, had been placed the responsibility of seeing that the purple +leader did not escape into an open field. But if Ridgley was watching +Norris, Jefferson was watching Durant, and Neil found himself, as the +game went on, more and more the target of Jefferson players who were +quick to realize that Durant had been given the responsibility for +stopping their captain. When Norris carried the ball, Neil, coming in +swiftly to intercept him, time and again found his way blocked by a +Jefferson player who flung himself across his path.</p> + +<p>After the twenty-yard run by the Jefferson captain there was a +succession of line plunges which gained first down for the purple; then +came another end run by Norris which brought the ball beyond the middle +of the field. Here the Ridgley team made a stand that the newspaper +reporters later described as a "stone-wall defense"; after three tries +Jefferson had succeeded in advancing the ball only five yards. Whipple, +of the purple team, then sent a long spiral punt down the field; the +leather oval flew over the head of Dean, rolled across the goal line and +was brought out twenty yards to be put in play by the Ridgley team.</p> + +<p>For the first time Ridgley had an opportunity to carry the ball, and the +cheer leader, who had been gyrating frantically in front of the stands +where the red color was waving, called for a cheer with three "Teams" on +the end.</p> + +<p>Dean gave the signal for Ned Stillson to carry the ball. Ned responded +by dashing into a hole that big Tom Curwood made for him at center and, +to the unmeasured delight of every son of Ridgley, advanced seven yards +before he was brought to earth. On the next play Neil Durant slid around +right end for a first down and it was now the turn of the red to wave +aloft its colors. The Ridgley quarter-back then gave the signal 7, 16, +11, which indicated a double-pass play. The ball came back to Stillson +who, after starting toward the right end, passed to Neil Durant who was +going at a terrific pace in the opposite direction. Teeny-bits' duty was +to form interference for his captain and he suddenly found himself +"Indianizing" the captain of the Jefferson team. It was perfect +interference and although Teeny-bits felt somewhat as if he had come in +contact with a charging locomotive he experienced a thrill of utter joy +as he felt the big Jefferson captain come down upon him and saw Neil +Durant break through. The Ridgley captain used his straight arm on one +Jefferson player, dodged another, and crossed line after line with two +wearers of the purple fiercely pressing him. No Ridgley player was +within reach to form interference, however, and after one of the +Jefferson men had made a desperate attempt to tackle and had rolled on +the ground, the other coming up swiftly brought Neil down on the +thirty-yard line.</p> + +<p>Every one on the west side of the field was standing up, and here and +there hats—not always those which belonged on young heads—were being +thrown into the air. More than one gray-haired man was yelling like a +red Indian on the war path. A feeling of confidence that the victory +would rest with Ridgley swept from one end of the stands to the other. +Friends and strangers were making happy remarks to each other to the +effect that this would be a glorious day for the school on the hill.</p> + +<p>The triumphant feeling was short-lived, however, for on the next play +the Jefferson left end came in swiftly and downed Ned Stillson, who was +carrying the ball, for a loss of three yards.</p> + +<p>A forward pass, Dean to Durant, gained five yards, but the next play met +with a stiff defense and Neil Durant determined that the time had come +to attempt a drop kick. He fell back a few yards, looked for a smooth +spot upon which to drop the ball and a second later delivered the kick. +The Jefferson ends had come in so fast, however, that Neil was forced to +send the ball away hurriedly, and the leather flew wide of the goal +posts.</p> + +<p>While the ball was being brought out to the twenty-yard line, Norris +gathered his players around him for a few seconds. What he said +apparently had an immediate effect, for when the play continued, +Jefferson seemed to be filled with a new spirit. From the twenty-yard +line the eleven invaders advanced down the middle of the field, mostly +by line rushes. At that point they tried a forward pass, and the ball, +when it came to a stop, rested on the Ridgley thirty-five-yard line.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was breathing hard; he had thrown himself into each play with +every ounce of strength and determination at his command and more than +once had helped retard the advance of the purple. Neil Durant, too, had +been strong in defense, but the Jefferson team could not be denied. From +the thirty-five-yard line the purple started a play which brought gloom +to the Ridgley stands. Norris ran with the ball round right end, somehow +succeeded in evading the Ridgley primary defense, dodged both Durant and +Teeny-bits and before the horrified eyes of the members of Ridgley +School dashed madly down the field, over the goal line and round until +he had placed the ball squarely behind the goal posts. On the black +scoreboard a white figure 6 appeared after the name of the visiting +school and a few moments later it was replaced by a 7.</p> + +<p>Jefferson kicked off to Ridgley and the game was on more fiercely than +ever, for Neil Durant's team meant to lose no time in winning back the +superiority which had seemed to be theirs in the opening moments of the +quarter, and the Jefferson players, for their part, meant to amplify +their advantage until it assumed the proportions of the triumph, upon +the attainment of which they had set their hearts.</p> + +<p>All other games—their long succession of victories—were forgotten; the +result they achieved against their ancient rival would overshadow +everything else.</p> + +<p>Ridgley was forced to kick after gaining one first down, by means of a +forward pass, and the ball, once more possessed by Jefferson, was soon +making an advance which influenced some one with a raucous voice in the +purple stands to yell out in a lull of the cheering:</p> + +<p>"It's all over, boys. Bring the undertaker!"</p> + +<p>It did appear that Ridgley was in for a sorry time. Norris was living up +to his reputation and seemed, in spite of the valiant efforts of every +Ridgley player, to have luck always on his side. Once Stillson and +Durant collided as they were about to tackle the Jefferson captain and +the result was a twenty-yard gain which placed the ball again within the +shadow of the Ridgley goal posts. Straight line plunges in which all of +the Jefferson backs shared brought the ball to the Ridgley five-yard +line for first down. Here the team that represented the school on the +hill made a stand for three downs, but on the fourth attempt Norris, +unexpectedly trying the end when a line plunge was anticipated, gained +across the Ridgley goal line and brought the score to 13.</p> + +<p>"Make it a lucky number," Teeny-bits heard the Jefferson captain say to +Whipple who was preparing to kick the goal.</p> + +<p>The Jefferson player followed the instructions of his captain to the +letter,—and the man at the Scoreboard put up the number 14.</p> + +<p>Certain weak spirits in the Ridgley stands now looked at each other with +faces which showed plainly that hope had fled from them, that they now +knew that the Jefferson menace which had been built up week after week +by rumor and also by fact, as represented in scores, was real,—that the +purple team was invincible, that Ridgley had met the irresistible force +and could not by any alchemy of spirit turn defeat into victory.</p> + +<p>Old football players, veterans of school and college struggles, looked +down admiringly on the finely-polished team-work of the Jefferson eleven +and said to themselves that this was <i>good football</i> judged by <i>any</i> +standard.</p> + +<p>A few minutes after the kick-off following the second score of the +Jefferson team, the quarter came to an end and the teams exchanged +goals. In the short rest period Neil Durant gathered his players about +him and said a few things that every member of the eleven long +remembered.</p> + +<p>"Is there any one here," he asked, "who hasn't <i>more</i> fight in him than +he has shown yet?"</p> + +<p>No answer.</p> + +<p>"We've just <i>begun</i> this game and we haven't had our chance to show them +what we can do when we carry the ball. We're going to <i>hold</i> them first +and then we're going to <i>show</i> them something they've never learned."</p> + +<p>They were commonplace words, but they came from the bottom of Neil +Durant's heart and were delivered in such a manner that every member of +the team gained fresh confidence and put back out of the realm of his +thoughts the growing fear of defeat.</p> + +<p>The ball was in Jefferson's possession at the middle of the field. On +the very next play the purple left-half fumbled, and Neil Durant swooped +down on the bouncing ball like a hawk on a sparrow.</p> + +<p>The error seemed to "rattle" the Jefferson team. Dean called for an end +run by Neil Durant and the captain responded by dashing forward for a +fifteen-yard gain. Stillson then added five, and Teeny-bits, who was +called upon to carry the ball for the first time, wriggled and dodged +through the Jefferson team to the fifteen-yard line before he was +stopped. In an attempt to surprise the enemy, Dean called upon +Teeny-bits again, but this time the half-back was stopped almost before +he was under way. Stillson, who carried the ball next, did better and +reached the ten-yard line. Neil Durant then made a line plunge through +an opening that the reliable Tom Curwood created and planted the oval +five yards from the goal line for a first down. Jefferson made a strong +stand, but in four tries the Ridgley team advanced the ball until it +rested a few inches over that last white line, the crossing of which +spelled a score.</p> + +<p>The old-timers in the stands now settled into comfortable positions and +said to each other: "This <i>is</i> a game!"</p> + +<p>Neil Durant's trusty toe sent the ball between the uprights and the game +stood 14 to 7. Through the rest of the second quarter the red team and +the purple team combated each other on equal terms. Neither seemed able +to break the defense of the other and when the whistle sounded for the +close of the first half they were fighting on equal terms in the center +of the field.</p> + +<p>While the stands were singing their songs and exchanging cheers between +the halves the two teams rested in the locker building and listened to +what their respective coaches had to say.</p> + +<p>Coach Murray made his remarks short and to the point. He was entirely +satisfied with the way the team had been playing; he knew that they +could win. He warned them to watch Norris on every play and at the same +time to beware of the Jefferson half-backs, who had proved their ability +to carry the ball. He once more repeated one of the first things that +belonged to his football creed: to watch the ball all of the time and to +be ready, as Neil had been in the case of the Jefferson fumble, to take +advantage of any "break." He also remarked on Dean's good judgment in +running the team and said that he was glad the quarter-back had not +attempted the trick play which the team had practiced during the last +three weeks.</p> + +<p>"The time will arrive for that in this second half," he said. "Be ready +when it comes."</p> + +<p>So deeply was Teeny-bits absorbed in the game that he had failed to +notice that Campbell was not with the team until Curwood called +attention to the fact that the substitute half-back was not in the +locker building.</p> + +<p>"I guess he's sore," some one remarked. "He thought he was going to play +until Teeny-bits showed up."</p> + +<p>All those events that had taken place during the past week seemed to +Teeny-bits more like dreams than realities; the one thing that filled +his mind now was the game and the conviction that Ridgley, in spite of +the score against her, could and <i>would</i> win. He had thrilled to Neil +Durant's and Coach Murray's words and could hardly wait for the second +half to begin.</p> + +<p>Within a few minutes they were on the field again, spread out to receive +the kick-off from Jefferson. The whistle sounded and the ball was in the +air, whirling end over end; it fell into the arms of Ned Stillson, who +ran swiftly behind the interference formed by his mates only to come to +earth with a thump as a heavy Jefferson guard broke through and made the +tackle.</p> + +<p>On the next play Dean exhibited a bit of good judgment that worked to +the advantage of the Ridgley team: noticing that the Jefferson quarter +was dangerously close to the line he saw the chance to slip a punt over +his head. The stratagem worked; the punt that Neil Durant sent away +quickly sailed over the quarter-back's head and rolled down the field to +the Jefferson five-yard line. The quarter ran after it, made a quick +scoop, and attempted to come back but was stopped before he had taken +half a dozen steps.</p> + +<p>Fighting hard, the Ridgley team prevented the visitors from advancing +and forced them to kick from their own goal line. Neil Durant caught the +punt at mid-field and dashed forward ten yards before he was checked. +The moment seemed ripe for a strong Ridgley advance, but Norris and his +men met the attack with a stiff resistance and threw back the first two +attempts for a loss of three yards. Dean, in glancing over the enemy's +line, then saw the opportunity for which he had been waiting; the time +had arrived to try the surprise play. He gave a signal which brought a +thrill to Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>In the two forward-pass formations that the Ridgley team had used +earlier in the game Neil Durant both times had been the man to receive +the ball from Dean. The members of the team now took somewhat obvious +positions and the Jefferson eleven immediately assumed that a forward +pass was being contemplated. One of the tackles even voiced his warning: +"Look out for a pass!" and Norris shifted his position slightly to keep +an eye on the Ridgley captain. Teeny-bits' duty was to dash through to +the left and to get into the open space beyond the Jefferson line.</p> + +<p>The preliminaries of the play worked to perfection. At the snap of the +ball Neil Durant started swiftly to the right and drew after him the +major part of the Jefferson secondary defense. For the moment Teeny-bits +seemed to have been forgotten: it did not occur to the purple players +that, with the big captain running swiftly into position to take the +pass, his smaller back-field team-mate would be the one to receive the +oval.</p> + +<p>As Dean seemed to be in the act of hurling to his captain, Teeny-bits +won through to an open space; suddenly the quarter-back shifted and shot +the ball, bullet-straight, into the hands of the half-back. Teeny-bits +was running toward the Jefferson goal almost before he felt the hard +leather touch his fingers; now or never was the instant to use every +atom of his body in the one purpose of reaching the goal posts that were +straight in front of him,—so near and yet so far away.</p> + +<p>The whole Jefferson team realized in that fraction of a second when they +saw the ball sail into the half-back's arms that their advantage, their +prestige and their hope of glory in the annals of Jefferson football +were at stake. They were after Teeny-bits like wolves on the trail of a +rabbit, but only three of them had a chance to reach the Ridgley player. +The first of these—the quarter-back—made the fatal mistake of +underestimating Teeny-bits' speed. The half-back shifted direction +slightly and eluded the grasp of the purple player. The other two were +slightly in the rear and their only chance was to come up from behind +and overtake the runner by superior swiftness. But they were not equal +to it, and, although they tried valiantly and held their own, they did +not succeed in gaining on the carrier of the ball as he crossed one +white mark after another.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus3" id="illus3"></a> +<img src="images/illus3.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3><span class="smcap">Only three of them had a chance to reach the Ridgley +player.</span></h3> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>A roar like the pounding of a mighty sea against a craggy shore sounded +in Teeny-bits' ears, but it seemed to him distant and detached from the +thing he was doing. For the moment he was a living machine of speed with +only one thought in his mind,—to reach that last white line, to cross +it and to plant the pigskin ball behind the padded goal posts. He did +it,—and lay panting on the ground while Neil Durant came running up and +slapped him on the back and said words to him which Teeny-bits never +remembered.</p> + +<p>The captain kicked the goal which tied the score while a continuous din +of unorganized shouting rose from the Ridgley stands. It was no moment +for organized cheering. The cheer leader himself was leaping up and +down, throwing his megaphone into the air and emitting war whoops which +were drowned and assimilated by the volume of shouts that echoed back +and forth.</p> + +<p>The old-timers up there in the stands now began to breathe fast; this +was not merely a <i>good</i> game of football, it was a <i>wonderful</i> game, a +struggle in which extraordinary playing and fine spirit and brains and +courage were united to make a combat that would live long in the memory +of every person who witnessed it.</p> + +<p>Up where the red was waving aloft, a white-haired man who did not +understand the plays of football very well suddenly found that he had +grasped the idea of this magnificent game. He was thumping the back of +some one whom he had never seen before and giving voice to such yells of +delight that the motherly-looking woman who sat beside him said to +herself that he must suddenly have gone out of his senses.</p> + +<p>"Teeny-bits did something wonderful, then, didn't he?" she shouted in +his ear, and old Daniel Holbrook, her husband, shouted back:</p> + +<p>"You bet your <i>life</i> he did; it was Teeny-bits; he ran all the way over +the home plate or whatever they call it and made a score. I dunno but +he's won the game <i>all by himself</i>."</p> + +<p>In another part of the stands Doctor Wells was sitting beside Mr. +Stevens.</p> + +<p>"That was a magnificent run!" exclaimed the Head. "Magnificent! I +declare—well—now we're even."</p> + +<p>"Yes, we're even!" said the English master. "And I've discovered +something."</p> + +<p>"What?"</p> + +<p>"Well, they say that the head of this school never gets excited, but +just now when Teeny-bits was running you nearly pushed me out of my +seat—and I <i>think</i> I heard a yell that came from your direction."</p> + +<p>"Did I shout?" asked the Head.</p> + +<p>"'Shout' isn't the word," said the English master. "<i>Yell</i> with a +capital Y describes it."</p> + +<p>"Back in '86, I used to play half-back myself," said Doctor Wells. "Here +we are; they're at it again."</p> + +<p>Ridgley kicked off to Jefferson and immediately was subjected to a +fierce assault that taxed the utmost powers of endurance to withstand +it. The Jefferson team was fighting harder than ever and playing with +machine-like smoothness. They carried the ball for twenty-five yards and +then punted, and downed Neil Durant in his tracks. Ridgley fought hard +to advance the ball and gained a first down, then, meeting with no +further success, punted. And so the ball see-sawed back and forth until +the piping whistle of the timekeeper announced the close of the third +quarter.</p> + +<p>A feeling of great happiness and determination had been filling +Teeny-bits' mind during these last few minutes. At the same time a +curious impression had been making itself felt upon him,—an admiration +for this big captain of the Jefferson team who fought so hard and so +cleanly, who rallied his men after each successful assault by the +Ridgley team, and like Neil Durant, inspired them to fight harder and +harder.</p> + +<p>There was no need for talking now. In the brief interval before the last +period of the game began, Neil Durant, looking at his team-mates, saw in +their faces determination and confidence. Nothing that he could say or +that <i>any one</i> could say would alter their conviction that victory +<i>must</i> rest with the red.</p> + +<p>That last period was a phase of the game that could justly be called a +climax. It began with a steady and determined march of the Jefferson +team which, starting from the twenty-yard line, carried the ball forward +by line plunges, by forward passes, by end runs and by sheer, dogged +determination on and on until the purple eleven was within the very +shadow of the Ridgley goal posts and Jefferson seemed to have the +victory within her grasp. A terrific run by the captain planted the ball +on the Ridgley four-yard line for a first down, and there was no person +shouting for the purple who did not believe that he was about to witness +that most glorious of football events—a well-earned touchdown, after a +magnificent march the length of the field.</p> + +<p>Big Tom Curwood was battered, the guards beside him were battered and +the tackles crouched low as if they would welcome a chance to lie down +flat on the brown earth and rest. Neil Durant spoke a word and they +stiffened, the secondary defense moved closer to the line and the whole +team in one mass met the Jefferson charge. Once, twice, and three times +the purple backs plunged into the red line and each time they carried +the ball forward a little more than a yard.</p> + +<p>On that third try the referee dived into the mass in a manner that +suggested to the watchers that the score had been made, but when he +finally got his hands on the ball it was apparent that Jefferson still +needed a few inches. The signal came quickly and the two avalanches of +bone and muscle plunged against each other. The pile subsided and one +after another the players on the fringe drew away until the referee +could see the ball. There was a moment of tense expectancy and then the +official waved his arm in a direction that brought forth a vast yell of +joy from the Ridgley stands. Jefferson had been held; that leather oval +had failed by inches to cross the last thin smear of white.</p> + +<p>The next event in this struggle between the red and the purple was a +kick from behind the goal line by Neil Durant,—the longest punt that +had ever been seen on the Ridgley field. It flew for sixty yards, went +over the head of the Jefferson quarter and rolled down the field end +over end. The purple player finally overtook it and attempted to recover +the lost ground, but Ned Stillson checked his career and Jefferson lined +up on her own thirty-yard line. She bravely attempted to repeat her +heartbreaking advance and gained a first down; but the Ridgley team +suddenly became an impenetrable barrier. A punt a moment later fell into +the arms of Teeny-bits, who carried it back fifteen yards to his own +forty-yard line.</p> + +<p>As the teams lined up Neil Durant said, loud enough for the whole two +elevens to hear, "Now comes our turn," and the fight for a decision +began anew. Three substitutes came in now to bolster the Jefferson line, +and Coach Murray sent in two Ridgley players to take the place of the +left tackle and the right end, who were evidently pretty far gone.</p> + +<p>In eight plays Ridgley advanced the ball thirty-five yards with +Teeny-bits figuring in two, Stillson in two and Neil Durant in four. The +captain then made a plunge through center and before he was stopped had +planted the ball on Jefferson's eight-yard line. Teeny-bits tried to +squirm through the purple line but was thrown back. Stillson gained two +yards and Dean, who had reserved his captain for the final efforts, then +gave the signal that called upon the full-back to carry the ball. Neil +went into the line as if he had been hurled from a catapult. He dove +into the opening that Tom Curwood, with a last burst of desperate +strength, had made, took three steps and was astride the goal line. +Norris made the tackle, but he was an instant too late; the big captain +of the Ridgley team fell across the line and hugged the leather oval +close to the brown earth while pandemonium reigned and the members of +the red team hurled their headgears into the air.</p> + +<p>Neil limped when he got to his feet and motioned to Tom Curwood to make +the kick. Big Tom wobbled out in front of the goal posts and tried his +best to add a point for the glory of Ridgley, but his foot wavered and +the ball flew to the left of the goal posts. On the Scoreboard the +figures remained: Ridgley 20—Jefferson 14.</p> + +<p>The kick-off, two or three plays,—and then the timekeeper blew his +piping note which brought to an end the struggle that was the true +climax of all the games that had been played by the red and the purple +since one school had stood on the hill above the town of Hamilton and +another school had stood among the elms that sheltered the sons of +Jefferson.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<h3>AT LINCOLN HALL</h3> + + +<p>For a few seconds after the game ceased members of the two elevens sat +or lay in the positions that they had occupied when the whistle had +announced the expiration of time. They felt somewhat dazed,—on the one +side overwhelmed with the wonderful thought that victory was theirs; on +the other stunned with the bewildering thought that the impossible had +happened, bringing defeat and disappointment.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits felt as if he wanted to rest where he had fallen in the last +scrimmage with his body against the brown earth and let the happiness of +victory sink in slowly, but suddenly he was aware that a howling mob had +descended from the stands, that the members of the Ridgley team were +surrounded by frenzied schoolmates who were insisting on lifting them up +on their shoulders and carrying them off the field. He saw Neil Durant +struggling in the grasp of half a dozen yelling Ridgleyites and the next +moment felt himself lifted bodily and carried forward jerkily. He tried +to resist but did not have the strength; and so he let them raise him up +and transport him where they wished. It was a queer sight that met his +eyes as he looked round him and saw his team-mates' heads and shoulders +bobbing up and down above the milling crowd.</p> + +<p>Never had Ridgley enjoyed a triumph more. Old-timers and young fellows +alike were joining in the snake dance. Old Jerry, the janitor, was there +prancing about in a comical, stiff-legged way; Mr. Stevens and half the +faculty were there and every member of the school, while mothers, +sisters and friends looked down from the stands and wished that they too +might join the whirling mob.</p> + +<p>The members of the team finally escaped from those who wished to honor +them and made their way to the locker building where they sat and talked +for a few minutes, regained their breath, rubbed their bruises and +looked each other over. Outside they could hear the howling of the +paraders and the booming of the bass drum as a line was being formed to +march from the field to the school.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the Jefferson team, occupying another part of the locker +building, was making ready to leave. In the shower-bath room the members +of the two teams came together and exchanged such words as befit losers +and winners when the fight has been fair and square and fast from +beginning to end. While Neil Durant was dressing, Norris came over and +held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"Neil," said the captain of the Jefferson team, "I didn't believe that +you could get away with it and I want to tell you that I think you have +a great team. I never played against an eleven that could begin to equal +it."</p> + +<p>It was not easy for the Jefferson captain to say those words and it was +not easy for Neil to reply.</p> + +<p>"Oh," said the Ridgley captain, "I guess the breaks came our way. I feel +as if I had been playing against a bunch of Bengal tigers. If we ever +played again you'd probably trim the life out of us."</p> + +<p>"I'd like to meet that little chap who played left-half for you," said +Norris. "I never quite saw his equal."</p> + +<p>Neil Durant called Teeny-bits, and the half-back shook hands with the +captain of the Jefferson eleven.</p> + +<p>"When you came on the field," said Norris, "I said to myself, 'I guess +we can stop that fellow all right,' but before we got through I dreaded +to see the quarter pass you the ball."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits did not know what to say, but he laughed and looked the big +fellow in the eyes and remarked that he had had a "lot of luck" and that +every time he tried to tackle Norris he felt as if he were trying to +hold up a steam engine.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Norris, "it's all over and I wish I were going to see more +of you fellows. Why don't you come down to see me, Neil, and renew old +times, and bring Holbrook along?"</p> + +<p>After he was gone Teeny-bits turned to Neil and said, "I call that one +fine fellow. He ought to have come to Ridgley."</p> + +<p>According to its immemorial custom the Ridgley team, whether or not it +was victorious in the struggle with its ancient rival, met in Lincoln +Hall for a banquet a few hours after the close of the game. On this +night while the rest of the school was busily engaged in heaping up +piles of wood, rubbish, barrels and every imaginable kind of inflammable +material, the members of the team gathered to discuss the victory and to +hear the speeches that Coach Murray, as toastmaster, called for with the +voice of authority. Any member of the eleven whom Mr. Murray singled out +knew that it was his duty to get up on his feet and attempt to make a +speech, although it probably was a much more difficult thing for him to +do than to break through the Jefferson line.</p> + +<p>Neil Durant had his say and thanked the members of the eleven for their +loyalty and courage in a way that made them feel more than ever that he +was the best captain in all the history of Ridgley football. Ned +Stillson tried to keep out of sight by slumping down in his seat and +getting behind big Tom Curwood, but Coach Murray singled him out and +ordered him to stand up and make a speech. Every one laughed at Ned, and +big Tom Curwood thought that the right half-back's attempt at oratory +was so funny that he laughed louder than any one else until he heard +Coach Murray's fatal words: "All right, Tom, you're next!" whereupon his +features "froze" in a look of embarrassment. The roar that went up when +Tom's face became suffused with red nearly caused the big center to claw +his way out of the room and escape to the outer air. He cleared his +throat two or three times and then, much to the surprise of every one, +went through the ordeal as if he had prepared his speech hours in +advance.</p> + +<p>"I want to tell you fellows," said big Tom, "that I was scared pink, +blue and green when that game started—those Jefferson linesmen and +those husky back-field runners of theirs looked so fierce. I really +wasn't afraid of them but I <i>was</i> afraid of the thought that we were +going to get licked. What really woke me up and made me feel that those +fellows couldn't do a thing to us was to see the way Neil Durant and +young Teeny-bits got going. I want to tell you that when I saw the +captain go larruping into that bunch and when I heard the thump that +Norris made when Teeny-bits brought him down I said to myself that I +ought to be in a nursery for infants if I couldn't do a little rampaging +on my own account. I know I didn't do a thing except let 'em walk over +me, but I wasn't scared after that first minute and I knew that we +couldn't lose if Neil and Teeny-bits didn't get laid out."</p> + +<p>To Teeny-bits it was a surprise to hear his name linked in this way with +that of his captain. In his own opinion he had, aside from the one +fortunate play in which he had crossed the Jefferson goal line, +contributed very little to the Ridgley victory, but as the evening went +on and one player after another joined his name with that of Neil +Durant, he saw that these big fellows with whom he had been so closely +associated during the past few weeks felt, for some miraculous reason, +that he had helped them to maintain their spirit and to carry the fight +to Jefferson.</p> + +<p>When it came Teeny-bits' turn, Coach Murray said: "We'll now hear from +the chap who nearly gave us nervous prostration by forgetting that +Ridgley was going to play a little game of football to-day."</p> + +<p>As Teeny-bits stood up he thought of telling the members of the team why +he had been late to the game, but he instantly decided that it was +better to make his explanation alone to Neil Durant or the coach. He +merely said:</p> + +<p>"I had a pretty good reason for not getting to the field before I +did,—I am going to tell Mr. Murray and Neil about it later. I haven't +much to say regarding the game except that I knew we could win because +we had the spirit to do it and because Neil was showing us the way all +the time. To play on the eleven which beat a team that fought as hard +and as clean as the Jefferson crowd is an honor that makes me dizzy. I +began to dream about it a few weeks ago; now that it's come true I can +hardly believe it."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits sat down and a few moments later the balloting began to elect +a new captain for the Ridgley team. It was Neil Durant's last year and +the big leader of the red eleven, before starting the procedure that +would result in the choosing of his successor, said to his team-mates:</p> + +<p>"It is our custom, as you all know, to choose a football captain at the +dinner following the Jefferson game. It has always been done without +nominations—simply by balloting. I'll pass around these slips of paper +and I want you to write on them the name of the man who in your opinion, +regardless of friendship, will make the leader who will best carry on +Ridgley football tradition."</p> + +<p>All of the members of the team knew that this was coming, of course, and +they took it solemnly and in silence. There were no suggestions passed +from one to another; each received a paper from the captain, wrote down +a name and returned the folded slip to Neil, who made a second round of +the big table. The captain turned the ballots over to the coach who +quickly unfolded and counted them. When he was through, of the fifteen +ballots—one for each member of the team who had played in the big +game—fourteen were piled in front of his right hand and one remained in +front of his left hand. He whispered a word to Neil Durant who +immediately got to his feet and said:</p> + +<p>"Fellows, you have elected a <i>real</i> leader; one who has grit and spirit +and who always thinks of the team before he thinks of himself, a fellow +who does much and says little; Teeny-bits Holbrook is the captain of the +Ridgley eleven. In view of the fact that he is the only one here who +voted for some one else we'll call it a unanimous election."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits looked from one face to another with such an expression of +bewilderment and astonishment that every one knew that he was dazed with +surprise. They were all looking at him and he realized that they counted +on him to say something. He got up and attempted to fulfil their +expectations but he never was quite sure what he said, although he knew +that they cheered and yelled and that presently he sat down. Within a +few minutes Coach Murray brought the banquet to a close and they all +went out to watch the celebration which was already well under way.</p> + +<p>The band that had done almost continuous service during the afternoon +had been retained and was now engaged in booming out—somewhat raucously +and discordantly but nevertheless effectively—the Ridgley songs, +principally the Ridgley victory song. Above the din sounded the <i>boom</i>, +<i>boom</i> of the bass drum—not always in time with the music—and the +members of the team discovered that Snubby Turner had persuaded the +"artist" who wielded the padded sticks to relinquish his noise-producing +instruments and that Snubby, at the head of the band, was drumming away +to his heart's content and every few seconds giving voice to a yell that +expressed his supreme happiness in the outcome of the afternoon's +struggle. Every one laughed at Snubby and felt himself inspired by the +example to yell louder and contribute with more abandon to the +demonstration around the fire.</p> + +<p>As Teeny-bits looked at Snubby, he said to himself again that it was +impossible that this genial and loyal son of Ridgley was guilty of +stealing from members of the school or being in any way connected with +the incidents that had contributed to his own former unhappiness. He +made up his mind that he would, within the next twenty-four hours, have +a talk with Snubby and attempt to arrive at an explanation of the +mysterious events which were still puzzling his mind.</p> + +<p>Until midnight the red sparks mounted above the tops of the Ridgley +maples,—mounted until they seemed to join with the stars that on this +crisp autumn night looked down from clear skies upon the scene of +revelry.</p> + +<p>Only two members of Ridgley School were absent from the celebration and +no one at the time missed them,—Tracey Campbell, substitute left +half-back of the football team, and Bassett, the self-named Western +Whirlwind.</p> + +<p>Parades and speeches and cheering, torchlight wavering against the white +buildings, huge banners held aloft with the stirring figures, 20 to 14, +emblazoned in red upon them, and then gradually as the night grew old, a +lessening of sound and a dimming of light,—that was the way of +Ridgley's festivity. Finally the members of the school made their way +back to the white dormitories; the great day was over; the pleasure that +remained was the pleasure of retrospection, of thinking over each detail +of the victory, of re-living the struggle and of reading the accounts of +the game in the newspapers. In those papers the sons of Ridgley were +destined to find not only the glowing account of the game, which they +knew would greet their eyes, but also news of a startling and unexpected +nature.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<h3>MYSTERIES IN PART EXPLAINED</h3> + + +<p>On the morning following the Jefferson game, Ridgley School, somewhat +stiff after the strenuous hours of struggle and victory, but feeling +utterly contented with the world and more than ever convinced that there +was no school quite like the one that stood on the hill among the +maples, awoke and prepared to settle itself leisurely to the enjoyment +of glorious memories. The first person who opened a newspaper intended +to undergo the pleasant experience of allowing the lines of printed +words to recall to mind the deathless moments of Ridgley accomplishment +and triumph. After his eyes had taken in the headlines that announced +the victory of the red, however, they were arrested by heavy type that +announced a tragedy. Two members of the school had been the victims of +an accident and one of them had lost his life. The reporters' story of +the occurrence read as follows:</p> + +<p>"On Saturday afternoon while Ridgley was earning its triumph over +Jefferson and while the sounds of cheering echoed across the field, +death came to one member of the school and serious injury to another. No +one witnessed the tragedy. Mr. Osborne Murchie, while driving along the +State road from Greensboro to Springfield yesterday at about three +o'clock, came upon a seven-passenger car which had crashed through the +railing and had rolled down the embankment at the beginning of Hairpin +Turn and lay at the bottom of the gulch in a demolished condition, with +two young men pinned beneath the wreck. With the aid of a friend who +accompanied him, Mr. Murchie pried up the car and removed from beneath +it the dead body of a young man which was later identified as that of J. +M. Bassett, a student at Ridgley, whose home is in Denver, Colorado. The +other young man, Tracey Campbell, son of the prominent leather dealer, +who was unconscious and suffering from severe injuries, was conveyed to +the hospital at Greensboro, where it is said that he has a fair chance +of recovery.</p> + +<p>"There are certain matters in regard to the tragedy that have not yet +been explained: first, why on this day when all members of the school +were attending the game at Ridgley Field were these two students driving +<i>away</i> from the school? No one has been able to tell where the young men +were going or how the accident occurred. The assumption is that while +traveling at high speed they attempted to take the sharp turn too +swiftly. The machine, which was wrecked beyond repair, belonged to the +father of Tracey Campbell."</p> + +<p>The news flew from room to room, from dormitory to dormitory, with the +rapidity of wireless. It was as if the story had suddenly been blazoned +across the clear November sky above the Ridgley campus; in one moment, +it seemed, the whole school knew that Whirlwind Bassett had come to his +end under tragic circumstances and that Tracey Campbell was lying in the +Greensboro hospital with an even chance of recovery. It was difficult at +first for many a member of Ridgley School to believe that the tragic +news was true,—so vivid is life, so unreal seems death. They could not +quite imagine Bassett—Whirlwind Bassett—lying dead out there at the +bottom of Hairpin Gulch.</p> + +<p>Certain incidents which previously had seemed quite unworthy of +attention now assumed proportions of importance. A third-year student +named Gilmore who had sat in the Ridgley stands beside Bassett +recollected that the self-styled "Whirlwind" had risen from his seat at +the start of the game, had made his way out of the stands and had not +returned. Fred Harper and one or two others of the Ridgley football +substitutes remembered that Campbell, after coming off the field when +Teeny-bits had arrived, had slipped out through the opening under the +stands and had not returned. Most of the members of the squad remembered +that Campbell had not appeared at the locker building during the +rest-period between the halves and recollected that it had occurred to +them that he was "playing baby" because of the fact that he had lost his +chance to start the game. There seemed to be no sufficient explanation, +however, of the simultaneous exit of Bassett and Campbell. The last +person who had seen them, according to rumor, was one of the +ticket-takers at the field-gates who said that just after the game began +he caught a glimpse of Campbell driving his father's big car down the +street toward Hamilton with some one beside him in the front seat.</p> + +<p>To certain members of Ridgley School the tragedy served as a last link +in a chain of circumstantial evidence that had gradually been involving +Campbell and Bassett. Among those persons were Neil Durant and Snubby +Turner.</p> + +<p>On the previous evening Teeny-bits Holbrook had not been so absorbed in +the celebration that he had not found time to say to the captain and the +coach what he had in his mind. While the sounds of the revelers still +rose over the campus the three had gone into Neil Durant's room, and +there Teeny-bits had told of the false telephone message, of the +struggle in the road, of how his unknown assailants had carried him away +and kept him prisoner, of his fight to escape, of the strange action of +his Chinese captors when they discovered the mark of the knife, of his +escape and finally of his return to the Holbrook home and his long +sleep.</p> + +<p>"It sounds like a pretty wild story, I know," he had said to his two +friends, "but it's true, every word of it, and I don't know why in the +world it all happened or whatever made those Chinamen let me go when +they saw my birthmark."</p> + +<p>Coach Murray and Neil Durant had readily admitted that they thought it +was an extraordinary story but the idea did not enter their minds that +it was not true in every detail, for they knew that what Teeny-bits +Holbrook said could be relied upon to the minutest detail. For half an +hour they sat talking it over, suggesting possible motives and trying to +fathom the meaning of the mystery. Two things Teeny-bits did not +mention: the incident of finding Snubby Turner breaking into Campbell's +room and the accusatory letter that had led to the discovery of the +stolen loot. Those things, he felt, were matters not to be discussed +even with two such good friends as Mr. Murray and Neil Durant. There was +one person, however, with whom he wished to discuss that phase of the +strange circumstances in which he had become involved; he had already +made up his mind that very few hours should pass before he would have a +heart-to-heart talk with Snubby Turner. He was weary, however—bone and +muscle and brain weary—and as the sounds of the celebration diminished +he mounted the stairs to his room for a well-earned sleep.</p> + +<p>In the morning Teeny-bits went to see Snubby Turner early,—before the +newspapers brought the first information of the tragedy. Snubby, still +in his pyjamas, let the new captain of the Ridgley eleven into his room +and blinked happily at his visitor.</p> + +<p>"Oh, what a <i>day</i>, and oh, what a <i>night</i>!" he said. "It was the best +thing that ever happened and I'm glad I didn't miss it." Then genial +Snubby held out his hand to Teeny-bits and added: "Ridgley owes you a +lot and I'm <i>mighty glad</i> that the fellows made you captain. Every one +says that you're the man for the job."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was embarrassed by Snubby's words, for they made it all the +more difficult to say what was in his mind.</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Snubby," he said, and paused,—"I came down here because I +wanted to ask you a question that has been bothering me for nearly a +week. You remember last Monday night when we had the mass meeting?"</p> + +<p>A queer look came over Snubby's face. "Yes, I remember that night all +right."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Teeny-bits, "you know the fellows got me up on the platform +and made me say something, and then, instead of sitting down, I went out +and started to come back to the dormitory. That was about nine o'clock +and no one was stirring on the campus because all the fellows had gone +to the mass meeting."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits was silent for a moment as if waiting for Snubby to say +something, but Snubby only continued to look at him with the same queer +expression of expectation that had come into his face at first mention +of the mass meeting.</p> + +<p>"Well," continued Teeny-bits, "you know, something happened. I was +coming along pretty close to Gannett Hall when I saw some one sliding +down a fire-escape rope and getting into Campbell's window. Of course, +that made me think of the things that had been stolen from the fellows' +rooms and so I stepped into the bushes out there behind the dormitory +and waited until the fellow came out and I saw who it was."</p> + +<p>"Yes," cried Snubby, whose face had suddenly become red, "and of course +you've been thinking all this time that I was the one who got away with +the money and things?"</p> + +<p>"No!" said Teeny-bits. "There's where you're wrong; I haven't been +thinking any such thing. I <i>know</i> that there's some other explanation +and I want you to give it to me, Snubby,—for more reasons than one. +I'll tell you something that I'm sure you don't know. That same night, +Doctor Wells called me over to his office and showed me a letter that +some one had written, saying that <i>I</i> was the one who had stolen the +things."</p> + +<p>"That <i>you</i> were the one?" echoed Snubby with a look of amazement.</p> + +<p>"Yes," declared Teeny-bits, "that I was the one, and of course I told +Doctor Wells that it wasn't true and he believed me, but it said in that +letter that the things were hidden under the floor of my closet and when +Doctor Wells and I went up to my room after the lights were out in the +dormitories, we found all that stuff, including Harper's sailing trophy, +Ned's gold knife, your watch and all the other trinkets that anybody has +missed ever since things began to disappear!"</p> + +<p>"But that didn't make Doctor Wells believe that you had stolen the +stuff!" cried Snubby. "<i>He</i> wouldn't think just because——"</p> + +<p>"But something else happened, too," said Teeny-bits. "When I was +crouching in the bushes behind the dormitory and just after you had +crawled back into your room that night, Mr. Stevens came along and found +me there, and I couldn't make any explanation, you know, and so I don't +see how they could help thinking that I did it—because Doctor Wells +always talks things over with Mr. Stevens."</p> + +<p>"Why didn't you tell them that you had seen me coming down that +fire-escape?" demanded Snubby.</p> + +<p>"You know why I didn't do that," Teeny-bits replied, "and you know that +I knew you were all right, but for <i>heaven's sake</i> tell me what it's all +about, because I want to get this mystery out of my mind and have it +over with."</p> + +<p>"I can see the whole thing as clear as crystal now!" exclaimed Snubby, +"but I guess I was an awful fool to take such a chance in breaking into +Campbell's room. It was Campbell and Bassett that I was after. Old Jerry +put me wise to something he had overheard them say, and, like a chump, I +was trying to do a little private detective work because I wanted to get +back my watch and all those other things. Now <i>this</i> is all I know about +it and I am terribly sorry that I went butting into things and was +responsible for bringing trouble to you——"</p> + +<p>Snubby Turner was not destined to continue his explanation at that +moment, for before he had time to go on with what he had in mind the +sound of excited exclamations came from the corridor, and some one, +after knocking loudly on the door, turned the knob and thrust in his +head. Teeny-bits and Snubby saw that it was Fred Harper.</p> + +<p>"Have you heard the news?" the newcomer cried. "Bassett's been killed +and Campbell's in the hospital pretty nearly done for, too! It's in the +newspapers. Look here!"</p> + +<p>Behind Fred Harper were half a dozen other Ridgleyites, and Snubby +Turner's room quickly became crowded with members of the school whose +attention had been attracted by the exclamations. Meanwhile Snubby +Turner slipped out of the room and ran down to the basement to consult +Jerry, the janitor's assistant; he remained in the old fellow's box-like +room for several minutes.</p> + +<p>The result of the conversation that went on between them was that old +Jerry pulled a celluloid collar out of a pasteboard box and announced +gruffly and with unmistakable determination that he was "goin' over to +see the Doctor." It was not often that old Jerry adorned his neck in any +manner, and now he felt that it was entirely unnecessary to put on a +tie. The shining collar itself fastened with a button which, if not gold +at least had the appearance of the precious metal, was evidence that he +was bound upon an important mission and when he arrived at Doctor Wells' +house and rang the door bell his fearsome features wore such a murderous +expression that the maid who came in answer to his summons was startled.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"I wanter see the Doctor!" said Jerry and glowered so fiercely that the +girl started to close the door.</p> + +<p>With surprising agility the old man thrust his foot into the crack and +when the girl said: "The Doctor is very busy; he's received some bad +news and he won't want to talk with you," old Jerry repeated: "I wanter +see the Doctor!" and added an imperative "<i>Now!</i>" which caused the girl +to come to the conclusion that here was a determined and desperate man. +She announced to Doctor Wells that "that terrible looking old janitor" +was outside and that he was "bound to come in."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells immediately came out to the door and ushered old Jerry into +his office where the grizzled janitor's assistant sat on the edge of one +of the big chairs and, holding his hat in his hand, announced to the +head of the school the following:</p> + +<p>"I got my ijeers and they ain't no <i>common</i> ijeers either, Doctor."</p> + +<p>"I know you have, Jerry," said Doctor Wells, who from twenty years' +acquaintance with the old-timer was aware that no small matter had +induced him to invade what he had always considered as no less than +sacred territory.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Jerry, "ijeers are common until they get backed up by +<i>facts</i>, Doctor, and then they's uncommon. The boys was tellin' me the +news about Bassett and Campbell. I says I knew them birds wouldn't come +to no good end. I ain't one to talk agin one of them as has passed on, +Doctor, but them was bad birds. Here's how I come to know it. I got eyes +and ears sharper'n Tophet, even if I be nigh on to seventy and perhaps a +little more, and I heard things along back that sot me to suspicionin' +them two, and I kind o' says to myself it was my duty to the school to +detect around a mite and find out what was goin' on. They didn't like +Teeny-bits at all—not at all. They had it in for Teeny-bits (for some +reason old Jerry added an l to Findley Holbrook's nickname) from the +very start, and one night when I was standin' in a dark corner of the +corridor I heared Bassett sayin' he'd get even with him. And then after +the money and contraptions begun to disappear from the rooms I +overheared 'em talkin' again and what they says, Doctor, was this: 'I +got 'em in there all right. Now all you need to do is write the letter +on your father's typewriter. No one'll know.'"</p> + +<p>"Who said that?" demanded Doctor Wells.</p> + +<p>"Them two birds I'm tellin' yer about,—Bassett, the feller they called +the Whirlwind, and Campbell. Now I ain't no reg'lar detecative, Doctor, +but I got my <i>ijeers</i>, and that sot me to thinkin' hard and I knew +somethin' uncommon suspicious was goin' on. A friend o' mine who was +kinder detecatin' round as my assistant, you might say, slid down a +fire-escape rope about that time and climbed into Campbell's room, but +he didn't find nothin' and come away empty-handed."</p> + +<p>"Who was that friend of yours?" asked Doctor Wells. "Was it Teeny-bits?"</p> + +<p>"Now, Doctor," said old Jerry, "I ain't aimin' to keep anythin' back +twixt you'n me, but there's certain things, you understan', that I +can't—it wan't Teeny-bits——but further'n that——"</p> + +<p>"All right, Jerry," said the Head. "I respect your point of view. Go on +with your story."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Jerry, "this friend of mine come to me this mornin' and +says that Teeny-bits got accused of stealin' them things from the boys +and that somehow or other all those gold trinkets and contraptions got +found under his closet floor, and I wanter tell you, Doctor, that this +Teeny-bits <i>didn't do it</i> and that them two bad birds, Campbell and +Bassett, was at the bottom of all this deviltry, and there ain't been +two sich underhanded, reckless, <i>good-for-nothin'</i> fellers in this +school sence I took position here twenty year ago."</p> + +<p>"Jerry," said the Doctor, "I value your judgment and I thank you for +coming to me in this frank way and giving me the benefit of your ideas."</p> + +<p>The interview was over. Old Jerry left the office of the Head mumbling +to himself: "I got my ijeers and sometimes, by gorry, they's <i>uncommon</i> +ijeers."</p> + +<p>While Jerry had been talking with the Head, Snubby Turner, who had +finished his explanation to Teeny-bits, had sought out Mr. Stevens and +had said to him:</p> + +<p>"I have just been discovering some things that make it necessary for me +to tell you that last Monday night, while the football mass meeting was +going on, I slid down a fire-rope and crawled into Tracey Campbell's +room to see if I could discover if he was the one who had been stealing +things from the fellows' rooms and that while I was doing it Teeny-bits +came along and saw me, though I didn't know it at the time,—and that is +the reason why you found him out there behind the dormitory."</p> + +<p>"Turner," said the English master, "you've told me something that I am +more than glad to hear. It clears up one element in a puzzling +situation. I'm beginning to see light."</p> + +<p>On this Sunday, Ridgley School, expecting to settle down into a +comfortable enjoyment of the football triumph, found itself involved in +a sensation which was the source of rumors that flew from dormitory to +dormitory and from room to room with incredible rapidity. All day long +hints, suggestions, stories—the product of fact, hearsay and +fancy—were exchanged by every son of the school. At the morning service +in the chapel Doctor Wells referred to the tragedy in grave terms.</p> + +<p>"Unexpectedly," he said, "while we have been rejoicing over our victory, +death has taken toll from among us; one of our number has passed +suddenly from this world into the world beyond. By this tragic +circumstance our thoughts are sobered and we find ourselves face to face +with a sad and bitter incident—the termination of a life while it was +still incomplete and unformed. I hope that the whole school will refrain +from useless comment and will form no harsh or unjust judgments. This is +a time for charity of thought."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells found many duties to perform in connection with the +tragedy. Not until evening was he able to do what he had had in his mind +to do from the moment when old Jerry called at his office. Another bit +of news that came from Mr. Stevens—information that concerned Snubby +Turner—had given him additional incentive to finish one phase of an +unpleasant matter quickly. After the evening meal that night he summoned +Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits to his office, and there put certain +questions to the new captain of the Ridgley eleven that brought out the +whole story of the incidents that had occurred on the night before the +big game.</p> + +<p>Sitting in front of the open fire, Doctor Wells put his fingers together +in the pose that was characteristic of him when he was deeply immersed +in thought. The clock on the mantel piece ticked loudly in the silence +of the room and Teeny-bits and Mr. Stevens sat pondering as profoundly +as the Head. After a time Doctor Wells spoke, slowly, as if he were +alone and were merely voicing the thoughts that flocked through his +mind:</p> + +<p>"This is the strangest series of circumstances that has come to my +attention since I have been at Ridgley. It is hard to understand why two +young fellows should harbor such an animosity for any other member of +the school."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Mr. Stevens, breaking in when the Head paused, "this +Bassett was a strange character; there seemed to be something lacking in +his nature; I shall have to admit that, although I made it a point to +study him, I quite failed to understand him. I don't think you knew that +on the day when Holbrook arrived at Ridgley, Bassett did certain things +which resulted in a struggle, and that Holbrook got the better of him in +a way that humiliated him before most of the roomers in Gannett Hall. +Almost any young fellow would recover from a thing like that and very +likely become good friends with his conqueror; in this case, however, it +seems to have started a germ of jealousy and desire for revenge which +grew out of all proportion to the incident. And then, of course, +Campbell was displaced on the team by Holbrook. From what I know of +those two young men I have come to the conclusion that Bassett, in his +crafty way, had a certain strength of character which allowed him to +dominate Campbell, whom I have always thought of as much the weaker +mentally of the two. A psychologist could probably have told us strange +things about Whirlwind Bassett."</p> + +<p>"What is done can't, unfortunately, be undone," said the Head. "I regret +more than I can say that we were not able to nip all this trouble in the +bud—catch it at the beginning and prevent the tragic ending of it all." +Doctor Wells sat up a little straighter in his chair at that moment and +looked at Teeny-bits. "Holbrook," he said, "I want to tell you that I +appreciate the fine sense of loyalty to a friend that prevented you from +telling Mr. Stevens that you had seen Turner breaking into Campbell's +room. That would have explained something that puzzled us. But we +respect you for your silence."</p> + +<p>"I knew that Snubby was honest," said Teeny-bits, "and, although I +couldn't imagine why he was doing it, I couldn't suspect him."</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells' comment was short. "You did right. A suspicious nature is +one of the meanest things in the world." Again the Head was silent for a +time and then the expression of his face changed. "Now about this +Chinese business," he said; "I can understand the motive that was behind +spiriting you away, but when I come to the rather extraordinary means of +your escape, Holbrook, I will admit that my abilities as an amateur +Sherlock Holmes are too feeble. As I understand it from what you have +told us, these two Chinese in this Greensboro place seem to have been +strangely affected by the mark on your shoulder. Have you any +explanation of that?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know whatever got into their heads," said Teeny-bits. "It's +beyond me. They jabbered away at a terrible rate in Chinese and acted as +if they were frightened."</p> + +<p>"What is the nature of this mark?" asked Doctor Wells. "If you don't +mind telling me."</p> + +<p>"Why, it's nothing," said Teeny-bits, "except a mark that looks like a +knife; a lot of the fellows have thought it was queer when they saw it +in the shower-bath room, but I never thought much about it because it's +always been there and didn't seem particularly strange to me."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Stevens," said Doctor Wells, "I think you and Holbrook might go +over to Greensboro sometime this week and see what you can find. It +won't do any harm at least to try a little amateur detective work. I +wonder——"</p> + +<p>Doctor Wells paused as if he thought it would be better not to say what +was in his mind. He had been about to mention something in regard to the +information that old Daniel Holbrook had given him on the opening day of +school,—the story of the accident at Hamilton station which had caused +the sudden death of the unknown woman who was supposed to be Teeny-bits' +mother. It had occurred to the Head that it might be just as well not to +talk over those matters in the presence of Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>When Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits got up to go Doctor Wells shook hands +with them gravely.</p> + +<p>"Holbrook," he said, "I haven't told you something that was in my mind +last night when I heard the news that came from the football banquet. I +was greatly pleased to learn that the Ridgley eleven had chosen you as +captain. I know that you will make a leader of whom we can be as proud +as we have been of Neil Durant."</p> + +<p>Later Doctor Wells found occasion to tell Mr. Stevens the thing that he +had omitted: the history of Teeny-bits' unexplained origin. With this +information stimulating his mind to solve the mystery, the English +master suggested to Teeny-bits that they lose no time in visiting +Greensboro.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<h3>A VISIT TO CHUAN KAI's</h3> + + +<p>On Monday afternoon Mr. Stevens and the new football captain journeyed +to the thriving young city. They went first to Stanley Square. Starting +from the yellow brick market building with the tower and the clock, +Teeny-bits attempted to retrace the steps that he had taken on that +night when he fled from the place where the Orientals had held him +prisoner. They went down one street and up another, turning this way and +that, until Teeny-bits finally stopped and said:</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid I can't remember just which way I came. I was pretty excited +and I ran down these streets as fast as I could and it was dark, and I +didn't think much about remembering where I came."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Mr. Stevens, "there's one thing we can do. We'll ask the +officer over there on the street corner where the Chinese places are, +and perhaps that will lead us somewhere."</p> + +<p>"At any rate," said Teeny-bits, "it must be very near where we are now, +because I know I came from this general direction and I covered about +the same amount of ground that we have covered since we left the +square."</p> + +<p>In answer to their inquiry the police officer informed them that there +were four Chinese establishments in the city—two laundries and two +restaurants.</p> + +<p>The laundries proved to be near the center of the town, one on Main +Street, the other on Clyde Street. Mr. Stevens, and Teeny-bits looked +both of these establishments over, but Teeny-bits quickly announced that +neither of them could be the place they were seeking. They were small +and both were across the electric car tracks from Stanley Square. +Teeny-bits remembered that on the night of his escape he had crossed no +tracks until he reached the square.</p> + +<p>The first of the restaurants which they visited backed up to the +Greensboro River, a shallow stream which wound through the town. There +was an alley in the rear which to Teeny-bits looked somewhat like the +one down which he had hastened while the two Chinese had come pattering +after him, but he did not remember that he had seen any water. They went +inside, however, and questioned the wrinkled yellow man who, thinking +them customers, came to take their order. He answered them in pidgin +English, and Teeny-bits became convinced, after they had looked about +the place, that this was not the scene of his imprisonment on Friday +night.</p> + +<p>They then went to the Oriental Eating Palace of Chuan Kai, but at Mr. +Stevens' suggestion, before entering the restaurant, made a complete +circuit of the building and examined its outward appearance. In the rear +there was an alley.</p> + +<p>"This looks like it!" declared Teeny-bits, and then he added: "But I +couldn't swear that it's the one."</p> + +<p>"Why don't we go up those stairs there and see what we find," said Mr. +Stevens. "It's trespassing, I suppose, but all in a justifiable cause."</p> + +<p>Quickly they let themselves in the rear door and began to mount the +steps.</p> + +<p>"That night," said Teeny-bits, "I remember that I came down two flights; +this might be the place, but of course I didn't stop much to look +around."</p> + +<p>At the top of the second flight Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits came to a +narrow hallway from which opened two doors. Mr. Stevens knocked softly +on the one at the right and, receiving no answer, pushed it open. They +had expected to find no one in the room; to their surprise, a Chinese +who had been lying on a "double-decker" bunk jumped down to the floor +and stood looking at them with astonishment and fear in his face.</p> + +<p>"This isn't the room, and I don't think I ever saw this fellow before," +Teeny-bits whispered to the English master.</p> + +<p>"We're looking for two Chinese who were in one of these rooms last +Friday night," said Mr. Stevens to the Oriental. "Perhaps they're in the +other room."</p> + +<p>It was evident that the Chinaman who confronted them with startled eyes +did not understand much English. He made no reply and continued to stare +at them as if he thought it inexplainable that two white men should +suddenly invade his sleeping quarters.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens backed out of the room and somewhat to Teeny-bits' surprise +immediately tried the other door. It opened upon a small square room, +empty except for a table and four chairs which were arranged as if for a +game of cards. Teeny-bits had expected to see a mattress lying on the +floor, but nothing of the sort greeted his eyes and no one was in the +room.</p> + +<p>"This looks like the place, but somehow it seems changed," he said to +Mr. Stevens.</p> + +<p>At that moment they both heard a cry in Chinese and, as they whirled +round, an answer came from the floor below and the sound of feet +pattering down the stairway.</p> + +<p>"There!" exclaimed Mr. Stevens, "I'm afraid your friends are running +away. That fellow in the other room has given the alarm. Let's go down +to the restaurant quickly and see what we can find."</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai met the two with an inscrutable countenance. There was +something about his eyes, however, that suggested to Teeny-bits and Mr. +Stevens that he was not wholly unprepared for their call.</p> + +<p>"Last Friday night," said the English master, "this young man was kept +for several hours in one of the rooms upstairs. We should like to talk +to the two Chinese who were kind enough to permit him to escape."</p> + +<p>"No unne'stan'," said Chuan Kai, wrinkling his lips in a manner that +showed his yellow teeth.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stevens was patient. He repeated his request, laid his hand on +Teeny-bits' shoulder, pointed toward the ceiling as he mentioned the +room above and then held up two fingers as he spoke of the Chinese who +had been present when Teeny-bits escaped. The only answer was a puzzled +frown on Chuan Kai's wrinkled features; either the old man was +bewildered by the request of his visitors or he was a good actor. +Suddenly Mr. Stevens decided the latter, for he spoke rapidly and with +considerable force:</p> + +<p>"I think you understand English all right. Now tell me, where are those +two men of yours? If you will let me see them quickly perhaps we can +agree not to trouble you further. Now then, where are they?"</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai smiled with such ingenuousness as he could summon. "Ai," he +said. "You like to see my boys?"</p> + +<p>He turned away from them quickly and cried out something in Chinese, at +the same time throwing back a door which led to the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"Come, look, <i>see</i>," he said as he turned back to Teeny-bits and Mr. +Stevens. "You like see all boys."</p> + +<p>In the kitchen which was disclosed to view were four Chinese in +loose-sleeved shirts and aprons. They were engaged in cutting up meat +and in mixing food over the fire. Among them Teeny-bits did not +recognize either one of the Orientals who had acted so strangely at the +sight of the knife mark.</p> + +<p>"I don't think they're here," he said to Mr. Stevens. "As I remember it +they were bigger than these fellows."</p> + +<p>The English master turned to Chuan Kai and said, "We don't intend to +cause you any trouble. This young friend of mine has a mark on his +shoulder which looks like a knife. Two of your men acted strangely when +they saw it. What can you tell me about it? Don't be afraid to speak +up."</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai and his four employees looked at their American visitors with +every semblance of frank amazement and bewilderment.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll try one thing more," said Mr. Stevens. "Pull off your coat, +Teeny-bits, and let them take a look at that mark."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits quickly threw off his coat and unbuttoned the soft collar of +his shirt until he could pull back the linen and show the mark of the +knife. The effect was more than the English master or Teeny-bits +expected. The four Chinese, who had been observing in apparent +astonishment this sudden performance on Teeny-bits' part, gazed at the +mark and began to jabber among themselves in a manner that showed +plainly enough their excitement and agitation. One of them even took a +step nearer as if to obtain a clearer view. Chuan Kai, however, quickly +brought their demonstration to an end. He exclaimed sharply in his +singsong language and stepped toward them in a manner that had only one +meaning,—a threat of violence. Instantly the four Chinese resumed their +work over the meat and the kettles, and although they rolled their black +eyes furtively toward Teeny-bits and the English master they said +nothing more, nor could they be induced to show further sign of +excitement.</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai himself muttered in Chinese. Finally he smiled craftily, +shrugged his shoulders and said to Mr. Stevens, "Where did boy get mark? +These fellas (pointing to the four Chinese) think it's funny."</p> + +<p>"Why do they think it's funny?" asked Mr. Stevens. But the Oriental had +no answer to that and took refuge again in his assumed or actual +unfamiliarity with English. For several minutes Mr. Stevens tried to get +something further from the Chinamen but was unsuccessful and finally +said to Teeny-bits who had buttoned his shirt and put on his coat:</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we've found out as much as we are able to from these +fellows. Let's be going."</p> + +<p>Chuan Kai, following them out to the street, was obsequiously polite. He +even gave them a little box of Chinese nuts and candied fruit and +pressed it upon them when they at first refused to accept it.</p> + +<p>The result of the visit had not been satisfactory. Teeny-bits had been +unable to discover either of the Orientals who had held him prisoner. +Perhaps, as Mr. Stevens had suggested, these two had escaped down the +alley when the young Chinese whom they had encountered in the upper room +gave his cry of warning. The only significant incident had been when the +four Chinese had shown excitement on viewing the mark on Teeny-bits' +back.</p> + +<p>"Of course, we could swear out a warrant and have the police investigate +this whole matter," said Mr. Stevens, "but I am afraid that that would +get us nowhere, for as you say, it would be pretty difficult for you to +identify those men and we couldn't even prove that it was at Chuan Kai's +place that you were held prisoner. I guess the next thing for us to do +is to wait for some word to come from Tracey Campbell."</p> + +<p>But no word of explanation came. For a few days Tracey Campbell lay in a +semiconscious condition; he then grew rapidly better and at the end of +the week was removed to the Campbell home.</p> + +<p>The leather dealer, who had been away on a business trip at the time of +the Ridgley-Jefferson game, had, of course, been summoned back to +Greensboro by telegram. Twice he came to Ridgley School for a conference +with Doctor Wells. His attitude on the occasion of his first visit was +one of indignation and arrogance. He indicated to the Head that Ridgley +School was responsible for the whole tragic incident and that +explanations were in order. When he learned that his son was under +accusation and that there was evidence to give weight to the case, his +attitude underwent somewhat of a change. He was still in a warlike mood, +however, and left Doctor Wells with the promise of getting at the root +of the whole matter and exonerating his son. On the occasion of his +second visit, however, his attitude was quite different. He now wished +to hush up the whole affair and treat the thing as an unfortunate +incident which could not be too quickly forgotten. Tracey Campbell would +not return to Ridgley School. As soon as he recovered sufficiently to +travel his father intended to send him to Florida. From certain remarks +that the leather dealer made, it was evident to Doctor Wells that Tracey +had confessed his part in the theft of the trinkets and money. In regard +to the charge of being implicated in the kidnapping of Teeny-bits, Mr. +Campbell declared that nothing had been proved against his son and in +his opinion it was doubtless "all a story made up by that young +Teeny-bits fellow in order to curry favor and win popularity."</p> + +<p>And so the matter was left as far as the Campbells were concerned, +though it was said that Mrs. Campbell called Doctor Wells on the +telephone and in her shrill voice denied vigorously that her son had +acted in any manner unbecoming to "the son of a gentleman" and that for +her part she thought that the school was a poor one and that she wished +they wouldn't have such games as football "which work the boys up to +excitement and get them into a dangerous state of mind." No one took the +pains to ascertain whether Tracey Campbell was actually expelled from +the school or had merely been withdrawn. At any rate Ridgley School +would see him no more and as the days went on, it seemed less and less +worth while to investigate the circumstances which preceded the +Jefferson game by calling upon Tracey Campbell to confess further +details.</p> + +<p>The visit of Bassett Senior to the school—Blow-Hard Bassett as he was +known in certain sections of the West—was sadder and more pathetic. He +was a big man who dressed gaudily; even the tragedy had not served to +remove wholly from his appearance the garish quality that proclaimed his +type. To Mr. Stevens and Doctor Wells his visit was a startling +exemplification of that old saying: "Like father, like son." When they +talked to him it was as if they were talking to Whirlwind Bassett grown +into a man of fifty. His visit was an unpleasant incident,—he showed so +plainly that he had made a failure of his duties as a father and he +groped so helplessly in his grief for the reason why his boy, whose body +he would carry back to the West, had by his own acts brought an unhappy +termination to his career.</p> + +<p>"I never understood him," he said to Doctor Wells, "and I suppose I +haven't been just the right kind of father for him. He didn't have any +mother after he was four years old, and even when he was a little feller +I never seemed to have much luck in making him mind me. He was always +doing something to cause a commotion of some sort, like running away or +getting into mix-ups—nothing very bad, you know, just such things as +young fellers are apt to do. Sometimes I talked to him but it never made +much impression."</p> + +<p>As Blow-Hard Bassett looked out of Doctor Wells' shaded windows there +was a hint of moisture in his eyes. "He was a determined little feller," +he remarked after a moment, "and when he'd get a notion in his head it +seemed like nothing would shake it out. I remember one time when a +mongrel dog that they had out on a ranch where we were staying bit him +on the wrist and the little chap—I guess he was only eight years +old—came bawling to me and says, 'He bit me, Pa; you've got to kill +him!'</p> + +<p>"I said, 'Don't you see, it was your fault; the dog wouldn't of bit you +if you hadn't been teasin' him,' but he kept on begging me to kill the +mongrel and when I wouldn't do it, he decided to take matters into his +own hands—and what do you suppose he done? He got a six-shooter out of +a holster that one of the cowboys had left lyin' around an' come up +behind that dog while he was sunnin' himself beside the ranch house and +blowed out his brains! You see, he just made up his mind to settle with +that dog, and nothing that any of us could say made a bit of difference. +I always thought he was going to be a smart man, but I never could get +close to him, so to speak. It was just as if he belonged to some other +man, and now, of course, I can't help wishing that I had somehow got to +understand him better."</p> + +<p>There was not much that Doctor Wells could say after that except to +extend his sympathy and to express the wish that it had been possible +for others as well as the father to understand and help the youth who +had come to his untimely end.</p> + +<p>November, with each day crisper than the last, slipped into December and +one morning the school awoke to find a thin sifting of snow over the +brown grass of the campus and the bare branches of the maple trees. The +Christmas vacation suddenly became the subject of conversation, and to +Teeny-bits it seemed that every one had a plan that promised pleasure +and recreation. He felt a little lonely at the thought of seeing all +these friends of his depart for the holidays and leave him to spend the +vacation alone in the quiet little village of Hamilton; and then one +evening after the last mail, Neil Durant came into his room with two +opened letters in his hand.</p> + +<p>"A couple of invitations," he said. "It's all fixed up, Teeny-bits. +You're going home for Christmas with me and we're going up to Norris' +place in the mountains for some winter sports. You remember he spoke +about getting together, after the game. I thought then that I'd like to +renew old times and now he writes that he wants us to come up to his +place, which is a wonder, way back in the hills where there's great +skiing and snowshoeing."</p> + +<p>To Teeny-bits it seemed suddenly as if he had been dreaming and hoping +for a long time that this very thing would happen. It was a wonderful +chance for a good time—but it was to prove more than that for the new +captain of the Ridgley football team.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<h3>DAYS OF PLEASURE</h3> + + +<p>The holiday migration from Ridgley School began six days before +Christmas. Within a few hours the dormitories on the hill, which for +months had resounded to the sound of voices, suddenly became silent and +almost deserted; a few members of the school lingered and half a dozen +of the faculty remained to spend a part or all of the vacation on the +hill, but the great majority set forth to the four quarters of the wind. +Among those who took the morning train on that day of great exodus were +Neil Durant and Teeny-bits Holbrook. Within three hours, as the engine +dragged its load westward, the Ridgleyites who at the start had crowded +two cars had diminished in number to no more than a score. Every large +station along the way claimed two or three and as they left they shouted +back farewells and, loaded down with suitcases, went out to greet the +friends and relatives who had come to meet them. They all had a word for +Neil Durant and Teeny-bits—a special word it seemed—for there was no +question that recent events had ripened the friendships and enhanced the +popularity of these two members of "the best school in the world."</p> + +<p>What happiness this was, Teeny-bits said to himself, to be going on a +vacation with a fellow like Neil Durant and to have evidence at every +moment of the friendship of such a "good crowd" as these fellows who +were piling off the train and yelling out their good-bys. It all made +him feel how much the last three months had brought into his life, how +much he owed to the generosity of old Fennimore Ridgley who, though long +ago laid to rest in his grave, had made it possible by his gift for +Teeny-bits to come to Ridgley School.</p> + +<p>At two o'clock the train pulled into the station of Dellsport where +Teeny-bits and Neil said good-by to the half dozen of their schoolmates +who were going farther west. They found waiting for them in a closed car +Mrs. Durant and Sylvia Durant, Neil's sister, who immediately made +Teeny-bits feel at ease by talking about school affairs. It had been a +tremendous disappointment, it seemed, to both Mrs. Durant and Sylvia +that they had been unable to come to the football game which had +resulted so gloriously for Ridgley.</p> + +<p>"If it hadn't been for the influenza," said Sylvia, "you would have +heard some terrible shrieking on the day of that game—I know I'd have +yelled loud enough so that every one would have heard me, because there +was nothing in the world that I wanted quite so much as to have Ridgley +come through. And when we got Neil's telegram maybe I didn't make the +windows rattle! And mother <i>almost</i> yelled, too."</p> + +<p>"We had a terrible quarrel over the newspaper the next day," said Mrs. +Durant, "and I finally compromised by letting Sylvia read the whole +story aloud, so we know just what happened and how one of you evened the +score at the crucial moment and how the other fellow carried the ball +across at the end of the game."</p> + +<p>Almost before Teeny-bits realized it he was talking to these two +pleasant persons as if he had known them all his life.</p> + +<p>"I want you to act just as if this were your own home," said Mrs. Durant +when she had led the way into the Durant house on Bennington Street. "I +shall have to call you Teeny-bits—and I hope you won't mind—because +Neil has always spoken of you that way in his letters and 'Mr. Holbrook' +<i>would</i> sound formal, wouldn't it?"</p> + +<p>"It would make me feel like a stick of wood," said Teeny-bits. "I don't +think any one ever called me that in my life. I've just been Teeny-bits +and I guess I always shall be."</p> + +<p>But Teeny-bits Holbrook could not help contrasting this luxurious home +where every reasonable comfort was in evidence, where there were +fireplaces and soft rugs and rich paintings, with his own poor little +home in Hamilton where Ma Holbrook did the work and with her own hands +kept everything shining and clean.</p> + +<p>For six days he lived a life that he had never lived before. They skated +at the country club where the new ice had formed over an artificial +pond, drove out in the car over frozen roads to Waygonack Inn for dinner +and danced in the evening, went to the theater and "took in", as Sylvia +called it, two or three parties that were important incidents of the +holiday festivities at Dellsport. Everywhere they encountered jolly +crowds of young fellows and girls.</p> + +<p>"Every one seems to fall for you, Teeny-bits," said Neil to the new +captain of the Ridgley team one day, "and they all call you by your +nickname. If you stayed round here very long you'd have them all wearing +a path to our front door."</p> + +<p>"You know why it is," replied Teeny-bits, "it's because I'm a friend of +<i>yours</i>."</p> + +<p>"You're off the track," said Neil, "you're <i>wild</i>, man. You've got a way +with you without knowing it, and as for the girls around here—oh, my +heavens!"</p> + +<p>"I never realized before what an awful kidder you are, but anyhow I know +I'm having the time of my life," said Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>But in spite of the gayety, Teeny-bits thought often of Ma Holbrook and +old Dad Holbrook who for the first time in many years were spending +Christmas alone. Early in the week he went down to the Dellsport shops +with Neil and selected presents which he thought would please them both.</p> + +<p>On the day before Christmas, Major-General Durant, who had been +attending a conference in Washington, came home. Teeny-bits had expected +to stand in awe before this high official of the United States Army; he +was therefore somewhat surprised to find him a genial, easy-to-talk-to +man who took obvious delight in getting back to the freedom and +informality of his home. He was full of stories and keenly interested in +Ridgley School affairs. He himself was the most prominent alumnus of +Ridgley and had many an incident to tell Neil and Teeny-bits about the +days when he himself had played on the football team.</p> + +<p>Christmas passed all too quickly. The Durants celebrated it in the good, +old-fashioned manner with a big tree in the living room where a roaring +fire of logs sent myriads of sparks leaping up the chimney. There were +gifts from all the family to Teeny-bits and not the least appreciated of +the presents that came to the visitor was a pair of fur-lined gloves +from Ma and Pa Holbrook, just such a pair as they would select,—warm +and substantial.</p> + +<p>Sylvia Durant seemed to have a way of understanding what a person was +thinking about. "Isn't that a good present!" she said. "They're so warm +and comfortable feeling. They'll be just what you'll need for the winter +sports up at the Norris place."</p> + +<p>There was not so great a difference after all, Teeny-bits said to +himself, between this Christmas and other Christmases; though the +surroundings were different, the same genial, kindly spirit brooded over +this luxurious home in Dellsport as always brooded at Christmas time +over the humble home in Hamilton. He could shut his eyes and imagine +that Ma and Pa Holbrook were in the room taking it all in and looking +about them with beaming faces.</p> + +<p>And then it was all over. On the morning after Christmas Major-General +Durant went back to Washington and Mrs. Durant and Sylvia went with him +to spend the rest of the holidays in the Capitol City.</p> + +<p>Neil and Teeny-bits, having seen them off, prepared to start northward +to the Norris place in the Whiteface Mountains. Teeny-bits felt none too +glad to leave the Durant home; those six days had been filled to +overflowing with happiness.</p> + +<p>"You're coming again," Sylvia had said, and when Teeny-bits had replied, +"I hope so," she had added, "Why, of course you are. Every one wants you +to."</p> + +<p>It was a four-hour run by train to Sheridan and an hour by sleigh to the +Norris cabin at Pocassett, a little settlement of camps and cottages at +the foot of the Whiteface range of mountains. In the early afternoon +Neil and Teeny-bits had arrived in the snow-covered country and were +receiving the greetings of their Jefferson School friends. Ted Norris +had driven down to the station to meet them in a two-seated sleigh and +had brought with him Whipple, whom both Teeny-bits and Neil remembered +as the Jefferson punter.</p> + +<p>"How do you fellows feel—pretty husky?" asked Norris as they were going +back toward the mountains. "Some of the crowd up at the camp want to +tramp over the range on snowshoes to-night if it's clear and I didn't +know but what we'd join them."</p> + +<p>"That sounds good to me," declared Neil. "Teeny-bits and I have been +leading the social life down in Dellsport and we're all fed up with +parties and so on."</p> + +<p>"Sounds good to me, too," said Teeny-bits, although he had to admit to +himself that he wasn't exactly "fed up" with the good time in Dellsport.</p> + +<p>The Norris place was a cabin built of spruce logs with an immense stone +fireplace at one end of a long living room,—a comfortable backwoods +place where one felt very close to the out-of-doors. Here the new +arrivals found awaiting them Phillips, another member of the Jefferson +eleven, and an athletic looking middle-aged man whom Norris introduced +as his uncle, Wolcott Norris. There was no one else at the cabin except +Peter Kearns, the cook and helper.</p> + +<p>"It's all fixed up for to-night," said the older Norris; "we're going up +the gulf and over the shoulder of Whiteface and then down to the Cliff +House, where a sleigh will meet us and bring us back."</p> + +<p>That evening tramp over the slopes of Whiteface Mountain was the +beginning of a wonderful series of winter sports at Pocassett. The party +that made the climb consisted of the six from the Norris place and twice +as many more from other cabins and cottages that nestled in the snow at +the foot of the mountains. While the growing moon hung overhead and shed +its silver radiance over the white world, the snowshoers climbed the +gulf by way of a trail that led among spruces and hemlocks, then up and +out to the great, bare shoulder of the mountain. Gaining the ridge, they +crossed and went plunging, sliding and leaping down in the soft snow +that clothed the farther slope. It was a night to make one's blood run +fast, and the whole crowd came back to the settlement at Pocassett in +high spirits. The days that followed were filled with similar +sports,—skating where the snow had been cleared from the surface of the +Pocassett River, snowshoeing in all directions over the hills, fishing +through the ice at Lonesome Lake and Wolf Pond and, on one or two +nights, get-togethers with the crowd of young people who were occupying +other camps near by.</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits soon discovered that the vigorous, middle-aged man who had +been introduced to him that first day as Ted Norris' uncle was in +reality taking the place of the Jefferson football captain's father, who +had died several years before. It seemed to him that here was the most +intensely interesting man he had ever met. He was a mining engineer, and +from little things that were said now and then it was evident that there +was scarcely a quarter of the world into which he had not penetrated. A +casual remark about India aided by a question or two from Phillips and +Neil Durant brought forth a story of a trip into the jungles of that +distant country; at another time the sight of a bare mountain-side +called forth reference to a snow-covered range in China and led to +interesting details of life in the Far East.</p> + +<p>"Sometime you will have to take us on a trip to Japan or China or India +or somewhere," said Ted Norris one night when the six of them were at +supper.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the mining engineer, "I'd like to do it. Who knows, perhaps +sometime I can."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits Holbrook would have liked nothing better than to "pump" this +man who had traveled so much, for he found stories of far lands +intensely interesting, and when the first mishap of the vacation +occurred he was somewhat envious of the victim, to whom it opened up an +opportunity for closer acquaintance. On Thursday Neil Durant, in trying +out a pair of skis on a steep slope behind the camp, crashed into a +thicket of young pine trees and, although he came through with a grin on +his face, he discovered that he had sprained his ankle and would not be +able to join the crowd on the ski party that had been planned for +Thursday evening. Wolcott Norris announced at supper that he also would +stay behind; and thus it happened that the former captain of the Ridgley +team sat with his bandaged ankle propped up on a chair in front of the +fireplace while Wolcott Norris settled back comfortably to enjoy an +evening of conversation. They talked about many things—travel, +business, college and sports—before the subject got around to the +Ridgley-Jefferson game.</p> + +<p>"You know I was there," said the mining engineer, "and I don't think I +ever spent a more interesting two hours. You fellows certainly had the +game developed to a fine point and though of course I, as an old +Jefferson boy, was yelling hard for the purple, I couldn't help handing +you chaps a bit when you came through. And your friend Teeny-bits—now +that I know him—measures up to the idea of what he was like, which I +got from watching him play."</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Neil, "he comes through—you can always count on him. Every +one down at school fell for him from the start, partly, I suppose, +because he was different from most of the fellows and then, of course, +because he made good. Certain things about him attracted attention +before he'd been in school very long."</p> + +<p>"What things?"</p> + +<p>"Well," said Neil, "a lot of things—one is the knife mark on his back."</p> + +<p>"The what?" asked Wolcott Norris.</p> + +<p>"Why a sort of birthmark that looks like a knife."</p> + +<p>The mining engineer had been looking into the embers of the fire rather +dreamily and talking in a low tone to Neil. He now half turned round and +said in a voice that showed more than casual interest, "Tell me about +it. It sounds interesting."</p> + +<p>"Well," said Neil, "it's a mark, sort of brick colored, on his shoulder, +that looks exactly like a knife or a dagger. I noticed it one day in the +shower-bath room when Teeny-bits first came out for the football team."</p> + +<p>"Has he always had it?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess so. I suppose it's just chance—the shape of it, but it is +such an unusual looking thing that the fellows got interested in him and +then of course there was the story about his mother being killed in a +railroad wreck. That got around school some way; Teeny-bits himself told +it, I think; so there isn't any harm in my repeating it. Some mighty +nice people in Hamilton picked him up after a train accident which +killed his mother and took him home. They finally adopted him, and gave +him their name when they weren't able to find any of his relatives, and +of course the mystery of that made the fellows all the more interested +in him."</p> + +<p>While the former captain of the Ridgley team had been saying these words +the mining engineer had looked at him with an intentness that Neil had +attributed to the fact that Teeny-bits' story was as interesting to him +as it had been to the sons of Ridgley.</p> + +<p>"You said that it was his mother who was killed in the railroad +accident?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Neil, "I guess they never found out what her name was. +That seems pretty horrible, but the Holbrooks, who adopted Teeny-bits, +are mighty fine people. Daniel Holbrook is the station agent at +Hamilton."</p> + +<p>The mining engineer settled back in his chair, sighed rather heavily and +gazed once more into the embers of the fire. "Well, Teeny-bits is a fine +chap," he said finally, "and I don't wonder that the fellows fell for +him."</p> + +<p>"He nearly caused me nervous prostration," said Neil, "when he didn't +show up at the game until the last minute, and the story about what +happened to him and how the Chinese who had kidnaped him acted when they +saw the knife mark on his shoulder is one of the strangest things I ever +heard."</p> + +<p>Wolcott Norris got out of his chair so quickly that Neil looked up in +surprise. "What happened about these Chinese?" asked the mining +engineer. "When did they come into it and <i>how</i> did they act?"</p> + +<p>"That's another bit of mystery," said Neil. "There were a couple of +fellows at school who didn't like Teeny-bits for one reason or +another—jealousy, I guess—and according to general belief they patched +up some kind of ridiculous plot to get Teeny-bits away from the school +while the big game was being played. One of them was Teeny-bits' +substitute and would have played if Teeny-bits hadn't been there. Maybe +you read in the papers about the accident in which a fellow named +Bassett was killed and another named Campbell got pretty badly hurt. +Those were the two fellows—they wrecked a big machine running away +after Teeny-bits showed up at the game. At least every one supposed they +were trying to make a get-away. All Teeny-bits knows about the thing is +that some one sent him a fake telephone message that his father—that +is, old Daniel Holbrook—had been hurt, and when Teeny-bits was on the +way home some men pounced on him and carried him over to Greensboro and +shut him up in some sort of Chinese place. They had him all tied up and +fixed so that he couldn't get away, they thought; but Teeny-bits +squirmed around and tore his sweater half off and finally got almost +loose, when back came two of these Chinamen and were tying him up again +when they saw this mark on his back and they began to act as if they'd +been mesmerized or something. They jabbered away and pointed at the +thing, and while they were going through these tantrums Teeny-bits just +walked out of the place and came home."</p> + +<p>"That <i>is</i> strange," said the mining engineer, "<i>mighty</i> strange. Didn't +he find out why they were frightened or what was behind it all?"</p> + +<p>"No," said Neil, "I think the matter was sort of hushed up. They did a +little investigating and it didn't seem to get them anywhere, and I +guess the people at the school thought it wasn't worth while to follow +it up any more. No one doubts that this Campbell fellow and Bassett were +behind the business, and as far as the Chinese go I guess they were just +superstitious or something. You must know them pretty well—you've +traveled over there so much. Don't you?"</p> + +<p>Apparently the mining engineer did not hear Neil's question, for he had +turned again to the fireplace and was gazing into the embers in an +abstracted manner. Neil did not feel like interrupting. For several +minutes the room was silent, then Wolcott Norris suddenly turned and +asked:</p> + +<p>"When was that crowd coming back?"</p> + +<p>The ski party on that night consisted of the three Jefferson football +players, Teeny-bits and two brothers by the name of Williams who were +from a camp a quarter of a mile down the valley. They planned to go up +over the shoulder of Whiteface in the brilliant moonlight and shoot down +a long, bare slope which was known as The Slide, where years before an +avalanche had torn its way downward leaving bare earth in its wake. This +V-shaped scar on the face of the mountain was now covered with a smooth +expanse of snow—an ideal avenue for a swift and thrilling descent of +the mountain. Teeny-bits had done more skiing in the last few days than +he had done before in all the years of his life and had become +enthusiastic over the sport. The sensation of sweeping down a slope and +of speeding on with increasing swiftness until it seemed as if one were +actually flying filled him with exhilaration and the real joy of living. +He had never tried anything as steep as The Slide, but he had no fear of +the place, and when, after a somewhat laborious climb, they had reached +the peak and stood gazing down on the white way that stretched before +them, he was eager to be off for the descent.</p> + +<p>"Don't take it too fast," said Norris, "the slope is steeper than it +looks. If you should want to slow up you can shoot over to the side and +work against the slope a little."</p> + +<p>The moon, now almost at the full, was shedding its ghostly light over +the snow-covered mountains; by its brilliance the ski runners could see +the surface of the slide, unbroken save for an occasional spruce which, +having taken root in the scarred soil, was now thrusting up its dark +branches through the blanket of white. Norris was the first to take off. +He shot downward and as he gained momentum sent back a cry that floated +up eerily. Teeny-bits poised at the edge and took a deep breath. This +was living. Down there, growing smaller and smaller, a moving speck that +seemed a mere shadow on the snow, was a new friend of his. It seemed +strange that this was one of the outcomes of the Jefferson-Ridgley game: +that from so desperate a struggle had arisen this opportunity to know +the leader of the purple for whom he held a growing admiration. A fellow +who fought so hard and so cleanly, who took defeat so wonderfully and +who made such a good pal was only a little less to be admired than Neil +Durant. Perhaps there was not any real difference in Teeny-bits' feeling +for the two.</p> + +<p>"I'm off," cried Teeny-bits; "see you at the bottom," and giving a +strong thrust with his pole sent himself out upon the smooth surface.</p> + +<p>With body bent slightly forward he took the first gentle slope and felt +the exhilarating sensation of gathering speed as his skis carried him +away from his friends. It was something between flying through the air +and riding on the top of an undulating wave of water. Following Ted +Norris' example he sent a shout back to the group on the crest and then +gave himself completely to the joy of meeting each surprise of the snow +with the proper adjustment of body and limbs that would enable him to +make the descent in one unbroken slide. He had never taken so swift a +flight,—it was as if he were rushing through space with scarcely any +realization of the landscape round him.</p> + +<p>Midway in The Slide, Teeny-bits suddenly found himself dodging a thicket +of small spruce trees. He escaped them by swerving quickly, but he went +too far to the left. Other small trees confronted him; his body brushed +sharply against the branches, and then looming before him was an old +monarch of the forest that somehow had escaped when the slide had +scarred the mountain-side. Its gnarled branches, standing out vaguely in +the half-light of the moon and stars like the arms of an octopus, seemed +to Teeny-bits to rise up and seize him. He had the feeling that +something was lifting him into the air, that he was going up and up into +the silver face of the moon. It seemed also that at the same time there +was a flash of light followed immediately by darkness.</p> + +<p>One after another the ski runners at the top of The Slide took off and +shot swiftly down the slope. None of them saw the huddled form at the +foot of the ancient oak and it was only when the four had joined Ted +Norris at the bottom of The Slide that they realized that something must +have happened to Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>"Didn't any of you see him on the way down?" asked Ted Norris. "Maybe he +broke his skis."</p> + +<p>"He would have yelled at us, wouldn't he?" said one of the Williams +brothers; "we'd better go back and look around."</p> + +<p>It was not a difficult matter even in the indistinct night light to +follow the marks of the skis. From the foot of the slide they mounted +slowly, tracing backward the five double tracks and finally coming to +the sixth, halfway down from the crest.</p> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="illus4" id="illus4"></a> +<img src="images/illus4.jpg" alt=""/> +</div> + +<h3><span class="smcap">From the foot of the slide they mounted slowly, tracing +backward the five double tracks.</span></h3> + +<hr style="width: 45%;" /> + +<p>"Here they are," said Norris. "Here's where Teeny-bits swerved over +toward the left."</p> + +<p>Almost before the words were out of his mouth he gave a startled +exclamation that brought the other four quickly to the foot of the oak +tree, where, with arms stretched out in front of him, lay Teeny-bits. He +had fallen in such an apparently comfortable position that it seemed to +the five ski runners that he could not be badly injured, but when they +turned him over they saw the dark mark of blood on the snow and became +assailed with a great fear that the worst thing they could imagine had +happened. Ted Norris' voice trembled a little as he said to the others, +"We must get him down to the house as quickly as we can. Here, help me +pick him up."</p> + +<p>It was a strange procession which went down the slope of old Whiteface +Mountain on that winter night,—an awkward looking group that made +progress slowly because of the burden which it bore.</p> + +<p>"You'd better go ahead to the Emmons place and get Doctor Emmons to come +up to our camp quickly," said Norris to the older of the Williams boys. +"You ought to get there about the time we do, and tell him to bring +stimulants and everything that he may need."</p> + +<p>Back in the Norris cabin Neil Durant had found that conversation between +himself and the mining engineer lagged. For half an hour the elder +Norris had sat apparently absorbed in his thoughts, and twice when Neil +had made remarks he had answered in a manner that showed his mind to be +far away. Neil himself was indulging in reveries when the sudden +interruption came,—a sound of voices outside the cabin, an exclamation, +a quick thrusting in of the door, and then the noise of persons talking +awkwardly, as those who carry a heavy burden. The two at the fireplace +turned in their chairs and saw immediately that something serious had +happened.</p> + +<p>"He crashed into a tree on the big Slide," said Ted Norris. "His body +seems warm but we're afraid that—well, just look at his neck; it moves +so queerly. Doctor Emmons ought to be here any minute. Bert Williams +went down ahead to get him."</p> + +<p>Within the space of a second, it seemed, Wolcott Norris had taken charge +of the situation. Teeny-bits Holbrook was laid out on a cot which they +brought in from one of the sleeping rooms and placed in front of the +fire, and here a quarter of an hour later Doctor Emmons made his +diagnosis.</p> + +<p>"No, his neck isn't broken," said the surgeon, "so you needn't worry +about that, and you can see from the color of his face that he isn't in +immediate danger. He has a concussion, which isn't necessarily +serious,—though that's a pretty bad blow he received on his head. Now +with your help, Mr. Norris, we'll look him over for further injuries. +There may be some broken bones to contend with also."</p> + +<p>Without loss of time the surgeon, aided by the mining engineer, removed, +most of Teeny-bits' clothing and began the process of examination by +which he quickly established the fact that no bones had been broken and +that the only injury from which Teeny-bits was suffering was the one to +his head. During this examination one slight incident attracted the +attention of Neil Durant and his friends who stood about speaking to +each other in whispers. It occurred when Wolcott Norris, following +instructions from the surgeon, with trembling hands uncovered +Teeny-bits' back and revealed the dagger-like, terra-cotta mark upon his +bare shoulder. For an instant the mining engineer had seemed about to +faint; he wavered on his feet and groped suddenly for the support of a +chair-back. To the watchers it had appeared that he had become +momentarily unnerved by the unexpected accident, or that perhaps he had +seen something in Teeny-bits' condition that was unfavorable. The +surgeon, however, had quickly reassured them as they pressed forward a +little closer by saying:</p> + +<p>"He's sound from top-knot to toe except for that ugly smash on the head. +Now we'll put these blankets over him and keep him quiet. If the +concussion isn't bad he'll become conscious before very long."</p> + +<p>But hour after hour passed and Teeny-bits did not regain his senses. He +lay in a stupor, occasionally muttering thick and unintelligible words.</p> + +<p>"There's no need of you fellows staying up," said Wolcott Norris at +midnight. "The doctor and I will be here with Teeny-bits and the best +thing you can do is go to bed."</p> + +<p>After a time the Williams brothers went home and Whipple and Phillips +followed the mining engineer's advice. Neil Durant and Ted Norris, +however, refused to leave the room where Teeny-bits lay. They sat +together by the fireplace and waited for an encouraging word from the +surgeon.</p> + +<p>"I know he'll pull through," said Neil. "He's as tough as a wildcat."</p> + +<p>"Some boy!" said the big son of Jefferson. "He's the real goods. Oh, +he's got to come out of it."</p> + +<p>Finally these two friends, who had fought each other so valiantly only a +few weeks before, dozed off sitting there side by side, with the ruddy +light of the fireplace on their faces.</p> + +<p>They awoke simultaneously. The gray light of morning had begun to +penetrate the camp windows, and Teeny-bits was sitting up on the couch, +looking about him as if he had been awakened from a puzzling dream.</p> + +<p>"What did I do with the skis?" he asked and, raising his hands to his +bandaged head, gazed at his friends in bewilderment.</p> + +<p>The doctor and Wolcott Norris, Neil and Ted were beside the cot in an +instant.</p> + +<p>"It's all right, old man!" said Neil. "You got a thump on your head +coming down the slide."</p> + +<p>"It feels——" Teeny-bits began. But his head was too heavy; the +shadow of a smile crossed his face and lying back on the pillow he +closed his eyes.</p> + +<p>"We must keep very quiet," said the surgeon. "He'll sleep now and be the +better for it."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<h3>A TALE OF THE FAR EAST</h3> + + +<p>It was as Doctor Emmons predicted: Teeny-bits slept half the morning +through and awoke with a clear look in his eyes that indicated at once +to his friends that his dazed condition had passed.</p> + +<p>"What did I hit?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"A big oak tree," said Ted Norris.</p> + +<p>"I knocked it down, didn't I?" asked Teeny-bits. "My head feels as if I +did."</p> + +<p>His friends laughed with a happy abandon in which there was a quality +that expressed release from a great fear.</p> + +<p>Under the doctor's orders Teeny-bits remained in bed the rest of the +week, though he declared on the second day that he was feeling fit and +wanted to get up. Meanwhile the holidays came to an end. Phillips and +Whipple departed for Jefferson School and at the same time most of the +other vacationers in the Pocassett settlement went their various ways. +Neil Durant and Ted Norris, however, insisted on staying until +Teeny-bits was entirely recovered. A part of each day they sat about the +cabin talking over school and college life.</p> + +<p>"If you fellows would only wait a year I might go to college with you," +Teeny-bits said one day, half jokingly.</p> + +<p>"I might do it at that," said Neil Durant. "Father has been talking to +me about staying out a year and working before I start in."</p> + +<p>"That's not a bad idea," said Wolcott Norris. "Most of the fellows +to-day enter college with a pretty vague notion of what they're going to +do and it might help a lot to get out and work for a year or so before +you continue your education. I think it would be time well spent."</p> + +<p>The conversation was brief, but it began something which was destined to +come to pass.</p> + +<p>During these days while he was recovering, Teeny-bits had the +opportunity to accomplish the thing for which he had envied Neil Durant +on the night of the accident,—to become better acquainted with Wolcott +Norris. While Ted and Neil, who had recovered from his sprained ankle, +were out on snowshoes and skis, the mining engineer and the new captain +of the Ridgley team spent many hours together. The admiration that +Teeny-bits had felt for this man with the straight figure and the keen +eyes steadily increased. Here, he said to himself, was a man whose +character showed in his face and whose life any one would do well to +imitate. There was something about Wolcott Norris that inspired +Teeny-bits with a feeling of confidence, and somewhat to his surprise he +found himself telling the mining engineer things that he had never told +even to such good friends as Neil Durant or Snubby Turner,—confidences +about his own feeling toward the other members of the school, hopes for +the future and something of the ambitions for the attainment of which he +meant to strive. For some reason which he could not analyze it seemed +entirely natural to be conversing intimately—even after such a short +acquaintance—with Wolcott Norris.</p> + +<p>"You two fellows seem to be getting pretty chummy," said Ted Norris one +afternoon when he and Neil came in and found Teeny-bits and the mining +engineer engaged in conversation. "What's all the deep talk about?"</p> + +<p>"Why don't you pull up some chairs and sit down?" asked Wolcott Norris.</p> + +<p>It was just at the beginning of twilight and the flickering fire was +already making shadows on the beamed ceiling of the cabin. Neil and Ted +Norris pulled off their leather coats and stretched themselves out +comfortably with their feet toward the blaze.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Ted, looking at Wolcott Norris, "is the time for you to spin +us a yarn."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the mining engineer gazing at the three of them with an +expression that they later remembered, "I guess this <i>is</i> the time to +spin you a yarn."</p> + +<p>To their surprise he got up abruptly from his splint-backed chair and +went out to his bedroom. As he returned he was thrusting something into +his coat pocket.</p> + +<p>"After I got through Jefferson," he said, when he was sitting in front +of the fireplace once more, "I went to technical school to study +engineering—mining engineering—which meant that when I started out to +work I traveled round the country from one place to another, and within +a short time I had a commission to go to China. When I went I took some +one with me."</p> + +<p>Wolcott Norris paused and for a minute or two gazed straight before him. +None of the three listeners interrupted the silence; there had been a +quality in the mining engineer's voice which had made them feel that +they were about to hear something unusual.</p> + +<p>"Here's her picture," he said, and took from his pocket the object he +had placed there on entering the room a few moments before. He handed it +to Teeny-bits, who bent forward a little so that the glow from the +firelight fell on the photograph. Neil Durant and Ted Norris leaned +toward him and the three of them saw the likeness of a young woman with +smiling eyes and fine, clear features.</p> + +<p>"Mighty nice looking," said Neil Durant. "She reminds me of some one +I've seen before, I can't think where."</p> + +<p>There was a slight unsteadiness in Wolcott Norris' voice when he spoke +again, but he overcame it and went on with his story rapidly.</p> + +<p>"We were married just after I got my new job, went out to San Francisco +and sailed for China on the Japanese steamer <i>Tenyo Maru</i>. It was a +wonderful world to us then—more wonderful than I can describe to you. +Rain or shine, every day was a perfect day, and we sailed on and on in +that little old steamer out across the Pacific until we came at last to +Asia. For several months we were in Shanghai at the headquarters of the +company, then they sent me up into the province of Honan to a little +place called Tung-sha on a tributary of the Yangtse in a country that +was pretty wild.</p> + +<p>"There was gold and copper back in the hills and the company intended to +carry on extensive operations if the ground proved worth while. How +strange it seemed to us to find a bit of a foreign colony—a handful of +Americans and British and French, missionaries and representatives of +the company—set down in a region that for no one knows how many +thousand years had belonged to the yellow men. You go about in China and +you see those old, old temples and the weather-worn houses and the +ancient hills, bald and bare, and you feel as if antiquity were casting +a spell over you. A person who hasn't lived among the Chinese can't +imagine what a strange, superstitious people they are; more than any +other race on the face of the earth they are bound to the past—and I +suppose when we came up there to Tung-sha and began to dig tunnels in +their hills we were breaking the precedent of the past. Still we didn't +really expect any trouble—and for many months all went smoothly. Some +wonderful things happened up there in that out-of-the-way corner of the +world. We lived—Marion and I—in a three-room bungalow with a roof that +sloped like the roof of a temple, and here that first springtime +something very fine came into our lives—a son was born to us. He was a +husky little youngster—and maybe he couldn't yell!"</p> + +<p>Wolcott Norris laughed.</p> + +<p>"I remember that Ho Sen, my Chinese servant boy, used to say when the +baby howled 'Nice stlong lung; he'll glow nice, big man! And by Jingo! +How that little chap did grow! Those were days crowded with happiness +and before we knew it we'd been in Tung-sha more than a year. The mine +was beginning to require additional machinery and everything looked good +for the future. We were so contented there in our bungalow that I +suppose we never thought of anything happening to burst our bubble of +happiness—at least I don't remember that any worries troubled our +minds."</p> + +<p>The mining engineer paused in his story and passed his hand across his +brow. A minute went by, during which the hushing sound of the fire alone +broke the stillness of the room. Teeny-bits, Neil Durant and Ted Norris +sat without moving; their eyes were on the red and yellow fireplace +flames, but what they saw was a bit of the old Chinese Empire, in-land +on a tributary of the Yangtse—and a bungalow at Tung-sha. The mining +engineer was silent so long that finally they looked up—and, seeing the +expression on his face, looked quickly down again—as those turn away +their faces who look by mistake too deeply into the intimate thoughts of +another.</p> + +<p>"Bad water and Red Knife wrecked Tung-sha," said Wolcott Norris +abruptly. "The water was contaminated somehow—typhoid got into it. Our +little colony was hard hit and when that second summer was over the +youngster I told you about didn't have any mother—she was sleeping the +long sleep out there at the foot of the Tung-sha hills."</p> + +<p>The mining engineer's voice had grown thick—it was as if another person +were speaking.</p> + +<p>"I should have told you more at the start about Red Knife," he said. "He +was a Chinese robber—the chief of a gang of hill-men who for years had +levied tribute from those poor, ignorant people of Honan. His name was a +living terror—I have never seen such abject fear on the faces of human +beings as one day when a rumor passed among our mine workers that Red +Knife was in the hills near by waiting to pounce down upon them. They +reminded me of sheep huddling together to escape wolves.</p> + +<p>"From the time when the company first started operations at Tung-sha we +realized that this bandit was working against us—for the reason, of +course, that he knew we would lessen his power. I questioned Ho Sen one +day and learned that Red Knife had sent word around that if the 'foreign +devils', as he called us, dug further into the hills man-eating dragons +would come out and destroy the villages. We had to pay extra to get +labor after that."</p> + +<p>"Why did they call him Red Knife?" asked Neil Durant.</p> + +<p>"Because that was his symbol—a red knife—and his followers were said +to carry red-bladed daggers.</p> + +<p>"Red Knife chose his time well. He came down on our little settlement at +the height of the typhoid scourge. It was only a few days after Marion +had been buried and I was up at the mine attending to some last +arrangements so that I could leave. I had made up my mind to take +Winslow—that's what we'd named the little boy—out to Shanghai, for +Tung-sha was no place for a motherless youngster. In broad daylight I +heard the natives wailing and yelling, and then the mine workers began +to cry out that Red Knife had swooped down from the hills. The white men +who were with me pulled out their guns and we ran down to the bungalows. +We were too late, however; Red Knife had come and gone—and with him had +gone Ho Sen and the boy. Three or four of the natives lay in the street +with their throats cut and the rest of them were so frightened that at +first I couldn't get them to tell me anything, but finally I made out +that Red Knife's men had carried the baby away in a basket and that Ho +Sen had gone with them, voluntarily or as a prisoner I did not know.</p> + +<p>"I can't tell you just how crazy I was. I remember that I grabbed up a +handful of shells for my revolver and ran up toward the Hai-Yu Gap where +the natives said Red Knife and his gang had disappeared. I remember also +that Hartley, the surgeon, and a Frenchman ran after me and tried to +pull me back, and when I wouldn't come with them that they ran along +beside me. But I guess I out-distanced them, for after a time I was +running alone up the dry bed of a stream where the Hai-Yu Gap cut the +hills. I meant to get the boy and bring him back, but I suppose I might +as well have tried to follow a black tracker into a tropic jungle as to +follow the trail of Red Knife through those Tung-sha hills.</p> + +<p>"I don't know how far I went. When night came I was lost—scrambling in +the dark over bare rocks, slipping into gulleys and fighting my way out +again. I suppose I made a terrific clatter and that Red Knife's men +heard me coming when I was a long way off. At any rate they got me when +I was off my guard—the yellow men pounced on me from behind the rocks +and, though I think I did for one or two of them with my gun, they +knocked me over the head. When I came to I was in the dusky interior of +a stone house, bound and utterly helpless."</p> + +<p>Wolcott Norris got up abruptly from his chair and, walking over to the +window, looked out into the twilight at the snow-covered Pocassett +landscape. When he came back to the fireplace he said to the three +listeners who had followed them with their eyes but had not stirred:</p> + +<p>"Maybe you've read of the devilish ingenuity of some of these Chinese +brigands—there are wild stories and some are true and some are not, but +the torture that Red Knife put me to in that stone house up beyond the +Hai-Yu Gap was worse than death—or so it seemed to me.</p> + +<p>"He was a short, broad-shouldered wretch with a thin, hairy mustache +that curled round the corners of his mouth. That mouth of his and his +black, slant eyes were the most vivid expressions of cruelty that I have +ever seen. When I first saw him I thought of Genghis Khan, that ancient +conqueror who is said to have slaughtered five million persons while he +ruled over China. Red Knife brought in Ho Sen and my little boy and he +made Ho Sen, who was trembling like a leaf, interpret the things he +wanted me to know.</p> + +<p>"'Foreign devil,' he said, 'what is worth more than your life to you? +Ai, I know. This child is worth to you more than your life, therefore +will I take him away.' And then he uncovered the baby's back and showed +me a livid mark on the little chap's shoulder. 'See,' he said, 'he +belongs to Red Knife now; he wears Red Knife's mark. My women will be +<i>very</i> good to this little son of the foreigner. We will bring him up in +our band; he will be clever like the white man. Who knows, perhaps he +will be as good a thief as Red Knife himself!'</p> + +<p>"I tried to think of something that I could say or do that would move +this wretch's heart, but it was of no use. Poor Ho Sen was frightened to +death, and when I begged him to try to escape and bring help from the +village I little thought that he could do anything.</p> + +<p>"'Take the boy back to the village,' I said to Red Knife through the +interpreter, 'and do with me as you will.'</p> + +<p>"'Yes, I will do with you as I will,' was his answer. 'I think I will +put you in a hole in the ground and perhaps I will give you a toad and a +lizard to keep you company. Red Knife wants no one to be lonely.'</p> + +<p>"Red Knife—I've always supposed—did intend to put me out of the way by +some diabolical method of his own. And then the idea of holding me for +ransom apparently occurred to him, for he kept me in the stone house +back in the hills day after day. Two or three times when I saw Ho Sen I +begged him to run away from the bandits and take the little boy with him +and tell my friends in the village where we were, but Ho Sen only looked +at me and trembled. I couldn't much blame him for being terrified.</p> + +<p>"One night there was a jabbering and yelling round the stone house and I +thought Red Knife had killed Ho Sen, for I saw him no more. Two days +later there was more commotion and the whole band began to prepare to +depart. I hoped that an expedition had come from the town—and that in +fact was actually what happened. Some of the Imperial Government troops +led by the white men were on Red Knife's trail, but Red Knife knew those +hills too well. He and his gang went farther back and took me along, +helpless. The horrible part of it all was that the little boy seemed to +have disappeared, and when I asked what had become of him these yellow +men only jabbered at me in their outlandish tongue. We traveled all day +and all night and finally camped in some limestone caves. There I became +very sick and I hoped that I should die because the future didn't seem +to hold anything at all for me. I know I was delirious for a long time; +things seemed very hazy—a confused coming and going of the natives and +the jabbering of their singsong voices. Perhaps that sickness was what +saved my life, for when I came to the end of my delirium I was lying +there deserted in the limestone cave. I suppose Red Knife thought that +the 'foreign devil' was dying and that I was only an encumbrance in his +retreat. I don't know how long I had remained in the cave and I can't +tell you how I managed to make my way out of that wilderness of hills +and dry river beds, but Providence must have guided me, for I finally +stumbled down into the village of Tung-sha and found Hartley, the +surgeon, and three or four of the Europeans still there.</p> + +<p>"I was delirious again for a time and didn't know what went on around +me. But Hartley pulled me through and I found myself asking what had +happened. They told me that the native troops of the Imperial Government +had come up and that the foreign colony had led an expedition back into +the hills. They hadn't been able, however, to overtake Red Knife and had +finally abandoned the expedition partly because of the doubtful loyalty +of the Chinese troops, who weren't over eager to chase Red Knife. That +whole region in those days needed only a spark to set it aflame against +all foreigners.</p> + +<p>"There was one surprising bit of news, something that gave me a great +desire to live. Ho Sen, poor, faithful Ho Sen, had escaped from Red +Knife. He had come crawling to Hartley's bungalow at midnight several +days after the raid, carrying in his arms the boy, and had fallen +unconscious at the doorsteps. Hartley took them in and found the boy +little the worse for his experiences, but Ho Sen died that same night +and had been in his grave more than two weeks when Hartley told me the +story. Meanwhile they had given up hope of ever seeing me alive again, +and when the colony decided that it was unsafe for the women to stay at +Tung-sha any longer they sent the boy down to Shanghai with an American +missionary by the name of Singleton, who was going back to the United +States. She had become deaf during her service in China and was +returning to the States for treatment.</p> + +<p>"Of course I started for Shanghai as soon as I was able to get about, +going down the Yangtse in a river boat. But again I was too late. When I +arrived I discovered that this Miss Singleton had gone to the office of +the company and on their advice, after she had reported my death, had +taken the baby with her when she sailed for San Francisco. She had the +address of my brother—Ted's father—and said that she would deliver the +child to them in New York. That's about the end of the story, except +that I was never able to trace Miss Singleton beyond San Francisco. In +Shanghai I came down with typhoid and was delayed three months in +getting back to America. Then I discovered that my little son never +arrived in New York—as far as any one knew—and the result of the +investigations that I carried on through the police and private +detective agencies established only the fact that the young missionary +was on the steamer when it arrived at San Francisco and that she and the +baby disembarked with the other passengers.</p> + +<p>"I said that was pretty nearly the end of the story—but you know I've +never quite given up hope of sometime finding that boy of mine."</p> + +<p>"Will you let me look at that picture again?" asked Neil Durant.</p> + +<p>As the mining engineer took the photograph from his pocket and handed it +to Neil, Teeny-bits asked a question:</p> + +<p>"That mark," he said in a voice that was peculiarly tense, "what was it +like—was it—?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Wolcott Norris, "it <i>was</i> like the mark that I saw on your +shoulder when Doctor Emmons...."</p> + +<p>"Look!" Neil Durant suddenly broke in. "I know <i>now</i> where I've seen the +person that resembles this picture—it's <i>you</i>, Teeny-bits! Her eyes and +mouth—just look!"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits gazed at the picture and finally raised his eyes to those of +Wolcott Norris. He opened his lips to speak, but no sound came from +them. For the moment his thoughts were too full to find expression in +words.</p> + +<p>"It seems—" he said unsteadily after a time, "like something I've been +dreaming, and now I know why I've had such a strange feeling toward +you—just as if you were my older brother—or my—my father. To-morrow +when Neil and I go back to Ridgley, will you come?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Teeny-bits, I'll come," said Wolcott Norris, "and we'll go over to +Greensboro and have a talk with those Chinese that Neil told me about."</p> + +<p>Ted Norris jumped to his feet as if he had suddenly come out of a +trance. "By thunder!" he cried, "my head is swimming round in circles, +but I've just enough of a grip on my brains to see that you and I—that +we—oh, shucks!—put it there!" And the big fellow thrust out his hand +to Teeny-bits.</p> + +<p>Next day the Norris cabin at Pocassett was closed. Ted Norris went back +to Jefferson and the other three traveled on toward Ridgley School. At +the Greensboro station Teeny-bits and Wolcott Norris left the train and +made their way to the Eating Palace of Chuan Kai. There the mining +engineer, who knew how to talk to an Oriental, very quickly discovered +that the proprietor of the establishment was a native of the Honan +Province; that Shanghai and the Yangtse and Tung-sha were places not +unknown to them, and then suddenly he put the question toward which he +had been leading the conversation. When Chuan Kai had left China was Red +Knife, the robber, alive? Chuan Kai started at the name and answered +quickly:</p> + +<p>"He is a devil! He will never die."</p> + +<p>"And that was why your men acted strangely when they saw the mark on the +young man's shoulder? They are from your region, too, and they know Red +Knife's mark. It frightened them to find it on an American over here on +this side of the world. That's all right. We've learned all we wish to +know and you need have no fear, Chuan Kai, that any harm will come to +you."</p> + +<p>The Oriental had shown clearly that the mining engineer had hit upon the +truth; there was no necessity of wasting more time in Greensboro. A +little later Teeny-bits and Wolcott Norris were in the Hamilton station +greeting Pa Holbrook, who insisted on taking them home to supper. No one +could be more hospitable than this kindly old couple who made no excuses +for the humbleness of their home and who gave to every one who entered +it the true feeling of welcome. They accepted the mining engineer as a +friend of Teeny-bits. Ma Holbrook said to herself that here was "a real +fine man" and Pa Holbrook's mental comment was that he was a "genuwine +gentleman." Teeny-bits could see that these two persons, to whom he owed +so much, approved of Wolcott Norris, but he was filled with uneasiness +at the thought of telling them what he knew must be told.</p> + +<p>It all came out very simply after the meal was over. The story seemed to +tell itself. Teeny-bits started it and Wolcott Norris helped him out, +and when it was all done and Ma and Pa Holbrook grasped the full import +of its meaning, there was no unpleasant scene.</p> + +<p>Ma Holbrook put her handkerchief to her eyes, and the station agent +said, "There, there, mother, don't cry."</p> + +<p>"I'm not really crying," declared Ma Holbrook. "I'm just a little bit +weepy, I'm so glad for Teeny-bits."</p> + +<p>Pa Holbrook took the mining engineer's hand in his two old, gnarled ones +and said something that made Teeny-bits very happy:</p> + +<p>"Ma and I are old folks and we've kind of worried, you can understand, +about Teeny-bits not having any family when we pass on. He's +<i>everything</i> to us, and of course this coming so sudden sort of works Ma +and me up a mite, but when we're used to it we'll be the happiest people +on the face of the globe to know that our boy has a real dad like you."</p> + +<p>"I know what we'll do," said Ma Holbrook suddenly, "Pa and I will sort +of adopt you, too, Mr. Norris. It don't really seem that you're much +more than old enough to be Teeny-bits' brother, anyway."</p> + +<p>At that the mining engineer got up and stood over by the window blowing +his nose. When he turned round there was a redness about his eyes, and +his voice was husky:</p> + +<p>"It's a wonderful thing to me to know that Teeny-bits has had you two to +look out for him all these years, and it's the best compliment I ever +had for you to say that you'd like to adopt me too. We'll share +Teeny-bits together and I'll be satisfied if I can make him care as much +about me as he cares about you."</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits felt that he ought to say something, but for the life of him +he could not speak a word. He looked at these three persons who meant so +much to him, he thought of all the things that had come to him since +that first day when he climbed the hill to Ridgley School. The whole of +it seemed to pass before his eyes like a panorama suddenly displayed. +How much had happened! How many new friends he had made! How much life +held in store for him!</p> + +<p>Ma Holbrook broke the trend of Teeny-bits' thoughts.</p> + +<p>"Now," she said, smiling through the tears that still gathered in her +eyes, "what are we going to call you?"</p> + +<p>Teeny-bits laughed. He could speak now. "Why, Ma," he said, "there's +only one thing to call me; I've been Teeny-bits all my life and I want +to be Teeny-bits still."</p> + +<h3><span class="smcap">The End</span></h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="By_CLAYTON_H_ERNST" id="By_CLAYTON_H_ERNST"></a><i>By</i> CLAYTON H. ERNST</h2> + +<h3>BLIND TRAILS</h3> + +<h4><i>Illustrated by G. A. Harker</i></h4> + + +<p>"Clayton H. Ernst has avowedly written his story, 'Blind Trails,' for +'Boys from 12 to 18,' but the blood of any grown up who fails to find a +thrill in the adventures of young Hal Ayres must be thin indeed. 'Blind +Trails' is a far more interesting and better written story of adventure +than many of those recently offered for full grown readers."—<i>The New +York Sun.</i></p> + +<p>"A story full of thrills that will keep the boy of 12 years or more +curled up in the chair before the fire long after bedtime."—<i>The +Philadelphia North American.</i></p> + +<p>"A well-written and exciting story of a fight over the possession of +valuable lumber lands. It is a book far better than the usual run of +those intended for boys in the 'teens."—<i>The Saint Louis Star.</i></p> + +<p>"'Blind Trails' is one of the best of the season's tales for big boys of +sub-college age. It is well written, with real conversations and +skillfully suspended interest, and more character-drawing than is usual +in such stories."—<i>The Boston Herald.</i></p> + + + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Mark of the Knife, by Clayton H. 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Ernst + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mark of the Knife + +Author: Clayton H. Ernst + +Illustrator: Chase Emerson + +Release Date: January 16, 2010 [EBook #30985] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MARK OF THE KNIFE *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + THE MARK OF THE KNIFE + + BY CLAYTON H. ERNST + + +WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY CHASE EMERSON + +BOSTON +LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY +1920 + +_Copyright, 1920_, +By LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. + +_All rights reserved_ + +Published October, 1920 + +Norwood Press +Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Cushing Co. +Norwood, Mass., U. S. A. + + + + +[Illustration: IN THEIR EYES, FOR THE TIME BEING AT LEAST, IT SURPASSED +THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE.] + + + + +CONTENTS + + +I THE NEWCOMER + +II A BLEMISH + +III A PLAN AND A GAME + +IV TWO VISITS AND A THEFT + +V TEENY-BITS' CHANCE + +VI DISCOVERIES + +VII ON THE EVE OF THE STRUGGLE + +VIII STRANGE CAPTORS + +IX THE GREAT GAME + +X AT LINCOLN HALL + +XI MYSTERIES IN PART EXPLAINED + +XII A VISIT TO CHUAN KAI'S + +XIII DAYS OF PLEASURE + +XIV A TALE OF THE FAR EAST + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +In their eyes, for the time being at least, it surpassed the battle of +the Marne + +At the beginning of the final quarter Coach Murray sent in Teeny-bits to +take the place of White + +Only three of them had a chance to reach the Ridgley player + +From the foot of the slide they mounted slowly, tracing backward the +five double tracks + + + + +THE MARK OF THE KNIFE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE NEWCOMER + + +Ridgley School, with its white buildings set comfortably among the +maples and the oaks that crown the flat top of the hill a mile to the +west of the village of Hamilton, attracts and holds the attention of all +eyes that fall upon it. Partly perhaps because the dormitories and the +recreation halls fit into the landscape and do not jut boldly and +crudely above the trees--as so many buildings on hilltops do--there is +an air of hominess and informality about the place which new visitors +generally notice and mention to Doctor Wells, its head. + +But it is one thing to ride up to Ridgley School in an automobile from +the Hamilton Station with half a dozen other new Ridgleyites, some of +whom have already become your friends, and to get your first view of the +campus while cheerful voices are sounding in your ears, and quite +another thing to walk up the long winding road from the village alone +and to wonder as you come nearer and nearer to those neat white +buildings whether you will succeed in making any friends at all among +the fellows who have come up in the automobiles. Under those conditions +Ridgley School might seem cold and austere and full of unpleasant +possibilities. + +That in fact was the situation of the newcomer who was walking swiftly +toward the white buildings one morning late in September. He was +entering upon an adventure that filled him with mingled excitement and +gloom--excitement because of the mystery of the new life opening before +him, gloom because of the necessity of giving up so much that had made +him happy in the past. He went directly to the office of the Head in the +building nearest the road and announced himself to Doctor Wells: + +"I am Findley Holbrook." + +Doctor Wells, whose face looked young in spite of the gray hair at his +temples, got up from his chair and shook hands gravely. "I'm glad to see +you, Findley," he said; "I hope you're going to like the school and that +the school will like you. We've assigned you to Gannett Hall; I'll have +one of the masters take you over and introduce you to the boys who've +already come. We don't do much to-day except get settled. Did you bring +your things?" + +"My father is going to bring them up this noon," Findley replied. "I +thought I'd better come early to start in with the other fellows." + +Doctor Wells put him in charge of Mr. Stevens, who took him over to +Gannett Hall, a three-story building with its ivy-covered front to the +campus and its back to the tennis courts. A dozen boys were standing on +the steps; they had been talking and laughing, but as the newcomer +approached them with the master, their voices died away and they paused +in their conversations. A black-haired boy, tall and heavily built, +immediately called out: + +"Hello, Teeny-bits!" + +The new boy recognized the one who had hailed him as Tracey Campbell, +who had been in the class above him in the public school at Greensboro. +"Teeny-bits" was the name by which Findley Holbrook had been known ever +since he could remember and to hear himself thus addressed brought to +him a momentarily pleasant feeling, even though Tracey Campbell had +never been a special friend of his. When Findley was younger he had been +so small that some one had called him "Teeny-bits" and the name had +stuck. At the public school in Greensboro, in the village of Hamilton, +in his home, every one called him Teeny-bits, and though the name did +not apply to him now as appropriately as it had applied when he was four +or five years younger, it still fitted him so well that no one +questioned it. + +Mr. Stevens smiled as he heard it from Tracey Campbell's lips and +glanced at his young companion. A compact, slim body somewhat under the +average height for seventeen, square shoulders, a very youthful mouth, +eyes that seemed older than the rest of him and light brown, almost +tow-colored hair, were the characteristics of Teeny-bits Holbrook that +Mr. Stevens, the English master, saw. He said to himself that Teeny-bits +was an apt nickname. + +There were other characteristics that Mr. Stevens did not see; one of +them revealed itself half an hour after the master had introduced +Teeny-bits to the members of the school who occupied the third-floor +rooms in Gannett Hall. The newcomer found himself possessed of a small +and plain, but comfortable room, in which a bed, a chest of drawers, a +table and two chairs were the chief articles of furniture. It looked out +on the tennis courts and commanded a view of Hamilton village with its +twin church spires sticking up through the trees like white spar-buoys +out of a green sea. It made Teeny-bits a little homesick to look down +there. His thoughts were quickly turned in other directions, however. +Several of the boys came into his room, led by a tall, over-grown fellow +who had been standing on the steps of the hall when Teeny-bits had +entered. He came in at the head of the others, grinning confidently as +if he were looking forward to something that would provide amusement. + +"Friends," he said in the stagey sort of voice that a person might use +in talking to an audience, "meet Teeny-bits--that's his name." + +The boys behind the leader smiled in a way that suggested something else +about to happen. + +"Let me introduce myself," said the tall boy. "I'm Bassett, the Western +Whirlwind, manager of Terrible Turner, the fighting bear-cat." + +All of the boys laughed or snickered, and Teeny-bits smiled expectantly. + +"Here is Terrible Turner himself," said Bassett, laying his hand on the +shoulder of a pug-nosed lad whose freckled face wore a queer look of +combined insolence and friendliness. "For the honor of the school he +will wrestle you to test your mettle--he's a wrestler from way-back. Do +you accept the challenge?" + +Teeny-bits looked at Terrible Turner and then at Bassett, the Whirlwind. + +"No," he said, "I don't want to wrestle in these clothes." + +"Take off your coat, then; we consider it an insult to the whole school +if you don't accept the challenge. Are you afraid of Terrible Turner? +He's no bigger than you are." + +Teeny-bits saw that the freckle-faced boy was in fact no larger than he, +but he did not seem any the more inclined to accept the call to combat. + +After waiting a moment, Bassett said in a taunting voice: "Friends, let +me introduce you to Teeny-bits, the quitter." + +The words had an effect that the Western Whirlwind scarcely expected. +Teeny-bits solemnly pulled off his coat, laid it on the bed, and replied +to the challenge. + +"I won't wrestle with Turner," he said. "He's younger than I am. I'll +wrestle with you." + +The action that took place during the next few minutes was not quickly +forgotten by the members of Ridgley School who were fortunate enough to +witness it. In their eyes, for the time being at least, it surpassed the +battle of the Marne. + +Bassett made a scornful reply to Teeny-bits' challenge and let escape +the remark that he wasn't a "baby-killer" and wouldn't wrestle any +"bantams." + +The words were still in his mouth when Teeny-bits launched himself upon +him. There was a brief collision and with a mighty thump Bassett, the +Whirlwind, hit the floor flat on his back. + +A mighty howl went up from the onlookers; it carried to the farthest +corners of Gannett Hall,--and there was such a note of pure enjoyment +and hilarious surprise in it that every son of Ridgley upon whose ears +it fell wasted no time in abandoning whatever was at hand and dashing +madly to the scene of combat. As Bassett struggled to his feet all the +roomers in Gannett Hall began to converge on Teeny-bits' room, and by +the time the Western Whirlwind had thrown off his coat and laid hold on +his opponent again, they were crowding in at the door and craning their +necks to get a view of the fracas. + +Bassett's face was the color of a ripe tomato; he considered that he had +been caught off his guard, and the hilarious shout of his erstwhile +admiring audience caused chagrin, disgust and rage to sweep over him in +swift succession. He was mad clear through, and he meant to teach this +impudent young Teeny-bits a lesson. He was twenty-five pounds heavier +and half a head taller than the newcomer, and he had no other thought in +his mind than that he could quickly regain his prestige and wipe out his +disgrace,--and he meant to do it in no gentle manner. Teeny-bits should +hit the floor and hit it hard, and if the fall should shake the whole +building he would not care. + +With a bull-like rush Bassett made for Teeny-bits, seized him with rough +hands and gave a heave that was intended to finish the bout in one +brilliant coup. But in some clever way his small opponent with quick +work of his hands secured the under holds and though Bassett lifted him +off the floor he clung on like a leech, found his feet after a second +and saved himself from going down. The Western Whirlwind wrenched and +twisted and heaved; he tugged with both hands, striving mightily to +"break the back" of his opponent, he grunted as he worked and left no +doubt in the minds of the howling audience that he meant to put an +effective finish on the combat. The wonder of the crowd was that +Teeny-bits did not immediately fall an easy victim. They gave him the +ready sympathy that is generally accorded to the under dog. + +"Hold him off, Teeny-bits!" + +"Don't let him get you!" + +"That's the way!" + +"Look out!" + +"Trip him up!" + +Those were the shouts that filled the room with pandemonium. One moment +the struggling pair were over against the wall, the next they bumped the +bed or knocked over a chair. Surprise showed on the face of Bassett; he +could not understand how this little chap was able to keep his feet. He +grunted more fiercely and tried to get a new grip, but Teeny-bits +squirmed and shifted and somehow saved himself. The Western Whirlwind +began to puff and wheeze; sweat came out on his forehead and his face +became redder than ever. Then for an instant he let up in his heaves as +if to take breath for a new and more furious attack. + +It was a fatal pause. Until that moment Teeny-bits had been content to +cling on and make a defensive fight of it. Now suddenly he changed his +tactics to the offensive. By clever leg-work he got Bassett lurching +backward. He pressed home his advantage and while a shout of amazement +and delight rang in his ears, brought his big antagonist down to the +floor with a jar that made the windows rattle. + +Bassett, the Whirlwind, lay on his back, half dazed with amazement and +feeling too weak to rise because most of the wind seemed to have been +knocked out of him. Once more, as of old, David had slain Goliath, and +the victor was receiving congratulations. + +At that moment a boy larger than any who had been in the room pushed his +way through the crowd. "No fighting in the dormitory!" he cried. "What's +all this about?" And then he saw Bassett just rising weakly to a sitting +posture and observed the other boys slapping Teeny-bits on the back. He +gazed in doubt from one to the other and then said to the diminutive +conqueror: "Did you put this big lummux down?" + +"You bet he did!" cried a dozen voices. + +"Well, you did a mighty good job," he declared. "You're new here, but a +lot of these other fellows are not, and they know as well as I do that +we're not supposed to fight or have wrestling matches in the +dormitories. Get on your feet there, Bassett, and mind your own business +hereafter. I know well enough that you started this. You got just what +you deserved, didn't you!" + +In an authoritative way that was confident without being "bossy" he +ordered the boys out of the room, and when the last of them had gone and +the sound of their joking remarks to the crestfallen Bassett was +receding, he said to Teeny-bits: + +"You must be a whale of a scrapper for your size--and I'm mighty glad +you gave that fresh-mouthed Bassett a good lesson. But don't get into +any more trouble with him. You know we have a sort of self-government +here, and we can't be smashing up things in the dormitory. I room +downstairs in Number 26. Come in sometime soon." + +Later in the day Teeny-bits learned that his visitor was Neil Durant, +pitcher on the baseball team, and captain of the football eleven. He was +dormitory leader, which meant that he represented Gannett Hall on the +self-government committee of the school. Turner, who gave Teeny-bits the +information, was only one of many boys who dropped in that day to see +the conqueror of Bassett, the Whirlwind. Turner--the same Terrible +Turner who had been willing enough for combat earlier in the +morning--confessed with a grin that he was pretty glad Teeny-bits hadn't +wrestled with him! "If I'd hit the floor as hard as Bassett did, I'd bet +my backbone would have been broken into forty pieces," he said. "Oh, +what a pippin of a thump!" + +Teeny-bits liked Turner's frank, outspoken way. He made up his mind that +he liked him still better when Turner said: + +"None of the fellows call me Terrible Turner, you know--that was just +some bunk that Bassett invented. They all call me Snubby--on account of +my nose, I guess." + +That noon an incident occurred that some of the roomers in Gannett Hall +noticed: just before lunch Teeny-bits' trunk came. Mr. Holbrook brought +it up from the village in a buggy drawn by a sorrel horse and with +Teeny-bits' help carried it to the room on the third floor. Several of +the boys remembered seeing Mr. Holbrook in the Hamilton station and when +Teeny-bits introduced him as his father they suddenly realized that the +conqueror of Whirlwind Bassett and the bearer of the queer nickname was +the son of the station agent and a native of the little hamlet that +nestled at the foot of the hill. + +Mr. Holbrook was white-haired and he walked with a slight limp that made +him seem old. He looked at Teeny-bits' new friends with a kindly twinkle +in his eyes and told them that they were all "lucky boys to go to such a +fine school" and advised them to "study hard so as to be smart men." If +he had not been Teeny-bits' father, they might have thought he was a +queer old duffer. + +When Mr. Holbrook had said good-by to Teeny-bits he went over to Doctor +Wells' office and remained alone with the Head for half an hour. At the +end of that time he came out and drove the old sorrel horse through the +campus and down the hill toward the village. One or two of the boys who +saw him wondered what he had been talking about so long with the Head. + +Old Daniel Holbrook with the limp and the white hair meant every word +that he had said about the boys being lucky to go to such a fine school, +but he meant it particularly in the case of Teeny-bits, whose situation +in life was entirely different from the situation of most of the other +Ridgleyites. They came to Ridgley from half the states in the +Union--from California and Ohio and the Carolinas and New York and New +England--they came well-equipped and carried themselves with a manner +that suggested the well-to-do homes they had left. Teeny-bits Holbrook +was there because he had won the scholarship that under the terms of the +endowment of the school was awarded each year to a public-school student +who lived within the confines of Sherburne County. Fennimore Ridgley, +whose coal mines had yielded the fortune with which he had founded the +school on the hill above the village of Hamilton, had been born and bred +in Sherburne County. He had long been lying in a peaceful grave with a +tall granite shaft above it, but each year one of the boys of Sherburne +County received a gift from him--the privilege of coming free of expense +to Ridgley. For two years Teeny-bits had been going to the high school +at Greensboro, covering the four miles on his bicycle morning and +afternoon. Then the unbelievable had happened: he had won the Ridgley +scholarship, and father and mother Holbrook, whose hearts were centered +on his future, received the news as a direct gift from Heaven. Their +pride in him made up for the loneliness of the house after he had gone. + +The career of Teeny-bits at Ridgley was not to be without its incidents, +it seemed. He had been a roomer in Gannett Hall only ten days and the +feeling of newness had not worn off when the school was treated to a +sensation that caused no little talk and brought him into more +prominence than had the victory in the wrestling match. + +On a Wednesday morning before breakfast a sheet of paper was found +tacked to the bulletin board that hung inside the door of the dormitory. +The message that it bore had been typed crudely as if the person who had +done it were a novice in the use of the typewriter. It consisted of two +straggling lines and the words were: + +"Beware of Teeny-bits! Holbrook is not his name! He's ashamed to tell +the truth!" + +Two dozen boys saw the paper and read the message before Snubby Turner +tore it down and carried it up to Teeny-bits' room. They told other boys +about it and no end of talk went round the school. + +"This was on the bulletin board," said Snubby to Teeny-bits. "A lot of +the fellows wonder what the dickens it means." + +"You're a good friend of mine, Snubby," said Teeny-bits, "and I'll tell +you what it means. I wonder if Bassett put it up--but I don't see how he +knew anything about me--unless Tracey Campbell told him. Tracey lives +over in Greensboro and went to public school with me." + +"Bassett tags around after him like a tame sheep--I don't like either +one of them," said Snubby. + +The story that Teeny-bits told his friend was the same story that Mr. +Holbrook had told Doctor Wells. + +Teeny-bits had never known who his father and mother were--and yet his +mother, or at least the woman whom he believed to be his mother, lay +buried in the village cemetery. Her grave was marked with a plain slab +of marble in which was cut the brief inscription: + + "An unknown Mother. Died August 9th. 1903." + +Teeny-bits remembered well the story of that tragic day as told him by +the man whom he had always fondly known as Dad,--old Dad Holbrook with +the white hair and the limp. On that long-ago day a train had crawled +slowly into the station at Hamilton. There was a hot box on one of the +cars, and while the train waited for the heated metal to cool, a woman +with a small child--a boy of about a year and a half--stepped down to +the track to find relief from the stifling air of the car. The Chicago +express had come hurtling down the track at fifty miles an hour. Warning +shouts had gone up, but the young woman had appeared oblivious of her +danger. Those who saw the tragedy were convinced that she was deaf. At +any rate every one agreed that she was unaware of the oncoming express +until too late. Then, sensing the danger or hearing at last the shriek +of the whistle behind her, she snatched up the child and tried to leap +to safety. The realization that she was too late must have come upon +her, for in the last fraction of a second she tossed the child to one +side. The express, grinding all its brakes in a vain endeavor to stop, +had instantly killed her. The baby escaped with a few scratches. + +The matter of identifying the unfortunate mother had at first seemed not +too difficult, but a search of the bag that she had left in her seat in +the car revealed nothing that in any way offered a clue as to who she +was or whence she had come. Daniel Holbrook had attended to the burial +of the unknown mother and had taken the child home, thinking their +relatives would soon appear to claim him. But no one had ever come for +the boy and none of the notices that the Holbrooks had put in the +newspapers had brought a claimant. After a year the Holbrooks had +adopted the child and had put a stone over the unnamed grave in the +cemetery. + +When Teeny-bits finished telling his story, Snubby Turner's eyes were +round with wonder. Instead of detracting from the prestige of +Teeny-bits, the story had the effect of enhancing it, and if the person +who put the paper on the bulletin board intended it to effect an injury, +his attempt defeated itself, for the true story of Teeny-bits rapidly +spread by word of mouth and, instead of bringing him into disrepute, +cast about him a certain air of mystery that caused the boys in other +dormitories to seek him out to make his acquaintance. Thus, through no +effort of his own, Teeny-bits Holbrook found himself somewhat of a +character at Ridgley School before he had been there two weeks. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A BLEMISH + + +In the middle of October Teeny-bits surprised every one by going out for +the football team. Even his most loyal friends thought that he had lost +his senses. The team was particularly heavy this year; the first-string +men were big, well-formed, aggressive players of the type of Neil +Durant, who weighed one hundred and sixty pounds with not an ounce of +fat, and who was quite as good a half-back, it was said, as many college +players. The most that Teeny-bits could hope for was a place on the +scrub, but that meant drudgery of the worst sort and a daily mauling +that was enough to take the courage out of larger boys than he. + +"They'll make Hamburger steak out of you!" warned Snubby Turner. "You'd +better not do it." + +"Good night, Teeny-bits! do you want to commit suicide!" said Fred +Harper. "I'll hang a wreath on your door." + +But the first team did not put an end to Teeny-bits' career. They +laughed when the coach gave him a chance on the scrub one afternoon and +laughed harder when he at last got a chance to carry the ball and by +clever dodging succeeded in making a twenty-yard gain. He slipped out of +the grasp of Ned Stillson and nearly eluded big Tom Curwood, who covered +Teeny-bits so completely when he finally had him down that ball and +runner were almost completely out of sight. + +"He's as slippery as an eel," said big Tom. + +"And so small you can't see him," growled Ned Stillson. + +After that the first team watched him like tomcats watching a mouse and +Teeny-bits got no chance to break away. + +In the locker room after practice Mr. Murray, the coach, came over and +laid a friendly hand on his arm. "Keep it up," he said; "if you weighed +about twenty-five pounds more, by jingo, I believe you'd make the team." + +The members of the eleven also were friendly and treated him as they +might have treated a mascot in whom they had great faith. In the +shower-bath room Neil Durant jumped out from under the cold spray and +shook the water from his lean, firmly-muscled body just as Teeny-bits +came in. The big half-back looked admiringly at the new candidate for +the scrub and said: + +"Good work, Teeny-bits! You're the original bear-cat all right." + +Teeny-bits grinned appreciatively as he stepped under the shower. Neil +stood near by, drying himself with a Turkish towel. As the smaller boy +turned this way and that under the spattering water the half-back looked +critically at his compact body and firm muscles. To be sure, Teeny-bits +was small, but he was shaped like a young god and modeled with perfect +symmetry. Something else, however, attracted Neil's attention. + +"That's a peculiar mark you have on the back of your shoulder," he said, +as Teeny-bits turned off the water. + +"It's a sort of birthmark, I guess," said Teeny-bits. "My trademark." + +What Neil Durant referred to was a five inch, terra-cotta colored +blemish on Teeny-bits' smooth back. The shape of the mark was what made +it peculiar. It resembled strikingly a dagger-like knife with a tapering +blade and a thin handle. Once seen it was not likely to be forgotten. + +In the same manner that the true story of Teeny-bits had spread through +the school after his unknown ill-wisher had tried to injure his name by +posting the notice on the Gannett Hall bulletin board, the news spread +from boy to boy that the conqueror of Bassett and the new candidate for +the scrub bore on the smooth skin of his shoulder a strange and +curiously formed mark, and during the days that immediately followed +Teeny-bits' first appearance on the football field, more than one +candidate for the team made it a point to be present in the shower-bath +room in order that he might cast seemingly casual glances at the unusual +mark. Some of the Ridgleyites were more open in their curiosity and did +not hesitate to question Teeny-bits, but they all received answers +similar to the one that Neil Durant had received. To Teeny-bits there +was nothing strange about the mark, for it had been there from the time +of his earliest memory and he had thought little more about it than he +had of the fact that he possessed hands and feet. Snubby Turner, whose +bump of curiosity was as big as a watermelon, lingered one night in +Teeny-bits' room while the new boy was undressing. + +"I want to see that knife-thing on your back that I heard the fellows +talking about," said Snubby frankly. "Come over under the light so I can +get a good look. That _is_ queer--the hilt of the knife is curved a +little just the same on both sides. It looks to me as if somebody had +drawn it on your back--only the color doesn't look like a tattoo." + +"Just a freak of nature," said Teeny-bits with a laugh. "I guess I was +born with it." + +Sudden popularity has been the downfall of many a schoolboy and many a +man, but it did not seem to have any adverse effect on Teeny-bits +Holbrook. + +"It rolls off him like water off a roof!" exclaimed Fred Harper, who was +one of the newcomer's greatest admirers. And so it seemed, for +Teeny-bits went about his work methodically and seemed entirely +unimpressed by the attentions of his numerous followers. He made time to +do his studying and did it well, but he was not what his classmates +called a "shark"; he had to work and work hard for what he got. + +One morning during a class in English literature, Mr. Stevens asked +Bassett to tell what he knew about the writings of Walter Pater. + +"Well," said Bassett, putting on a look of extreme intelligence, "he +wrote quite a while ago and he didn't succeed at first very much, but +toward the end he was more successful." + +"Is that all you can tell me?" asked Mr. Stevens. + +"Oh, no!" said Bassett with the manner of one whose knowledge has been +underrated. "He was quite a figure in his time and he wrote a lot of +stuff--I think it was----poetry." + +"That's enough, Bassett," said Mr. Stevens. "Holbrook, can you tell me +anything about Walter Pater?" + +"No, sir, I can't," said Teeny-bits. + +"Thank you," said Mr. Stevens. "I'd rather have an honest answer than an +attempt to bluff!" + +Every one in the room looked at Bassett, who scowled back at the smiles +of his classmates. "I didn't try to bluff, sir," he said to Mr. Stevens, +but the English master paid no attention to the denial and every one +knew that the self-styled "Whirlwind" had been guilty of treating the +truth as if it had been a rubber band. + +The incident was small, but it increased the enmity that Bassett had for +Teeny-bits and added another score to those scores that he intended some +day to wipe out. + +There were others in Ridgley School who bore Teeny-bits no +affection--one of them was Tracey Campbell, who had been the first to +hail the newcomer by his nickname. Tracey Campbell was a candidate for +the football team playing on the scrub; Coach Murray, it was said, +looked with favor upon him and was about to promote him to the first +eleven. But of late Mr. Murray had not paid so much attention to +Campbell; his interest, as far as the scrub was concerned, seemed to be +veering in another direction. + +It may have been that Tracey Campbell had something in mind more than +merely playing a prank when he took it upon himself on a Wednesday night +to amuse some of the fellows who were lounging about the steps of the +dormitories. + +Old Daniel Holbrook had driven up from the station, sitting erect in the +buggy behind Jed, the sorrel horse. His errand, as he had explained to +Ma Holbrook, was to see how Teeny-bits was "getting along." He arrived +at dusk and, after hitching the sorrel to a post outside Gannett Hall, +mounted the two flights of steps to Number 34. He found Teeny-bits just +beginning to study. + +"Well, now, it does seem nice to see you," he said. "Your Ma and I've +been kind o' lonesome, and she allowed as how I ought to pay you a mite +of a call. I said as how she ought to come too, but I couldn't budge +her. She said wimmen folks weren't wanted around boardin' schools." + +"It's great to see you," said Teeny-bits. "The fellows here have been +wonderful, but of course it isn't home, you know, and I've missed you +folks a lot. I wish Ma _had_ come; you tell her not to be so bashful +next time." + +Old Daniel Holbrook smiled benignly. It pleased him to have Teeny-bits +so obviously glad to see him and so sincerely speaking of Ma and his +wish to see her. + +"I suppose wimmin folks _are_ a trifle more timid than men folks about +putting themselves forred," he remarked, "but when it comes to +thoughtfulness you can't get 'em beat. Now take this box that she put +into my hands--I don't know but what I'm entering into a conspiracy to +break some of the rules of this school, but Ma just plain insisted that +I bring it along and I have a _faint_ suspicion that it contains +somethin' to eat. I seen her fussin' round the kitchen with choc'late +frosted cake and some other contraptions, and from the size of the +package I'd say she'd put most of 'em in. The question is: am I breakin' +any regalations if I leave it? Just say the word, and I'll take it back +home." + +"Not on your life!" said Teeny-bits fervently. "You're not breaking any +rules, and believe me, whatever it is, it won't last very long. I've +some friends around here who would climb right through the transom if +they knew that there was anything like that in this room." + +"That being the case," said the station master, "here she remains. I'll +put it on the table. Now tell me, how's things going?" + +"It's so much better than I thought it would be," said Teeny-bits, "that +it hardly seems real. I want to tell you that there are some of the +finest fellows in the world in this dormitory, and the whole school is +just O. K." + +While Daniel Holbrook, sitting back comfortably in Teeny-bits' spare +chair, listened to the newcomer's impressions of Ridgley School, a bit +of action was beginning to develop outside on the campus. Tracey +Campbell, strolling across to Gannett Hall with Bassett and three or +four other members of the school, who for one reason or another seemed +to find pleasure in the company of the two, came in sight of the sorrel +horse. There was no question that the station master's steed was +ungainly and that harnessed to the old-fashioned buggy he presented to +persons who were straining their eyes for the ludicrous a more or less +amusing spectacle. The evening was warm and Tracey Campbell had pulled +off his sweater. As he went by the sorrel horse he gave the garment a +snap which sent one of the sleeves flying against the animal's neck. +With a snort of surprise the horse lifted his head and danced backward a +step or two in a manner that called forth laughter from the group of +Ridgleyites. + +"Whoa, Ebeneezer!" said Campbell. "Calm yourself," And then an idea came +to his mind. "Here's a chance for a little moonlight ride," he said. +"Who'll come along? We'll borrow this old nag for a few minutes and tour +the campus." + +Bassett, who was ready for any excitement that offered itself, climbed +into the buggy after Campbell, while one of the other fellows untied the +hitch-rope. + +"All right, we're off," said Tracey, lifting the whip from the socket +and snapping it vigorously. + +Old Jed apparently wasn't accustomed to the sound or the feel of the +whip, for when Campbell touched his flank smartly he plunged forward and +began to trot around the driveway that circled the campus. + +"Some racer!" said Bassett. "Can't you get any more speed out of him +than that? I'll show you how to drive him." + +"No, you won't," said Campbell. "I can get as much speed out of him as +anybody can. I'll bet you that if you'll get out and run, I can beat you +round the campus." + +"How much'll you bet?" asked Bassett. + +"Oh, I'll bet you a good dinner," said Tracey. + +"All right," said Bassett, and jumped over the side of the buggy. + +By this time several members of the school who were passing through the +campus had paused and were watching the performance. Some one called +out: "Ready, get set, go!" and Bassett, who had never been much of a +runner, started out at a lumbering pace around the drive. Campbell +immediately brought the whip down heavily upon the sorrel's back, which +so surprised the horse that instead of dashing forward in pursuit of +Bassett, he did what he had never been known to do before,--put his head +down and made his heels rattle a vigorous protest against the +whiffletree and dashboard. Shouts of laughter rose louder and louder +over the campus, and dormitory windows were thrown up here and there +while the occupants of the rooms thrust out their heads to get a view of +what was going on. + +"Get up, you bucking bronco!" yelled Campbell, and once more brought the +whip down on the sorrel. By this time, consternation and terror had +taken possession of old Jed; he suddenly abandoned his kicking and set +out at a gallop around the driveway. Campbell stood up like a Roman +charioteer and urged his steed on, but the lumbering Bassett had gained +too much of a start, and although the finish was close, the so-called +Whirlwind passed the steps of Gannett Hall while the sorrel was still a +length or two behind. Tracey Campbell braced himself firmly and jerked +back on the reins so roughly that the horse was brought to a sliding +stop. + +"You win," he yelled to Bassett. "I'll buy the dinner." + +Attracted by the commotion, Teeny-bits had thrust up the window of his +room, and old Daniel Holbrook had joined him in looking down upon the +scene. At first the station master had laughed a little and said: + +"Some of your friends seem to be playing a few pranks on me." + +But when he heard the noise of the whip and saw the horse jump with +fright and pain, his expression had changed and he had started down to +the campus. Teeny-bits followed close behind him; they had reached the +steps of Gannett Hall when the spectacular finish of the race occurred. +Tracey Campbell, seeing the owner of the horse, leaped out of the buggy +and said facetiously: + +"I just borrowed this animule of yours for a minute. He's some _racer_, +I'll say." + +"I'll say to you, young man," said Daniel Holbrook, "that that isn't any +way to treat a horse. I don't mind a mite having you borrow my rig, but +I _do_ mind having you abuse a dumb animal that hasn't any way to come +back at you." + +Two or three of the boys in the crowd tittered, but most of them were +silent. They knew that the station master was right, and they were +ashamed that they had joined in the laughter. But Tracey Campbell still +seemed to take it as a joke; he looked at the station master with a grin +and said in a tone which suggested that he was imitating: + +"He's blowin' and puffin' _a mite_, but I guess he ain't injured none, +and I reckon as how he'll pull through the crisis and amble you home if +you drive real calm." + +Campbell's attitude and manner of speaking carried an open insult; it +stirred up in Teeny-bits a feeling of intense rage. A great desire came +over him to walk up to his rival for the football team and punch him in +the head. He started forward and said in a voice which trembled a little +in spite of him: + +"When you speak to my father I want you"-- + +Teeny-bits did not finish what he had intended to say, for at that +moment Mr. Stevens came briskly up to the group and in no uncertain +tones demanded to know what was going on. Some one started to explain, +but only a few words had been said before the English master +instinctively, as it were, grasped the import of what had been +happening. + +"Campbell," he said, "get up to your room and be quick about it! We've +had enough from you for to-night. And Mr. Holbrook, I'm sorry that there +has been any trouble. I hope it was merely thoughtlessness." + +"No damage done, I guess," said the station master. "I don't like to see +young fellows misusing animals, but I suppose it was just a bit of high +jinks, so we'll forget all about it." + +The old man's sportsmanship and generosity in this last remark won for +him the respect of the Ridgleyites who had remained on the scene, and +the result of the incident was to make them feel that Campbell had acted +with little or no decency. + +Teeny-bits' first appearance on the football field and his rather +spectacular work had not been a mere "flash in the pan." He had gone out +every afternoon with the scrub, and the members of the first team had +learned that it was just as well to keep their eyes wide open and their +heads up when there was any likelihood that Teeny-bits would run with +the ball. In spite of their vigilance he succeeded nearly every +afternoon in making a gain that called attention to his ability to +squirm through a broken field. + +He did not approach the skill of some of the first team members, +particularly Neil Durant, the captain, who regularly romped through the +scrub as if they were wooden Indians, but he did seem to have a natural +ability to dodge and to worm his way through opposing tacklers. + +An incident occurred on the last Wednesday of October that had a +distinct influence on Teeny-bits' career. That day before practice Coach +Murray talked to the scrub in no mollycoddle terms. + +"The first team isn't getting enough competition," he declared. "You +fellows on the scrub go to sleep and take a nap every afternoon; you +don't play the game with any heart; every time you see one of the +first-string backs charging through your line, you act as if you thought +you were a party of snails on a railroad track trying to tackle an +express train. There's nothing to be afraid of; if any of you expect to +be advanced to the first squad you'd better begin to acquire a little +ambition. We have a hard game Saturday with Wilton; I want to see you +chaps come back to life to-day and show me whether you are candidates +for a team or for a grave-yard." + +The scrub tried hard; they charged low and fast and for ten minutes +prevented the first team from scoring; they even recovered the ball on a +fumble and in six rushes, in which Tracey Campbell figured largely, +carried the ball forward twenty yards to the middle of the field. Fred +Harper, the scrub quarter-back, then snapped the ball to Teeny-bits, who +eluded the opposing end, slipped out of the clutches of the left +half-back and was finally downed by Neil Durant ten yards from the first +team's goal line. + +The scrub was within striking distance and Harper gave his signals with +nervous eagerness; he felt as if his life depended on seeing the ball +placed behind that goal line ten short yards away. But the first team +held solidly and then on the third try Tracey Campbell fumbled the ball. +Neil Durant picked it up and tucking it under his arm was off like a +grey-hound. Two of the scrub tackled him, but he shook them off and ran +on with every chance apparently of covering the length of the field for +a touchdown. Coming from the right was Teeny-bits, but at first no one +gave the new member of the scrub a thought, for Durant was a sprinter +and he was going down field at his best pace. To every one's surprise, +however, Teeny-bits held his position and gradually began to force +Durant nearer the side line. No one else was in the race. The captain +glanced sideways and saw who his pursuer was; he veered further toward +the left and concentrated on speed; still Teeny-bits held his own. Then +suddenly Durant, seeing that the side-line was dangerously close, +shifted direction and tried to pass his pursuer. But Teeny-bits was not +to be evaded; he gathered himself and plunged, and next moment the +captain of the big "team" was down at the fifteen-yard line with his +smaller opponent gripping him tightly around the shins. For the second +time Neil Durant had a word of approval for the younger boy. + +"Good work!" he said. "You got me clean." + +The scrub endeavored to live up to the pace that Teeny-bits had set, but +they had shot their bolt and the first team pushed the ball over in +three tries and scored two more touchdowns in the course of the next +fifteen minutes. + +One result of the day's play was that the scrub received some +well-deserved praise; another was that Coach Murray called Teeny-bits +aside and said some words that sank in deeply and that seemed to the +newcomer at Ridgley to carry an import that presaged the realization of +one of his fondest hopes. + +"Teeny-bits," said the coach. "I'm going to pull you up to the first +squad; you may not get a chance to play in many of the games, but I +think I can use you as a substitute back. That was a good tackle you +made and a good run, but you have a lot to learn yet. One thing is +change of pace when you carry the ball. If you sprint the way you do in +a track dash, the men against you have a good target for a swift tackle, +but if you keep something in reserve and turn it on just as you're about +to be tackled, you'll do better. Watch Durant; you can learn a lot from +him." + +Teeny-bits walked on air on the way back to his room, but no one knew +it, for it was his way not to show elation in things that concerned +himself, and he told no one of his promotion, for he preferred to let +the news get abroad by other means. Neil Durant overtook him before he +reached the campus and walked with him to Gannett Hall. "You're always +springing surprises, aren't you, Teeny-bits?" said the big half-back +with a smile. "I didn't think you had so much speed." + +"I don't believe I could do it again," said Teeny-bits deprecatingly. + +"Of course you could," declared the captain. "Coach just told me you're +to join our squad. I'm glad; I'm counting on you to do big things." + +Teeny-bits looked up at his companion and said to himself that one of +the biggest reasons why he wanted to do big things was to win the close +friendship of this hard-fighting, clean-playing "regular" at his side. +Aloud he said: "I'm going to try like thunder!" + +When Coach Murray at the beginning of practice next day announced that +Holbrook was to leave the scrub and join the first squad there were +murmurs of approval that were joined in by nearly every one. The +exception was Tracey Campbell, who considered that Teeny-bits had been +unjustly promoted over his head. He determined to show up the newcomer +if the opportunity came, and it was noticeable in the practice that +afternoon, when Teeny-bits got a chance to play with the first team for +a few minutes, that Campbell made a tremendous effort to down the new +member of the squad with a crash. + +Bassett was watching on the side lines and that evening he came round to +Campbell's room with a proposition. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A PLAN AND A GAME + + +Campbell and the Western Whirlwind had certain qualities in common; both +had ambitions to be "sporty." They shared an inclination for lurid +neckties, fancy socks and striped silk shirts; they believed themselves +wise as to the ways of the world, and each had been heard to express the +opinion that Ridgley School was a "slow old dump." Campbell was the +leader of the two--he dominated Bassett as a political boss dominates +his hench-men. One reason was that Bassett foresaw favors to be had at +the hands of Tracey Campbell. + +Tracey's home was only eight miles away--just on the other side of +Greensboro--and within recent years his life had been greatly changed +through the fortunes of war. To many homes in the busy town of +Greensboro the struggle in Europe had brought privation and to some it +had brought tragedy, but to the Campbells it had brought prosperity. +Campbell, Senior, was a wholesale dealer in leather; he had caught the +market just right and, in the expressive words of his neighbors, had +made "a mountain of money." He had moved from his modest home in the +town and had built a pretentious house on a hillock two miles to the +west. Those of the townspeople who had been inside "the mansion" +declared that every chair and every picture on the wall was screaming +aloud, "He got rich quick! He got rich quick!" + +Campbell, Senior, did not believe that the son of a man who had made a +million should remain in the public school, and so he had arranged to +have Tracey go to Ridgley. The younger Campbell had come to the school +on the hill with a certain feeling of superiority that was in no small +measure owing to his belief that his father was richer than the father +of any other fellow in sight. + +Bassett had been brought up in a somewhat similar home; his father was a +promoter of mines and oil wells and had come naturally by a bombastic +manner which he had in turn passed on to his only son. The elder Bassett +was known behind his back as Blow-Hard Bassett, and it was said of him +that he owned more diamond stick-pins than any other man alive. + +On the night after Teeny-bits had practiced for the first time with the +"big team", Bassett knocked on Campbell's locked door. + +"Who is it?" demanded Campbell, and slipped the catch when he heard +Bassett's voice. As soon as the "Whirlwind" had stepped inside, Campbell +went over to the window and resumed the occupation in which he had been +engaged when Bassett had interrupted him. From the window sill he took a +smoldering cigarette and, holding it in his cupped hand so that the glow +could not be seen from outside, sucked in, and after a moment cautiously +blew the smoke out into the night air. Bassett watched him in silence +for a moment and then he said: + +"They slipped something over on you, didn't they?" + +"What can you expect?" was Campbell's reply. "But I can tell you +this--if I don't get a fair show pretty quick, I'm going to quit--and +I'll not only quit playing football, but I'll say good-by for a lifetime +to Ridgley School. I'm not going to be the goat much longer--you can bet +your gold pieces on that." + +"You'd have been on the first team already if it hadn't been for +Teeny-bits," said Bassett. + +"Some day I'm going to show that fellow up," said Campbell. "It makes me +sick the way the whole crowd falls for him." + +"What are you going to do?" + +"Well you watch and see!" + +"Got any plan?" + +"Not yet." + +"I have--one that will work this time." Bassett looked at his friend +keenly and seeing that Campbell's face betrayed skepticism he prepared +himself mentally to exercise the same talents that had made his father, +Blow-Hard Bassett, a successful seller of mining stock. + + * * * * * + +The game with Wilton, on the last Saturday in October, was the first +hard test of the season. The outcome of the struggle with Wilton had +always been taken at Ridgley as an indication of the probable result of +the game with Jefferson,--the final athletic event of the year and the +crisis of the football season. If Ridgley pushed back the sturdy Wilton +team and snatched victory from the wearers of the purple, then there +were reasonable grounds for hoping that three weeks later there would be +a bonfire on the campus and a midnight parade to celebrate a victory +over Jefferson, the ancient and honored foe of Ridgley. If, on the other +hand, Wilton showed an impertinent disregard for the best line that +Ridgley could assemble and carried their impertinence to such an extreme +as to romp home with the victory, the situation looked black as ink, and +the tense atmosphere that accompanies forlorn hopes took possession of +Ridgley School and penetrated not merely to the recitation halls, but +even, it was said, to the office of Doctor Wells, the head. In such +times there were mighty efforts to bolster up the spirit of the team, to +feed it concentrated football knowledge and to ward off by Herculean +effort the black shadow of defeat that raised its ugly head like a +thunder cloud pushing itself higher and higher over the white buildings +on the hill. + +Before the Wilton game Coach Murray had a few words to say to the team +that made every member tingle with a desire to show what he could do. +When the whistle blew and the game began, Teeny-bits was sitting on the +side lines with the other substitutes. + +Ridgley kicked off to Wilton, and immediately received a terrific +surprise. The pigskin went sailing through the air impelled by the heavy +boot of big Tom Curwood; it fell into the purple-covered arms of a rangy +Wilton half-back who, instead of running with the ball, immediately sent +away a long spiral punt that flew over the heads of the charging Ridgley +players. Neil Durant yelled out a quick warning and turned with his +team-mates. + +Ned Stillson was nearest the ball when it struck the ground; he intended +to gather it up as it bounced, and then he meant to carry it far back +toward the Wilton goal, but his calculations went wrong. His +outstretched fingers touched the ball and almost grasped it, but the +pigskin oval slipped from him and next instant--to the horror of the +Ridgley watchers--was seized by a swift-footed son of Wilton who had +come tearing downfield as if some weird instinct had informed him that +Ned was to make the fatal error. Before any Ridgley player could +overtake him he was lying between the goal posts with a satisfied grin +on his features. The game was scarcely thirty seconds old and the score +was 6-0 in favor of the invaders! A moment later the Wilton captain +kicked an easy goal and the tally was seven. + +Nor was that all of the misery in store for Ridgley; before the +timekeeper had signaled the end of the first quarter, another disaster +had occurred; and this time the element of luck, which might have been +said to enter somewhat at least into the scoring of the first touchdown, +played favorites no more with Wilton than with Ridgley. The home team +was outgeneraled. By a series of strong rushes the visitors carried the +ball sixty-five yards for a well-earned touchdown. The baffling thing +about their play was a sudden shift; the quarter-back began to shout his +numbers, then he yelled "Shift" and with a quick jump several members of +the Wilton team took new positions; almost instantly the pigskin was +snapped and before the Ridgley players had the Wilton runner down, the +ball was five or ten yards nearer their goal line. That had happened +again and again during Wilton's successful march to Ridgley's goal line. +Wilton scored near the corner of the field and failed to kick the goal. +The tally was 13-0. + +The brief rest between the first and the second quarters was put to good +use by Neil Durant; he got his players together and so rallied their +spirits that in the second quarter they not only held their own, but +gradually pushed their opponents back and back until they were +threatening the line. But they did not quite succeed in scoring; with +thirty seconds more to play, Ridgley had the ball on Wilton's five-yard +line. It was first down. A rush through tackle failed and while the +Ridgley team was lining up for another try, the timekeeper's whistle +blew. The chance had been lost. + +The third quarter started more auspiciously; two forward passes netted +Ridgley forty yards of gain. The ball was far within the enemy territory +again, but Wilton held, and on the fourth down Ned Stillson fell back +and made a successful drop kick. + +During the rest of this quarter there was a good deal of seesawing back +and forth and neither side seemed to have the advantage, until Tom +Curwood recovered a fumble on the visitors' twenty-five-yard line. Again +the Wilton line held and again the Ridgley team scored by a drop kick. +This time it was Neil Durant's toe that sent the oval between the +uprights and over the cross-bar. The third quarter ended with the score +13-6, and Wilton's cheering section indulged in vociferous expressions +of glee. + +At the beginning of the final quarter Coach Murray sent in Teeny-bits to +take the place of White, the left half-back, who was limping. The Wilton +players glanced at the substitute and exchanged looks of satisfaction; +the newcomer seemed too small to be dangerous. It was the first big game +that Teeny-bits had ever been in; he was quivering with eagerness to run +with the ball. But the opportunity did not seem to come; most of the +time Ridgley was on the defensive, fighting desperately to hold back the +Wilton plungers. + +[Illustration: AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FINAL QUARTER COACH MURRAY SENT +IN TEENY-BITS TO TAKE THE PLACE OF WHITE.] + +When Ridgley finally did get its chance the time was slipping swiftly +away, and hope was glimmering but faintly in the home stands. There was +to be one more sensation, however. The ball was Ridgley's on its own +twenty-five-yard line. Durant carried it forward ten yards, then Tom +Curwood plunged through for five more. Then Dean called on Teeny-bits. + +"Twenty-seven, sixteen, eleven," he called out, and the ball came back +swiftly into his hands. Teeny-bits took it from Dean on the run and +began to circle the right end of the line; a gap opened for an instant; +he was through it like a rabbit diving through a hedge and with a thrill +dashed on. He did not mean to stop until the last whitewashed line was +behind him. + +In front, the Wilton quarter-back was crouching tensely to intercept +him. Teeny-bits shifted direction to pass him, but the quarter-back was +not only wily, but swift; he was after Teeny-bits like a cat and began +to force him to run diagonally across the field. Two Wilton players +converged on Teeny-bits from the other side and one of them made a +desperate tackle. Teeny-bits used his straight arm to ward off the +attack and succeeded in slipping from the tackler's clutches, but the +fraction of a second that he lost opened an opportunity to the Wilton +quarter-back. Teeny-bits felt himself tackled heavily; he fell against +the player who had first tackled him and to his utter dismay felt the +ball knocked from his grasp and saw it go bounding over the ground. He +lay sprawling, so tangled with the Wilton players that for the moment he +could not rise. With horrified gaze he saw the leather oval roll free +and he felt the overwhelming shame of one who has failed to be equal to +the demands of a crisis. But his feeling of self-condemnation +immediately gave way to an entirely different emotion, for a swiftly +moving pair of legs incased in the Ridgley red and white came within the +range of his vision. He glanced up and saw that it was Neil Durant. Two +Wilton players were after the ball also, but the Ridgley captain was +before them; he scooped it up and ran swiftly down the field. While the +stands roared in a frenzy of delight, Neil crossed the goal line and +circled round till he placed the ball squarely behind the posts. Tom +Curwood kicked the goal, and two minutes later the game ended with the +ball in mid-field and the score 13-13. + +"I'm glad you dropped that ball," said Durant, joining Teeny-bits as the +substitute half-back was walking off the field; "it came just right to +bounce up into my hands." + +"It _was_ lucky," admitted the candidate, "but I was mighty ashamed of +myself." + +"Well, it was a hard tackle," said Durant. "I don't blame you for +dropping the ball." + +Teeny-bits was about to make a reply when he saw coming toward them a +white-haired man who walked with a limp. "There's Dad," he said, "I +didn't know he was coming to the game." + +Old Daniel Holbrook approached them with a beaming face. "Well, well, +son!" he exclaimed, "I thought maybe you'd play, so I came to see the +game." + +Teeny-bits introduced Durant and tried to smother a feeling of +embarrassment, the source of which he would not have cared to probe. + +"Your ma, Teeny-bits, wants you should come down for Sunday dinner +to-morrow," said the station master, "and she's particular for you to +bring a friend. I've killed two young roosters and ma's fixin' 'em up +with the kind of stuffin' you like. Now if this friend of yours here +would like to come down with you I'll drive up and get both of you in +the morning after church. He looks as if he'd have a good appetite." + +Teeny-bits expected to hear Neil Durant express courteous regret; he did +not for a moment think that the son of Major-General Durant and the most +popular member of Ridgley School would be interested in visiting the +humble Holbrook home. He was even a little ashamed that Dad Holbrook had +extended the invitation with so much genial assurance. + +"I'll be mighty glad to come--if Teeny-bits wants me to," said Durant, +and Teeny-bits looked at him with such a queer expression of surprise +and pleasure that Neil added: "You didn't expect me to refuse an +invitation like that, did you?" + +At the steps of the locker building Durant left them, and Teeny-bits +remained outside for a few minutes to talk to the station master. Then +he said good-by and went inside to take his shower. + +He found his team-mates discussing the game in detail and bestowing +praise on Neil Durant. + +"Well, cap'n, old scout," Ned Stillson was saying, as Teeny-bits came +clamping in, "you sure were Johnny-on-the-spot." + +Though there was nothing in the words to signify actual criticism of any +one, Teeny-bits felt that the real meaning behind them was that when +some one else had failed, Durant had saved the day. That some one else +was himself, and, though the members of the team treated him as +cordially as ever, he had the unpleasant feeling that they looked upon +him now as one who had failed in a crisis, and he had to admit to +himself that their opinion--if they held it--was justly founded. He went +back to his room and for half an hour before supper sat by his window, +thinking deeply. The conclusion to which he came was this: if he ever +got another chance to run with the ball for Ridgley he would squeeze +that leather oval so hard that the thing would be in danger of bursting. +He resolved to make no apologies to Coach Murray, but to show by future +deeds that he could be trusted. When he went over to Lincoln Hall for +dinner he found the fellows at his table apparently unchanged in their +attitude toward him. They seemed to have forgotten that he had covered +himself with no glory. + +While the soup was being disposed of some one who came in late brought a +bit of news that spread from table to table as if by magic. It seemed to +fly from one end of the room to the other and instantly it became the +topic of excited conversation. Everywhere it went it created looks of +dismay on the faces of the Ridgleyites, for there was a portentous +quality in it that boded bitter things for "the best school in the +world." + +While Ridgley had been striving mightily to hold its own against Wilton +and had found its opponent so redoubtable that the tie score seemed to +be fully as much as it deserved--and perhaps a little more--Jefferson, +the big rival of Ridgley from time immemorial, had been winning the +laurels. Jefferson had trampled mercilessly upon Goodrich Academy and +with seeming ease had scored touchdown after touchdown. The final score +was 34-0 and herein lay the menace for Ridgley: only a week before, +Goodrich had defeated Wilton 7-0. If Goodrich were better than Wilton +and Wilton were as good as Ridgley, what chance did Ridgley stand +against Jefferson, which had apparently toyed with the Goodrich eleven +and scored at will? It was a problem that would seem to be answered +correctly only by three dismal words: None at all! A buzz of talk filled +the dining hall and every one knew that Ridgley was face to face with a +forlorn hope. + +"Well, we'll have to fight," said Mr. Stevens, who sat at the head of +Teeny-bits' table, "and fight hard--it will never do to get +discouraged." + +But discouragement is subtle; there was good need of something to +instill spirit into the Ridgley team, for in the days that followed, +rumors like the fables of old began to reach the school on the hill. It +was said that tacklers found it almost impossible to stop Norris, the +Jefferson full-back. Half a dozen colleges were begging him to bestow +honors upon them by making them his Alma Mater. He could run a hundred +yards in ten and one fifth seconds and he weighed one hundred and +seventy pounds stripped. In the Goodrich game time and again he had made +ten yards with two or more of the Goodrich players clinging to him as +unavailingly as Lilliputians clinging to a giant. No less fearsome tales +were told of Whipple, the Jefferson punter, and of Phillips and Burton, +the two ends. + +The punter could send a wickedly twisting spiral sixty yards, and the +ends had an uncanny way of catching forward passes. Through the +newspapers, through word of mouth and by letters the news arrived,--and +it became increasingly disconcerting. Unless Ridgley wished to be +disgraced before the eyes of the world something must be done--and done +soon--to bolster up the team. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TWO VISITS AND A THEFT + + +True to his word, old Daniel Holbrook drove his sorrel horse up to the +school at noon on Sunday and brought Neil Durant and Teeny-bits down to +the little white house that had been his home for thirty years. "Ma" +Holbrook was a motherly person, plump, gray-haired and smiling. + +"I do hope you two are good and hungry," she said, after Teeny-bits had +introduced Neil. "We'll sit right down and keep sittin' till we're +full." + +It came over Teeny-bits suddenly as he sat down at the oval table and +faced the familiar array of thick china, glassware and inexpensive +cutlery what a different life he had been leading for the past few +weeks, and he glanced at Neil to see what effect this homely air of +simplicity would have on the son of a major-general. But the football +captain showed by neither word nor sign that he noticed anything crude +or unfamiliar. Dad Holbrook whetted the carving knife briskly on a steel +sharpener and stood up to attack the two roosters. He heaped a bounteous +supply of white and dark meat and "stuffing" on each plate and passed it +to "Ma", who put on brown corn fritters and sweet potatoes baked with +sirup. + +"I never saw anything look so good in my life," said Neil, and a moment +later he added: "Or taste so good, either." + +Ma Holbrook beamed with pleasure, and said to herself that Teeny-bits' +friend was "real nice." Teeny-bits himself ate with relish and +enjoyment, and at the sight of Neil's contented manner of attacking the +food lost most of his feeling of uneasiness. + +"Land of Goshen!" Ma suddenly exclaimed, "I forgot to bring on the +conserve!" And getting up hurriedly from the table she stepped quickly +out into the pantry. From that little room presently came the sound of a +creaking chair, and Teeny-bits knew that Ma was standing on the seat to +reach one of those richly laden jars that adorned the upper shelves, row +on row. There was the scrape of a spoon against glass and then Ma +Holbrook appeared in the door, bearing a dish full of a golden substance +that Teeny-bits recognized as her famous preserved watermelon. No one +had ever failed to become the slave of his appetite when confronted by +this masterpiece of Ma's handiwork, and Neil Durant, after putting one +mouthful to his lips, looked at Teeny-bits with such a blissful +expression that Teeny-bits felt all constraint and uneasiness slip +suddenly away. + +"You can't beat it anywhere in _this_ world," he said with a smile. + +It was an unpretentious sort of pleasure that Teeny-bits and his friend +shared that Sunday afternoon. When the meal was over they walked lazily +through the village to look at some of the old buildings that were +standing in Revolutionary days and then they came lazily back and Dad +Holbrook harnessed the sorrel horse and drove them up to Ridgley. Neil +Durant spoke sincerely when he said: + +"I don't know when I've had such a good Sunday, and as for the dinner--I +could talk a week about it." + +While Teeny-bits and the football captain were spending the afternoon in +Hamilton, two of their schoolmates, Campbell and Bassett, were using +their time, as it seemed to them, to no little advantage. Campbell had +telephoned to his mother and had persuaded her to send the family +automobile--a heavy, seven-passenger machine--to the school for him. + +The chauffeur brought it to a stop in front of Gannett Hall at twelve +o'clock and Campbell had the satisfaction of ordering the driver to take +the rear seat and, with Bassett at his side, of piloting the big car out +of the campus. He went by the most roundabout way and cut the corners of +the gravel drives at a pace that was intended to make the Ridgleyites +who were lounging in the dormitory windows sit up and take notice. After +a spin out through Greensboro they arrived at the Campbell place in time +for dinner and Bassett had an opportunity to see the "got-rich-quick" +pictures and to eat from plates that were lavishly decorated in the best +style of the shops that cater to the tastes of those persons whose +family crest is the dollar sign. Bassett thought it was "grand and +gorgeous" and he made a mental note of several things that he intended +to have duplicated in his own home at the next available opportunity. + +Campbell, Senior, was away on a business trip, but Mrs. Campbell +succeeded in making the dinner sufficiently impressive. She was a large +woman with a heavy, double chin and a high, somewhat whining voice which +she kept in constant use. Obviously she was much attached to Tracey, and +Bassett could see with half a glance that her son could, by using his +talents, persuade her to do almost anything for him. + +"I suppose you two are great friends," she said to Bassett. "Every one +likes Tracey." + +"Oh, yes, we go around together a lot," said the Whirlwind with his most +winning smile. + +"And are you as athletic as Tracey is?" asked Mrs. Campbell. + +"Well, you see, I've got flat feet," said Bassett in a tone that implied +that if he were not so afflicted he would be captain of all the major +sports in the school. + +"You're on the first team now, I suppose, Tracey," said Mrs. Campbell. + +"No," said Tracey, "they're still making me play with the scrub." + +"Why?" demanded his mother, raising her shrill voice. "You told me two +weeks ago that the coach was going to promote you. What happened, will +you tell me?" + +"They're not giving Tracey a fair show, Mrs. Campbell," declared +Bassett. "The coach has a few favorites and he can't see _anything_ that +any one else does." + +Mrs. Campbell let her fork fall into her plate with a clatter. "I'm +going to see Doctor Wells about it!" she declared. "Such a condition is +perfectly shameful! Why, it's--it's----" + +"Now, mother, don't do anything like that," warned Tracey. "You'd only +spoil what chances I've got." + +"Well, if they can't treat you fairly, I'd rather have you leave the +school. Your father will have something to say about this when he comes +home. I don't doubt that he'll go right up there and make them stand +around a bit." + +"By the time he gets home I'll be on the team," said Tracey. + +In the afternoon Campbell and his satellite rode out into the country +without the chauffeur and Tracey took occasion to race any automobile +that would accept an obvious challenge. It was his particular delight to +drive alongside a car of one of the cheaper makes and to pretend that he +was doing his utmost to pass and in that way to lure the small-car owner +into competition. Sometimes he succeeded and after he had made his +victim believe that the big car was about to be vanquished he would step +hard on the accelerator and leave the scene of competition in a cloud of +dust. On such occasions Bassett felt called upon to turn and thumb his +nose at the crestfallen driver. + +At dusk the pair came back to Greensboro for refreshment and Campbell +declared that he would take Bassett to a "regular place." + +Greensboro was a bustling town in which there were department stores, +theaters and restaurants. The stores and theaters were closed, but the +restaurants were open, though Sunday business was dull. Campbell drove +the big car down a side street and stopped in front of a building that +was decorated with an Oriental sign announcing to the world that this +was the Eating Palace of Chuan Kai. "Here's where I feed you the dinner +I owe you," he said. + +Tracey seemed to be well known to the Oriental managers of the +restaurant. Chuan Kai himself, a yellow Chinaman in American clothes, +greeted him in with a smile that showed his tusks; he directed the two +to a table set in a little booth that was decorated with panels showing +dragons and temples. Here Tracey and Bassett lolled back at ease, ate +chow mein and chop suey with mushrooms, drank tea from small cups +without handles and smoked till the air of the little booth was blue. + +Chuan Kai stole softly in and out and occasionally glanced with +satisfaction at the two students. They were spending money freely and +the wily old Oriental knew that young Campbell would drop a fat tip into +his yellow palm when it so pleased him to leave the restaurant. Silently +the Chinese waiters in their slippers and loose trousers slipped in and +out of the mysterious regions where the strange food was prepared. +Tracey, displaying nonchalance for Bassett's benefit, declared that old +Chuan Kai kept "a dozen Chinks on the job", and that they all slept in +rooms directly above the restaurant. The persons who sat at the inlaid +tables and leaned heavily on their elbows as they scanned the +much-fingered menus were a nondescript lot--some the riff-raff of the +town who found it cheaper to eat at Kai's than to eat elsewhere, others, +more respectable in appearance, who doubtless had been drawn to the +place by curiosity. + +"Do you really want to give him a good jolt?" said Bassett to Campbell. + +"I told you I did." + +"Then why not try my plan? I know it will work." + +Bassett leaned forward and talked in low tones as if fearing to be +overheard, but there was no danger of that, for the other persons in the +restaurant were too much interested in their own affairs to eavesdrop on +two young fellows chatting in a booth. + +At eight o'clock Campbell and Bassett sauntered out and Chuan Kai +received his fat tip. The big car rolled out to the "mansion" on the +hillock and, when the chauffeur had been found, sped to Ridgley School. +Five minutes before nine it discharged its burden at the doors of +Gannett Hall. + +During the week that followed there was a frenzy of football talk in +every Ridgley dormitory. At chapel on Tuesday morning Doctor Wells +granted Neil Durant's request to speak to the school. The football +captain mounted the platform a little nervously, but he made a +straightforward speech in which he appealed for more candidates for the +scrub. "There are a good many likely-looking fellows in this school who +have never tried for the football team," he said. "It's late in the +season, but there's a chance for them now on the scrub and, if they show +any real ability, an opportunity with the team. We've got to do our best +to beat Jefferson this year and we can't afford to overlook good +material even now, so if you want to show your school spirit come down +to the field this afternoon." + +The result of the speech and of numerous personal appeals was that a +dozen new players appeared with the scrub that afternoon; they were not +a remarkable addition in respect to quality, however, and after a couple +of days of looking them over Coach Murray remarked to Neil Durant that +he was afraid that none of them would "set the world on fire." + +Those were days of feverish activity on the football field; the coach +drove the members of the first team for all they were worth and when he +thought they were in danger of being overworked from too much +scrimmaging he called them together in the locker building and gave them +blackboard talks. In the middle of the week he advanced Tracey Campbell +and Fred Harper to the first squad; he then began to test some new and +intricate formations. + +Among the candidates who had responded to Neil Durant's appeal had been +Snubby Turner. Snubby succeeded Fred Harper as quarter-back of the scrub +and felt an immense elation which he intimated to Teeny-bits one +afternoon on the way back to the campus. + +"Keep it up, Snubby," said Teeny-bits. "You're putting life into the +scrub." + +"If I'll come up to your room to-night, will you give me a few pointers +about running with the ball?" asked Snubby as the two approached the +Gannett Hall steps. + +"Come up right after supper and we'll talk for half an hour; then I'll +have to study," said Teeny-bits. + +Snubby Turner came--but not to talk about football. He closed the door +softly behind him and looked at his friend with such a strange +expression on his freckled face that Teeny-bits said: + +"What in the name of mud is the matter, Snubby?" + +"Do you suppose there's any one in this school mean enough to steal?" +asked Turner. "When I went down to football practice to-day I left my +gold watch and a purse with twelve dollars in it in the top drawer of my +chiffonier. They're both gone!" + +"Are you sure?" asked Teeny-bits. + +"Yes, I am," declared Snubby. "Absolutely sure." + + + + +CHAPTER V + +TEENY-BITS' CHANCE + + +Snubby Turner was not the only member of Ridgley School who lost +property during the days that preceded the game with Jefferson. His gold +watch and the twelve dollars that had mysteriously disappeared from his +chiffonier were the first to vanish, but they were quickly followed by +other bits of jewelry and money--not only from the Ridgleyites in +Gannett Hall but also from those in other dormitories. + +Ned Stillson, over in Ames Hall, lost six dollars and a small +gold-handled penknife that a maiden aunt had given him; Fred Harper +reported the disappearance of a silver trophy of which he was +inordinately proud,--a graceful little model of a sailing boat which he +and his brother had won during a season of boat racing with their +twenty-footer. The actual value of the trophy, aside from its +sentimental value, was said to be thirty-six dollars. + +In the case of Harper's loss there was an additional interest because of +the fact that Fred nearly succeeded--unwittingly--in discovering the +identity of the thief. His room was on the first floor of Gannett Hall, +and he remembered that on the Wednesday night when the theft occurred he +had left the window wide open at the time he went over to Lincoln Hall +for supper. He had gone from the table early and on arriving at the +dormitory had immediately entered his room. As he opened the door he saw +a dark form outlined in the window and it occurred to him that perhaps +one of his schoolmates was attempting to play a practical joke upon him. + +"What's the idea?" he had said. "Why don't you come in the front door +like a human being?" + +He had expected an answer in harmony with his question, but to his +surprise the person in the window had immediately scrambled out, jumped +down five feet to the ground and had lost no time in running out of +sight around the corner of the building. Fred Harper had peered out of +the window, still thinking that he had been the victim of a prank, and +had not noticed the loss of his silver sailing trophy until he had +turned on the electric lights and had seen that the place where it stood +on the mantelpiece was vacant. He had then dashed out of the dormitory +in the hope of intercepting the fugitive as he crossed the campus, but +no one was in sight except his schoolmates returning from Lincoln Hall. +To these he reported his loss, and a dozen of the Ridgleyites made a +hurried search of the campus; they investigated all the shaded corners +and unlighted doorways but found nothing that in any way offered a clew +to the identity of the mysterious thief. + +Within a week a dozen other thefts had been reported, and no little talk +went the rounds of the school. Poor Jerry, the grizzled old-timer, who +for years had been general helper to Slocum, the head janitor, was an +object of suspicion in the eyes of some of the newcomers at Ridgley. +There was no doubt about it, Jerry did have a most fearsome cast of +features. Mr. Stevens, the English master, once remarked that he +looked like an "amiable murderer." It was an apt description. Jerry +had an expansive smile, but it was bestowed only upon those +Ridgleyites--masters and pupils--who, for some subtle reason, loomed +high in his esteem. All others he glowered upon with an expression +ferocious and uncompromising. It was said that Doctor Wells was head of +the school six months before he gained the reward of the smile that +Jerry bestowed on the elect. But Jerry's heart was in the right place, +and the older members of Ridgley School laughed to scorn the suggestion +that he had any connection with the thefts. + +"I'd as soon suspect my own father as Jerry!" said Snubby Turner, "but +that gives me an idea." + +What the idea was he revealed to no one except Jerry himself. For some +reason Jerry had taken a great liking to the genial Snubby, and when he +received a call from that young man down in his basement room, his +seamed features took on an expression that might have caused Mr. Stevens +to add the adjectives happy and harmless to the "amiable murderer." + +"I have an idea, Jerry," said Snubby. "You know some one's been getting +away with a lot of valuable truck from the fellows' rooms. It would be +an awfully clever stunt to catch him. Why don't you snoop around and +find out who it is?" + +"There's ijeers and ijeers," said Jerry. "I got my ijeers too. I ain't +got no need to snoop around. I got eyes an' ears as are uncommon good, +even though I been usin' the same ones for nigh on to seventy year. I +got my own ijeers as to who's sneak-thieving this school and bime-by +somebody's goin' to get ketched." + +"What _are_ your ideas?" asked Snubby. "Do you know who's doing it?" + +But old Jerry had no further enlightenment for his friend, even when +Snubby pressed him further. "I got eyes an' ears," said the old man, +"an' I got my ijeers too." + +Doctor Wells referred to the mystery indirectly one morning at chapel. +"How foolish it is for any of us to believe that we can commit a wrong +and escape the penalty merely because no one sees us," he said. "Every +evil deed leaves its heaviest mark not on the _victim_ of it but on the +misguided person who performs it. Once in a while something happens at +our school that proves anew that old, old truth." + +There was absolute silence in the hall; every one knew to what the head +was referring. + +But other incidents of more stirring nature were under way at Ridgley +School. As the impending struggle for football honors with Jefferson +drew nearer, each day seemed to be more strongly charged with suspense +and excitement until the very air that wafted itself among the maples +and elms, which were now dropping their red and yellow leaves on the +campus, seemed electric with possibilities both glorious and disastrous. + +Since the game with Wilton, Teeny-bits had practiced regularly with the +first squad and more than once had demonstrated that his ability to run +with the ball was above the average. White, whose place he had taken in +the Wilton game, recovered from his slightly sprained ankle, however, +and resumed his old position as left half-back. Teeny-bits continued to +be a substitute. + +Tracey Campbell, who likewise had been promoted to the first team, +seemed to have regained the attention of Coach Murray. On the Saturday +that followed the tie game with Wilton, Ridgley journeyed to Springfield +to play Prescott Academy. Ridgley won the game by the score of 17 to 0, +but more than once had to fight to keep the light but active Prescott +team from scoring. Both Teeny-bits and Campbell played through the whole +fourth quarter and, to an impartial observer, might have seemed to +display a nearly equal ability. Five minutes before the end of the game, +however, Teeny-bits brought the spectators to their feet by catching a +punt and dodging through half the Prescott team for a gain of fifty-five +yards before the home quarter-back forced him over the side line. The +spectacular thing about the run was that Teeny-bits somehow wriggled and +squirmed out of the grasp of four Prescott players who successively had +at least a fair opportunity to tackle him. The play did not result in a +touchdown, for Prescott recovered the ball on an attempted forward pass +and the game soon came to an end. + +Coach Murray seemed to be pretty well satisfied with the playing of the +Ridgley team. "What I liked best," he said on the way back, "was that +you played an intelligent game--you took advantage of your +opportunities--but let me add in a hurry that you will have to play +better and harder football than you've played yet when you meet +Jefferson." + +On the same Saturday, Jefferson performed in a manner that brought no +encouragement to Ridgley. With Norris, the mighty full-back, leading the +team, Jefferson had "snowed under and buried", as one newspaper put it, +the lighter Dale School eleven, which previously had won some little +attention by its development of the open game, especially forward +passing. Against Jefferson, Dale seemed helpless. She was stopped before +she could get started; her players kept possession of the ball only for +brief moments, and as soon as it came again into the hands of the bigger +team another procession toward a touchdown started. The final score was +69-0, nine touchdowns and three drop kicks. + +Of the nine touchdowns, Norris had made six, which was said to establish +a record for school games in the state. Three goals were missed. + +At Ridgley the name of Norris became a thing of dread; the leader of the +Jefferson team had assumed the proportions of a Goliath. + +"I'll bet Neil Durant can stop him," Fred Harper loyally declared to a +group on the steps of Gannett Hall. But there was no great assurance in +his voice and the answer that came back revealed the doubt that was in +every one's mind. + +"He can if _any one_ can." + +Teeny-bits was walking up from the locker building with Neil Durant +after practice when the captain surprised him by saying: + +"I used to know Norris; we used to go to a day school in Washington +together." + +"You did!" exclaimed Teeny-bits. "What was he like?" + +"It was four or five years ago and we were young kids, but I remember +that Norris was gritty as the dickens; he used to play quarter-back +then; of course he's developed a lot since those days." + +Somehow that little incident seemed to change Teeny-bits' state of mind +toward Norris; he had been unconsciously thinking of him as scarcely a +human being, rather as a super-athlete who was virtually invincible. He +began to develop a great desire to play against him, and then suddenly +something happened that seemed to make what had been a remote +possibility almost a certainty. + +Ten days before the big game, during a scrimmage in front of the scrub's +goal line, White's weak ankle gave way sharply beneath him with the +result that the bone was cracked and White was out of the game for the +season. It was a heavy blow to the team; White had never been a +spectacular player, but by hard work he had earned the reputation of +being the "Old Reliable" of the team. Neil Durant and Ned Stillson were +better at running with the ball and played perhaps more brilliantly, but +White was steady and sure. His team-mates called him "a bear at +secondary defense." He had an uncanny way of guessing where a play was +coming through, and he made it his duty to plant himself in front of +it,--and to stop it. If he had had more of leadership in his +personality, he might have made as good a captain as Neil Durant made. + +Coach Murray and Neil helped him off the field, plainly showing their +disappointment and sympathy. + +"Two of you fellows help White over to the locker building and 'phone +for Doctor Peters to come down with his car," said the coach, addressing +a group of substitutes at the side lines. + +Teeny-bits jumped forward, but the coach said: + +"Let some one else do that, Teeny-bits. I want you out on the field." + +Teeny-bits walked back to the scrimmage line with the captain and the +coach. A moment ago he had been a substitute; now suddenly he had become +a regular. The other members of the team had a word of encouragement for +him, but it was impossible for them to hide completely their belief that +a disaster had come upon the eleven. Teeny-bits was a good substitute, +they all acknowledged, but as a regular against such a team as +Jefferson, well, he was too light in spite of his quickness and grit. + +After a quarter of an hour of practice, Coach Murray sent Teeny-bits +back to the side lines and called Tracey Campbell out. A few minutes +later he recalled Teeny-bits and put the team through a long signal +drill in which the new plays that he had been developing were practiced +again and again. Those two maneuvers on the part of the coach indicated +plainly enough that he had chosen Teeny-bits as regular left half-back +in the place of White and that he had selected Tracey Campbell as first +substitute. + +At the end of practice Mr. Murray asked Neil and Teeny-bits to stay on +the field for a few minutes. + +"Three or four weeks ago, Teeny-bits," said the coach, "I looked upon +you as an interesting possibility for the team next year. Now you've +landed on the eleven, and I'm sure you can make good. You're quick and +you've got a good eye for plays, but I want you to make up your mind +that you are going to show us something that you never thought you had +in you. I have an idea for a surprise play that I'm going to build +around you. It may prove to be pretty important in the game with +Jefferson. I want you to work on change of pace and shifting direction. +Neil has both better than you have, and we'll depend on him and Ned to +carry the ball a good part of the time; then if we can trust you to do +the rest, things will look hopeful as far as our offense goes." + +For half an hour Neil went through a practice with Teeny-bits that was +intended to give the new member of the team greater flexibility as a +runner with the ball. + +"You see," said Coach Murray, "it's like this: if a fellow runs straight +ahead with the ball he makes a clear target for the tackler--in other +words he's an 'easy mark.' But if he's shifty and is able to fool the +enemy by putting on a little extra steam at just the right moment or by +slowing down in such a way that the tackler doesn't know what to expect, +he has a tremendous advantage. + +"Now suppose, for example, that the opposing end comes in swiftly toward +you when you have started for all you're worth around his territory. If +you have something in reserve which you can turn on just at the instant +he's reaching for you and if you rely furthermore on a good straight arm +to take care of him when he gets too close, the chances are that you'll +go through to open ground. When I was in college I remember two fellows +who came out for the team. One was the 'varsity sprinter and could cover +a hundred yards in ten flat. The other was a fellow of about the same +build who didn't have as much speed--I think the best he could do in the +century dash was eleven or eleven and a half--yet that first man failed +to make the team and the other fellow, who would have been left far +behind in a sprint, was a regular on the eleven for three years and +could always be relied upon to do his share in carrying the ball. He had +a way of running straight at a tackler and then shifting direction in +such a manner that you couldn't seem to bring him down. And then, of +course, he was clever in using the straight arm and he always ran with +high knee-action. When you tackled him it felt just as if you were +tackling a man with a dozen legs, all of which were going up and down +like the piston rod on a steam engine. + +"Now you get down there in the middle of the field, Teeny-bits, and try +to pass Neil and me. See what you can do to keep us guessing and when +you use your straight arm remember to throw your hips; don't stand up +stiff like a wooden Indian target." + +Teeny-bits followed directions and again and again came down upon the +coach and the captain, remembering their instructions to shift, to use +his straight arm, to dodge, to change his pace and to exercise every +stratagem that differentiates the skilful back-field runner from the +novice. He felt that he was learning real football and took each bit of +advice that was offered with an intense concentration. + +"I wish you could have seen some movie pictures of one of the college +games that I saw last year," said Coach Murray. "It showed better than +any talk could show just what I mean by change of pace. The back that +made the greatest gains of any man on the field had an uncanny way of +eluding tacklers. The films showed how he did it. Again and again he +slowed down just before the opposing tackle reached him--when they were +running the film slowly it looked almost as if he stopped--and then, +when the tackler leaped forward to bring him down, that shifty runner +would slip around like a fox leaping away from a dog, and on he would +go, leaving the tackler sprawling on the ground. Now try it again!" + +Teeny-bits put his whole soul into this practice and at the end of the +half-hour felt that he was making real headway. + +"You're getting it great," said Neil Durant, as they walked back to the +campus together. "The coach is wonderful on helping a fellow; and you +can always be sure that what he says is exactly right. When he was in +college he made the All-American team two years in succession." + +The game at the end of the week--the next to the last of the season--was +played in the midst of a steady drizzle on a muddy field. Dale School, +which had fallen such an easy victim to Jefferson, visited Ridgley and +went home defeated, 21-7. Coach Murray instructed the quarter-back to +use only straight plays--to reveal none of the strategy that he had been +drilling into the team during the past few weeks. Ridgley made three +touchdowns in the first two quarters, one each by Neil Durant, Ned +Stillson and Teeny-bits. At the beginning of the third quarter Mr. +Murray sent in one substitute after another until finally big Tom +Curwood and Teeny-bits were the only regulars left. Tracey Campbell then +took Teeny-bits' place. + +With an entire team of substitutes on the field Ridgley was at first +able to hold her own against Dale, but presently the visiting team +seemed to see its opportunity and by persistent rushing crossed the +Ridgley goal line. Had it not been for the strong playing of Tracey +Campbell, the Dale team might have scored at least another goal; +Campbell was the main strength of the substitutes and again and again +stopped the rushes of the Dale regulars. There was no question about +Campbell's right to the place of first substitute back. + +After the game, Coach Murray announced the probable line-up of the team +for the Jefferson contest. There were no surprises. Neil Durant, Ned +Stillson and Teeny-bits were to play in the back-field with Dean, the +regular quarter-back. + +That week-end Tracey Campbell went home to the "mansion" on the hillock. +After the game with Dale he approached Neil Durant and invited the +captain to be his guest. He did not say that he was acting under orders +from his father. The elder Campbell was ambitious for his son to be +prominent, as befitted the scion of a man who had made a million. He had +written a letter to Tracey that week in which he had devoted two pages +to advice in the matter of "getting ahead." One of his bits of +instruction ran as follows: + + "There's one lesson you've got to learn right now--the lesson of + politics. Every big man knows how to use his friends to help him + along. Don't let the other fellow beat you out by getting the + inside course. Get the _jump_ on him. Now this football business is + just like any other business--you've got to use friends. I want you + to ask that Durant fellow home over the week-end. He must have + influence with the coach. Bring some others too, if you want to." + +Campbell put his invitation as casually as he could. "The old man wants +me to bring some one home with me this week-end," he said. "Don't you +want to come? Thought we could go to a show in Greensboro and to-morrow +we'll tour around in the car." + +Durant looked at Campbell keenly, but he showed neither surprise nor +indifference. "It's mighty good of you to ask me," said the captain, +"but I can't make it; I've got to study to-night, and to-morrow I think +I'd better stay at the school. Much obliged, though!" + +"Sorry. Some other time will be just as good." + +Campbell spoke in an off-hand manner, but his words did not express the +thoughts in his mind. + +It was the faithful Bassett who finally went home with Campbell and +accompanied him to the theater in Greensboro. At dinner Bassett put in a +few words of praise for Tracey and phrased them in such a way that +without telling any actual falsehoods he gave the impression that the +game with Dale had been an important one and that Tracey had been +chiefly responsible for saving Ridgley from defeat. + +Tracey took the compliments gracefully and even denied that he had done +_quite_ as much as Bassett asserted. + +"You mustn't be _too_ modest, Tracey," declared Mrs. Campbell in her +shrill voice. "Take the credit that's _due_ you. I suppose this means +you've won the letter that you talk so much about." + +"You know about as much football as a porcupine, Ma!" exclaimed Tracey. +"A fellow has to play in the Jefferson game to get his R." + +"Well I'm glad you've proved that you've got the goods," declared +Campbell, senior. "If you do as well in the big game I might be +favorable toward giving you that racy runabout you've been nagging me to +buy you." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +DISCOVERIES + + +That third week in November at Ridgley School was like the home stretch +in a mile race. The finish was in sight and the victory could be lost or +won by what was about to take place. The Ridgley team was +trailing--every one admitted that--but by a magnificent burst of speed +it might yet come abreast of its rival--and might even snatch the +victory. Nothing is impossible; we can do it if we have the spirit: that +was the word on every one's lips--spirit not alone in the team but in +the heart of every son of Ridgley,--such a spirit through the whole +school that those eleven fellows in whom rested the entire hope of +several hundred should go on the field with the conviction that however +well the Jefferson team played, the Ridgley team would play better. + +There were mass meetings at which Coach Murray and Neil Durant and +prominent members of the team spoke. All of them made the point that +victory depended on the spirit of the whole school as well as on the +team. At the meeting on Monday night in Lincoln Hall after Neil Durant +had spoken, some one in the crowd yelled, "We want Teeny-bits," and the +cry was instantly taken up by others until in the space of a few seconds +the whole hall was resounding to the concerted clamor for the smallest +and the newest member of the eleven. + +There was some little delay, for Teeny-bits, surprised and dismayed, had +settled himself lower in his seat, hoping thereby to escape detection +until a demand had started for some other member of the team. But the +Ridgleyites who were sitting beside him yelled, "Here he is!" and Neil +Durant, perceiving him at last, leaped down from the platform and laid +hold on him with vigorous hands. In a second or two Teeny-bits was +standing up there facing the school with such a shout of greeting +ringing in his ears that his head swam a little. There was no room for +the slightest doubt that the sons of Ridgley liked this quiet, +unassuming, new member of the school and that they admired his manner of +saying little but doing much. The school would have excused Teeny-bits +if he had stammered a bit and sat down to cover his embarrassment, but +there was no need for excuses of any sort. Teeny-bits suddenly found +that he had something to say and he said it in a manner that brought the +already enthusiastic crowd to its feet. + +"I want to tell you," he said, "that I'm glad Jefferson has such a good +team; every one says it's the best their school has ever produced. +That's something worthy to strive for--to beat their _best ever_--and I +know that every member of our team has his mind and heart and _soul_ +made up to meet Jefferson more than halfway and to fight so hard for +Ridgley that when the game is over there'll be shouting and bonfires on +our hill." + +That was all Teeny-bits said but he spoke with a manner that almost +brought tears to the eyes of those loyal sons of Ridgley whose faces +were turned up toward him where he stood in the bright lights of the +platform. A hoarse shout of confidence and satisfaction shook the hall. + +Instead of jumping down and returning to his seat, Teeny-bits left the +platform by the back way and hurried out of the building by the rear +door. He wanted to be alone just then. The November night air was cool +on his flushed face and he strode swiftly toward his room, thinking of +all the things that had happened to him in the few short weeks since he +had come to Ridgley and of all the friends he had made. Never had he +seen the campus so deserted; every one was at the mass meeting, it +seemed. There were lights only in the entries of the dormitories. He +took a short cut across the tennis courts and approached Gannett Hall +from the rear. + +When the grayish-white bulk of the building was only twenty-five yards +away, Teeny-bits heard a sudden sound that caused him to gaze upward. +What he saw instantly dispelled from his mind the pleasant thoughts in +which he had been absorbed. A window in the third story was open; +stretching downward from it was one of the fire-escape ropes with which +each room was equipped. Some one was letting himself downward by sitting +in the patent sling and allowing the rope to slide slowly through his +hands. Teeny-bits stepped behind one of the beech trees that grew close +to the building. While he watched, the person on the rope came down even +with the second story. There he paused, resting his feet on the ledge of +a window. In a moment he had raised the sash and had climbed inside. + +Teeny-bits remained behind the tree, peering upward and wondering if he +had hit upon the solution of the mystery of the petty thefts. Inside the +room on the second floor a dim light shone for a moment and then went +out; the thief was using a flashlamp. Teeny-bits' first thought was to +notify some one in authority, but he quickly made up his mind that he +would do better to observe developments and to stay on watch until the +thief should come out. + +Close to the wall of the building grew some shrubs which seemed to offer +a better vantage point from which to watch. Teeny-bits stepped quickly +among them and crouched down so that, as seen from above, the dark +shadow of his body would seem to be part of the shrubbery. Looking +upward he could see any object on the side of the building outlined +clearly against the starlit sky. Two or three minutes after he reached +this new place of concealment a foot was thrust out of the second story +window above him; some one climbed out and after closing the window +began to clamber swiftly upward, using his hands on the rope and his +feet against the wall. + +Teeny-bits at once recognized the person who was performing this +suspicious-appearing bit of acrobatics but he was astounded by his +discovery. The person who was fast making his way upward, who even now +had reached the third story and was climbing into the open window, was +none other than Snubby Turner, the genial and innocent-appearing +quarter-back of the scrub team. In the first place it was almost +unbelievable that Snubby with his tremendous interest in the approaching +football game should be absent from the mass meeting; in the second +place it seemed even more incredible to Teeny-bits that this friend of +his should be guilty of stealing the property of his schoolmates. + +The newcomer at Ridgley remained standing in the bushes as if frozen to +the spot. He was revolving in his mind many things: Snubby's seemingly +frank and happy manner, the fact that it was he who had first reported a +loss, his interest in the subsequent thefts. It seemed impossible; and +yet here was indisputable evidence that Snubby had chosen a moment when +the dormitory was deserted to break into one of the rooms. + +Whose room was it, anyway? Teeny-bits, still looking upward, suddenly +realized that the room into which Snubby had broken was Tracey +Campbell's; confusing thoughts were still sweeping through his mind when +he became aware that some one who was stepping swiftly along the walk +that passed close behind the hall was almost upon him. Teeny-bits never +knew just why he followed the sudden impulse that came over him. His +first thought was that he did not want any one to see him standing there +in the shrubbery apparently without reason; he started to crouch, but +his quick movement caught the eye of the person who was passing. The +footfalls came to a sudden pause, and a voice, which Teeny-bits +recognized as that of Mr. Stevens, the English master, called out: + +"Who's that?" + +With a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach, Teeny-bits stepped +out of the bushes and said: + +"It's Findley Holbrook--" and then, as if for good measure, he added his +nickname--"Teeny-bits." + +"What's up?" asked Mr. Stevens. + +The question was put pleasantly, but Teeny-bits knew that behind it +there must be wonder and suspicion--yes, surely suspicion--for it was +not an ordinary circumstance to find a member of the school concealing +himself close to the rear windows of one of the dormitories when all the +rest of the school was absent at a mass meeting. For the life of him +Teeny-bits could think of nothing to say--he had made up his mind +instantly not to tell what he had seen--and there did not seem to be +anything else left. For seconds that seemed like hours he did not answer +Mr. Stevens' question and then he managed to get a few words across his +benumbed lips. + +"It's nothing," he said. "I just--I'm--I was coming back from the mass +meeting." + +Mr. Stevens looked at him keenly and laid a hand on his shoulder. +"What's the matter, Teeny-bits?" he asked, and the newcomer at Ridgley +knew from the very fact that the master addressed him by his nickname +that he expected a straightforward answer. + +Teeny-bits looked at Mr. Stevens in dumb misery and said nothing. + +"Can I help you?" asked Mr. Stevens. + +"No," said Teeny-bits. "Thanks, but I'm just going up to my room; that's +all." + +They walked round to the front of the hall together; Mr. Stevens said +nothing more, and Teeny-bits ran up to his room and sat down to think. A +few minutes before the impending struggle with Jefferson had filled his +mind so completely that there seemed to be room for nothing else; now +suddenly this other thing had come upon him and in an instant had +engulfed his mind. Circumstances had involved him in a situation from +which he would have given a year of his life to escape. He suddenly +realized that he valued his good name above everything else. + +Doctor Wells had been away from Ridgley over the week-end, to make an +address in Philadelphia. He came back to the school Monday afternoon and +did not get an opportunity to attend to his mail until evening. One +letter that came to him contained a brief but surprising message. He +read it once and then again, and forgot the rest of his mail. He got up +from his desk chair and walking over to the window looked out into the +night. Voices came to him faintly,--the eager, confident, carefree +voices of youth. He knew that the boys were returning from the mass +meeting. He turned away from the window, drew down the shade and read +again the brief message. + +It never took Doctor Wells long to make a decision; the course of action +he determined on now he quickly put into execution. He reached for the +telephone and in a moment was talking with Mr. Stevens, whose room was +situated in Gannett Hall. + +"Mr. Stevens," he said, "I want you to go up to Holbrook's room and ask +him to come over here immediately. I'd like to have you stay with him +until he starts." + +Teeny-bits was not greatly surprised when Mr. Stevens came into his room +a quarter of an hour after he had said good night to him. When any one +was in trouble Mr. Stevens had a way of dropping round to see how he +could help. Teeny-bits _was_ surprised, however, when the English master +delivered Doctor Wells' message. The first thought that came into his +mind was that Mr. Stevens had reported what he had seen and that Doctor +Wells was calling him to his office to request an explanation. Mr. +Stevens may have read his thought for he looked at Teeny-bits rather +searchingly and said: + +"I don't know why Doctor Wells wants to see you; I haven't talked with +him since he returned except to answer the request that has just been +made. If you need me in any way, let me know." + +That was the second time the English master had offered himself. + +"I guess there isn't anything you can do," said Teeny-bits as he picked +up his hat and started out of the room. "I'll run over to the office and +see what Doctor Wells wants." + +Teeny-bits' heart was pounding a little as he mounted the granite steps +of "The White House", as every one called Doctor Wells' home. It was +always an impressive thing to make a call on Doctor Wells--and one +calculated to make the blood run a little faster, whatever the errand. +There was something about this summons, moreover, that gave it an +unusual quality, and to Teeny-bits, who had passed through two +experiences that evening, it seemed to be a climax that held for him +vague and perhaps unpleasant possibilities. He rang the bell and was +ushered immediately into Doctor Wells' study where the soft lamplight, +the paintings on the walls and the garnet-colored rugs, which harmonized +with the mahogany furniture, gave an atmosphere of dignity and +refinement. One always carried himself with a certain feeling of awe--at +least every member of the school did--in Doctor Wells' office. But there +was no unpleasant formality in Doctor Wells' manner. He shook hands with +Teeny-bits cordially, asked him to sit down and came to the point +immediately. + +"I received a letter in the mail to-day which has something to do with +you, Holbrook. I thought you'd better see it immediately. It isn't a +pleasant subject and I want you to tell me frankly what you know about +it." + +He handed over a sheet of paper on which were three or four lines of +typewritten words. They were simple enough in their meaning, but +Teeny-bits had to read them twice before he completely grasped their +import. There were two sentences: + + Holbrook has the things that were stolen from the dormitories. He + keeps them hidden under the floor in his closet. + +Teeny-bits' face became red with anger and mortification; he looked +Doctor Wells squarely in the eyes and said: + +"Whoever sent you this, sir, wrote a lie! He didn't dare to sign his +name!" + +Doctor Wells never took his eyes from Teeny-bits' face, but the +expression in them underwent a slight change; it was as if he had been +looking for something that he greatly wanted to see--and suddenly had +seen it. + +"I believe in you, Holbrook," he said. "And I want you to know that I +sympathize with you as I would with any one else against whose honesty a +cowardly assault has been made. One has to defend himself sturdily +against such underhand attacks. Have you any enemies who might try to +injure you in this way?" + +"I don't know; I shouldn't think that any one in _this_ school would be +mean enough to do it. Doctor Wells, I want you to come over to my room +now, and let me prove that it's a lie." + +"I'll be glad to," said the Head, "but we might as well wait a few +minutes until the lights-out bell rings. We don't need to advertise our +business to any of the fellows in Gannett Hall." + +For fifteen minutes Teeny-bits sat in the study with Doctor Wells; he +never remembered in detail what they talked about, but he had a vague +memory that it concerned football and the game with Jefferson. + +Gannett Hall was dark and quiet when the Head and the newcomer to the +school stole softly up the stairs and stopped at Number 34 on the third +floor. Teeny-bits unlocked the door, reached in to switch on the +electric lights and stood aside to let Doctor Wells enter first. He +followed and led the way directly to the closet where he kept his +clothes. Swinging open the door he looked down. + +At first glance it seemed that the boards were not in any way disturbed +from their normal appearance, and Teeny-bits was about to speak when his +eyes fell on a groove at the point where the ends of two boards came +together. He had not for an instant supposed that he and Doctor Wells +would discover anything in the closet, but now suddenly a great fear +came over him. + +"There's a mark on this board," he said, getting down closer, "and the +nails have been pulled out." + +A minute or two later Teeny-bits and Doctor Wells had pried up the loose +boards with a heavy paper-knife from Teeny-bits' table and were gazing +down at a small pile of loot which consisted of the objects that various +members of the school had reported as lost. It included Fred Harper's +silver sailing trophy, Ned Stillson's gold knife, Snubby Turner's watch +and ten or a dozen other trinkets. Teeny-bits felt stunned. Doctor Wells +had picked out the articles one after another before Teeny-bits found +his voice. Then he said: + +"I don't know what you think, Doctor Wells, but the honest truth is that +I didn't know a thing about this. I can't even guess--" + +He could say no more; his voice broke a little and he felt as if he were +half a dozen years younger and about to cry in little-boy manner. + +"Teeny-bits," said Doctor Wells--it was the second time that night that +Findley Holbrook had been thus addressed by a person in authority at +Ridgley--"I've said once that I believe in you; this doesn't shake my +confidence in your honesty. I'll take charge of these things; I think +you'd better go to bed now and let me see what I can do to solve the +problem. I'll borrow this empty laundry bag." + +After Doctor Wells had gone, Teeny-bits undressed and got into bed, but +for hours he did not fall asleep. He kept thinking of Snubby Turner +climbing down the fire escape. Could it be possible that the genial +Snubby was guilty of stealing from his friends, of professing to have +lost property himself and finally of attempting to throw the blame on +another? It seemed unbelievable. But why had Snubby stayed away from the +mass meeting except to break into the rooms of his classmates? It was +all too confusing. Teeny-bits could evolve no satisfactory explanation. +At two or three in the morning he fell into a troubled sleep during +which he dreamed that he was playing in the Jefferson game and that the +stands were yelling in a tremendous chorus: + +"He's a _thief_; he's a _thief_!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +ON THE EVE OF THE STRUGGLE + + +On the morning after the discovery of the loot hidden under the floor of +the closet at 34 Gannett Hall Teeny-bits awoke with the feeling that he +had been experiencing a nightmare in which disaster and unhappiness had +fastened a death-like clutch upon him. It scarcely seemed possible that +those events with which the evening had been crowded were real. + +The speech at the mass meeting, the discovery of Snubby Turner sliding +down the side of the fire rope and breaking into Campbell's room, the +incident with Mr. Stevens, the summons to Doctor Wells' office, the +visit to Gannett Hall and the astounding secret that revealed itself +when the boards of the closet were lifted,--all those events seemed like +strange imaginings. Teeny-bits jumped from bed and opened the door of +the closet. The little marks that he and Doctor Wells had made with the +paper-knife were sufficient evidence to bring back the reality of each +incident and to plunge Teeny-bits into a gloomy perplexity from which +not even the crisp brightness of the November day or the prospect of the +Jefferson game could divert his mind. + +The worst of it was that there seemed to be nothing that he could do +except await developments; he thought of going to Snubby Turner and +demanding an explanation of the part that Snubby had played in breaking +into Tracey Campbell's room, but he could not bring himself to make what +would be nothing less than a serious accusation of his friend. He +determined to wait. + +Throughout the day it seemed to Teeny-bits that he was leading two +lives,--the one absorbed in the personal problem that had been thrust +upon him, the other concerned with the mechanical performance of the +various duties that came his way. He attended classes, ate his meals and +took part in the regular football practice, but his mind was elsewhere. + +Coach Murray was the first to notice that everything was not quite +right. When the practice was two thirds over he spoke to Teeny-bits. + +"Aren't you feeling fit?" he asked. + +"I'm all right," replied the half-back. + +"I'm afraid you've been working a little too hard," said the coach. +"We'll call that enough for you to-day." + +Doctor Wells had a habit of conferring with Mr. Stevens in matters that +concerned his personal relationship with the members of the school. He +had a great respect for the English master's understanding of character. +On Tuesday morning he summoned Mr. Stevens to his office and put a blunt +question. + +"What do you think of Holbrook--Teeny-bits, as they call him?" + +"Why, I've always liked him," said Mr. Stevens. + +"Are you quite sure of him?" + +For an instant Mr. Stevens did not answer, and then he said quickly: +"Yes, I----, oh, I'm sure he's all right. In fact, I've considered him +as the same type--though, of course, with a different background--as +Neil Durant; and you know what I think of Neil." + +If Doctor Wells had noticed the slight pause which preceded the English +master's reply, he gave no sign. "I agree with you," he declared. "But I +want to tell you about a puzzling incident that happened last night." + +Briefly, but omitting no important detail, Doctor Wells told Mr. Stevens +of the unsigned letter that accused Teeny-bits, of his conference with +the newcomer and of the visit to Gannett Hall. When the Head described +the discovery of the stolen property beneath the floor of Teeny-bits' +closet, the expression on Mr. Stevens' face changed. + +"You actually found those things in his room!" exclaimed the English +master. He was sitting in the same chair in which Teeny-bits had sat +just twelve hours before. + +Doctor Wells, sitting opposite, smiled slightly at the surprise in Mr. +Stevens' voice; he had heard just such a quality of surprise mingled +with indignation in the voice of Teeny-bits. + +"It astonishes you as much as it did me," said the Head. "What do you +think of it?" + +Mr. Stevens sat and looked into the fire and did not answer the +question. The room became so quiet that the clock on the mantel seemed +to raise its voice,--as if suddenly it had become animate and wished to +make itself heard. It ticked out a full minute and sixty seconds more +and then--as it were--became silent, for the voice of the English master +drowned it out. + +"That put a real problem up to me," he said. "I didn't know at first +what to do, but I think I see clearly now. Something happened last +night--something I couldn't quite explain; I've been puzzling over it. +Unless I were sure--well sure that you know just what weight to give to +outward appearances, I shouldn't tell you this; everything considered, +however, I think you ought to know it. The incident happened last night +only a few minutes before you asked me to send Holbrook over to you." + +While Doctor Wells listened with an intentness that was revealed by the +lines of his contracted brows, Mr. Stevens described how he had found +Teeny-bits crouching in the shrubbery behind Gannett Hall and mentioned +the newcomer's confusion at being discovered. + +"I've always believed that character inevitably expresses itself in a +person's face," said Doctor Wells, "and I have come gradually into the +conviction that I can read faces. I _thought_ I had made no mistake in +this case--and I think so still. But they say there _are_ exceptions to +the general rule. I don't know--well, for the present, the only thing to +do is to wait. Time is a great revealer of secrets." + +On Wednesday and Thursday the Ridgley football team went through light +signal practice which was intended, as Coach Murray said, to "oil the +machinery" and "polish off the rough spots." Thursday afternoon the +whole school marched down to the field to watch the practice and to test +their cheering and their songs. + +At dark when the team was in the locker building Coach Murray announced +that there would be no practice on Friday. "I want you to _forget +football_ from now until Saturday," he said. "Imagine that no such game +ever existed. To-morrow, go on a little walk somewhere or take it easy +in any way you like, but don't bother your brains with any football +thinking." + +On Friday afternoon Tracey Campbell, at the suggestion of Bassett, +decided to "forget football" by taking a little tour in his father's +automobile. Tracey telephoned home, discovered that the elder Campbell +was out of town, and had little difficulty in persuading his mother to +send the chauffeur over to Ridgley with the car. Tracey suggested that +he might take along one or two members of the football team, but Bassett +made a remark or two that caused the substitute back to change his mind. +After driving to the "mansion" and leaving the chauffeur, Tracey and +Bassett rode out into the country and came back by the way of +Greensboro. Their conversation had been none too pleasant, for there +were certain things between them that furnished grounds for differences +of opinion. But Bassett was clever--more clever than most of the members +of Ridgley School believed him to be--and he had a way of putting his +finger on weak spots and causing irritation that resulted in action. As +on two previous occasions, the pair stopped at Chuan Kai's Oriental +Eating Palace, and there Bassett gave voice to what he considered as a +finality. + +"Well," he said, "if Teeny-bits weren't on hand for the game, of course +you'd play in his place, as you deserve to, and then you'd get your +letter and the runabout." + +"Well, he'll be there, so don't worry yourself about that," said +Campbell. "He's on the inside and nothing you can do--got a match? I'm +going to smoke." + +"Didn't you tell me one time that Chuan Kai had a regular den upstairs +where no one ever went--except the Chinks?" + +"I guess so," said Tracey. + +"The trouble with _you_," was Bassett's next remark, "is that you can't +see a real chance when it's right in front of your nose. Now listen, and +I'll tell you something." + +The result of the conversation that went on between Bassett and Campbell +during the next quarter of an hour was that Campbell finally got up from +the table and said: + +"We'll talk to Chuan Kai." + +As an outcome of what passed between the two members of Ridgley School +and Chuan Kai, an agreement was made which involved the payment of a +certain amount of money. Chuan Kai counted the bills and slipped them +out of sight within the folds of his loose-fitting coat. He had more +than one reason for undertaking to help these two young members of the +white race; they had money which moved from their pockets to his pockets +and they had promised him more; the owner of the building in which Chuan +Kai had established the business of the Oriental Eating Palace was +Campbell, the leather dealer. Third reason, and greatest in the Chinese +mind, was the fact that years ago, but not so long but that the memory +of it was as vivid as a lightning flash on a black night, Campbell--who +had not been above turning his hand to various undertakings that, though +murky of purpose, were productive in returns--had circumvented certain +laws that prevented a yellow man from gaining entrance to the land of +the Americans. The father of this youth held Chuan Kai in the hollow of +his hand, and Chuan Kai knew that a few words spoken to the +enforcers-of-law would send him away from these shores, where living +came so easily, back to China where stalked a specter which he had +reason to fear with the fear of one whose heart trembles like the heart +of a field mouse that hears the cry of the long-taloned owl. Those +reasons trooped through the Oriental's mind as his black eyes shifted +from the face of Campbell to the face of Bassett. + +"You understand," said Bassett. "It's an initiation for one of our +school societies and it must be always a secret--never tell any one we +had anything to do with it. You understand?" + +Yes, Chuan Kai understood; he knew English and he knew well enough what +societies were; this he imagined was a "play" society, the kind with +which young Americans amused themselves, quite unlike some societies he +knew about. + +Chuan Kai called out suddenly two words that sounded to Bassett and +Campbell like "_Ka-wah changsee_", and within twenty seconds one of the +Chinese waiters stood in the doorway with an expectant look in his eyes. +More words of Chinese like pebbles rattling over stones and falling into +water flowed from the singsong lips of Chuan Kai. The waiter went away +and came back with a broad-shouldered Chinaman whose sleeves were rolled +up, revealing sinewy yellow muscles. Campbell and Bassett guessed that +he came from the kitchen where he had been cutting meat, for his hands +were red and the apron he wore was stained. Chuan Kai spoke to these two +hench-men at some length; they replied in guttural syllables that +signified understanding. + +A little after dark, on that same Friday evening, Teeny-bits came back +from supper at Lincoln Hall and went up to his room. He had taken a walk +with Neil Durant and Ned Stillson and had made up his mind that he would +go to bed early and keep his thoughts away from the things that were +troubling him. He had started to undress and had removed his shirt and +collar, when some one shouted up from below: + +"Oh, Teeny-bits, you're wanted on the telephone." + +Teeny-bits pulled on a sweater and went downstairs. In answer to his +inquiry he heard a voice--an unnaturally gruff voice, he remembered +afterwards--telling him startling news. His father, old Daniel Holbrook, +had been hurt--a train had struck him at the station--Teeny-bits was +wanted at home at once. + +Waiting to hear no more, he hung up the receiver and without pausing to +tell any one where he was going, hurried out of Gannett Hall and ran +across the campus toward the hill-road that led down to the village of +Hamilton a mile away. He had covered half the distance when he saw an +automobile just ahead of him standing beside the road. As he approached, +he noticed that, though the lights were out, the engine was running; he +determined to explain the emergency and ask for a ride to the village. +He never made the request, however, for as he came abreast of the car he +heard a sharp whistle close beside him and was suddenly assailed by two +dark figures that sprang upon him and, almost before he could struggle, +bore him to the ground. + +Teeny-bits had been in many a rough-and-tumble wrestling match and was +able to take care of himself in competition with any ordinary opponent, +even when weight was against him; he struggled desperately, but within +the space of a very few seconds he realized that he was helpless. At the +first onslaught something that felt like a voluminous cloth had been +thrown over his head and he found himself enveloped in its folds; he +tried to cry out for help, but his voice was muffled and ineffective. +Though unable to see his assailants, he kicked and struck out with +desperation, but all to no avail. His feet were brought together and +fastened with the same material that covered his head and pinioned his +arms to his body. In a moment he felt himself raised from the ground and +realized that he was being lifted into the automobile. Hands fumbled at +the cloth about his head, tightening the folds over his mouth and eyes, +loosening the folds over his nose so that, though he could neither see +nor talk, he could breathe without difficulty. + +The whole attack had been carried out swiftly, and it was so entirely +different from anything that Teeny-bits had experienced that he felt +dazed and bewildered. The automobile was moving rapidly now, as he could +tell by its tremulous motion and its frequent lurches. No sound that +would aid him in identifying his assailants came to his ears, however, +and he could only helplessly await the next development. A cautious +tightening of his muscles convinced him quickly that it was of no use +whatever to strain against his bonds. Whoever these men were who had +bound him in so strange a manner, they had done their work well. Minutes +passed, and still the automobile rolled on swiftly; whither it was +carrying him--north or south or east or west--Teeny-bits had no way of +knowing. Finally it began to move more slowly and after a few moments +vibrated as if passing over cobble-stones. + +Teeny-bits knew instantly when it came to a stop, for the vibrations +ceased. Only a moment passed before he felt himself lifted by two pairs +of hands and a moment later realized by the sound and the motion that he +was being carried up a long flight of steps. He heard a door open and +shut and he sniffed a strange odor; food cooking and smoke, it seemed to +suggest, but strange food and strange smoke. Another flight of steps was +mounted, another door was opened, and Teeny-bits felt himself deposited +upon something that seemed like a mattress. He tried to speak, to ask +where he was and what his captors intended, but only muffled mumblings +came from his lips. He heard the door close and knew that he was alone. +A feeling of despair, the equal of which he had never experienced, swept +over him; he was in the power of nameless enemies whose purposes were +unknown and perhaps sinister. + +For a long while Teeny-bits lay in dumb misery, while one dismal thought +after another marched through his mind. On the eve of the big game--the +game in which for long weeks his hopes had been fastened, first with +interest and then with an almost feverish anticipation--he had been +mysteriously spirited away. Now he would not even witness the great +struggle between his school and its ancient rival--to say nothing of +playing and winning his R. But there were other thoughts. What of his +father,--old Daniel Holbrook? Teeny-bits now suspected that the +telephone summons was part of a plan to entice him away from the school, +but, of course, there was a possibility that an accident had occurred +and that even now Daniel Holbrook was hovering between life and death, +and wondering why Teeny-bits did not come to him. There was still +another thought: circumstances had cast about him a cloud of suspicion +which was evident to two persons whose respect he wished to +retain,--Doctor Wells and Mr. Stevens. What would their feeling toward +him be when they learned that he had disappeared from the school without +saying a word to any one? They could arrive at only one conclusion: that +he was guilty of stealing from his schoolmates and that, fearing to face +the charges against him, he had run away like a coward. If the worst +should happen--if he should not come out alive from the predicament in +which he now found himself--his name would be remembered forever as that +of one who had neither honor nor courage. + +Those thoughts seemed to Teeny-bits more than he could bear, and +suddenly a feeling of bitter rage welled up within him against the +unknown enemy who had caused him all this misery. He could not believe +that Snubby Turner had anything to do with it. The only persons in +Ridgley School whom he had reason to suspect were Bassett and Tracey +Campbell. He made up his mind that if he ever escaped from his present +predicament he would go straight to those two members of Ridgley School +and ask them point-blank if they were at the bottom of his troubles. If +they could not come forth with an answer that rang true, he would give +them both a thrashing that they would never forget. He would welcome a +chance to meet them singly or as a pair. He began to struggle at his +bonds and was soon dripping with perspiration from his efforts. After a +time he saw the uselessness of it and, almost exhausted, lay breathing +deeply the close atmosphere of the room. + +The night before the "big game" at Ridgley School resembled the lull +before a storm; word had been passed as usual that the dormitories were +to be quiet and members of the school were to keep away from the rooms +of the football players, who, of course, needed, on this night of all +nights, a sound and long sleep. In Lincoln Hall, at meal time, there had +been a hum of eager conversation: the Jefferson team had arrived in +Hamilton and had gone to comfortable quarters at Grey Stone Inn, three +miles from the school. They would remain at the inn until just before +the game, when they would come to the field in automobiles. Several of +the Ridgleyites who had been in the station at the time of the visitors' +arrival reported that the Jefferson players were "huskies" and that +Norris, the renowned full-back, was the biggest "of the lot." The main +body of Jefferson students would arrive by special train at noon on +Saturday. + +Many a member of Ridgley School on this eve of the great struggle was +filled with a feeling of restlessness; it seemed that the minutes were +dragging with indescribable slowness, that the night would never pass +and that the hour would never come when the referee would blow his +whistle to start the contest upon which the Ridgley hopes and fears were +centered. + +Among those restless spirits who longed for some way to speed the +minutes was Snubby Turner. He had gone down to the Hamilton Station and +had come away not at all reassured by the sight that had met his eyes. +The representatives of Jefferson School were a formidable looking lot, +and it increased Snubby's peace of mind not at all to have had a close +view of Norris' athletic form. He sensed a feeling of overflowing +confidence in these big sons of Jefferson, and he longed to talk to some +one who could dispel his doubts and drive away the insidious fears that +were gnawing at what he called his "Ridgley spirit." In these +circumstances he would have gone to Teeny-bits, or he might even have +imposed upon the hospitality of Neil Durant,--if he had not known that +loyalty to the school demanded that he should not bother any member of +the eleven. He finally sought consolation by going down to the basement +of Gannett Hall to pay a visit to old Jerry. He found the ancient +janitor's assistant leaning back in a rickety chair reading by the light +of an unshaded electric bulb. The old man put the volume down upon his +knee and looked at Snubby with eyes that seemed to be gazing on distant +scenes. + +"What kind of book is that?" asked Snubby. "A novel?" + +Old Jerry thrust his head forward slightly, as if seeing his visitor for +the first time, and said: + +"There's _ijeers_ in this book, I wanter tell yer. It's about an awful +smart feller who had ways of his own in gettin' at the bottom o' +things--kind of a detecative chap." + +Snubby looked at the title and saw that it was "The Mystery of the +Million Dollar Diamond." + +"It does a man good sometimes to exercise his brains on meesterious +happenin's," said old Jerry, "and you know we got plenty o' reason to +study up things o' that sort." + +"Yes, we have; but I'm not half as much interested in that stuff just +now as I am in the Jefferson game. Who do you think's going to win?" + +Old Jerry laid the book carefully aside on his table, looked at his +questioner seriously for a moment and said: + +"I got my ijeers about that too, but it don't do no good to tell +everythin' that is millin' aroun' in your head. Now I once heared of a +feller who had a job forecastin' the weather for a noospaper, and he'd +allus say right out _positive_ whether it 'ud rain or shine--it was +allus goin' to be bright and clear or dark and stormy--and along come a +spell o' weather and every day for a week he said it was going to rain, +and I'll be singed if there was a cloud in the sky all through them +seven days--and the feller lost his job. Now the way I look at the game +is this: we got a big chance to win and we got a big chance to lose, and +if we do the things we oughter do it's goin' to be bright and fair, and +if we do the things we hadn't oughter do it's goin' to be dark and +stormy,--and I got my ijeers which is which. But, as I said, it don't do +too much good to tell _everythin'_ you know." + +"It'll be an awful fight," said Snubby; "a terrible fight every single +minute of the time, and I'll bet you two cents to a tin whistle that +when that Jefferson crowd of heavy-weights gets through they'll know +they've been playing somebody. I wish there were something I could do. +I'm so doggone restless that I don't believe I'll sleep a wink +to-night." + +Old Jerry gave voice to a cackle of mirth. "Bet you'll sleep all right," +he said. "I never yet seen a feller like you that didn't sleep when the +time come for it, and as for helping, I guess you'll do your part if you +keep on believin' that Ridgley School can't be beat and when the game is +goin' on you yell your dumdest to encourage the team." + +"Well," said Snubby, "I suppose you want to go on readin' that +lurid-looking book of yours, so I'll be going up to my room, I guess." + +"It ain't so lurid," said Jerry, "but it's interestin' 'cause it's kind +o' teachin' me how to put two and two together so's they'll figger up to +make four, if you know what I mean, and then I'm a mite stirred up +myself about that game to-morrer and it's quietin' to my nerves." + +So Snubby Turner left his friend in the little basement room, walked +quietly up the stairs to his room and made up his mind that the best +thing for him to do was to turn in. + +Mass meetings, preliminary games and final practice were over and +everything now awaited the climax of the season. By half-past nine +lights were going out in the dormitories and presently quiet reigned +over the white buildings on the hill and the stars, sending down their +radiance from a clear sky, presaged fair weather for the great contest. +The light was out in Teeny-bits' room and no one in the school--with the +exception of two persons--doubted that the smallest member of the eleven +was not sleeping soundly beneath the roof of Gannett Hall. + +Saturday morning dawned as fair as the fairest day in the year; there +was a nip in the air that suggested winter, but as the morning wore on, +the mounting sun mellowed the chill until the "old boys"--men who had +played for Ridgley and Jefferson twenty years before and who had come +back to view once again the immortal combat between the "best school in +all the world" and her greatest rival--slapped each other on the back +and said: + +"Perfect football weather!" + +All roads led to Ridgley--or seemed to--on this day of days. The trains +came rolling into the Hamilton Station, discharged their burdens of +humanity and rolled on. Automobiles by the score climbed the long hill +to the school,--automobiles bearing the fluttering red of Ridgley and +the fluttering purple of Jefferson. There were shouts of greeting and +shouts of gay challenge, honking of horns and a busy rushing here and +there that suggested excitement, anticipation and hopes built high. And +then came the special train from Jefferson--the Purple Express, so +named--bearing hundreds of cheering students and a brass band of twenty +pieces which led the procession into Lincoln Hall to the strains of the +Jefferson Victory Song,--a fiendish piece of music in the ears of +Ridgley's loyal sons, a stirring pean of confidence and challenge in the +ears of those who waved aloft the purple. At Lincoln Hall the Jefferson +guests--according to immemorial custom--sat down to a luncheon that +Ridgley School provided. A year later the compliment would be returned. +The band played, the visitors cheered, the song leader jumped on a table +and swung his arms in time to the latest Jefferson song,--and all +Ridgley School knew that Jefferson was having the time of her life. She +had come to her rival with the best team in her history and she meant to +enjoy every moment of a triumph which she was confident would be +colossal. In all this excitement Teeny-bits' absence was not at first +noticed. At breakfast some one asked for him and some one else said: + +"I guess he's already eaten and gone; he probably didn't want to listen +to our football gossip." + +During the course of the morning two members of the faculty called for +him--Doctor Wells and Mr. Stevens. They had an identical thought in +mind--though neither knew that the other was thinking it. They were busy +in extending the hospitality of Ridgley to the members of the Jefferson +faculty and in greeting the "old boys" who had returned for the big +game, but both wanted to have a word with Teeny-bits,--to tell him that +they had confidence in him and that they knew everything would turn out +right in the end and that they should watch him with special interest +this afternoon and knew that he would forget everything else and play +his best for Ridgley. They left word for him at the dormitory. + +This was no ordinary game of football--Ridgley-Jefferson games never +were ordinary--and this would transcend all past contests between the +two schools. Jefferson was said to be irresistible; the Ridgleyites knew +that the spirit of their team was irresistible, and when two +"irresistible" forces come together something must give way. From +Springfield, the nearest large city, came numerous copies of the +_Springfield Times_ with pictures of all the players and statistics in +regard to age, weight and height. The largest amount of space was given +to Norris, the Jefferson full-back, but Neil Durant came in for his +share and a paragraph was devoted to Teeny-bits who was described in +these words: + +"The Ridgley left-half will be the lightest player on the field; he +cannot be expected to do much against the heavy Jefferson line, but he +has gained a reputation as a shifty runner and deserves to be watched on +open plays." + +At noon, when Teeny-bits did not appear for the special luncheon that +was served to the members of the team in the trophy room of the +gymnasium, Neil Durant and Coach Murray began to make inquiries. + +"Where's Teeny-bits?" + +Nobody had an answer. + +"He'll probably be along pretty soon," said the coach. "He ought not to +be late to-day, though." + +When the luncheon was half-eaten Neil Durant got up and announced that +he was going to send some one to look for the missing member of the +team. He found Snubby Turner and asked him to run up to Gannett Hall and +look for Teeny-bits. + +When Snubby came back at the close of the meal with the report that +Teeny-bits was not in his room and that nobody, as far as he could +discover, had seen him all the morning, Neil Durant said: + +"Maybe he went home. We'll probably find him down at the locker +building." + +But when the members of the team arrived at the field half an hour later +in order to prepare themselves leisurely for the game, Teeny-bits had +not appeared. + +"That's mighty queer," Neil said to Ned Stillson. "I can't understand +it. If he doesn't come we'll have to play Campbell in his place--and +somehow I haven't much faith in Campbell. I'm going to call up Mr. +Holbrook at the Hamilton station and find out if he knows anything about +Teeny-bits." + +In answer to Neil's call, Mr. Holbrook's assistant reported that Mr. +Holbrook had gone home to dinner and was not coming back till late in +the afternoon; he was going to the game. + +"The Holbrooks haven't a 'phone in their house, have they?" asked Neil. + +"No, they haven't," came the reply. + +"Well, do you know where Teeny-bits is?" + +"Why, up at the school, I suppose; I haven't seen him," was the answer. + +It was evident that Mr. Holbrook's assistant had no information; Neil +hung up the receiver and said to himself: + +"Well, if his father is coming that's a good sign. When Teeny-bits shows +up, I'll give him a lecture that'll make his hair stand on end." + +At quarter-past one, when the Ridgley team ran out on the field for +warming-up practice, Coach Murray looked over the squad and yelled +sharply: + +"Campbell, get out there in left-half and let me see you show some +_pep_." + +The tone of his voice was like a whiplash, and every member of the team +knew that he was angry clear through. + +Already the stands were beginning to fill with the friends of Ridgley +and of Jefferson, though the cheering sections were as yet empty. In two +long columns, stepping in time to the music of their respective bands, +the Ridgleyites and the Jeffersonians were marching to the field. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +STRANGE CAPTORS + + +Teeny-bits Holbrook was not the sort to give up hope quickly. When, +after struggling vainly against his bonds, he had exhausted his strength +and had at last lain back panting for breath, he had begun to think,--to +try in some way to devise a plan that would offer hope of escape. But +there seemed to be no possible loophole, no stratagem or maneuver by +means of which he could win release. Inaction was galling, and, after +lying still for a long time, Teeny-bits again began to struggle and +twist and squirm. These bonds with which his arms and hands and feet and +legs were fastened did not give way under his most violent efforts and, +as previously, he exhausted himself before he had accomplished anything. + +For hours Teeny-bits alternated these periods of struggling and resting. +Twice he was aware that some one came into the room and went +out,--evidently after watching him for a few moments. How much time had +passed since his captors had pounced upon him on the hill road to +Hamilton he had no means of knowing, but it seemed likely that more than +half the night had gone. + +In one of his struggles Teeny-bits rolled off the edge of the mattress +on which he had been lying; to his surprise he did not fall with a crash +some two or three feet, as he would have fallen from a bed of the usual +height, but merely dropped a few inches before coming in contact with +the floor. Evidently the mattress rested on springs that were laid +directly on the boards. Teeny-bits rolled himself this way and that +until he brought up against a wall. He was about to roll in the other +direction when he realized that the folds of cloth that bound him were +caught against something; from the feeling--the slight pull that was +exerted against the movement of his body--he came to the conclusion that +it was a nail. He wriggled a few inches length-wise along the wall, and +the sound of ripping cloth came to his ears,--a sound that brought a +thrill of hope. If the bonds that imprisoned him were too strong to be +broken by the power of his muscles, perhaps he could tear and rip them +by edging himself back and forth against the sharp projection which, +judging by sound, had already effected the beginning of what he desired. +By twisting and turning, he succeeded, in the course of the next five +minutes, in gaining a certain amount of freedom for his arms. + +When Teeny-bits had left his room in Gannett Hall to answer the +telephone call he had pulled on a light sweater. Now it occurred to him +that if he could catch the lower part of the sweater on the nail, he +might, by working his body downward, pull the garment over his head and +carry with it the stout cloth in which he was still swathed. At the cost +of some skin scraped from his back, he got the nail fastened in the +sweater and gradually succeeded in turning it inside out. In a minute or +two he said to himself, exultantly, he would have his hands free, and +then it would be quick and easy work to untie his feet. + +At that moment, when escape was almost within his grasp, dreaded sounds +came to his ears,--the opening of the door and the shuffle of running +feet. Teeny-bits was in a hopeless position to make any resistance; the +folds of tough cloth which had been wound about his body, pinioning his +arms, had been pulled upward with the sweater until the whole mass was +bunched across the top of his bare shoulders, and though he was able to +move his arms slightly, he was still so tangled that he could do nothing +except await whatever fate was in store for him. Two persons came into +the room; he heard them speak sharply and knew then that they were +Chinese; there was no mistaking the outlandish inflection of vowel and +consonant. In a second rough hands were laid upon him and he was dragged +away from the wall. He gave a few last futile wrenches and then lay +still, face down, on the floor. + +His captors had him at their mercy; they could do with him what they +wished. One of them was pulling at the folds of cloth; Teeny-bits could +feel the man's hands on his bare back. Suddenly the hands paused in +their work; then the sweater was pushed an inch or two higher and there +came to Teeny-bits' ears one of the strangest sounds that he had ever +heard: an exclamation, a startled cry in syllables that, though wild and +meaningless in themselves, conveyed an unmistakable effect,--discovery +and the highest degree of astonishment. This strange cry was answered in +kind by another voice, and Teeny-bits felt the two Chinese fumbling at +his back with trembling fingers. To his surprise he realized, after a +moment, that they were loosening the bonds, that they were freeing his +arms and legs and removing the folds over his mouth and eyes. + +In a few moments Teeny-bits sat up and looked about him; he had the same +sensation that a person sometimes experiences on waking at night in a +room away from home and finding the walls too near or too far and +windows where they should not be. He had imagined himself in a wide, +high, dimly lighted room with two villainous-looking desperadoes bending +over him with weapons plainly displayed. He found himself in a +low-ceilinged, box-like, little room lighted by a flaring gas jet, with +two astonished-looking Chinese gazing at him with slant eyes that seemed +to be almost popping from their heads. They were jabbering their +outlandish tongue up and down the singsong scale as if here before them, +sitting on the floor, were a new species of being, newly discovered and +strange beyond imagination. Teeny-bits did not know what to make of +them; he blinked his eyes and remained sitting there, wondering what +would happen next. Both of the Chinese seemed to be asking him questions +and they were pointing at him in a way that brought the thought to +Teeny-bits that they were both insane. Then he suddenly realized what +was the cause of their excitement--one of them came closer and pointed +down at his shoulder--at the terra-cotta colored mark which had excited +comment at Ridgley School because it so strikingly resembled a +dagger-like knife with a tapering blade and a thin handle. + +"What's the idea of all this business?" demanded Teeny-bits. + +The Oriental who stood beside him bent down and touched the mark as if +trying to discover if it were real. He called out something to his +companion and a flow of words passed between them. + +Teeny-bits stood up stiffly and began to pull on his torn sweater, while +the two Chinese watched him with fascinated eyes. + +"Why did you bring me here?" he demanded. "Are you _crazy_, or what _is_ +the matter with you?" + +The two Chinese blinked at him vacantly; either they did not understand +English or pretended not to. Suddenly one of them got down on his knees +and began a queer song-like jabbering in which his companion joined. + +Teeny-bits did not wait to listen, but began to move toward the door; he +expected the men to jump in front of him and bar the way, but neither of +them stirred until he was actually stepping out of the room. Teeny-bits +ran stiffly down a dimly lighted flight of steps, then down another +flight and out into a dark alleyway. Behind him he could hear the soft +pattering of feet; the two Chinese were not far in the rear. Determined +to waste no time in escaping, he dashed down the alley and came into a +dark street; he ran faster and faster as the stiffness in his legs +lessened, turning into one street after another, and he did not stop +until he was breathing hard and had left the place of his captivity +several hundred yards behind. He looked back then and listened. +Apparently he had distanced pursuit, for no sounds of pattering feet +came to his ears and he caught no glimpse of the two Chinese who had +acted so strangely. + +At any rate he was free,--though he did not know where he was; the +streets down which he had been running were deserted; the houses were of +brick tenement structure and stood close together. He went on at a swift +walk, turning every few steps to look over his shoulder, and presently +he came to a building which he recognized. It was the market that faced +Stanley Square in Greensboro, a yellow brick building with a tall tower +and a clock. As Teeny-bits gazed upward, trying to read the position of +the hour hand in the half-light of the street lamps, the big timepiece +boomed out two strokes. It was two o'clock. + +Teeny-bits turned south along Walnut Street in the direction of +Hamilton. When he had attended the high school in Greensboro he had gone +twice each day on his bicycle over the four miles of road between the +village and the bustling young city. He now set out at a swift walk, and +as soon as he had passed the outskirts of Greensboro, he jogged along at +a pace that kept him warm, in spite of his scanty attire and the nipping +air. + +Twice, while still on the city streets, he had passed belated +pedestrians and once he had glimpsed a policeman under a street lamp. He +had not paused, however, for his one desire was to get home and to +discover if his father had been injured. It had occurred to him that +perhaps he should report his experience to the police, but the thought +then came to him that they might detain him,--and the one thing that he +wanted now was freedom. So he went on swiftly toward Hamilton and before +three o'clock was approaching the house that he had always known as +home. All of the windows were dark,--a reassuring sign. If anything +terrible had happened, surely there would be a light in the house. + +Teeny-bits went round to the rear and tried the kitchen windows till he +found that one was unlocked. Cautiously he let himself in; he did not +intend to waken father and mother Holbrook unless there was evidence +that something had happened. The kitchen was warm, and the cat, which +always slept in a chair beside the woodbox, jumped down softly to the +floor and came over to rub her body against his leg. Teeny-bits reached +down and stroked the cat's soft coat; somehow, the contented purring of +the creature convinced him that nothing was wrong in the house. He +unlaced his shoes and tiptoed upstairs; in the hall he paused to listen; +the quietness of the house was broken only by a faint but regular +breathing; it came from the bedroom where old Daniel Holbrook slept. So +all was right, after all. + +With a great feeling of relief, Teeny-bits groped his way along the hall +to the rear and opened the door to his own room. Suddenly he felt very +tired and it seemed to him that he could not get into bed quickly +enough. He pulled off his clothes, raised one of the windows, and in a +moment had settled down upon the comfortable mattress and had pulled the +covers up to his chin. He said to himself that he would sleep a little +while and early in the morning hurry up to the school. A pleasant +feeling of relaxation stole over him, his thoughts merged into drowsy +half-dreams and almost immediately he sank into a slumber deeper than +any he had experienced for many days. + +He slept on and on; morning light came softly in at the curtained +windows; in the front of the house his father and mother rose and went +downstairs, and after a time old Daniel Holbrook went leisurely to his +duties at the station. Still Teeny-bits slept his deep sleep and only +the cat knew that he was in the house. + +Just after twelve o'clock Daniel Holbrook came home to dinner; he +stopped in the back yard for an armful of wood and entering the kitchen, +dropped it in the box beside the stove. The rumble penetrated to the +rooms above, and Teeny-bits sat up abruptly in bed, wide awake in a +flash. This was the day of the big game; it was morning; he must hurry +up to the school; he began hunting in the closet for fresh clothes and +pulling them on in desperate haste. He was two thirds dressed when his +door was pushed slowly open and father and mother Holbrook peered +cautiously in; the look that he surprised on their faces was so +ludicrous that he laughed. + +"Land sakes alive, Teeny-bits!" cried Ma Holbrook. "What a tremulo you +gave me. How'd you get here? Your pa and I heard you movin' around and I +thought sure it was burglars!" + +Teeny-bits sat on the edge of the bed and laughed and laughed,--it +seemed so good to see them both alive and well; and old Daniel Holbrook, +holding the dangerous-looking stick of wood that he carried up from the +kitchen to use in dealing with burglars, slapped his thigh and laughed +harder than Teeny-bits. + +"Don't tell me you've been here all night!" he said at last. + +"I came in through the kitchen window after you were asleep and I didn't +want to disturb you," said Teeny-bits. "I was looking for a good sleep +before the big game." + +"I guess you got it _all right_," said Daniel Holbrook. + +"What time is it?" asked Teeny-bits. + +The station agent hauled out his big silver watch, looked at it +critically and announced: "Twenty-nine minutes past twelve." + +"Past _twelve_!" repeated Teeny-bits. "It can't be." + +Daniel Holbrook swung round the face of the watch and proved the +correctness of his statement. "Kinder late for a boy to be gettin' up," +he remarked with a chuckle. + +Teeny-bits had made an instant resolve that this kindly couple who were +father and mother to him should not be burdened with his troubles. He +jumped to his feet and cried: + +"The game starts in an hour and a half; I've got to hustle up there." + +"Not until you've eaten," said Ma Holbrook, firmly. "Dinner's ready this +minute." + +Teeny-bits did a bit of swift mental calculation; the team was already +at lunch; he could not reach the gymnasium in time to be with them; it +would be better to eat here and join the squad at the field. + +"I don't want much," he said. "Just a little and then I'll have to go." + +"I'll hitch up Jed," said Daniel Holbrook, "and we'll all ride up +together; your ma and I were intendin' to start pretty soon, anyway." + +Thus it happened that Teeny-bits Holbrook rode up to the game behind the +sorrel horse and arrived at the locker building fifteen minutes before +the contest was scheduled to begin. While the sound of the preliminary +cheering and singing rang in his ears he pulled on his football togs in +frantic haste, dashed out of the building and ran along behind the +stands until he came to the opening that led underneath to the field +itself. He appeared at the players' shelter just as Coach Murray was +about to shout out the order for Neil to bring the team in off the +field. + +Mr. Murray's features wore an expression that was sterner than any that +had been seen on his face that fall. The Ridgley team had been +experiencing a species of stage fright. It seemed that Neil Durant was +the only one of the back-field who could hold the ball. Campbell and +Stillson and Dean had fumbled again and again, and Campbell was the +worst of the three. When the coach saw Teeny-bits he closed his mouth +with a click and looked the left-half back through and through with eyes +that blazed; he laid rough hands on the newcomer's shoulders and said in +a voice that rasped: + +"Do you want to play in this game?" + +As Teeny-bits had come running from the locker building and heard the +volume of cheering, the fear had grown larger and larger that he was too +late--that the game had started, that he had lost his chance. He felt an +overwhelming eagerness and he meant every word of his answer to Coach +Murray's question. + +"I think I'll _die_ if you don't let me," he said, and his face wore +such a look of earnestness and appeal that the coach's grim expression +relaxed a little. + +"Don't stop to explain why you 're late--I hope you have a good +excuse--but run out there and tell Campbell to come in." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE GREAT GAME + + +Teeny-bits raced out on the field as if he had been shot from a cannon. +The greeting that the team gave him was very different from the one that +they had accorded him that day a few weeks before, when he had run out +to take his place as a regular after the injury to White. + +"Here's Teeny-bits!" some one yelled. + +A chorus of shouts greeted the half-back, and Neil Durant came running +to meet him halfway. + +"I ought to _murder_ you right now," said the captain, "but I'm so glad +to see you I'll wait till after the game. Gee, I'm _glad_ you've come." + +By this time half a dozen of the team were slapping Teeny-bits on the +back and he had slipped into his position behind the line. Campbell had +needed no word to inform him that he was relieved of his duties at +left-half; he had given Teeny-bits one startled glance and had headed +for the side line. Dean called out the signals while the team ran +through a series of plays. "Come on now; we're all here; let's go," +cried Neil, and the team responded with a snap. The Ridgley cheering +section had noticed the advent of Teeny-bits and a buzz of conversation +went around, for his absence during the warming-up had been the subject +of increasing comment. + +Down at the other end of the field the Jefferson team was running +through signals and trying punts and drop kicks. Simultaneously the +teams ceased their practice and gathered at the two benches at opposite +sides of the field. Neil Durant, Norris and the referee then met in +mid-field and flipped a coin for choice of goals. There was little +advantage, for almost no wind was stirring, but Norris, who won the +toss, quickly chose the south goal and a moment later the two teams ran +out and took their places. Ridgley was to kick off to Jefferson. + +Neil Durant helped Ned Stillson set the ball on the mound of earth and +Ned drew back a few yards. A hush had settled over stands and field; +down in the shadow of the south goal posts stood Norris, bending +slightly forward, eager to get the ball in his arms; in front of him +were his team-mates spread out to cover their half of the field. Just +beyond the center was the line of Ridgley players. Suddenly these eleven +players moved, the referee's whistle cut the hush, the ball went sailing +down the field and shouts arose from every quarter of the stands. The +moment had at last arrived; the big game was on. + +Teeny-bits felt keen and fit; his long sleep had completely refreshed +him. As he raced down the field one thought was in his mind: to get into +the play and tackle whatever Jefferson man caught the ball. Ned Stillson +had made a clever kick-off; the leather oval flew to the right of Norris +and settled into the arms of one of his team-mates, who had dashed +forward only ten yards when Neil Durant met him with a clean, hard +tackle and brought him solidly to earth. Even such a small incident as +that evoked a howl of delight from the Ridgley stands, for such was the +reputation of Jefferson that there were those who fearfully expected to +see the wearer of the purple dash through the whole Ridgley team and +score a touchdown at the first effort. The cheer leader ordered the +short Ridgley yell for the team and the stand responded with a hoarse +roar. There was scarcely a son of Ridgley gazing down on the field but +whose teeth were gritted together, whose breath was coming fast, and +whose voice as he shouted encouragement to the team was like the voice +of a man hurling defiance to a mortal enemy. + +As the two teams lined up for the first scrimmage, Teeny-bits got his +first close view of Norris. The famed full-back of the purple was of +about Neil Durant's height, of an impressively powerful build, but not +so heavy as to appear sluggish. He looked the Ridgley team over with +steady, appraising eyes; his face was keen and determined,--the very +look of him indicated that he was on the field for business. + +The Jefferson quarter was snapping out the signals; his voice cut the +medley of shouts that echoed back and forth across the field like the +shrill voice of a dog barking in a tempest. Suddenly the ball moved and +the first scrimmage was on. The Jefferson right half-back had the ball +and the play was aimed at center; big Tom Curwood, however, was equal to +the occasion; he stopped the play before the purple-clad son of +Jefferson had covered a yard beyond the Ridgley line. + +A second wild howl of delight went up from the Ridgley stands; those two +small incidents, the quick downing of the runner after the kick-off and +the stiff stand of the Ridgley line on this first play from regular +formation, had brought a sudden feeling of confidence. Down there on +that white-lined field the wearers of the red had begun to show that +they could hold their own. But the next play--an end run by the +left-half, who made seven yards and advanced the purple within two yards +of first down--brought a thunderous roar from the other side of the +field. + +The Jefferson captain now stepped back into kicking position. The ball +was snapped as if for a punt, but Norris, instead of kicking, started +around the Ridgley right end. Neil Durant went over swiftly, but one of +the Jefferson backs formed perfect interference and the big wearer of +the purple, evading the Ridgley end and the captain went through into an +open space,--and almost before the Jefferson stands had begun to shout +encouragement to him had covered twenty yards. + +It was Teeny-bits running diagonally across the field who finally made +the tackle. To the Ridgley left-half a strange feeling had come as he +saw Norris break away; it had seemed to him, for a brief instant, that +anything he could do would be of no use whatever. In the next moment he +found himself almost upon Norris and before he had time to think he had +made a tackle that turned the despairing groans of the Ridgley +supporters into a yell of relief. The great Jefferson full-back had been +stopped dead by the smallest man on the field. Norris got to his feet +and looked at Teeny-bits with the same expression of interest that had +appeared on the faces of the Ridgley regulars weeks before when +Teeny-bits had made his first appearance with the scrub. + +"Some tackle!" he exclaimed, and grinned, as much as to say: "Well, +well, that's pretty good for a little fellow." + +In the scheme of plays as outlined before the game by Coach Murray, +Ridgley when on the defensive was always to keep an eye open for Norris. +Neil Durant had been told off to watch the Jefferson captain; it was his +duty to shift his position always in accordance with any shift that +Norris made. Of course the Ridgley ends--and every member of the team +for that matter--had been drilled to be "in" on every play; upon Neil, +however, had been placed the responsibility of seeing that the purple +leader did not escape into an open field. But if Ridgley was watching +Norris, Jefferson was watching Durant, and Neil found himself, as the +game went on, more and more the target of Jefferson players who were +quick to realize that Durant had been given the responsibility for +stopping their captain. When Norris carried the ball, Neil, coming in +swiftly to intercept him, time and again found his way blocked by a +Jefferson player who flung himself across his path. + +After the twenty-yard run by the Jefferson captain there was a +succession of line plunges which gained first down for the purple; then +came another end run by Norris which brought the ball beyond the middle +of the field. Here the Ridgley team made a stand that the newspaper +reporters later described as a "stone-wall defense"; after three tries +Jefferson had succeeded in advancing the ball only five yards. Whipple, +of the purple team, then sent a long spiral punt down the field; the +leather oval flew over the head of Dean, rolled across the goal line and +was brought out twenty yards to be put in play by the Ridgley team. + +For the first time Ridgley had an opportunity to carry the ball, and the +cheer leader, who had been gyrating frantically in front of the stands +where the red color was waving, called for a cheer with three "Teams" on +the end. + +Dean gave the signal for Ned Stillson to carry the ball. Ned responded +by dashing into a hole that big Tom Curwood made for him at center and, +to the unmeasured delight of every son of Ridgley, advanced seven yards +before he was brought to earth. On the next play Neil Durant slid around +right end for a first down and it was now the turn of the red to wave +aloft its colors. The Ridgley quarter-back then gave the signal 7, 16, +11, which indicated a double-pass play. The ball came back to Stillson +who, after starting toward the right end, passed to Neil Durant who was +going at a terrific pace in the opposite direction. Teeny-bits' duty was +to form interference for his captain and he suddenly found himself +"Indianizing" the captain of the Jefferson team. It was perfect +interference and although Teeny-bits felt somewhat as if he had come in +contact with a charging locomotive he experienced a thrill of utter joy +as he felt the big Jefferson captain come down upon him and saw Neil +Durant break through. The Ridgley captain used his straight arm on one +Jefferson player, dodged another, and crossed line after line with two +wearers of the purple fiercely pressing him. No Ridgley player was +within reach to form interference, however, and after one of the +Jefferson men had made a desperate attempt to tackle and had rolled on +the ground, the other coming up swiftly brought Neil down on the +thirty-yard line. + +Every one on the west side of the field was standing up, and here and +there hats--not always those which belonged on young heads--were being +thrown into the air. More than one gray-haired man was yelling like a +red Indian on the war path. A feeling of confidence that the victory +would rest with Ridgley swept from one end of the stands to the other. +Friends and strangers were making happy remarks to each other to the +effect that this would be a glorious day for the school on the hill. + +The triumphant feeling was short-lived, however, for on the next play +the Jefferson left end came in swiftly and downed Ned Stillson, who was +carrying the ball, for a loss of three yards. + +A forward pass, Dean to Durant, gained five yards, but the next play met +with a stiff defense and Neil Durant determined that the time had come +to attempt a drop kick. He fell back a few yards, looked for a smooth +spot upon which to drop the ball and a second later delivered the kick. +The Jefferson ends had come in so fast, however, that Neil was forced to +send the ball away hurriedly, and the leather flew wide of the goal +posts. + +While the ball was being brought out to the twenty-yard line, Norris +gathered his players around him for a few seconds. What he said +apparently had an immediate effect, for when the play continued, +Jefferson seemed to be filled with a new spirit. From the twenty-yard +line the eleven invaders advanced down the middle of the field, mostly +by line rushes. At that point they tried a forward pass, and the ball, +when it came to a stop, rested on the Ridgley thirty-five-yard line. + +Teeny-bits was breathing hard; he had thrown himself into each play with +every ounce of strength and determination at his command and more than +once had helped retard the advance of the purple. Neil Durant, too, had +been strong in defense, but the Jefferson team could not be denied. From +the thirty-five-yard line the purple started a play which brought gloom +to the Ridgley stands. Norris ran with the ball round right end, somehow +succeeded in evading the Ridgley primary defense, dodged both Durant and +Teeny-bits and before the horrified eyes of the members of Ridgley +School dashed madly down the field, over the goal line and round until +he had placed the ball squarely behind the goal posts. On the black +scoreboard a white figure 6 appeared after the name of the visiting +school and a few moments later it was replaced by a 7. + +Jefferson kicked off to Ridgley and the game was on more fiercely than +ever, for Neil Durant's team meant to lose no time in winning back the +superiority which had seemed to be theirs in the opening moments of the +quarter, and the Jefferson players, for their part, meant to amplify +their advantage until it assumed the proportions of the triumph, upon +the attainment of which they had set their hearts. + +All other games--their long succession of victories--were forgotten; the +result they achieved against their ancient rival would overshadow +everything else. + +Ridgley was forced to kick after gaining one first down, by means of a +forward pass, and the ball, once more possessed by Jefferson, was soon +making an advance which influenced some one with a raucous voice in the +purple stands to yell out in a lull of the cheering: + +"It's all over, boys. Bring the undertaker!" + +It did appear that Ridgley was in for a sorry time. Norris was living up +to his reputation and seemed, in spite of the valiant efforts of every +Ridgley player, to have luck always on his side. Once Stillson and +Durant collided as they were about to tackle the Jefferson captain and +the result was a twenty-yard gain which placed the ball again within the +shadow of the Ridgley goal posts. Straight line plunges in which all of +the Jefferson backs shared brought the ball to the Ridgley five-yard +line for first down. Here the team that represented the school on the +hill made a stand for three downs, but on the fourth attempt Norris, +unexpectedly trying the end when a line plunge was anticipated, gained +across the Ridgley goal line and brought the score to 13. + +"Make it a lucky number," Teeny-bits heard the Jefferson captain say to +Whipple who was preparing to kick the goal. + +The Jefferson player followed the instructions of his captain to the +letter,--and the man at the Scoreboard put up the number 14. + +Certain weak spirits in the Ridgley stands now looked at each other with +faces which showed plainly that hope had fled from them, that they now +knew that the Jefferson menace which had been built up week after week +by rumor and also by fact, as represented in scores, was real,--that the +purple team was invincible, that Ridgley had met the irresistible force +and could not by any alchemy of spirit turn defeat into victory. + +Old football players, veterans of school and college struggles, looked +down admiringly on the finely-polished team-work of the Jefferson eleven +and said to themselves that this was _good football_ judged by _any_ +standard. + +A few minutes after the kick-off following the second score of the +Jefferson team, the quarter came to an end and the teams exchanged +goals. In the short rest period Neil Durant gathered his players about +him and said a few things that every member of the eleven long +remembered. + +"Is there any one here," he asked, "who hasn't _more_ fight in him than +he has shown yet?" + +No answer. + +"We've just _begun_ this game and we haven't had our chance to show them +what we can do when we carry the ball. We're going to _hold_ them first +and then we're going to _show_ them something they've never learned." + +They were commonplace words, but they came from the bottom of Neil +Durant's heart and were delivered in such a manner that every member of +the team gained fresh confidence and put back out of the realm of his +thoughts the growing fear of defeat. + +The ball was in Jefferson's possession at the middle of the field. On +the very next play the purple left-half fumbled, and Neil Durant swooped +down on the bouncing ball like a hawk on a sparrow. + +The error seemed to "rattle" the Jefferson team. Dean called for an end +run by Neil Durant and the captain responded by dashing forward for a +fifteen-yard gain. Stillson then added five, and Teeny-bits, who was +called upon to carry the ball for the first time, wriggled and dodged +through the Jefferson team to the fifteen-yard line before he was +stopped. In an attempt to surprise the enemy, Dean called upon +Teeny-bits again, but this time the half-back was stopped almost before +he was under way. Stillson, who carried the ball next, did better and +reached the ten-yard line. Neil Durant then made a line plunge through +an opening that the reliable Tom Curwood created and planted the oval +five yards from the goal line for a first down. Jefferson made a strong +stand, but in four tries the Ridgley team advanced the ball until it +rested a few inches over that last white line, the crossing of which +spelled a score. + +The old-timers in the stands now settled into comfortable positions and +said to each other: "This _is_ a game!" + +Neil Durant's trusty toe sent the ball between the uprights and the game +stood 14 to 7. Through the rest of the second quarter the red team and +the purple team combated each other on equal terms. Neither seemed able +to break the defense of the other and when the whistle sounded for the +close of the first half they were fighting on equal terms in the center +of the field. + +While the stands were singing their songs and exchanging cheers between +the halves the two teams rested in the locker building and listened to +what their respective coaches had to say. + +Coach Murray made his remarks short and to the point. He was entirely +satisfied with the way the team had been playing; he knew that they +could win. He warned them to watch Norris on every play and at the same +time to beware of the Jefferson half-backs, who had proved their ability +to carry the ball. He once more repeated one of the first things that +belonged to his football creed: to watch the ball all of the time and to +be ready, as Neil had been in the case of the Jefferson fumble, to take +advantage of any "break." He also remarked on Dean's good judgment in +running the team and said that he was glad the quarter-back had not +attempted the trick play which the team had practiced during the last +three weeks. + +"The time will arrive for that in this second half," he said. "Be ready +when it comes." + +So deeply was Teeny-bits absorbed in the game that he had failed to +notice that Campbell was not with the team until Curwood called +attention to the fact that the substitute half-back was not in the +locker building. + +"I guess he's sore," some one remarked. "He thought he was going to play +until Teeny-bits showed up." + +All those events that had taken place during the past week seemed to +Teeny-bits more like dreams than realities; the one thing that filled +his mind now was the game and the conviction that Ridgley, in spite of +the score against her, could and _would_ win. He had thrilled to Neil +Durant's and Coach Murray's words and could hardly wait for the second +half to begin. + +Within a few minutes they were on the field again, spread out to receive +the kick-off from Jefferson. The whistle sounded and the ball was in the +air, whirling end over end; it fell into the arms of Ned Stillson, who +ran swiftly behind the interference formed by his mates only to come to +earth with a thump as a heavy Jefferson guard broke through and made the +tackle. + +On the next play Dean exhibited a bit of good judgment that worked to +the advantage of the Ridgley team: noticing that the Jefferson quarter +was dangerously close to the line he saw the chance to slip a punt over +his head. The stratagem worked; the punt that Neil Durant sent away +quickly sailed over the quarter-back's head and rolled down the field to +the Jefferson five-yard line. The quarter ran after it, made a quick +scoop, and attempted to come back but was stopped before he had taken +half a dozen steps. + +Fighting hard, the Ridgley team prevented the visitors from advancing +and forced them to kick from their own goal line. Neil Durant caught the +punt at mid-field and dashed forward ten yards before he was checked. +The moment seemed ripe for a strong Ridgley advance, but Norris and his +men met the attack with a stiff resistance and threw back the first two +attempts for a loss of three yards. Dean, in glancing over the enemy's +line, then saw the opportunity for which he had been waiting; the time +had arrived to try the surprise play. He gave a signal which brought a +thrill to Teeny-bits. + +In the two forward-pass formations that the Ridgley team had used +earlier in the game Neil Durant both times had been the man to receive +the ball from Dean. The members of the team now took somewhat obvious +positions and the Jefferson eleven immediately assumed that a forward +pass was being contemplated. One of the tackles even voiced his warning: +"Look out for a pass!" and Norris shifted his position slightly to keep +an eye on the Ridgley captain. Teeny-bits' duty was to dash through to +the left and to get into the open space beyond the Jefferson line. + +The preliminaries of the play worked to perfection. At the snap of the +ball Neil Durant started swiftly to the right and drew after him the +major part of the Jefferson secondary defense. For the moment Teeny-bits +seemed to have been forgotten: it did not occur to the purple players +that, with the big captain running swiftly into position to take the +pass, his smaller back-field team-mate would be the one to receive the +oval. + +As Dean seemed to be in the act of hurling to his captain, Teeny-bits +won through to an open space; suddenly the quarter-back shifted and shot +the ball, bullet-straight, into the hands of the half-back. Teeny-bits +was running toward the Jefferson goal almost before he felt the hard +leather touch his fingers; now or never was the instant to use every +atom of his body in the one purpose of reaching the goal posts that were +straight in front of him,--so near and yet so far away. + +The whole Jefferson team realized in that fraction of a second when they +saw the ball sail into the half-back's arms that their advantage, their +prestige and their hope of glory in the annals of Jefferson football +were at stake. They were after Teeny-bits like wolves on the trail of a +rabbit, but only three of them had a chance to reach the Ridgley player. +The first of these--the quarter-back--made the fatal mistake of +underestimating Teeny-bits' speed. The half-back shifted direction +slightly and eluded the grasp of the purple player. The other two were +slightly in the rear and their only chance was to come up from behind +and overtake the runner by superior swiftness. But they were not equal +to it, and, although they tried valiantly and held their own, they did +not succeed in gaining on the carrier of the ball as he crossed one +white mark after another. + +[Illustration: ONLY THREE OF THEM HAD A CHANCE TO REACH THE RIDGLEY +PLAYER.] + +A roar like the pounding of a mighty sea against a craggy shore sounded +in Teeny-bits' ears, but it seemed to him distant and detached from the +thing he was doing. For the moment he was a living machine of speed with +only one thought in his mind,--to reach that last white line, to cross +it and to plant the pigskin ball behind the padded goal posts. He did +it,--and lay panting on the ground while Neil Durant came running up and +slapped him on the back and said words to him which Teeny-bits never +remembered. + +The captain kicked the goal which tied the score while a continuous din +of unorganized shouting rose from the Ridgley stands. It was no moment +for organized cheering. The cheer leader himself was leaping up and +down, throwing his megaphone into the air and emitting war whoops which +were drowned and assimilated by the volume of shouts that echoed back +and forth. + +The old-timers up there in the stands now began to breathe fast; this +was not merely a _good_ game of football, it was a _wonderful_ game, a +struggle in which extraordinary playing and fine spirit and brains and +courage were united to make a combat that would live long in the memory +of every person who witnessed it. + +Up where the red was waving aloft, a white-haired man who did not +understand the plays of football very well suddenly found that he had +grasped the idea of this magnificent game. He was thumping the back of +some one whom he had never seen before and giving voice to such yells of +delight that the motherly-looking woman who sat beside him said to +herself that he must suddenly have gone out of his senses. + +"Teeny-bits did something wonderful, then, didn't he?" she shouted in +his ear, and old Daniel Holbrook, her husband, shouted back: + +"You bet your _life_ he did; it was Teeny-bits; he ran all the way over +the home plate or whatever they call it and made a score. I dunno but +he's won the game _all by himself_." + +In another part of the stands Doctor Wells was sitting beside Mr. +Stevens. + +"That was a magnificent run!" exclaimed the Head. "Magnificent! I +declare--well--now we're even." + +"Yes, we're even!" said the English master. "And I've discovered +something." + +"What?" + +"Well, they say that the head of this school never gets excited, but +just now when Teeny-bits was running you nearly pushed me out of my +seat--and I _think_ I heard a yell that came from your direction." + +"Did I shout?" asked the Head. + +"'Shout' isn't the word," said the English master. "_Yell_ with a +capital Y describes it." + +"Back in '86, I used to play half-back myself," said Doctor Wells. "Here +we are; they're at it again." + +Ridgley kicked off to Jefferson and immediately was subjected to a +fierce assault that taxed the utmost powers of endurance to withstand +it. The Jefferson team was fighting harder than ever and playing with +machine-like smoothness. They carried the ball for twenty-five yards and +then punted, and downed Neil Durant in his tracks. Ridgley fought hard +to advance the ball and gained a first down, then, meeting with no +further success, punted. And so the ball see-sawed back and forth until +the piping whistle of the timekeeper announced the close of the third +quarter. + +A feeling of great happiness and determination had been filling +Teeny-bits' mind during these last few minutes. At the same time a +curious impression had been making itself felt upon him,--an admiration +for this big captain of the Jefferson team who fought so hard and so +cleanly, who rallied his men after each successful assault by the +Ridgley team, and like Neil Durant, inspired them to fight harder and +harder. + +There was no need for talking now. In the brief interval before the last +period of the game began, Neil Durant, looking at his team-mates, saw in +their faces determination and confidence. Nothing that he could say or +that _any one_ could say would alter their conviction that victory +_must_ rest with the red. + +That last period was a phase of the game that could justly be called a +climax. It began with a steady and determined march of the Jefferson +team which, starting from the twenty-yard line, carried the ball forward +by line plunges, by forward passes, by end runs and by sheer, dogged +determination on and on until the purple eleven was within the very +shadow of the Ridgley goal posts and Jefferson seemed to have the +victory within her grasp. A terrific run by the captain planted the ball +on the Ridgley four-yard line for a first down, and there was no person +shouting for the purple who did not believe that he was about to witness +that most glorious of football events--a well-earned touchdown, after a +magnificent march the length of the field. + +Big Tom Curwood was battered, the guards beside him were battered and +the tackles crouched low as if they would welcome a chance to lie down +flat on the brown earth and rest. Neil Durant spoke a word and they +stiffened, the secondary defense moved closer to the line and the whole +team in one mass met the Jefferson charge. Once, twice, and three times +the purple backs plunged into the red line and each time they carried +the ball forward a little more than a yard. + +On that third try the referee dived into the mass in a manner that +suggested to the watchers that the score had been made, but when he +finally got his hands on the ball it was apparent that Jefferson still +needed a few inches. The signal came quickly and the two avalanches of +bone and muscle plunged against each other. The pile subsided and one +after another the players on the fringe drew away until the referee +could see the ball. There was a moment of tense expectancy and then the +official waved his arm in a direction that brought forth a vast yell of +joy from the Ridgley stands. Jefferson had been held; that leather oval +had failed by inches to cross the last thin smear of white. + +The next event in this struggle between the red and the purple was a +kick from behind the goal line by Neil Durant,--the longest punt that +had ever been seen on the Ridgley field. It flew for sixty yards, went +over the head of the Jefferson quarter and rolled down the field end +over end. The purple player finally overtook it and attempted to recover +the lost ground, but Ned Stillson checked his career and Jefferson lined +up on her own thirty-yard line. She bravely attempted to repeat her +heartbreaking advance and gained a first down; but the Ridgley team +suddenly became an impenetrable barrier. A punt a moment later fell into +the arms of Teeny-bits, who carried it back fifteen yards to his own +forty-yard line. + +As the teams lined up Neil Durant said, loud enough for the whole two +elevens to hear, "Now comes our turn," and the fight for a decision +began anew. Three substitutes came in now to bolster the Jefferson line, +and Coach Murray sent in two Ridgley players to take the place of the +left tackle and the right end, who were evidently pretty far gone. + +In eight plays Ridgley advanced the ball thirty-five yards with +Teeny-bits figuring in two, Stillson in two and Neil Durant in four. The +captain then made a plunge through center and before he was stopped had +planted the ball on Jefferson's eight-yard line. Teeny-bits tried to +squirm through the purple line but was thrown back. Stillson gained two +yards and Dean, who had reserved his captain for the final efforts, then +gave the signal that called upon the full-back to carry the ball. Neil +went into the line as if he had been hurled from a catapult. He dove +into the opening that Tom Curwood, with a last burst of desperate +strength, had made, took three steps and was astride the goal line. +Norris made the tackle, but he was an instant too late; the big captain +of the Ridgley team fell across the line and hugged the leather oval +close to the brown earth while pandemonium reigned and the members of +the red team hurled their headgears into the air. + +Neil limped when he got to his feet and motioned to Tom Curwood to make +the kick. Big Tom wobbled out in front of the goal posts and tried his +best to add a point for the glory of Ridgley, but his foot wavered and +the ball flew to the left of the goal posts. On the Scoreboard the +figures remained: Ridgley 20--Jefferson 14. + +The kick-off, two or three plays,--and then the timekeeper blew his +piping note which brought to an end the struggle that was the true +climax of all the games that had been played by the red and the purple +since one school had stood on the hill above the town of Hamilton and +another school had stood among the elms that sheltered the sons of +Jefferson. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +AT LINCOLN HALL + + +For a few seconds after the game ceased members of the two elevens sat +or lay in the positions that they had occupied when the whistle had +announced the expiration of time. They felt somewhat dazed,--on the one +side overwhelmed with the wonderful thought that victory was theirs; on +the other stunned with the bewildering thought that the impossible had +happened, bringing defeat and disappointment. + +Teeny-bits felt as if he wanted to rest where he had fallen in the last +scrimmage with his body against the brown earth and let the happiness of +victory sink in slowly, but suddenly he was aware that a howling mob had +descended from the stands, that the members of the Ridgley team were +surrounded by frenzied schoolmates who were insisting on lifting them up +on their shoulders and carrying them off the field. He saw Neil Durant +struggling in the grasp of half a dozen yelling Ridgleyites and the next +moment felt himself lifted bodily and carried forward jerkily. He tried +to resist but did not have the strength; and so he let them raise him up +and transport him where they wished. It was a queer sight that met his +eyes as he looked round him and saw his team-mates' heads and shoulders +bobbing up and down above the milling crowd. + +Never had Ridgley enjoyed a triumph more. Old-timers and young fellows +alike were joining in the snake dance. Old Jerry, the janitor, was there +prancing about in a comical, stiff-legged way; Mr. Stevens and half the +faculty were there and every member of the school, while mothers, +sisters and friends looked down from the stands and wished that they too +might join the whirling mob. + +The members of the team finally escaped from those who wished to honor +them and made their way to the locker building where they sat and talked +for a few minutes, regained their breath, rubbed their bruises and +looked each other over. Outside they could hear the howling of the +paraders and the booming of the bass drum as a line was being formed to +march from the field to the school. + +Meanwhile the Jefferson team, occupying another part of the locker +building, was making ready to leave. In the shower-bath room the members +of the two teams came together and exchanged such words as befit losers +and winners when the fight has been fair and square and fast from +beginning to end. While Neil Durant was dressing, Norris came over and +held out his hand. + +"Neil," said the captain of the Jefferson team, "I didn't believe that +you could get away with it and I want to tell you that I think you have +a great team. I never played against an eleven that could begin to equal +it." + +It was not easy for the Jefferson captain to say those words and it was +not easy for Neil to reply. + +"Oh," said the Ridgley captain, "I guess the breaks came our way. I feel +as if I had been playing against a bunch of Bengal tigers. If we ever +played again you'd probably trim the life out of us." + +"I'd like to meet that little chap who played left-half for you," said +Norris. "I never quite saw his equal." + +Neil Durant called Teeny-bits, and the half-back shook hands with the +captain of the Jefferson eleven. + +"When you came on the field," said Norris, "I said to myself, 'I guess +we can stop that fellow all right,' but before we got through I dreaded +to see the quarter pass you the ball." + +Teeny-bits did not know what to say, but he laughed and looked the big +fellow in the eyes and remarked that he had had a "lot of luck" and that +every time he tried to tackle Norris he felt as if he were trying to +hold up a steam engine. + +"Well," said Norris, "it's all over and I wish I were going to see more +of you fellows. Why don't you come down to see me, Neil, and renew old +times, and bring Holbrook along?" + +After he was gone Teeny-bits turned to Neil and said, "I call that one +fine fellow. He ought to have come to Ridgley." + +According to its immemorial custom the Ridgley team, whether or not it +was victorious in the struggle with its ancient rival, met in Lincoln +Hall for a banquet a few hours after the close of the game. On this +night while the rest of the school was busily engaged in heaping up +piles of wood, rubbish, barrels and every imaginable kind of inflammable +material, the members of the team gathered to discuss the victory and to +hear the speeches that Coach Murray, as toastmaster, called for with the +voice of authority. Any member of the eleven whom Mr. Murray singled out +knew that it was his duty to get up on his feet and attempt to make a +speech, although it probably was a much more difficult thing for him to +do than to break through the Jefferson line. + +Neil Durant had his say and thanked the members of the eleven for their +loyalty and courage in a way that made them feel more than ever that he +was the best captain in all the history of Ridgley football. Ned +Stillson tried to keep out of sight by slumping down in his seat and +getting behind big Tom Curwood, but Coach Murray singled him out and +ordered him to stand up and make a speech. Every one laughed at Ned, and +big Tom Curwood thought that the right half-back's attempt at oratory +was so funny that he laughed louder than any one else until he heard +Coach Murray's fatal words: "All right, Tom, you're next!" whereupon his +features "froze" in a look of embarrassment. The roar that went up when +Tom's face became suffused with red nearly caused the big center to claw +his way out of the room and escape to the outer air. He cleared his +throat two or three times and then, much to the surprise of every one, +went through the ordeal as if he had prepared his speech hours in +advance. + +"I want to tell you fellows," said big Tom, "that I was scared pink, +blue and green when that game started--those Jefferson linesmen and +those husky back-field runners of theirs looked so fierce. I really +wasn't afraid of them but I _was_ afraid of the thought that we were +going to get licked. What really woke me up and made me feel that those +fellows couldn't do a thing to us was to see the way Neil Durant and +young Teeny-bits got going. I want to tell you that when I saw the +captain go larruping into that bunch and when I heard the thump that +Norris made when Teeny-bits brought him down I said to myself that I +ought to be in a nursery for infants if I couldn't do a little rampaging +on my own account. I know I didn't do a thing except let 'em walk over +me, but I wasn't scared after that first minute and I knew that we +couldn't lose if Neil and Teeny-bits didn't get laid out." + +To Teeny-bits it was a surprise to hear his name linked in this way with +that of his captain. In his own opinion he had, aside from the one +fortunate play in which he had crossed the Jefferson goal line, +contributed very little to the Ridgley victory, but as the evening went +on and one player after another joined his name with that of Neil +Durant, he saw that these big fellows with whom he had been so closely +associated during the past few weeks felt, for some miraculous reason, +that he had helped them to maintain their spirit and to carry the fight +to Jefferson. + +When it came Teeny-bits' turn, Coach Murray said: "We'll now hear from +the chap who nearly gave us nervous prostration by forgetting that +Ridgley was going to play a little game of football to-day." + +As Teeny-bits stood up he thought of telling the members of the team why +he had been late to the game, but he instantly decided that it was +better to make his explanation alone to Neil Durant or the coach. He +merely said: + +"I had a pretty good reason for not getting to the field before I +did,--I am going to tell Mr. Murray and Neil about it later. I haven't +much to say regarding the game except that I knew we could win because +we had the spirit to do it and because Neil was showing us the way all +the time. To play on the eleven which beat a team that fought as hard +and as clean as the Jefferson crowd is an honor that makes me dizzy. I +began to dream about it a few weeks ago; now that it's come true I can +hardly believe it." + +Teeny-bits sat down and a few moments later the balloting began to elect +a new captain for the Ridgley team. It was Neil Durant's last year and +the big leader of the red eleven, before starting the procedure that +would result in the choosing of his successor, said to his team-mates: + +"It is our custom, as you all know, to choose a football captain at the +dinner following the Jefferson game. It has always been done without +nominations--simply by balloting. I'll pass around these slips of paper +and I want you to write on them the name of the man who in your opinion, +regardless of friendship, will make the leader who will best carry on +Ridgley football tradition." + +All of the members of the team knew that this was coming, of course, and +they took it solemnly and in silence. There were no suggestions passed +from one to another; each received a paper from the captain, wrote down +a name and returned the folded slip to Neil, who made a second round of +the big table. The captain turned the ballots over to the coach who +quickly unfolded and counted them. When he was through, of the fifteen +ballots--one for each member of the team who had played in the big +game--fourteen were piled in front of his right hand and one remained in +front of his left hand. He whispered a word to Neil Durant who +immediately got to his feet and said: + +"Fellows, you have elected a _real_ leader; one who has grit and spirit +and who always thinks of the team before he thinks of himself, a fellow +who does much and says little; Teeny-bits Holbrook is the captain of the +Ridgley eleven. In view of the fact that he is the only one here who +voted for some one else we'll call it a unanimous election." + +Teeny-bits looked from one face to another with such an expression of +bewilderment and astonishment that every one knew that he was dazed with +surprise. They were all looking at him and he realized that they counted +on him to say something. He got up and attempted to fulfil their +expectations but he never was quite sure what he said, although he knew +that they cheered and yelled and that presently he sat down. Within a +few minutes Coach Murray brought the banquet to a close and they all +went out to watch the celebration which was already well under way. + +The band that had done almost continuous service during the afternoon +had been retained and was now engaged in booming out--somewhat raucously +and discordantly but nevertheless effectively--the Ridgley songs, +principally the Ridgley victory song. Above the din sounded the _boom_, +_boom_ of the bass drum--not always in time with the music--and the +members of the team discovered that Snubby Turner had persuaded the +"artist" who wielded the padded sticks to relinquish his noise-producing +instruments and that Snubby, at the head of the band, was drumming away +to his heart's content and every few seconds giving voice to a yell that +expressed his supreme happiness in the outcome of the afternoon's +struggle. Every one laughed at Snubby and felt himself inspired by the +example to yell louder and contribute with more abandon to the +demonstration around the fire. + +As Teeny-bits looked at Snubby, he said to himself again that it was +impossible that this genial and loyal son of Ridgley was guilty of +stealing from members of the school or being in any way connected with +the incidents that had contributed to his own former unhappiness. He +made up his mind that he would, within the next twenty-four hours, have +a talk with Snubby and attempt to arrive at an explanation of the +mysterious events which were still puzzling his mind. + +Until midnight the red sparks mounted above the tops of the Ridgley +maples,--mounted until they seemed to join with the stars that on this +crisp autumn night looked down from clear skies upon the scene of +revelry. + +Only two members of Ridgley School were absent from the celebration and +no one at the time missed them,--Tracey Campbell, substitute left +half-back of the football team, and Bassett, the self-named Western +Whirlwind. + +Parades and speeches and cheering, torchlight wavering against the white +buildings, huge banners held aloft with the stirring figures, 20 to 14, +emblazoned in red upon them, and then gradually as the night grew old, a +lessening of sound and a dimming of light,--that was the way of +Ridgley's festivity. Finally the members of the school made their way +back to the white dormitories; the great day was over; the pleasure that +remained was the pleasure of retrospection, of thinking over each detail +of the victory, of re-living the struggle and of reading the accounts of +the game in the newspapers. In those papers the sons of Ridgley were +destined to find not only the glowing account of the game, which they +knew would greet their eyes, but also news of a startling and unexpected +nature. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +MYSTERIES IN PART EXPLAINED + + +On the morning following the Jefferson game, Ridgley School, somewhat +stiff after the strenuous hours of struggle and victory, but feeling +utterly contented with the world and more than ever convinced that there +was no school quite like the one that stood on the hill among the +maples, awoke and prepared to settle itself leisurely to the enjoyment +of glorious memories. The first person who opened a newspaper intended +to undergo the pleasant experience of allowing the lines of printed +words to recall to mind the deathless moments of Ridgley accomplishment +and triumph. After his eyes had taken in the headlines that announced +the victory of the red, however, they were arrested by heavy type that +announced a tragedy. Two members of the school had been the victims of +an accident and one of them had lost his life. The reporters' story of +the occurrence read as follows: + +"On Saturday afternoon while Ridgley was earning its triumph over +Jefferson and while the sounds of cheering echoed across the field, +death came to one member of the school and serious injury to another. No +one witnessed the tragedy. Mr. Osborne Murchie, while driving along the +State road from Greensboro to Springfield yesterday at about three +o'clock, came upon a seven-passenger car which had crashed through the +railing and had rolled down the embankment at the beginning of Hairpin +Turn and lay at the bottom of the gulch in a demolished condition, with +two young men pinned beneath the wreck. With the aid of a friend who +accompanied him, Mr. Murchie pried up the car and removed from beneath +it the dead body of a young man which was later identified as that of J. +M. Bassett, a student at Ridgley, whose home is in Denver, Colorado. The +other young man, Tracey Campbell, son of the prominent leather dealer, +who was unconscious and suffering from severe injuries, was conveyed to +the hospital at Greensboro, where it is said that he has a fair chance +of recovery. + +"There are certain matters in regard to the tragedy that have not yet +been explained: first, why on this day when all members of the school +were attending the game at Ridgley Field were these two students driving +_away_ from the school? No one has been able to tell where the young men +were going or how the accident occurred. The assumption is that while +traveling at high speed they attempted to take the sharp turn too +swiftly. The machine, which was wrecked beyond repair, belonged to the +father of Tracey Campbell." + +The news flew from room to room, from dormitory to dormitory, with the +rapidity of wireless. It was as if the story had suddenly been blazoned +across the clear November sky above the Ridgley campus; in one moment, +it seemed, the whole school knew that Whirlwind Bassett had come to his +end under tragic circumstances and that Tracey Campbell was lying in the +Greensboro hospital with an even chance of recovery. It was difficult at +first for many a member of Ridgley School to believe that the tragic +news was true,--so vivid is life, so unreal seems death. They could not +quite imagine Bassett--Whirlwind Bassett--lying dead out there at the +bottom of Hairpin Gulch. + +Certain incidents which previously had seemed quite unworthy of +attention now assumed proportions of importance. A third-year student +named Gilmore who had sat in the Ridgley stands beside Bassett +recollected that the self-styled "Whirlwind" had risen from his seat at +the start of the game, had made his way out of the stands and had not +returned. Fred Harper and one or two others of the Ridgley football +substitutes remembered that Campbell, after coming off the field when +Teeny-bits had arrived, had slipped out through the opening under the +stands and had not returned. Most of the members of the squad remembered +that Campbell had not appeared at the locker building during the +rest-period between the halves and recollected that it had occurred to +them that he was "playing baby" because of the fact that he had lost his +chance to start the game. There seemed to be no sufficient explanation, +however, of the simultaneous exit of Bassett and Campbell. The last +person who had seen them, according to rumor, was one of the +ticket-takers at the field-gates who said that just after the game began +he caught a glimpse of Campbell driving his father's big car down the +street toward Hamilton with some one beside him in the front seat. + +To certain members of Ridgley School the tragedy served as a last link +in a chain of circumstantial evidence that had gradually been involving +Campbell and Bassett. Among those persons were Neil Durant and Snubby +Turner. + +On the previous evening Teeny-bits Holbrook had not been so absorbed in +the celebration that he had not found time to say to the captain and the +coach what he had in his mind. While the sounds of the revelers still +rose over the campus the three had gone into Neil Durant's room, and +there Teeny-bits had told of the false telephone message, of the +struggle in the road, of how his unknown assailants had carried him away +and kept him prisoner, of his fight to escape, of the strange action of +his Chinese captors when they discovered the mark of the knife, of his +escape and finally of his return to the Holbrook home and his long +sleep. + +"It sounds like a pretty wild story, I know," he had said to his two +friends, "but it's true, every word of it, and I don't know why in the +world it all happened or whatever made those Chinamen let me go when +they saw my birthmark." + +Coach Murray and Neil Durant had readily admitted that they thought it +was an extraordinary story but the idea did not enter their minds that +it was not true in every detail, for they knew that what Teeny-bits +Holbrook said could be relied upon to the minutest detail. For half an +hour they sat talking it over, suggesting possible motives and trying to +fathom the meaning of the mystery. Two things Teeny-bits did not +mention: the incident of finding Snubby Turner breaking into Campbell's +room and the accusatory letter that had led to the discovery of the +stolen loot. Those things, he felt, were matters not to be discussed +even with two such good friends as Mr. Murray and Neil Durant. There was +one person, however, with whom he wished to discuss that phase of the +strange circumstances in which he had become involved; he had already +made up his mind that very few hours should pass before he would have a +heart-to-heart talk with Snubby Turner. He was weary, however--bone and +muscle and brain weary--and as the sounds of the celebration diminished +he mounted the stairs to his room for a well-earned sleep. + +In the morning Teeny-bits went to see Snubby Turner early,--before the +newspapers brought the first information of the tragedy. Snubby, still +in his pyjamas, let the new captain of the Ridgley eleven into his room +and blinked happily at his visitor. + +"Oh, what a _day_, and oh, what a _night_!" he said. "It was the best +thing that ever happened and I'm glad I didn't miss it." Then genial +Snubby held out his hand to Teeny-bits and added: "Ridgley owes you a +lot and I'm _mighty glad_ that the fellows made you captain. Every one +says that you're the man for the job." + +Teeny-bits was embarrassed by Snubby's words, for they made it all the +more difficult to say what was in his mind. + +"Thanks, Snubby," he said, and paused,--"I came down here because I +wanted to ask you a question that has been bothering me for nearly a +week. You remember last Monday night when we had the mass meeting?" + +A queer look came over Snubby's face. "Yes, I remember that night all +right." + +"Well," said Teeny-bits, "you know the fellows got me up on the platform +and made me say something, and then, instead of sitting down, I went out +and started to come back to the dormitory. That was about nine o'clock +and no one was stirring on the campus because all the fellows had gone +to the mass meeting." + +Teeny-bits was silent for a moment as if waiting for Snubby to say +something, but Snubby only continued to look at him with the same queer +expression of expectation that had come into his face at first mention +of the mass meeting. + +"Well," continued Teeny-bits, "you know, something happened. I was +coming along pretty close to Gannett Hall when I saw some one sliding +down a fire-escape rope and getting into Campbell's window. Of course, +that made me think of the things that had been stolen from the fellows' +rooms and so I stepped into the bushes out there behind the dormitory +and waited until the fellow came out and I saw who it was." + +"Yes," cried Snubby, whose face had suddenly become red, "and of course +you've been thinking all this time that I was the one who got away with +the money and things?" + +"No!" said Teeny-bits. "There's where you're wrong; I haven't been +thinking any such thing. I _know_ that there's some other explanation +and I want you to give it to me, Snubby,--for more reasons than one. +I'll tell you something that I'm sure you don't know. That same night, +Doctor Wells called me over to his office and showed me a letter that +some one had written, saying that _I_ was the one who had stolen the +things." + +"That _you_ were the one?" echoed Snubby with a look of amazement. + +"Yes," declared Teeny-bits, "that I was the one, and of course I told +Doctor Wells that it wasn't true and he believed me, but it said in that +letter that the things were hidden under the floor of my closet and when +Doctor Wells and I went up to my room after the lights were out in the +dormitories, we found all that stuff, including Harper's sailing trophy, +Ned's gold knife, your watch and all the other trinkets that anybody has +missed ever since things began to disappear!" + +"But that didn't make Doctor Wells believe that you had stolen the +stuff!" cried Snubby. "_He_ wouldn't think just because----" + +"But something else happened, too," said Teeny-bits. "When I was +crouching in the bushes behind the dormitory and just after you had +crawled back into your room that night, Mr. Stevens came along and found +me there, and I couldn't make any explanation, you know, and so I don't +see how they could help thinking that I did it--because Doctor Wells +always talks things over with Mr. Stevens." + +"Why didn't you tell them that you had seen me coming down that +fire-escape?" demanded Snubby. + +"You know why I didn't do that," Teeny-bits replied, "and you know that +I knew you were all right, but for _heaven's sake_ tell me what it's all +about, because I want to get this mystery out of my mind and have it +over with." + +"I can see the whole thing as clear as crystal now!" exclaimed Snubby, +"but I guess I was an awful fool to take such a chance in breaking into +Campbell's room. It was Campbell and Bassett that I was after. Old Jerry +put me wise to something he had overheard them say, and, like a chump, I +was trying to do a little private detective work because I wanted to get +back my watch and all those other things. Now _this_ is all I know about +it and I am terribly sorry that I went butting into things and was +responsible for bringing trouble to you----" + +Snubby Turner was not destined to continue his explanation at that +moment, for before he had time to go on with what he had in mind the +sound of excited exclamations came from the corridor, and some one, +after knocking loudly on the door, turned the knob and thrust in his +head. Teeny-bits and Snubby saw that it was Fred Harper. + +"Have you heard the news?" the newcomer cried. "Bassett's been killed +and Campbell's in the hospital pretty nearly done for, too! It's in the +newspapers. Look here!" + +Behind Fred Harper were half a dozen other Ridgleyites, and Snubby +Turner's room quickly became crowded with members of the school whose +attention had been attracted by the exclamations. Meanwhile Snubby +Turner slipped out of the room and ran down to the basement to consult +Jerry, the janitor's assistant; he remained in the old fellow's box-like +room for several minutes. + +The result of the conversation that went on between them was that old +Jerry pulled a celluloid collar out of a pasteboard box and announced +gruffly and with unmistakable determination that he was "goin' over to +see the Doctor." It was not often that old Jerry adorned his neck in any +manner, and now he felt that it was entirely unnecessary to put on a +tie. The shining collar itself fastened with a button which, if not gold +at least had the appearance of the precious metal, was evidence that he +was bound upon an important mission and when he arrived at Doctor Wells' +house and rang the door bell his fearsome features wore such a murderous +expression that the maid who came in answer to his summons was startled. + +"What do you want?" she asked. + +"I wanter see the Doctor!" said Jerry and glowered so fiercely that the +girl started to close the door. + +With surprising agility the old man thrust his foot into the crack and +when the girl said: "The Doctor is very busy; he's received some bad +news and he won't want to talk with you," old Jerry repeated: "I wanter +see the Doctor!" and added an imperative "_Now!_" which caused the girl +to come to the conclusion that here was a determined and desperate man. +She announced to Doctor Wells that "that terrible looking old janitor" +was outside and that he was "bound to come in." + +Doctor Wells immediately came out to the door and ushered old Jerry into +his office where the grizzled janitor's assistant sat on the edge of one +of the big chairs and, holding his hat in his hand, announced to the +head of the school the following: + +"I got my ijeers and they ain't no _common_ ijeers either, Doctor." + +"I know you have, Jerry," said Doctor Wells, who from twenty years' +acquaintance with the old-timer was aware that no small matter had +induced him to invade what he had always considered as no less than +sacred territory. + +"Yes," said Jerry, "ijeers are common until they get backed up by +_facts_, Doctor, and then they's uncommon. The boys was tellin' me the +news about Bassett and Campbell. I says I knew them birds wouldn't come +to no good end. I ain't one to talk agin one of them as has passed on, +Doctor, but them was bad birds. Here's how I come to know it. I got eyes +and ears sharper'n Tophet, even if I be nigh on to seventy and perhaps a +little more, and I heard things along back that sot me to suspicionin' +them two, and I kind o' says to myself it was my duty to the school to +detect around a mite and find out what was goin' on. They didn't like +Teeny-bits at all--not at all. They had it in for Teeny-bits (for some +reason old Jerry added an l to Findley Holbrook's nickname) from the +very start, and one night when I was standin' in a dark corner of the +corridor I heared Bassett sayin' he'd get even with him. And then after +the money and contraptions begun to disappear from the rooms I +overheared 'em talkin' again and what they says, Doctor, was this: 'I +got 'em in there all right. Now all you need to do is write the letter +on your father's typewriter. No one'll know.'" + +"Who said that?" demanded Doctor Wells. + +"Them two birds I'm tellin' yer about,--Bassett, the feller they called +the Whirlwind, and Campbell. Now I ain't no reg'lar detecative, Doctor, +but I got my _ijeers_, and that sot me to thinkin' hard and I knew +somethin' uncommon suspicious was goin' on. A friend o' mine who was +kinder detecatin' round as my assistant, you might say, slid down a +fire-escape rope about that time and climbed into Campbell's room, but +he didn't find nothin' and come away empty-handed." + +"Who was that friend of yours?" asked Doctor Wells. "Was it Teeny-bits?" + +"Now, Doctor," said old Jerry, "I ain't aimin' to keep anythin' back +twixt you'n me, but there's certain things, you understan', that I +can't--it wan't Teeny-bits----but further'n that----" + +"All right, Jerry," said the Head. "I respect your point of view. Go on +with your story." + +"Well," said Jerry, "this friend of mine come to me this mornin' and +says that Teeny-bits got accused of stealin' them things from the boys +and that somehow or other all those gold trinkets and contraptions got +found under his closet floor, and I wanter tell you, Doctor, that this +Teeny-bits _didn't do it_ and that them two bad birds, Campbell and +Bassett, was at the bottom of all this deviltry, and there ain't been +two sich underhanded, reckless, _good-for-nothin'_ fellers in this +school sence I took position here twenty year ago." + +"Jerry," said the Doctor, "I value your judgment and I thank you for +coming to me in this frank way and giving me the benefit of your ideas." + +The interview was over. Old Jerry left the office of the Head mumbling +to himself: "I got my ijeers and sometimes, by gorry, they's _uncommon_ +ijeers." + +While Jerry had been talking with the Head, Snubby Turner, who had +finished his explanation to Teeny-bits, had sought out Mr. Stevens and +had said to him: + +"I have just been discovering some things that make it necessary for me +to tell you that last Monday night, while the football mass meeting was +going on, I slid down a fire-rope and crawled into Tracey Campbell's +room to see if I could discover if he was the one who had been stealing +things from the fellows' rooms and that while I was doing it Teeny-bits +came along and saw me, though I didn't know it at the time,--and that is +the reason why you found him out there behind the dormitory." + +"Turner," said the English master, "you've told me something that I am +more than glad to hear. It clears up one element in a puzzling +situation. I'm beginning to see light." + +On this Sunday, Ridgley School, expecting to settle down into a +comfortable enjoyment of the football triumph, found itself involved in +a sensation which was the source of rumors that flew from dormitory to +dormitory and from room to room with incredible rapidity. All day long +hints, suggestions, stories--the product of fact, hearsay and +fancy--were exchanged by every son of the school. At the morning service +in the chapel Doctor Wells referred to the tragedy in grave terms. + +"Unexpectedly," he said, "while we have been rejoicing over our victory, +death has taken toll from among us; one of our number has passed +suddenly from this world into the world beyond. By this tragic +circumstance our thoughts are sobered and we find ourselves face to face +with a sad and bitter incident--the termination of a life while it was +still incomplete and unformed. I hope that the whole school will refrain +from useless comment and will form no harsh or unjust judgments. This is +a time for charity of thought." + +Doctor Wells found many duties to perform in connection with the +tragedy. Not until evening was he able to do what he had had in his mind +to do from the moment when old Jerry called at his office. Another bit +of news that came from Mr. Stevens--information that concerned Snubby +Turner--had given him additional incentive to finish one phase of an +unpleasant matter quickly. After the evening meal that night he summoned +Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits to his office, and there put certain +questions to the new captain of the Ridgley eleven that brought out the +whole story of the incidents that had occurred on the night before the +big game. + +Sitting in front of the open fire, Doctor Wells put his fingers together +in the pose that was characteristic of him when he was deeply immersed +in thought. The clock on the mantel piece ticked loudly in the silence +of the room and Teeny-bits and Mr. Stevens sat pondering as profoundly +as the Head. After a time Doctor Wells spoke, slowly, as if he were +alone and were merely voicing the thoughts that flocked through his +mind: + +"This is the strangest series of circumstances that has come to my +attention since I have been at Ridgley. It is hard to understand why two +young fellows should harbor such an animosity for any other member of +the school." + +"Well," said Mr. Stevens, breaking in when the Head paused, "this +Bassett was a strange character; there seemed to be something lacking in +his nature; I shall have to admit that, although I made it a point to +study him, I quite failed to understand him. I don't think you knew that +on the day when Holbrook arrived at Ridgley, Bassett did certain things +which resulted in a struggle, and that Holbrook got the better of him in +a way that humiliated him before most of the roomers in Gannett Hall. +Almost any young fellow would recover from a thing like that and very +likely become good friends with his conqueror; in this case, however, it +seems to have started a germ of jealousy and desire for revenge which +grew out of all proportion to the incident. And then, of course, +Campbell was displaced on the team by Holbrook. From what I know of +those two young men I have come to the conclusion that Bassett, in his +crafty way, had a certain strength of character which allowed him to +dominate Campbell, whom I have always thought of as much the weaker +mentally of the two. A psychologist could probably have told us strange +things about Whirlwind Bassett." + +"What is done can't, unfortunately, be undone," said the Head. "I regret +more than I can say that we were not able to nip all this trouble in the +bud--catch it at the beginning and prevent the tragic ending of it all." +Doctor Wells sat up a little straighter in his chair at that moment and +looked at Teeny-bits. "Holbrook," he said, "I want to tell you that I +appreciate the fine sense of loyalty to a friend that prevented you from +telling Mr. Stevens that you had seen Turner breaking into Campbell's +room. That would have explained something that puzzled us. But we +respect you for your silence." + +"I knew that Snubby was honest," said Teeny-bits, "and, although I +couldn't imagine why he was doing it, I couldn't suspect him." + +Doctor Wells' comment was short. "You did right. A suspicious nature is +one of the meanest things in the world." Again the Head was silent for a +time and then the expression of his face changed. "Now about this +Chinese business," he said; "I can understand the motive that was behind +spiriting you away, but when I come to the rather extraordinary means of +your escape, Holbrook, I will admit that my abilities as an amateur +Sherlock Holmes are too feeble. As I understand it from what you have +told us, these two Chinese in this Greensboro place seem to have been +strangely affected by the mark on your shoulder. Have you any +explanation of that?" + +"I don't know whatever got into their heads," said Teeny-bits. "It's +beyond me. They jabbered away at a terrible rate in Chinese and acted as +if they were frightened." + +"What is the nature of this mark?" asked Doctor Wells. "If you don't +mind telling me." + +"Why, it's nothing," said Teeny-bits, "except a mark that looks like a +knife; a lot of the fellows have thought it was queer when they saw it +in the shower-bath room, but I never thought much about it because it's +always been there and didn't seem particularly strange to me." + +"Mr. Stevens," said Doctor Wells, "I think you and Holbrook might go +over to Greensboro sometime this week and see what you can find. It +won't do any harm at least to try a little amateur detective work. I +wonder----" + +Doctor Wells paused as if he thought it would be better not to say what +was in his mind. He had been about to mention something in regard to the +information that old Daniel Holbrook had given him on the opening day of +school,--the story of the accident at Hamilton station which had caused +the sudden death of the unknown woman who was supposed to be Teeny-bits' +mother. It had occurred to the Head that it might be just as well not to +talk over those matters in the presence of Teeny-bits. + +When Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits got up to go Doctor Wells shook hands +with them gravely. + +"Holbrook," he said, "I haven't told you something that was in my mind +last night when I heard the news that came from the football banquet. I +was greatly pleased to learn that the Ridgley eleven had chosen you as +captain. I know that you will make a leader of whom we can be as proud +as we have been of Neil Durant." + +Later Doctor Wells found occasion to tell Mr. Stevens the thing that he +had omitted: the history of Teeny-bits' unexplained origin. With this +information stimulating his mind to solve the mystery, the English +master suggested to Teeny-bits that they lose no time in visiting +Greensboro. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +A VISIT TO CHUAN KAI's + + +On Monday afternoon Mr. Stevens and the new football captain journeyed +to the thriving young city. They went first to Stanley Square. Starting +from the yellow brick market building with the tower and the clock, +Teeny-bits attempted to retrace the steps that he had taken on that +night when he fled from the place where the Orientals had held him +prisoner. They went down one street and up another, turning this way and +that, until Teeny-bits finally stopped and said: + +"I'm afraid I can't remember just which way I came. I was pretty excited +and I ran down these streets as fast as I could and it was dark, and I +didn't think much about remembering where I came." + +"Well," said Mr. Stevens, "there's one thing we can do. We'll ask the +officer over there on the street corner where the Chinese places are, +and perhaps that will lead us somewhere." + +"At any rate," said Teeny-bits, "it must be very near where we are now, +because I know I came from this general direction and I covered about +the same amount of ground that we have covered since we left the +square." + +In answer to their inquiry the police officer informed them that there +were four Chinese establishments in the city--two laundries and two +restaurants. + +The laundries proved to be near the center of the town, one on Main +Street, the other on Clyde Street. Mr. Stevens, and Teeny-bits looked +both of these establishments over, but Teeny-bits quickly announced that +neither of them could be the place they were seeking. They were small +and both were across the electric car tracks from Stanley Square. +Teeny-bits remembered that on the night of his escape he had crossed no +tracks until he reached the square. + +The first of the restaurants which they visited backed up to the +Greensboro River, a shallow stream which wound through the town. There +was an alley in the rear which to Teeny-bits looked somewhat like the +one down which he had hastened while the two Chinese had come pattering +after him, but he did not remember that he had seen any water. They went +inside, however, and questioned the wrinkled yellow man who, thinking +them customers, came to take their order. He answered them in pidgin +English, and Teeny-bits became convinced, after they had looked about +the place, that this was not the scene of his imprisonment on Friday +night. + +They then went to the Oriental Eating Palace of Chuan Kai, but at Mr. +Stevens' suggestion, before entering the restaurant, made a complete +circuit of the building and examined its outward appearance. In the rear +there was an alley. + +"This looks like it!" declared Teeny-bits, and then he added: "But I +couldn't swear that it's the one." + +"Why don't we go up those stairs there and see what we find," said Mr. +Stevens. "It's trespassing, I suppose, but all in a justifiable cause." + +Quickly they let themselves in the rear door and began to mount the +steps. + +"That night," said Teeny-bits, "I remember that I came down two flights; +this might be the place, but of course I didn't stop much to look +around." + +At the top of the second flight Mr. Stevens and Teeny-bits came to a +narrow hallway from which opened two doors. Mr. Stevens knocked softly +on the one at the right and, receiving no answer, pushed it open. They +had expected to find no one in the room; to their surprise, a Chinese +who had been lying on a "double-decker" bunk jumped down to the floor +and stood looking at them with astonishment and fear in his face. + +"This isn't the room, and I don't think I ever saw this fellow before," +Teeny-bits whispered to the English master. + +"We're looking for two Chinese who were in one of these rooms last +Friday night," said Mr. Stevens to the Oriental. "Perhaps they're in the +other room." + +It was evident that the Chinaman who confronted them with startled eyes +did not understand much English. He made no reply and continued to stare +at them as if he thought it inexplainable that two white men should +suddenly invade his sleeping quarters. + +Mr. Stevens backed out of the room and somewhat to Teeny-bits' surprise +immediately tried the other door. It opened upon a small square room, +empty except for a table and four chairs which were arranged as if for a +game of cards. Teeny-bits had expected to see a mattress lying on the +floor, but nothing of the sort greeted his eyes and no one was in the +room. + +"This looks like the place, but somehow it seems changed," he said to +Mr. Stevens. + +At that moment they both heard a cry in Chinese and, as they whirled +round, an answer came from the floor below and the sound of feet +pattering down the stairway. + +"There!" exclaimed Mr. Stevens, "I'm afraid your friends are running +away. That fellow in the other room has given the alarm. Let's go down +to the restaurant quickly and see what we can find." + +Chuan Kai met the two with an inscrutable countenance. There was +something about his eyes, however, that suggested to Teeny-bits and Mr. +Stevens that he was not wholly unprepared for their call. + +"Last Friday night," said the English master, "this young man was kept +for several hours in one of the rooms upstairs. We should like to talk +to the two Chinese who were kind enough to permit him to escape." + +"No unne'stan'," said Chuan Kai, wrinkling his lips in a manner that +showed his yellow teeth. + +Mr. Stevens was patient. He repeated his request, laid his hand on +Teeny-bits' shoulder, pointed toward the ceiling as he mentioned the +room above and then held up two fingers as he spoke of the Chinese who +had been present when Teeny-bits escaped. The only answer was a puzzled +frown on Chuan Kai's wrinkled features; either the old man was +bewildered by the request of his visitors or he was a good actor. +Suddenly Mr. Stevens decided the latter, for he spoke rapidly and with +considerable force: + +"I think you understand English all right. Now tell me, where are those +two men of yours? If you will let me see them quickly perhaps we can +agree not to trouble you further. Now then, where are they?" + +Chuan Kai smiled with such ingenuousness as he could summon. "Ai," he +said. "You like to see my boys?" + +He turned away from them quickly and cried out something in Chinese, at +the same time throwing back a door which led to the kitchen. + +"Come, look, _see_," he said as he turned back to Teeny-bits and Mr. +Stevens. "You like see all boys." + +In the kitchen which was disclosed to view were four Chinese in +loose-sleeved shirts and aprons. They were engaged in cutting up meat +and in mixing food over the fire. Among them Teeny-bits did not +recognize either one of the Orientals who had acted so strangely at the +sight of the knife mark. + +"I don't think they're here," he said to Mr. Stevens. "As I remember it +they were bigger than these fellows." + +The English master turned to Chuan Kai and said, "We don't intend to +cause you any trouble. This young friend of mine has a mark on his +shoulder which looks like a knife. Two of your men acted strangely when +they saw it. What can you tell me about it? Don't be afraid to speak +up." + +Chuan Kai and his four employees looked at their American visitors with +every semblance of frank amazement and bewilderment. + +"Well, we'll try one thing more," said Mr. Stevens. "Pull off your coat, +Teeny-bits, and let them take a look at that mark." + +Teeny-bits quickly threw off his coat and unbuttoned the soft collar of +his shirt until he could pull back the linen and show the mark of the +knife. The effect was more than the English master or Teeny-bits +expected. The four Chinese, who had been observing in apparent +astonishment this sudden performance on Teeny-bits' part, gazed at the +mark and began to jabber among themselves in a manner that showed +plainly enough their excitement and agitation. One of them even took a +step nearer as if to obtain a clearer view. Chuan Kai, however, quickly +brought their demonstration to an end. He exclaimed sharply in his +singsong language and stepped toward them in a manner that had only one +meaning,--a threat of violence. Instantly the four Chinese resumed their +work over the meat and the kettles, and although they rolled their black +eyes furtively toward Teeny-bits and the English master they said +nothing more, nor could they be induced to show further sign of +excitement. + +Chuan Kai himself muttered in Chinese. Finally he smiled craftily, +shrugged his shoulders and said to Mr. Stevens, "Where did boy get mark? +These fellas (pointing to the four Chinese) think it's funny." + +"Why do they think it's funny?" asked Mr. Stevens. But the Oriental had +no answer to that and took refuge again in his assumed or actual +unfamiliarity with English. For several minutes Mr. Stevens tried to get +something further from the Chinamen but was unsuccessful and finally +said to Teeny-bits who had buttoned his shirt and put on his coat: + +"Well, I guess we've found out as much as we are able to from these +fellows. Let's be going." + +Chuan Kai, following them out to the street, was obsequiously polite. He +even gave them a little box of Chinese nuts and candied fruit and +pressed it upon them when they at first refused to accept it. + +The result of the visit had not been satisfactory. Teeny-bits had been +unable to discover either of the Orientals who had held him prisoner. +Perhaps, as Mr. Stevens had suggested, these two had escaped down the +alley when the young Chinese whom they had encountered in the upper room +gave his cry of warning. The only significant incident had been when the +four Chinese had shown excitement on viewing the mark on Teeny-bits' +back. + +"Of course, we could swear out a warrant and have the police investigate +this whole matter," said Mr. Stevens, "but I am afraid that that would +get us nowhere, for as you say, it would be pretty difficult for you to +identify those men and we couldn't even prove that it was at Chuan Kai's +place that you were held prisoner. I guess the next thing for us to do +is to wait for some word to come from Tracey Campbell." + +But no word of explanation came. For a few days Tracey Campbell lay in a +semiconscious condition; he then grew rapidly better and at the end of +the week was removed to the Campbell home. + +The leather dealer, who had been away on a business trip at the time of +the Ridgley-Jefferson game, had, of course, been summoned back to +Greensboro by telegram. Twice he came to Ridgley School for a conference +with Doctor Wells. His attitude on the occasion of his first visit was +one of indignation and arrogance. He indicated to the Head that Ridgley +School was responsible for the whole tragic incident and that +explanations were in order. When he learned that his son was under +accusation and that there was evidence to give weight to the case, his +attitude underwent somewhat of a change. He was still in a warlike mood, +however, and left Doctor Wells with the promise of getting at the root +of the whole matter and exonerating his son. On the occasion of his +second visit, however, his attitude was quite different. He now wished +to hush up the whole affair and treat the thing as an unfortunate +incident which could not be too quickly forgotten. Tracey Campbell would +not return to Ridgley School. As soon as he recovered sufficiently to +travel his father intended to send him to Florida. From certain remarks +that the leather dealer made, it was evident to Doctor Wells that Tracey +had confessed his part in the theft of the trinkets and money. In regard +to the charge of being implicated in the kidnapping of Teeny-bits, Mr. +Campbell declared that nothing had been proved against his son and in +his opinion it was doubtless "all a story made up by that young +Teeny-bits fellow in order to curry favor and win popularity." + +And so the matter was left as far as the Campbells were concerned, +though it was said that Mrs. Campbell called Doctor Wells on the +telephone and in her shrill voice denied vigorously that her son had +acted in any manner unbecoming to "the son of a gentleman" and that for +her part she thought that the school was a poor one and that she wished +they wouldn't have such games as football "which work the boys up to +excitement and get them into a dangerous state of mind." No one took the +pains to ascertain whether Tracey Campbell was actually expelled from +the school or had merely been withdrawn. At any rate Ridgley School +would see him no more and as the days went on, it seemed less and less +worth while to investigate the circumstances which preceded the +Jefferson game by calling upon Tracey Campbell to confess further +details. + +The visit of Bassett Senior to the school--Blow-Hard Bassett as he was +known in certain sections of the West--was sadder and more pathetic. He +was a big man who dressed gaudily; even the tragedy had not served to +remove wholly from his appearance the garish quality that proclaimed his +type. To Mr. Stevens and Doctor Wells his visit was a startling +exemplification of that old saying: "Like father, like son." When they +talked to him it was as if they were talking to Whirlwind Bassett grown +into a man of fifty. His visit was an unpleasant incident,--he showed so +plainly that he had made a failure of his duties as a father and he +groped so helplessly in his grief for the reason why his boy, whose body +he would carry back to the West, had by his own acts brought an unhappy +termination to his career. + +"I never understood him," he said to Doctor Wells, "and I suppose I +haven't been just the right kind of father for him. He didn't have any +mother after he was four years old, and even when he was a little feller +I never seemed to have much luck in making him mind me. He was always +doing something to cause a commotion of some sort, like running away or +getting into mix-ups--nothing very bad, you know, just such things as +young fellers are apt to do. Sometimes I talked to him but it never made +much impression." + +As Blow-Hard Bassett looked out of Doctor Wells' shaded windows there +was a hint of moisture in his eyes. "He was a determined little feller," +he remarked after a moment, "and when he'd get a notion in his head it +seemed like nothing would shake it out. I remember one time when a +mongrel dog that they had out on a ranch where we were staying bit him +on the wrist and the little chap--I guess he was only eight years +old--came bawling to me and says, 'He bit me, Pa; you've got to kill +him!' + +"I said, 'Don't you see, it was your fault; the dog wouldn't of bit you +if you hadn't been teasin' him,' but he kept on begging me to kill the +mongrel and when I wouldn't do it, he decided to take matters into his +own hands--and what do you suppose he done? He got a six-shooter out of +a holster that one of the cowboys had left lyin' around an' come up +behind that dog while he was sunnin' himself beside the ranch house and +blowed out his brains! You see, he just made up his mind to settle with +that dog, and nothing that any of us could say made a bit of difference. +I always thought he was going to be a smart man, but I never could get +close to him, so to speak. It was just as if he belonged to some other +man, and now, of course, I can't help wishing that I had somehow got to +understand him better." + +There was not much that Doctor Wells could say after that except to +extend his sympathy and to express the wish that it had been possible +for others as well as the father to understand and help the youth who +had come to his untimely end. + +November, with each day crisper than the last, slipped into December and +one morning the school awoke to find a thin sifting of snow over the +brown grass of the campus and the bare branches of the maple trees. The +Christmas vacation suddenly became the subject of conversation, and to +Teeny-bits it seemed that every one had a plan that promised pleasure +and recreation. He felt a little lonely at the thought of seeing all +these friends of his depart for the holidays and leave him to spend the +vacation alone in the quiet little village of Hamilton; and then one +evening after the last mail, Neil Durant came into his room with two +opened letters in his hand. + +"A couple of invitations," he said. "It's all fixed up, Teeny-bits. +You're going home for Christmas with me and we're going up to Norris' +place in the mountains for some winter sports. You remember he spoke +about getting together, after the game. I thought then that I'd like to +renew old times and now he writes that he wants us to come up to his +place, which is a wonder, way back in the hills where there's great +skiing and snowshoeing." + +To Teeny-bits it seemed suddenly as if he had been dreaming and hoping +for a long time that this very thing would happen. It was a wonderful +chance for a good time--but it was to prove more than that for the new +captain of the Ridgley football team. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +DAYS OF PLEASURE + + +The holiday migration from Ridgley School began six days before +Christmas. Within a few hours the dormitories on the hill, which for +months had resounded to the sound of voices, suddenly became silent and +almost deserted; a few members of the school lingered and half a dozen +of the faculty remained to spend a part or all of the vacation on the +hill, but the great majority set forth to the four quarters of the wind. +Among those who took the morning train on that day of great exodus were +Neil Durant and Teeny-bits Holbrook. Within three hours, as the engine +dragged its load westward, the Ridgleyites who at the start had crowded +two cars had diminished in number to no more than a score. Every large +station along the way claimed two or three and as they left they shouted +back farewells and, loaded down with suitcases, went out to greet the +friends and relatives who had come to meet them. They all had a word for +Neil Durant and Teeny-bits--a special word it seemed--for there was no +question that recent events had ripened the friendships and enhanced the +popularity of these two members of "the best school in the world." + +What happiness this was, Teeny-bits said to himself, to be going on a +vacation with a fellow like Neil Durant and to have evidence at every +moment of the friendship of such a "good crowd" as these fellows who +were piling off the train and yelling out their good-bys. It all made +him feel how much the last three months had brought into his life, how +much he owed to the generosity of old Fennimore Ridgley who, though long +ago laid to rest in his grave, had made it possible by his gift for +Teeny-bits to come to Ridgley School. + +At two o'clock the train pulled into the station of Dellsport where +Teeny-bits and Neil said good-by to the half dozen of their schoolmates +who were going farther west. They found waiting for them in a closed car +Mrs. Durant and Sylvia Durant, Neil's sister, who immediately made +Teeny-bits feel at ease by talking about school affairs. It had been a +tremendous disappointment, it seemed, to both Mrs. Durant and Sylvia +that they had been unable to come to the football game which had +resulted so gloriously for Ridgley. + +"If it hadn't been for the influenza," said Sylvia, "you would have +heard some terrible shrieking on the day of that game--I know I'd have +yelled loud enough so that every one would have heard me, because there +was nothing in the world that I wanted quite so much as to have Ridgley +come through. And when we got Neil's telegram maybe I didn't make the +windows rattle! And mother _almost_ yelled, too." + +"We had a terrible quarrel over the newspaper the next day," said Mrs. +Durant, "and I finally compromised by letting Sylvia read the whole +story aloud, so we know just what happened and how one of you evened the +score at the crucial moment and how the other fellow carried the ball +across at the end of the game." + +Almost before Teeny-bits realized it he was talking to these two +pleasant persons as if he had known them all his life. + +"I want you to act just as if this were your own home," said Mrs. Durant +when she had led the way into the Durant house on Bennington Street. "I +shall have to call you Teeny-bits--and I hope you won't mind--because +Neil has always spoken of you that way in his letters and 'Mr. Holbrook' +_would_ sound formal, wouldn't it?" + +"It would make me feel like a stick of wood," said Teeny-bits. "I don't +think any one ever called me that in my life. I've just been Teeny-bits +and I guess I always shall be." + +But Teeny-bits Holbrook could not help contrasting this luxurious home +where every reasonable comfort was in evidence, where there were +fireplaces and soft rugs and rich paintings, with his own poor little +home in Hamilton where Ma Holbrook did the work and with her own hands +kept everything shining and clean. + +For six days he lived a life that he had never lived before. They skated +at the country club where the new ice had formed over an artificial +pond, drove out in the car over frozen roads to Waygonack Inn for dinner +and danced in the evening, went to the theater and "took in", as Sylvia +called it, two or three parties that were important incidents of the +holiday festivities at Dellsport. Everywhere they encountered jolly +crowds of young fellows and girls. + +"Every one seems to fall for you, Teeny-bits," said Neil to the new +captain of the Ridgley team one day, "and they all call you by your +nickname. If you stayed round here very long you'd have them all wearing +a path to our front door." + +"You know why it is," replied Teeny-bits, "it's because I'm a friend of +_yours_." + +"You're off the track," said Neil, "you're _wild_, man. You've got a way +with you without knowing it, and as for the girls around here--oh, my +heavens!" + +"I never realized before what an awful kidder you are, but anyhow I know +I'm having the time of my life," said Teeny-bits. + +But in spite of the gayety, Teeny-bits thought often of Ma Holbrook and +old Dad Holbrook who for the first time in many years were spending +Christmas alone. Early in the week he went down to the Dellsport shops +with Neil and selected presents which he thought would please them both. + +On the day before Christmas, Major-General Durant, who had been +attending a conference in Washington, came home. Teeny-bits had expected +to stand in awe before this high official of the United States Army; he +was therefore somewhat surprised to find him a genial, easy-to-talk-to +man who took obvious delight in getting back to the freedom and +informality of his home. He was full of stories and keenly interested in +Ridgley School affairs. He himself was the most prominent alumnus of +Ridgley and had many an incident to tell Neil and Teeny-bits about the +days when he himself had played on the football team. + +Christmas passed all too quickly. The Durants celebrated it in the good, +old-fashioned manner with a big tree in the living room where a roaring +fire of logs sent myriads of sparks leaping up the chimney. There were +gifts from all the family to Teeny-bits and not the least appreciated of +the presents that came to the visitor was a pair of fur-lined gloves +from Ma and Pa Holbrook, just such a pair as they would select,--warm +and substantial. + +Sylvia Durant seemed to have a way of understanding what a person was +thinking about. "Isn't that a good present!" she said. "They're so warm +and comfortable feeling. They'll be just what you'll need for the winter +sports up at the Norris place." + +There was not so great a difference after all, Teeny-bits said to +himself, between this Christmas and other Christmases; though the +surroundings were different, the same genial, kindly spirit brooded over +this luxurious home in Dellsport as always brooded at Christmas time +over the humble home in Hamilton. He could shut his eyes and imagine +that Ma and Pa Holbrook were in the room taking it all in and looking +about them with beaming faces. + +And then it was all over. On the morning after Christmas Major-General +Durant went back to Washington and Mrs. Durant and Sylvia went with him +to spend the rest of the holidays in the Capitol City. + +Neil and Teeny-bits, having seen them off, prepared to start northward +to the Norris place in the Whiteface Mountains. Teeny-bits felt none too +glad to leave the Durant home; those six days had been filled to +overflowing with happiness. + +"You're coming again," Sylvia had said, and when Teeny-bits had replied, +"I hope so," she had added, "Why, of course you are. Every one wants you +to." + +It was a four-hour run by train to Sheridan and an hour by sleigh to the +Norris cabin at Pocassett, a little settlement of camps and cottages at +the foot of the Whiteface range of mountains. In the early afternoon +Neil and Teeny-bits had arrived in the snow-covered country and were +receiving the greetings of their Jefferson School friends. Ted Norris +had driven down to the station to meet them in a two-seated sleigh and +had brought with him Whipple, whom both Teeny-bits and Neil remembered +as the Jefferson punter. + +"How do you fellows feel--pretty husky?" asked Norris as they were going +back toward the mountains. "Some of the crowd up at the camp want to +tramp over the range on snowshoes to-night if it's clear and I didn't +know but what we'd join them." + +"That sounds good to me," declared Neil. "Teeny-bits and I have been +leading the social life down in Dellsport and we're all fed up with +parties and so on." + +"Sounds good to me, too," said Teeny-bits, although he had to admit to +himself that he wasn't exactly "fed up" with the good time in Dellsport. + +The Norris place was a cabin built of spruce logs with an immense stone +fireplace at one end of a long living room,--a comfortable backwoods +place where one felt very close to the out-of-doors. Here the new +arrivals found awaiting them Phillips, another member of the Jefferson +eleven, and an athletic looking middle-aged man whom Norris introduced +as his uncle, Wolcott Norris. There was no one else at the cabin except +Peter Kearns, the cook and helper. + +"It's all fixed up for to-night," said the older Norris; "we're going up +the gulf and over the shoulder of Whiteface and then down to the Cliff +House, where a sleigh will meet us and bring us back." + +That evening tramp over the slopes of Whiteface Mountain was the +beginning of a wonderful series of winter sports at Pocassett. The party +that made the climb consisted of the six from the Norris place and twice +as many more from other cabins and cottages that nestled in the snow at +the foot of the mountains. While the growing moon hung overhead and shed +its silver radiance over the white world, the snowshoers climbed the +gulf by way of a trail that led among spruces and hemlocks, then up and +out to the great, bare shoulder of the mountain. Gaining the ridge, they +crossed and went plunging, sliding and leaping down in the soft snow +that clothed the farther slope. It was a night to make one's blood run +fast, and the whole crowd came back to the settlement at Pocassett in +high spirits. The days that followed were filled with similar +sports,--skating where the snow had been cleared from the surface of the +Pocassett River, snowshoeing in all directions over the hills, fishing +through the ice at Lonesome Lake and Wolf Pond and, on one or two +nights, get-togethers with the crowd of young people who were occupying +other camps near by. + +Teeny-bits soon discovered that the vigorous, middle-aged man who had +been introduced to him that first day as Ted Norris' uncle was in +reality taking the place of the Jefferson football captain's father, who +had died several years before. It seemed to him that here was the most +intensely interesting man he had ever met. He was a mining engineer, and +from little things that were said now and then it was evident that there +was scarcely a quarter of the world into which he had not penetrated. A +casual remark about India aided by a question or two from Phillips and +Neil Durant brought forth a story of a trip into the jungles of that +distant country; at another time the sight of a bare mountain-side +called forth reference to a snow-covered range in China and led to +interesting details of life in the Far East. + +"Sometime you will have to take us on a trip to Japan or China or India +or somewhere," said Ted Norris one night when the six of them were at +supper. + +"Well," said the mining engineer, "I'd like to do it. Who knows, perhaps +sometime I can." + +Teeny-bits Holbrook would have liked nothing better than to "pump" this +man who had traveled so much, for he found stories of far lands +intensely interesting, and when the first mishap of the vacation +occurred he was somewhat envious of the victim, to whom it opened up an +opportunity for closer acquaintance. On Thursday Neil Durant, in trying +out a pair of skis on a steep slope behind the camp, crashed into a +thicket of young pine trees and, although he came through with a grin on +his face, he discovered that he had sprained his ankle and would not be +able to join the crowd on the ski party that had been planned for +Thursday evening. Wolcott Norris announced at supper that he also would +stay behind; and thus it happened that the former captain of the Ridgley +team sat with his bandaged ankle propped up on a chair in front of the +fireplace while Wolcott Norris settled back comfortably to enjoy an +evening of conversation. They talked about many things--travel, +business, college and sports--before the subject got around to the +Ridgley-Jefferson game. + +"You know I was there," said the mining engineer, "and I don't think I +ever spent a more interesting two hours. You fellows certainly had the +game developed to a fine point and though of course I, as an old +Jefferson boy, was yelling hard for the purple, I couldn't help handing +you chaps a bit when you came through. And your friend Teeny-bits--now +that I know him--measures up to the idea of what he was like, which I +got from watching him play." + +"Yes," said Neil, "he comes through--you can always count on him. Every +one down at school fell for him from the start, partly, I suppose, +because he was different from most of the fellows and then, of course, +because he made good. Certain things about him attracted attention +before he'd been in school very long." + +"What things?" + +"Well," said Neil, "a lot of things--one is the knife mark on his back." + +"The what?" asked Wolcott Norris. + +"Why a sort of birthmark that looks like a knife." + +The mining engineer had been looking into the embers of the fire rather +dreamily and talking in a low tone to Neil. He now half turned round and +said in a voice that showed more than casual interest, "Tell me about +it. It sounds interesting." + +"Well," said Neil, "it's a mark, sort of brick colored, on his shoulder, +that looks exactly like a knife or a dagger. I noticed it one day in the +shower-bath room when Teeny-bits first came out for the football team." + +"Has he always had it?" + +"Yes, I guess so. I suppose it's just chance--the shape of it, but it is +such an unusual looking thing that the fellows got interested in him and +then of course there was the story about his mother being killed in a +railroad wreck. That got around school some way; Teeny-bits himself told +it, I think; so there isn't any harm in my repeating it. Some mighty +nice people in Hamilton picked him up after a train accident which +killed his mother and took him home. They finally adopted him, and gave +him their name when they weren't able to find any of his relatives, and +of course the mystery of that made the fellows all the more interested +in him." + +While the former captain of the Ridgley team had been saying these words +the mining engineer had looked at him with an intentness that Neil had +attributed to the fact that Teeny-bits' story was as interesting to him +as it had been to the sons of Ridgley. + +"You said that it was his mother who was killed in the railroad +accident?" + +"Yes," replied Neil, "I guess they never found out what her name was. +That seems pretty horrible, but the Holbrooks, who adopted Teeny-bits, +are mighty fine people. Daniel Holbrook is the station agent at +Hamilton." + +The mining engineer settled back in his chair, sighed rather heavily and +gazed once more into the embers of the fire. "Well, Teeny-bits is a fine +chap," he said finally, "and I don't wonder that the fellows fell for +him." + +"He nearly caused me nervous prostration," said Neil, "when he didn't +show up at the game until the last minute, and the story about what +happened to him and how the Chinese who had kidnaped him acted when they +saw the knife mark on his shoulder is one of the strangest things I ever +heard." + +Wolcott Norris got out of his chair so quickly that Neil looked up in +surprise. "What happened about these Chinese?" asked the mining +engineer. "When did they come into it and _how_ did they act?" + +"That's another bit of mystery," said Neil. "There were a couple of +fellows at school who didn't like Teeny-bits for one reason or +another--jealousy, I guess--and according to general belief they patched +up some kind of ridiculous plot to get Teeny-bits away from the school +while the big game was being played. One of them was Teeny-bits' +substitute and would have played if Teeny-bits hadn't been there. Maybe +you read in the papers about the accident in which a fellow named +Bassett was killed and another named Campbell got pretty badly hurt. +Those were the two fellows--they wrecked a big machine running away +after Teeny-bits showed up at the game. At least every one supposed they +were trying to make a get-away. All Teeny-bits knows about the thing is +that some one sent him a fake telephone message that his father--that +is, old Daniel Holbrook--had been hurt, and when Teeny-bits was on the +way home some men pounced on him and carried him over to Greensboro and +shut him up in some sort of Chinese place. They had him all tied up and +fixed so that he couldn't get away, they thought; but Teeny-bits +squirmed around and tore his sweater half off and finally got almost +loose, when back came two of these Chinamen and were tying him up again +when they saw this mark on his back and they began to act as if they'd +been mesmerized or something. They jabbered away and pointed at the +thing, and while they were going through these tantrums Teeny-bits just +walked out of the place and came home." + +"That _is_ strange," said the mining engineer, "_mighty_ strange. Didn't +he find out why they were frightened or what was behind it all?" + +"No," said Neil, "I think the matter was sort of hushed up. They did a +little investigating and it didn't seem to get them anywhere, and I +guess the people at the school thought it wasn't worth while to follow +it up any more. No one doubts that this Campbell fellow and Bassett were +behind the business, and as far as the Chinese go I guess they were just +superstitious or something. You must know them pretty well--you've +traveled over there so much. Don't you?" + +Apparently the mining engineer did not hear Neil's question, for he had +turned again to the fireplace and was gazing into the embers in an +abstracted manner. Neil did not feel like interrupting. For several +minutes the room was silent, then Wolcott Norris suddenly turned and +asked: + +"When was that crowd coming back?" + +The ski party on that night consisted of the three Jefferson football +players, Teeny-bits and two brothers by the name of Williams who were +from a camp a quarter of a mile down the valley. They planned to go up +over the shoulder of Whiteface in the brilliant moonlight and shoot down +a long, bare slope which was known as The Slide, where years before an +avalanche had torn its way downward leaving bare earth in its wake. This +V-shaped scar on the face of the mountain was now covered with a smooth +expanse of snow--an ideal avenue for a swift and thrilling descent of +the mountain. Teeny-bits had done more skiing in the last few days than +he had done before in all the years of his life and had become +enthusiastic over the sport. The sensation of sweeping down a slope and +of speeding on with increasing swiftness until it seemed as if one were +actually flying filled him with exhilaration and the real joy of living. +He had never tried anything as steep as The Slide, but he had no fear of +the place, and when, after a somewhat laborious climb, they had reached +the peak and stood gazing down on the white way that stretched before +them, he was eager to be off for the descent. + +"Don't take it too fast," said Norris, "the slope is steeper than it +looks. If you should want to slow up you can shoot over to the side and +work against the slope a little." + +The moon, now almost at the full, was shedding its ghostly light over +the snow-covered mountains; by its brilliance the ski runners could see +the surface of the slide, unbroken save for an occasional spruce which, +having taken root in the scarred soil, was now thrusting up its dark +branches through the blanket of white. Norris was the first to take off. +He shot downward and as he gained momentum sent back a cry that floated +up eerily. Teeny-bits poised at the edge and took a deep breath. This +was living. Down there, growing smaller and smaller, a moving speck that +seemed a mere shadow on the snow, was a new friend of his. It seemed +strange that this was one of the outcomes of the Jefferson-Ridgley game: +that from so desperate a struggle had arisen this opportunity to know +the leader of the purple for whom he held a growing admiration. A fellow +who fought so hard and so cleanly, who took defeat so wonderfully and +who made such a good pal was only a little less to be admired than Neil +Durant. Perhaps there was not any real difference in Teeny-bits' feeling +for the two. + +"I'm off," cried Teeny-bits; "see you at the bottom," and giving a +strong thrust with his pole sent himself out upon the smooth surface. + +With body bent slightly forward he took the first gentle slope and felt +the exhilarating sensation of gathering speed as his skis carried him +away from his friends. It was something between flying through the air +and riding on the top of an undulating wave of water. Following Ted +Norris' example he sent a shout back to the group on the crest and then +gave himself completely to the joy of meeting each surprise of the snow +with the proper adjustment of body and limbs that would enable him to +make the descent in one unbroken slide. He had never taken so swift a +flight,--it was as if he were rushing through space with scarcely any +realization of the landscape round him. + +Midway in The Slide, Teeny-bits suddenly found himself dodging a thicket +of small spruce trees. He escaped them by swerving quickly, but he went +too far to the left. Other small trees confronted him; his body brushed +sharply against the branches, and then looming before him was an old +monarch of the forest that somehow had escaped when the slide had +scarred the mountain-side. Its gnarled branches, standing out vaguely in +the half-light of the moon and stars like the arms of an octopus, seemed +to Teeny-bits to rise up and seize him. He had the feeling that +something was lifting him into the air, that he was going up and up into +the silver face of the moon. It seemed also that at the same time there +was a flash of light followed immediately by darkness. + +One after another the ski runners at the top of The Slide took off and +shot swiftly down the slope. None of them saw the huddled form at the +foot of the ancient oak and it was only when the four had joined Ted +Norris at the bottom of The Slide that they realized that something must +have happened to Teeny-bits. + +"Didn't any of you see him on the way down?" asked Ted Norris. "Maybe he +broke his skis." + +"He would have yelled at us, wouldn't he?" said one of the Williams +brothers; "we'd better go back and look around." + +It was not a difficult matter even in the indistinct night light to +follow the marks of the skis. From the foot of the slide they mounted +slowly, tracing backward the five double tracks and finally coming to +the sixth, halfway down from the crest. + +[Illustration: FROM THE FOOT OF THE SLIDE THEY MOUNTED SLOWLY, TRACING +BACKWARD THE FIVE DOUBLE TRACKS.] + +"Here they are," said Norris. "Here's where Teeny-bits swerved over +toward the left." + +Almost before the words were out of his mouth he gave a startled +exclamation that brought the other four quickly to the foot of the oak +tree, where, with arms stretched out in front of him, lay Teeny-bits. He +had fallen in such an apparently comfortable position that it seemed to +the five ski runners that he could not be badly injured, but when they +turned him over they saw the dark mark of blood on the snow and became +assailed with a great fear that the worst thing they could imagine had +happened. Ted Norris' voice trembled a little as he said to the others, +"We must get him down to the house as quickly as we can. Here, help me +pick him up." + +It was a strange procession which went down the slope of old Whiteface +Mountain on that winter night,--an awkward looking group that made +progress slowly because of the burden which it bore. + +"You'd better go ahead to the Emmons place and get Doctor Emmons to come +up to our camp quickly," said Norris to the older of the Williams boys. +"You ought to get there about the time we do, and tell him to bring +stimulants and everything that he may need." + +Back in the Norris cabin Neil Durant had found that conversation between +himself and the mining engineer lagged. For half an hour the elder +Norris had sat apparently absorbed in his thoughts, and twice when Neil +had made remarks he had answered in a manner that showed his mind to be +far away. Neil himself was indulging in reveries when the sudden +interruption came,--a sound of voices outside the cabin, an exclamation, +a quick thrusting in of the door, and then the noise of persons talking +awkwardly, as those who carry a heavy burden. The two at the fireplace +turned in their chairs and saw immediately that something serious had +happened. + +"He crashed into a tree on the big Slide," said Ted Norris. "His body +seems warm but we're afraid that--well, just look at his neck; it moves +so queerly. Doctor Emmons ought to be here any minute. Bert Williams +went down ahead to get him." + +Within the space of a second, it seemed, Wolcott Norris had taken charge +of the situation. Teeny-bits Holbrook was laid out on a cot which they +brought in from one of the sleeping rooms and placed in front of the +fire, and here a quarter of an hour later Doctor Emmons made his +diagnosis. + +"No, his neck isn't broken," said the surgeon, "so you needn't worry +about that, and you can see from the color of his face that he isn't in +immediate danger. He has a concussion, which isn't necessarily +serious,--though that's a pretty bad blow he received on his head. Now +with your help, Mr. Norris, we'll look him over for further injuries. +There may be some broken bones to contend with also." + +Without loss of time the surgeon, aided by the mining engineer, removed, +most of Teeny-bits' clothing and began the process of examination by +which he quickly established the fact that no bones had been broken and +that the only injury from which Teeny-bits was suffering was the one to +his head. During this examination one slight incident attracted the +attention of Neil Durant and his friends who stood about speaking to +each other in whispers. It occurred when Wolcott Norris, following +instructions from the surgeon, with trembling hands uncovered +Teeny-bits' back and revealed the dagger-like, terra-cotta mark upon his +bare shoulder. For an instant the mining engineer had seemed about to +faint; he wavered on his feet and groped suddenly for the support of a +chair-back. To the watchers it had appeared that he had become +momentarily unnerved by the unexpected accident, or that perhaps he had +seen something in Teeny-bits' condition that was unfavorable. The +surgeon, however, had quickly reassured them as they pressed forward a +little closer by saying: + +"He's sound from top-knot to toe except for that ugly smash on the head. +Now we'll put these blankets over him and keep him quiet. If the +concussion isn't bad he'll become conscious before very long." + +But hour after hour passed and Teeny-bits did not regain his senses. He +lay in a stupor, occasionally muttering thick and unintelligible words. + +"There's no need of you fellows staying up," said Wolcott Norris at +midnight. "The doctor and I will be here with Teeny-bits and the best +thing you can do is go to bed." + +After a time the Williams brothers went home and Whipple and Phillips +followed the mining engineer's advice. Neil Durant and Ted Norris, +however, refused to leave the room where Teeny-bits lay. They sat +together by the fireplace and waited for an encouraging word from the +surgeon. + +"I know he'll pull through," said Neil. "He's as tough as a wildcat." + +"Some boy!" said the big son of Jefferson. "He's the real goods. Oh, +he's got to come out of it." + +Finally these two friends, who had fought each other so valiantly only a +few weeks before, dozed off sitting there side by side, with the ruddy +light of the fireplace on their faces. + +They awoke simultaneously. The gray light of morning had begun to +penetrate the camp windows, and Teeny-bits was sitting up on the couch, +looking about him as if he had been awakened from a puzzling dream. + +"What did I do with the skis?" he asked and, raising his hands to his +bandaged head, gazed at his friends in bewilderment. + +The doctor and Wolcott Norris, Neil and Ted were beside the cot in an +instant. + +"It's all right, old man!" said Neil. "You got a thump on your head +coming down the slide." + +"It feels----" Teeny-bits began. But his head was too heavy; the +shadow of a smile crossed his face and lying back on the pillow he +closed his eyes. + +"We must keep very quiet," said the surgeon. "He'll sleep now and be the +better for it." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A TALE OF THE FAR EAST + + +It was as Doctor Emmons predicted: Teeny-bits slept half the morning +through and awoke with a clear look in his eyes that indicated at once +to his friends that his dazed condition had passed. + +"What did I hit?" he asked. + +"A big oak tree," said Ted Norris. + +"I knocked it down, didn't I?" asked Teeny-bits. "My head feels as if I +did." + +His friends laughed with a happy abandon in which there was a quality +that expressed release from a great fear. + +Under the doctor's orders Teeny-bits remained in bed the rest of the +week, though he declared on the second day that he was feeling fit and +wanted to get up. Meanwhile the holidays came to an end. Phillips and +Whipple departed for Jefferson School and at the same time most of the +other vacationers in the Pocassett settlement went their various ways. +Neil Durant and Ted Norris, however, insisted on staying until +Teeny-bits was entirely recovered. A part of each day they sat about the +cabin talking over school and college life. + +"If you fellows would only wait a year I might go to college with you," +Teeny-bits said one day, half jokingly. + +"I might do it at that," said Neil Durant. "Father has been talking to +me about staying out a year and working before I start in." + +"That's not a bad idea," said Wolcott Norris. "Most of the fellows +to-day enter college with a pretty vague notion of what they're going to +do and it might help a lot to get out and work for a year or so before +you continue your education. I think it would be time well spent." + +The conversation was brief, but it began something which was destined to +come to pass. + +During these days while he was recovering, Teeny-bits had the +opportunity to accomplish the thing for which he had envied Neil Durant +on the night of the accident,--to become better acquainted with Wolcott +Norris. While Ted and Neil, who had recovered from his sprained ankle, +were out on snowshoes and skis, the mining engineer and the new captain +of the Ridgley team spent many hours together. The admiration that +Teeny-bits had felt for this man with the straight figure and the keen +eyes steadily increased. Here, he said to himself, was a man whose +character showed in his face and whose life any one would do well to +imitate. There was something about Wolcott Norris that inspired +Teeny-bits with a feeling of confidence, and somewhat to his surprise he +found himself telling the mining engineer things that he had never told +even to such good friends as Neil Durant or Snubby Turner,--confidences +about his own feeling toward the other members of the school, hopes for +the future and something of the ambitions for the attainment of which he +meant to strive. For some reason which he could not analyze it seemed +entirely natural to be conversing intimately--even after such a short +acquaintance--with Wolcott Norris. + +"You two fellows seem to be getting pretty chummy," said Ted Norris one +afternoon when he and Neil came in and found Teeny-bits and the mining +engineer engaged in conversation. "What's all the deep talk about?" + +"Why don't you pull up some chairs and sit down?" asked Wolcott Norris. + +It was just at the beginning of twilight and the flickering fire was +already making shadows on the beamed ceiling of the cabin. Neil and Ted +Norris pulled off their leather coats and stretched themselves out +comfortably with their feet toward the blaze. + +"Now," said Ted, looking at Wolcott Norris, "is the time for you to spin +us a yarn." + +"Yes," replied the mining engineer gazing at the three of them with an +expression that they later remembered, "I guess this _is_ the time to +spin you a yarn." + +To their surprise he got up abruptly from his splint-backed chair and +went out to his bedroom. As he returned he was thrusting something into +his coat pocket. + +"After I got through Jefferson," he said, when he was sitting in front +of the fireplace once more, "I went to technical school to study +engineering--mining engineering--which meant that when I started out to +work I traveled round the country from one place to another, and within +a short time I had a commission to go to China. When I went I took some +one with me." + +Wolcott Norris paused and for a minute or two gazed straight before him. +None of the three listeners interrupted the silence; there had been a +quality in the mining engineer's voice which had made them feel that +they were about to hear something unusual. + +"Here's her picture," he said, and took from his pocket the object he +had placed there on entering the room a few moments before. He handed it +to Teeny-bits, who bent forward a little so that the glow from the +firelight fell on the photograph. Neil Durant and Ted Norris leaned +toward him and the three of them saw the likeness of a young woman with +smiling eyes and fine, clear features. + +"Mighty nice looking," said Neil Durant. "She reminds me of some one +I've seen before, I can't think where." + +There was a slight unsteadiness in Wolcott Norris' voice when he spoke +again, but he overcame it and went on with his story rapidly. + +"We were married just after I got my new job, went out to San Francisco +and sailed for China on the Japanese steamer _Tenyo Maru_. It was a +wonderful world to us then--more wonderful than I can describe to you. +Rain or shine, every day was a perfect day, and we sailed on and on in +that little old steamer out across the Pacific until we came at last to +Asia. For several months we were in Shanghai at the headquarters of the +company, then they sent me up into the province of Honan to a little +place called Tung-sha on a tributary of the Yangtse in a country that +was pretty wild. + +"There was gold and copper back in the hills and the company intended to +carry on extensive operations if the ground proved worth while. How +strange it seemed to us to find a bit of a foreign colony--a handful of +Americans and British and French, missionaries and representatives of +the company--set down in a region that for no one knows how many +thousand years had belonged to the yellow men. You go about in China and +you see those old, old temples and the weather-worn houses and the +ancient hills, bald and bare, and you feel as if antiquity were casting +a spell over you. A person who hasn't lived among the Chinese can't +imagine what a strange, superstitious people they are; more than any +other race on the face of the earth they are bound to the past--and I +suppose when we came up there to Tung-sha and began to dig tunnels in +their hills we were breaking the precedent of the past. Still we didn't +really expect any trouble--and for many months all went smoothly. Some +wonderful things happened up there in that out-of-the-way corner of the +world. We lived--Marion and I--in a three-room bungalow with a roof that +sloped like the roof of a temple, and here that first springtime +something very fine came into our lives--a son was born to us. He was a +husky little youngster--and maybe he couldn't yell!" + +Wolcott Norris laughed. + +"I remember that Ho Sen, my Chinese servant boy, used to say when the +baby howled 'Nice stlong lung; he'll glow nice, big man! And by Jingo! +How that little chap did grow! Those were days crowded with happiness +and before we knew it we'd been in Tung-sha more than a year. The mine +was beginning to require additional machinery and everything looked good +for the future. We were so contented there in our bungalow that I +suppose we never thought of anything happening to burst our bubble of +happiness--at least I don't remember that any worries troubled our +minds." + +The mining engineer paused in his story and passed his hand across his +brow. A minute went by, during which the hushing sound of the fire alone +broke the stillness of the room. Teeny-bits, Neil Durant and Ted Norris +sat without moving; their eyes were on the red and yellow fireplace +flames, but what they saw was a bit of the old Chinese Empire, in-land +on a tributary of the Yangtse--and a bungalow at Tung-sha. The mining +engineer was silent so long that finally they looked up--and, seeing the +expression on his face, looked quickly down again--as those turn away +their faces who look by mistake too deeply into the intimate thoughts of +another. + +"Bad water and Red Knife wrecked Tung-sha," said Wolcott Norris +abruptly. "The water was contaminated somehow--typhoid got into it. Our +little colony was hard hit and when that second summer was over the +youngster I told you about didn't have any mother--she was sleeping the +long sleep out there at the foot of the Tung-sha hills." + +The mining engineer's voice had grown thick--it was as if another person +were speaking. + +"I should have told you more at the start about Red Knife," he said. "He +was a Chinese robber--the chief of a gang of hill-men who for years had +levied tribute from those poor, ignorant people of Honan. His name was a +living terror--I have never seen such abject fear on the faces of human +beings as one day when a rumor passed among our mine workers that Red +Knife was in the hills near by waiting to pounce down upon them. They +reminded me of sheep huddling together to escape wolves. + +"From the time when the company first started operations at Tung-sha we +realized that this bandit was working against us--for the reason, of +course, that he knew we would lessen his power. I questioned Ho Sen one +day and learned that Red Knife had sent word around that if the 'foreign +devils', as he called us, dug further into the hills man-eating dragons +would come out and destroy the villages. We had to pay extra to get +labor after that." + +"Why did they call him Red Knife?" asked Neil Durant. + +"Because that was his symbol--a red knife--and his followers were said +to carry red-bladed daggers. + +"Red Knife chose his time well. He came down on our little settlement at +the height of the typhoid scourge. It was only a few days after Marion +had been buried and I was up at the mine attending to some last +arrangements so that I could leave. I had made up my mind to take +Winslow--that's what we'd named the little boy--out to Shanghai, for +Tung-sha was no place for a motherless youngster. In broad daylight I +heard the natives wailing and yelling, and then the mine workers began +to cry out that Red Knife had swooped down from the hills. The white men +who were with me pulled out their guns and we ran down to the bungalows. +We were too late, however; Red Knife had come and gone--and with him had +gone Ho Sen and the boy. Three or four of the natives lay in the street +with their throats cut and the rest of them were so frightened that at +first I couldn't get them to tell me anything, but finally I made out +that Red Knife's men had carried the baby away in a basket and that Ho +Sen had gone with them, voluntarily or as a prisoner I did not know. + +"I can't tell you just how crazy I was. I remember that I grabbed up a +handful of shells for my revolver and ran up toward the Hai-Yu Gap where +the natives said Red Knife and his gang had disappeared. I remember also +that Hartley, the surgeon, and a Frenchman ran after me and tried to +pull me back, and when I wouldn't come with them that they ran along +beside me. But I guess I out-distanced them, for after a time I was +running alone up the dry bed of a stream where the Hai-Yu Gap cut the +hills. I meant to get the boy and bring him back, but I suppose I might +as well have tried to follow a black tracker into a tropic jungle as to +follow the trail of Red Knife through those Tung-sha hills. + +"I don't know how far I went. When night came I was lost--scrambling in +the dark over bare rocks, slipping into gulleys and fighting my way out +again. I suppose I made a terrific clatter and that Red Knife's men +heard me coming when I was a long way off. At any rate they got me when +I was off my guard--the yellow men pounced on me from behind the rocks +and, though I think I did for one or two of them with my gun, they +knocked me over the head. When I came to I was in the dusky interior of +a stone house, bound and utterly helpless." + +Wolcott Norris got up abruptly from his chair and, walking over to the +window, looked out into the twilight at the snow-covered Pocassett +landscape. When he came back to the fireplace he said to the three +listeners who had followed them with their eyes but had not stirred: + +"Maybe you've read of the devilish ingenuity of some of these Chinese +brigands--there are wild stories and some are true and some are not, but +the torture that Red Knife put me to in that stone house up beyond the +Hai-Yu Gap was worse than death--or so it seemed to me. + +"He was a short, broad-shouldered wretch with a thin, hairy mustache +that curled round the corners of his mouth. That mouth of his and his +black, slant eyes were the most vivid expressions of cruelty that I have +ever seen. When I first saw him I thought of Genghis Khan, that ancient +conqueror who is said to have slaughtered five million persons while he +ruled over China. Red Knife brought in Ho Sen and my little boy and he +made Ho Sen, who was trembling like a leaf, interpret the things he +wanted me to know. + +"'Foreign devil,' he said, 'what is worth more than your life to you? +Ai, I know. This child is worth to you more than your life, therefore +will I take him away.' And then he uncovered the baby's back and showed +me a livid mark on the little chap's shoulder. 'See,' he said, 'he +belongs to Red Knife now; he wears Red Knife's mark. My women will be +_very_ good to this little son of the foreigner. We will bring him up in +our band; he will be clever like the white man. Who knows, perhaps he +will be as good a thief as Red Knife himself!' + +"I tried to think of something that I could say or do that would move +this wretch's heart, but it was of no use. Poor Ho Sen was frightened to +death, and when I begged him to try to escape and bring help from the +village I little thought that he could do anything. + +"'Take the boy back to the village,' I said to Red Knife through the +interpreter, 'and do with me as you will.' + +"'Yes, I will do with you as I will,' was his answer. 'I think I will +put you in a hole in the ground and perhaps I will give you a toad and a +lizard to keep you company. Red Knife wants no one to be lonely.' + +"Red Knife--I've always supposed--did intend to put me out of the way by +some diabolical method of his own. And then the idea of holding me for +ransom apparently occurred to him, for he kept me in the stone house +back in the hills day after day. Two or three times when I saw Ho Sen I +begged him to run away from the bandits and take the little boy with him +and tell my friends in the village where we were, but Ho Sen only looked +at me and trembled. I couldn't much blame him for being terrified. + +"One night there was a jabbering and yelling round the stone house and I +thought Red Knife had killed Ho Sen, for I saw him no more. Two days +later there was more commotion and the whole band began to prepare to +depart. I hoped that an expedition had come from the town--and that in +fact was actually what happened. Some of the Imperial Government troops +led by the white men were on Red Knife's trail, but Red Knife knew those +hills too well. He and his gang went farther back and took me along, +helpless. The horrible part of it all was that the little boy seemed to +have disappeared, and when I asked what had become of him these yellow +men only jabbered at me in their outlandish tongue. We traveled all day +and all night and finally camped in some limestone caves. There I became +very sick and I hoped that I should die because the future didn't seem +to hold anything at all for me. I know I was delirious for a long time; +things seemed very hazy--a confused coming and going of the natives and +the jabbering of their singsong voices. Perhaps that sickness was what +saved my life, for when I came to the end of my delirium I was lying +there deserted in the limestone cave. I suppose Red Knife thought that +the 'foreign devil' was dying and that I was only an encumbrance in his +retreat. I don't know how long I had remained in the cave and I can't +tell you how I managed to make my way out of that wilderness of hills +and dry river beds, but Providence must have guided me, for I finally +stumbled down into the village of Tung-sha and found Hartley, the +surgeon, and three or four of the Europeans still there. + +"I was delirious again for a time and didn't know what went on around +me. But Hartley pulled me through and I found myself asking what had +happened. They told me that the native troops of the Imperial Government +had come up and that the foreign colony had led an expedition back into +the hills. They hadn't been able, however, to overtake Red Knife and had +finally abandoned the expedition partly because of the doubtful loyalty +of the Chinese troops, who weren't over eager to chase Red Knife. That +whole region in those days needed only a spark to set it aflame against +all foreigners. + +"There was one surprising bit of news, something that gave me a great +desire to live. Ho Sen, poor, faithful Ho Sen, had escaped from Red +Knife. He had come crawling to Hartley's bungalow at midnight several +days after the raid, carrying in his arms the boy, and had fallen +unconscious at the doorsteps. Hartley took them in and found the boy +little the worse for his experiences, but Ho Sen died that same night +and had been in his grave more than two weeks when Hartley told me the +story. Meanwhile they had given up hope of ever seeing me alive again, +and when the colony decided that it was unsafe for the women to stay at +Tung-sha any longer they sent the boy down to Shanghai with an American +missionary by the name of Singleton, who was going back to the United +States. She had become deaf during her service in China and was +returning to the States for treatment. + +"Of course I started for Shanghai as soon as I was able to get about, +going down the Yangtse in a river boat. But again I was too late. When I +arrived I discovered that this Miss Singleton had gone to the office of +the company and on their advice, after she had reported my death, had +taken the baby with her when she sailed for San Francisco. She had the +address of my brother--Ted's father--and said that she would deliver the +child to them in New York. That's about the end of the story, except +that I was never able to trace Miss Singleton beyond San Francisco. In +Shanghai I came down with typhoid and was delayed three months in +getting back to America. Then I discovered that my little son never +arrived in New York--as far as any one knew--and the result of the +investigations that I carried on through the police and private +detective agencies established only the fact that the young missionary +was on the steamer when it arrived at San Francisco and that she and the +baby disembarked with the other passengers. + +"I said that was pretty nearly the end of the story--but you know I've +never quite given up hope of sometime finding that boy of mine." + +"Will you let me look at that picture again?" asked Neil Durant. + +As the mining engineer took the photograph from his pocket and handed it +to Neil, Teeny-bits asked a question: + +"That mark," he said in a voice that was peculiarly tense, "what was it +like--was it--?" + +"Yes," said Wolcott Norris, "it _was_ like the mark that I saw on your +shoulder when Doctor Emmons...." + +"Look!" Neil Durant suddenly broke in. "I know _now_ where I've seen the +person that resembles this picture--it's _you_, Teeny-bits! Her eyes and +mouth--just look!" + +Teeny-bits gazed at the picture and finally raised his eyes to those of +Wolcott Norris. He opened his lips to speak, but no sound came from +them. For the moment his thoughts were too full to find expression in +words. + +"It seems--" he said unsteadily after a time, "like something I've been +dreaming, and now I know why I've had such a strange feeling toward +you--just as if you were my older brother--or my--my father. To-morrow +when Neil and I go back to Ridgley, will you come?" + +"Yes, Teeny-bits, I'll come," said Wolcott Norris, "and we'll go over to +Greensboro and have a talk with those Chinese that Neil told me about." + +Ted Norris jumped to his feet as if he had suddenly come out of a +trance. "By thunder!" he cried, "my head is swimming round in circles, +but I've just enough of a grip on my brains to see that you and I--that +we--oh, shucks!--put it there!" And the big fellow thrust out his hand +to Teeny-bits. + +Next day the Norris cabin at Pocassett was closed. Ted Norris went back +to Jefferson and the other three traveled on toward Ridgley School. At +the Greensboro station Teeny-bits and Wolcott Norris left the train and +made their way to the Eating Palace of Chuan Kai. There the mining +engineer, who knew how to talk to an Oriental, very quickly discovered +that the proprietor of the establishment was a native of the Honan +Province; that Shanghai and the Yangtse and Tung-sha were places not +unknown to them, and then suddenly he put the question toward which he +had been leading the conversation. When Chuan Kai had left China was Red +Knife, the robber, alive? Chuan Kai started at the name and answered +quickly: + +"He is a devil! He will never die." + +"And that was why your men acted strangely when they saw the mark on the +young man's shoulder? They are from your region, too, and they know Red +Knife's mark. It frightened them to find it on an American over here on +this side of the world. That's all right. We've learned all we wish to +know and you need have no fear, Chuan Kai, that any harm will come to +you." + +The Oriental had shown clearly that the mining engineer had hit upon the +truth; there was no necessity of wasting more time in Greensboro. A +little later Teeny-bits and Wolcott Norris were in the Hamilton station +greeting Pa Holbrook, who insisted on taking them home to supper. No one +could be more hospitable than this kindly old couple who made no excuses +for the humbleness of their home and who gave to every one who entered +it the true feeling of welcome. They accepted the mining engineer as a +friend of Teeny-bits. Ma Holbrook said to herself that here was "a real +fine man" and Pa Holbrook's mental comment was that he was a "genuwine +gentleman." Teeny-bits could see that these two persons, to whom he owed +so much, approved of Wolcott Norris, but he was filled with uneasiness +at the thought of telling them what he knew must be told. + +It all came out very simply after the meal was over. The story seemed to +tell itself. Teeny-bits started it and Wolcott Norris helped him out, +and when it was all done and Ma and Pa Holbrook grasped the full import +of its meaning, there was no unpleasant scene. + +Ma Holbrook put her handkerchief to her eyes, and the station agent +said, "There, there, mother, don't cry." + +"I'm not really crying," declared Ma Holbrook. "I'm just a little bit +weepy, I'm so glad for Teeny-bits." + +Pa Holbrook took the mining engineer's hand in his two old, gnarled ones +and said something that made Teeny-bits very happy: + +"Ma and I are old folks and we've kind of worried, you can understand, +about Teeny-bits not having any family when we pass on. He's +_everything_ to us, and of course this coming so sudden sort of works Ma +and me up a mite, but when we're used to it we'll be the happiest people +on the face of the globe to know that our boy has a real dad like you." + +"I know what we'll do," said Ma Holbrook suddenly, "Pa and I will sort +of adopt you, too, Mr. Norris. It don't really seem that you're much +more than old enough to be Teeny-bits' brother, anyway." + +At that the mining engineer got up and stood over by the window blowing +his nose. When he turned round there was a redness about his eyes, and +his voice was husky: + +"It's a wonderful thing to me to know that Teeny-bits has had you two to +look out for him all these years, and it's the best compliment I ever +had for you to say that you'd like to adopt me too. We'll share +Teeny-bits together and I'll be satisfied if I can make him care as much +about me as he cares about you." + +Teeny-bits felt that he ought to say something, but for the life of him +he could not speak a word. He looked at these three persons who meant so +much to him, he thought of all the things that had come to him since +that first day when he climbed the hill to Ridgley School. The whole of +it seemed to pass before his eyes like a panorama suddenly displayed. +How much had happened! How many new friends he had made! How much life +held in store for him! + +Ma Holbrook broke the trend of Teeny-bits' thoughts. + +"Now," she said, smiling through the tears that still gathered in her +eyes, "what are we going to call you?" + +Teeny-bits laughed. He could speak now. "Why, Ma," he said, "there's +only one thing to call me; I've been Teeny-bits all my life and I want +to be Teeny-bits still." + +THE END + + + + +_By_ CLAYTON H. ERNST + +BLIND TRAILS + +_Illustrated by G. A. Harker_ + + +"Clayton H. Ernst has avowedly written his story, 'Blind Trails,' for +'Boys from 12 to 18,' but the blood of any grown up who fails to find a +thrill in the adventures of young Hal Ayres must be thin indeed. 'Blind +Trails' is a far more interesting and better written story of adventure +than many of those recently offered for full grown readers."--_The New +York Sun._ + +"A story full of thrills that will keep the boy of 12 years or more +curled up in the chair before the fire long after bedtime."--_The +Philadelphia North American._ + +"A well-written and exciting story of a fight over the possession of +valuable lumber lands. It is a book far better than the usual run of +those intended for boys in the 'teens."--_The Saint Louis Star._ + +"'Blind Trails' is one of the best of the season's tales for big boys of +sub-college age. It is well written, with real conversations and +skillfully suspended interest, and more character-drawing than is usual +in such stories."--_The Boston Herald._ + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Mark of the Knife, by Clayton H. 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