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diff --git a/33425-h/33425-h.htm b/33425-h/33425-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7f2ff4e --- /dev/null +++ b/33425-h/33425-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,9533 @@ +<!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 Crimson Sweater, by Ralph Henry Barbour</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%; + } + a {text-decoration: none} /* no lines under links */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.85em;} + + .TOC {list-style-type: upper-roman; + margin-left: 3em; + text-align: left; + line-height: 150%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .caption {font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center;} + + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Crimson Sweater, by Ralph Henry Barbour, +Illustrated by C. M. Relyea</h1> +<pre> +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 <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: The Crimson Sweater</p> +<p>Author: Ralph Henry Barbour</p> +<p>Release Date: August 13, 2010 [eBook #33425]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRIMSON SWEATER***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by David Edwards, Graeme Mackreth,<br /> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (<a href="http://www.pgdp.net/c/">http://www.pgdp.net</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by<br /> + Internet Archive/American Libraries<br /> + (<a href="http://www.archive.org/details/americana">http://www.archive.org/details/americana</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/crimsonsweater00barb"> + http://www.archive.org/details/crimsonsweater00barb</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus01.jpg" alt="cover" /> + +</div> + + + + +<div class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;"> +<img src="images/illus02.jpg" alt="game" /> +<a id="illus02" name="illus02"></a> +<p class="caption"> +The final game between Ferry Hill and Hammond.</p></div> + +<h1 style="margin-top: 5em;"> +The<br /> +Crimson Sweater</h1> + +<h3>By</h3> +<h2>Ralph Henry Barbour</h2> +<p style="margin-top: 2em;" class='center'><small> +Author of "The Half-Back," "For the +Honor of the School," etc.</small></p> +<h4> +With Illustrations<br /> +By C.M. Relyea</h4> + +<div class="center" style="margin-top: 10em;"> +<img src="images/illus28.jpg" alt="title" /> </div> + + + +<p style="margin-top: 5em;" class='center'><small> +New York<br /> +The Century Co.<br /> +1906</small> +</p> + +<p style="margin-top: 10em;" class='center'><small> +Copyright, 1905, 1906, by<br /> +<span class="smcap">The Century Co.</span><br /> +<br /> +<i>Published October, 1906</i><br /> +<br /> +THE DE VINNE PRESS</small> +</p> + + +<h3 style="margin-top: 5em;">TO<br /> + +MY KINDLY CRITICS<br /> + +RUTH AND MOLLY</h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + + + + + + + + + +<ul class="TOC"> +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b> <span class="smcap">The Crimson Sweater's First Appearance</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b> <span class="smcap">Roy Makes an Enemy and a Friend</span></b></a> </li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b> <span class="smcap">A Midnight Hazing</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b> <span class="smcap">Roy Changes His Mind</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b> <span class="smcap">Chub Eaton Introduces Himself</span></b></a> </li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b> <span class="smcap">Methuselah Has a Sore Throat</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b> <span class="smcap">Coaches and Players</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b> <span class="smcap">Forrest Loses His Temper and Roy Keeps His +Promise</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b> <span class="smcap">Red Hair and White Rabbits</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b><span class="smcap">The Cross-Country Race</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b> <span class="smcap">Harry Finds a Clue</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b> <span class="smcap">A Night in the Quarry</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XIII'><b> <span class="smcap">Forming the Hockey Team</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XIV'><b> <span class="smcap">The Entertainment and How it Ended</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XV'><b> <span class="smcap">A Defeat, a Victory and a Challenge</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XVI'><b> <span class="smcap">"Just for the School"</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XVII'><b> <span class="smcap">The Hockey Championship is Decided</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XVIII'><b> <span class="smcap">On Fox Island</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XIX'><b> <span class="smcap">A Night Alarm</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XX'><b> <span class="smcap">Roy Visits Hammond</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXI'><b> <span class="smcap">Ferry Hill Changes Its Leader</span> </b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXII'><b> <span class="smcap">The Poaching</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXIII'><b> <span class="smcap">On Inner Bounds</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXIV'><b> <span class="smcap">Sid's Popular Protest—and What Followed</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXV'><b> <span class="smcap">The Boat-Race</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXVI'><b> <span class="smcap">The Game with Hammond</span></b></a></li> + +<li><a href='#CHAPTER_XXVII'><b> <span class="smcap">The Crimson Sweater Disappears</span></b></a></li> +</ul> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + + +<p> +<a href='#illus02'>The Final Game between Ferry Hill and Hammond—</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus03'>Roy Porter </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus04'>"'That will do, Horace,' said the newcomer. 'You can +rest awhile'"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus05'>"Roy lifted his hat, and nodded with a friendly smile, but +his only reward was an unseeing glance from the blue +eyes" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus06'>"'If you'll do your honest best there, I'll stick to you +as long as you live'" </a> <br /> +"'Run along, Porter' counselled the peacemaker" (missing) + +<br /> +<a href='#illus07'>"'Of course I wasn't christened Chub'" </a> +<br /> +"'Poor old 'Thuselah," she murmured"(missing) +<br /> +<a href='#illus08'>"Even Harry joined her shrill voice, the while she waved +her flag valiantly" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus09'>"Roy leaped upward and forward, clearing him by a +foot"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus10'>"'My, what a temper!'" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus11'>"At last Roy stumbled over a root, went head over heels +into a clump of bushes" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus12'>Mr. Cobb and the search-party looking for Roy </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus13'>"'Look where you're going, Mr. Cobb!'" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus14'>"They had gathered chairs of all descriptions from all +over the school" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus15'>"Chub's tambourine flew whirling out of his hand" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus16'>"It was Roy who dashed across the stage"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus17'>Roy giving instruction in hockey</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus18'>"Schonberg made a last despairing effort when twenty +feet from the line" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus19'>"Quiet fell over Fox Island" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus20'>"Roy held his breath and waited" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus21'>"Then slowly, he headed away in the darkness" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus22'>"It was unlocked and the crimson sweater lay in the top +of the till"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus23'>"'When you're down on your luck,' he murmured, 'grin +as hard as you can grin'" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus24'>"'The way that gal sassed me was a caution!'" </a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus25'>"Ten hard ones made a difference"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus26'>"'About this!'"</a> +<br /> +<a href='#illus27'>"Roy's bearers waited" </a> +</p> + + + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>THE CRIMSON SWEATER</h2> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE CRIMSON SWEATER'S FIRST APPEARANCE</p> + + +<p>"Hello, Lobster!"</p> + +<p>The boy in the crimson sweater raised a pair of blue eyes to the +speaker's face and a little frown crept into the sun-burned forehead; +but there was no answer.</p> + +<p>"Where'd you get that sweater?"</p> + +<p>The older boy, a tall, broad-shouldered, deep-chested youth of nineteen, +with a dark, not altogether pleasant face, paused on his way down the +gymnasium steps and put the question sneeringly. Below, on the gravelled +path leading to the athletic field, a little group of fellows had turned +and were watching expectantly; Horace Burlen had a way of taking conceit +out of new boys that was always interesting. To be sure, in the present +case the new boy didn't look especially conceited—unless it is conceit +to appear for football practice in a dandy crimson sweater which must +have cost well up in two figures—but you never could tell, and, anyway, +Horace Burlen was the school leader and had a right to do what he +pleased. Just at present it pleased him to scowl fiercely, for the new +boy was displaying a most annoying deliberation. Horace examined the +other with awakening interest. He was a fairly tall youth, sixteen years +of age, well set up with good chest and shoulders and rather wide hips. +Like Horace, the younger boy was in football togs, only his sweater +instead of being brown was crimson and in place of the letters "F H" +sported by Horace the front of his garment showed where the inscription +"H 2nd" had been ripped away. But the difference between the two boys +didn't end there; Horace Burlen was tall and big and dark; Roy Porter +was several inches shorter, not so wide of shoulder nor so deep of +chest; and whereas Horace's hair was straight and black, Roy's was +light, almost sandy, and was inclined to be curly. Under the hair was a +good-looking sun-browned face, with a short, well-built nose, a good +mouth and a pair of nice grey-blue eyes which at this moment were +regarding Horace calmly. The older boy scowled threateningly.</p> + +<p>"Say, kid, at this school we teach 'em to answer when they're spoken to; +see? Where'd you get that silly red sweater?"</p> + +<p>"It was given to me," answered Roy coolly.</p> + +<p>"Think you'll ever grow enough to fill it?"</p> + +<p>"I guess so."</p> + +<p>"Who gave it to you?"</p> + +<p>"Seems to me they're a bit inquisitive at this school. But if you must +know, my brother gave it to me."</p> + +<p>"Too big for him, wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>Roy smiled.</p> + +<p>"Not to speak of. He got a better one."</p> + +<p>"Hope he changed the color," said Horace with a sneer.</p> + +<p>"Why, yes, he did, as it happened. His new one is black with a crimson +H."</p> + +<p>Horace started and shot a quick glance up and down the form confronting +him.</p> + +<p>"Is your brother Porter of the Harvard eleven?" he asked with a trace of +unwilling respect in his voice. Roy nodded.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you think you can play the game because he can, eh? What's +your name?"</p> + +<p>"Porter," answered Roy sweetly.</p> + +<p>"Don't get fresh," admonished the other angrily. "What's your first +name?"</p> + +<p>"I guess it will do if you just call me Porter," was the reply. There +was a sudden darkening of the blue eyes and in spite of the fact that +the lips still smiled serenely Horace saw the danger signal and +respected it.</p> + +<p>"You're a pretty fresh young kid at present, but you'll get some of it +taken out of you before you're here long," said the school leader +turning away. "And I'd advise you to take off that red rag; it's too +much like the Hammond color to be popular here."</p> + +<p>"Fresh, am I?" mused Roy, watching the other join the group below and +cross the lawn toward the field. "I wonder what he thinks he is? If he +ever asks me I'll mighty soon tell him! Red rag! I'll make him take +that back some day, see if I don't."</p> + +<p>Roy's angry musings were interrupted by the sudden outward swing of the +big oak door behind him. A dozen or so of Ferry Hill boys in football +attire trooped out in company with Mr. Cobb, an instructor who had +charge of the football and baseball coaching. Roy fell in behind the +group, crossed the lawn, passed through the gate in the well-trimmed +hedge and found himself on the edge of the cinder track. The gridiron +had just been freshly marked out for this first practice of the year and +the white lines gleamed brightly in the afternoon sunlight. Half a dozen +footballs were produced from a canvas bag and were speedily bobbing +crazily across the turf or arching up against the blue sky. Roy, +however, remained on the side-line and looked about him.</p> + +<p>Beyond the field was a border of trees and an occasional telegraph pole +marking the road over which he had journeyed the evening before from the +Silver Cove station, where he had left the train from New York—and +home. That word home sounded unusually pleasant to-day. Not that he was +exactly homesick, in spite of the fact that this was his first +experience of boarding school life; he would have been rather indignant, +I fancy, at the suggestion; but he had made the mistake of reaching +Ferry Hill School a day too early, had spent the night in a deserted +dormitory and had killed time since then in arranging his possessions in +the scanty cupboard assigned to him and in watching the arrival of his +future companions. It had been a dull time and he may, I think, be +pardoned if his thoughts turned for an instant a bit wistfully toward +home. Brother Laurence had given him a good deal of advice—probably +very excellent advice—before taking himself away to Cambridge, fall +practice and glory, and part of it was this:</p> + +<p>"Keep a stiff upper lip, Roy, mind your own affairs and when you're down +on your luck or up against a bigger man grin just as hard as you can +grin."</p> + +<p>That was the Harvard way, although Roy didn't know it then. But now he +recalled the advice—and grinned. Then he began again the examination of +his surroundings. Very beautiful surroundings they were, too. To his +left, beyond the turn of the track, were the tennis courts all freshly +limed. Beyond those the trees began and sloped gently upward and away in +a forest of swaying branches. Turning, he saw, below the courts, and +divided from them by a stone wall, a good-sized orchard across which the +apple and pear trees marched as straightly and evenly as a regiment of +soldiers. Below the orchard lay the vegetable garden, filled with the +blue-green of late cabbages and the yellower hues of waving corn. Then, +facing still further about, until the field was at his back, he could +look over the level top of the wide hedge and so down the slope of the +campus. To his right were the two white barns and clustering outhouses +with the tower of School Hall rising beyond them. Further to the left +was the red brick, vine-draped "Cottage," residence of the Principal, +Doctor Emery, and his family. Then, further away down the sloping turf, +stood Burgess Hall, the dormitory and dining room, while here, close by, +was the handsome new gymnasium. Beyond the campus the "Grove," a small +plantation of beech and oaks, shaded the path which led to the river and +the boat house at its margin. A long expanse of the Hudson was in sight +from where he stood, its broad, rippled surface aglint in the September +sunshine. At the far side of the stream, a group of red buildings +huddled under giant elms, stood Hammond Academy, Ferry Hill's life-long +rival. In the far distance loomed the blue summits of the nearer +mountains. Yes, it was all very beautiful and picturesque, and Roy +admitted the fact ungrudgingly; he was very anxious to discover merits +and lovable qualities in the place which was to be his home for the +better part of the next two years.</p> + +<p>"This way, everybody!" called Mr. Cobb, and Roy turned and joined the +group of candidates. There were forty-three students at Ferry Hill that +year, and at first glance it seemed that every last one of them had +decided to try for the football team. But a second look would have found +a handful of juniors whose size or age made them ineligible watching +proceedings from the side-line. And there were one or two older boys, +too, among the spectators, and Roy wondered whether they were +crippled or ill! Surely no healthy boy could be content to watch from +the side-line!</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus03.jpg" alt="porter" /> +<a id="illus03" name="illus03"></a> +<p class="caption"> + Roy Porter</p></div> + +<p>"Fellows who played in the varsity or second last year," directed Mr. +Cobb, "take the other end of the field and practice passing for a while. +I'll be down presently. Captain Rogers won't be out until half-past +four. The rest of you chaps get a couple of balls and come over this +way. That's it. Make a circle and pass the balls around. Stand nearer +together than that, you fellows over there. That's better."</p> + +<p>Roy found himself between a short, stout youth of apparently fourteen +and an older boy whose age might have been anywhere from sixteen to +eighteen. He reminded Roy of a weed which had spent all its time growing +upward and had forgotten to fill out at the sides. He wore a faded brown +sweater with crossed oars dividing the letters F H. Roy experienced a +touch of respect for him as a member of the crew quite out of keeping +with the feeling of amusement aroused by his lanky body, unkempt hair +and unpleasant beady brown eyes. Roy liked the little chunky youth on +his other side better. He was evidently a new hand and was in a +continual funk for fear he would drop the ball when Roy passed it to +him. For this reason Roy took some pains to put it to him easily and +where he could best catch it, a piece of thoughtfulness that more than +once brought a shy glance of gratitude from the youngster's big, round +eyes. But if Roy gave courtesies he received none. The lanky youth +seemed to be trying to slam the ball at Roy as hard as he knew how and +once Roy caught a gleam of malicious amusement from the squinting eyes.</p> + +<p>"Just you wait a minute, my friend," he muttered.</p> + +<p>Despite the tall boy's best endeavors he was unable to make Roy fumble. +No matter where he shot the ball nor how hard he sent it, Roy's hands +gripped themselves about it. After one especially difficult handling of +the pigskin Roy looked up to find Mr. Cobb watching him with evident +approval. The big fellow who had taken exception to the crimson sweater +was not in the squad and Roy concluded that he was one of the last year +team. Presently the order came to reverse and the balls began going the +other way. Here was Roy's chance for revenge and he didn't let it slip. +The first two balls he passed to his tall neighbor quite nicely, but +when the third one reached him he caught it in front of him and without +turning his body sped it on swift and straight for the tall one's chest. +The tall one wasn't expecting it quite so soon and Roy looked properly +regretful when the ball went bobbing away into the center of the circle +and the shaggy-haired youth went sprawling after it, only to miss it at +the first try and have to crawl along on elbows and knees until he had +it snuggled under his body. The tall one rewarded Roy with a scowl when +he got back to his place, but Roy met the scowl with a look of cherubic +innocence, and only Mr. Cobb, watching from outside the circle, smiled +as he turned away. After that Roy kept the tall one guessing, but there +were no more fumbles. Presently Mr. Cobb called a halt.</p> + +<p>"That'll do, fellows. I want to get your names now, so keep your places +a moment."</p> + +<p>Out came a note book and pencil and one by one the candidates' names +were entered. Roy looked on while he awaited his turn and thought that +he was going to like Mr. Cobb. The instructor was rather small, a trifle +bald-headed and apparently a bunch of muscles. His scarcity of hair +could hardly have been due to advanced age for he didn't look a bit over +thirty. In his time he had been a good quarter-back on his college +eleven and one of the best shortstops of his day.</p> + +<p>The small youth at Roy's right, after darting several diffident looks in +his direction, at length summoned courage to address him.</p> + +<p>"You're a new boy, aren't you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Brand new," answered Roy smilingly. "How about you?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I've been here two years." The knowledge lent a degree of assurance +and he went on with less embarrassment. "I was a junior last year and +couldn't play. You know, they won't let the juniors play football here. +Mighty mean, I think, don't you?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't know," answered Roy. "I played when I was twelve, but I +guess it's pretty risky for a kid of that age to do it. How old are +you?"</p> + +<p>"Fourteen. Do you think I'll stand any show to get on the team?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? You look pretty solid. Can you run?"</p> + +<p>"Not very fast. Ferris said I wouldn't have any show at all and so I +thought I'd ask you; you seemed to know about football."</p> + +<p>"Did I? How could you tell?" asked Roy surprisedly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, by the way you—went at it," answered the other vaguely.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see. Who's Ferris?"</p> + +<p>"S-sh!" The small youth lowered his voice. "That's he next to you; Otto +Ferris. He's trying for half-back. He almost made it last year."</p> + +<p>"Is he on the crew?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Number Three. He's a particular chum of Burlen's."</p> + +<p>"You don't say? And who's Burlen?"</p> + +<p>The other's features expressed surprise and something very much like +pain.</p> + +<p>"Don't you know who Burlen is?" he asked incredulously. "Why, he's—"</p> + +<p>But Roy's curiosity had to go unsatisfied for the moment, for Mr. Cobb +appeared with his book.</p> + +<p>"Well, Sidney, you're out for the team at last, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir; do you think I can make it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? You'll have to get rid of some of that fat, though, my boy." +Mr. Cobb turned to Roy.</p> + +<p>"Let's see, I met you last evening, didn't I?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"I thought so; and the name was—er—Brown wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Porter, sir."</p> + +<p>"Oh, Porter; I remember now. How old are you?"</p> + +<p>"Sixteen, sir."</p> + +<p>"Played before, haven't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"Where abouts?"</p> + +<p>"In New York, on my grammar school eleven."</p> + +<p>"What position?"</p> + +<p>"Quarter, first; then left half."</p> + +<p>"Which was the best?"</p> + +<p>"Quarter, I think, sir."</p> + +<p>"What class are you in?"</p> + +<p>"Second senior."</p> + +<p>"Thank you; that's all."</p> + +<p>The coach passed on and Sidney claimed Roy's attention again.</p> + +<p>"Do you think I'm very fat?" he asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>"I should say you had about ten or twelve pounds that might as well come +off," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Does drinking vinegar help?"</p> + +<p>"I never tried it," laughed Roy. "But exercise is a heap surer."</p> + +<p>"All right, fellows," called the coach. "Ferris, you take charge of the +squad until I come back. Let them fall on the ball a while. I want +Gallup and Rogers to come with me."</p> + +<p>A sturdily-built youth stepped out of the group and Mr. Cobb looked +around a trifle impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Rogers!"</p> + +<p>There was no answer. Roy thought the coach was looking at him, but +couldn't think why he should. Then he heard Sidney's voice at his elbow.</p> + +<p>"He means you! He never remembers names. You'd better go."</p> + +<p>Doubtfully Roy stepped forward.</p> + +<p>"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed Mr. Cobb. "What's the trouble with your +ears? Not deaf, are you?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir," answered Roy meekly.</p> + +<p>"That's good. You must keep your ears open here and step lively when +you're called. I'm going to give you two a try on the first squad. Come +on."</p> + +<p>And Mr. Cobb strode briskly off down the field.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<p class='center'>ROY MAKES AN ENEMY AND A FRIEND</p> + + +<p>A few minutes later Roy found himself acting as quarter-back on one of +the two squads made up of last season's first and second. The boy in +front of him, playing center, was a big youth who had a half hour before +insulted his precious sweater and who Roy now discovered to be Horace +Burlen. Burlen hadn't shown himself especially delighted at Roy's +advent, but so far had refrained from addressing him. For a time the +work went well enough. Each squad, since there were not enough players +present to make up two full elevens, held nine men, five in the line and +four behind it, and the work consisted of snapping the ball back by +center and handing it to one of the backs by quarter. No signals were +used and the passing was slow, the idea being merely to accustom the +players to handling the ball. Roy was instructed in the holding of the +pigskin and in passing and the backs in receiving the ball and placing +it against the body. Roy showed an aptitude for the work which more than +vindicated Mr. Cobb's judgment and for ten minutes or so, during which +time Roy's squad traversed the length of the field, there were few +fumbles and few mistakes. But presently, when Mr. Cobb had taken himself +off to the other squad, the cry of "Ball!" went up and Roy was on his +stomach snuggling the oval in his arms. The backs took their places +again and the ball went back to center. This time there was no hitch, +and full-back, followed by left and right halves, trotted through the +line between guard and tackle. But on the next play the erratic pigskin +again eluded Roy's hands, and after that fumbles and the cry of "Ball! +Ball!" became so frequent that Mr. Cobb's attention was attracted and he +came over.</p> + +<p>"What's the trouble here? Who's doing all that fumbling?" he demanded.</p> + +<p>"My fault, sir," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?"</p> + +<p>"I can't seem to get my hands on to it, sir. I don't think—I don't +think it is coming back very well."</p> + +<p>Horace Burlen turned wrathfully.</p> + +<p>"You're no good, that's what's the trouble with you!" he exclaimed. "I'm +sending that ball back same as I always do."</p> + +<p>"Well, try it again," said the coach.</p> + +<p>Strange to tell there were no more fumbles as long as Mr. Cobb was by, +but almost as soon as his back was turned the trouble began again. +Fumbles, perhaps, were not so frequent, but almost always there was +delay in getting the ball from center to back. Finally Horace Burlen +stood up and faced Roy disgustedly.</p> + +<p>"Say, kid, can't you learn to handle that ball?" he asked. "Haven't you +ever seen a football before?"</p> + +<p>Roy strove to keep his temper, which was already at boiling point.</p> + +<p>"I'll do my part if you'll do yours," he said. "You're trying to see how +poorly you can pass."</p> + +<p>"Oh, get out! I played football when you were in the nursery! Maybe if +you'd take that red rag off you'd be able to use your arms."</p> + +<p>Somebody behind him chuckled and Roy had to shut his lips resolutely to +keep back the angry words. Finally,</p> + +<p>"Ball to left half, through left tackle," he called. Horace grunted and +stooped again over the pigskin. Again the ball came back, this time +trickling slowly along on the turf. The next time it came back high and +to the left and was fumbled. Roy said nothing as he recovered it and +pushed it back to center, but it was plain that the fellows, whispering +amongst themselves, were losing interest in the work. Roy, without +turning his head, became aware of the presence of a newcomer behind him. +He supposed it was Mr. Cobb and hoped the coach would notice the manner +in which Burlen was snapping back. This time the ball was deliberately +sent back to Roy as hard as Horace could send it with the result that it +bounded from his hands before he could close his fingers about it and +went wiggling off across the turf. Roy, arising to go after it, almost +ran into a tall, good-looking youth of apparently eighteen, a youth +with clean-cut features and snapping grey eyes.</p> + +<p>"That will do, Horace," said the newcomer dryly. "You can rest awhile. +You're pretty bad."</p> + +<p>The center, facing around with a start of mingled surprise and dismay, +met the unsmiling eyes of the captain with an attempt at bravado.</p> + +<p>"Hello, Jack," he said. "It's about time you came. They've given us the +worst apology for a quarter you ever saw. Why, he can't hold the ball!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I noticed it," replied Jack Rogers. "And I noticed that you seemed +to have an idea that this practice is just for fun. You'd better take a +couple of turns around the track and go in. O Ed! Ed Whitcomb! Come over +here and play center. Fernald, you take Ed's place on the other squad."</p> + +<p>The changes were made in a trice. After a muttered protest that the +captain paid no heed to and a threatening look at Roy, Horace Burlen +took himself off. The captain went into the left of the line and +practice was taken up again. After that there was no more trouble. +Presently Mr. Cobb called a halt and the candidates were put at punting +and catching, which, followed by a trot twice around the quarter-mile +cinder track, completed the afternoon's work.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus04.jpg" alt="horace" /> +<a id="illus04" name="illus04"></a> +<p class="caption"> + +"'That will do, Horace,' said the newcomer. 'You can rest +awhile.'"</p></div> + +<p>Roy had worked rather hard and, as a result, he found himself pretty +well out of breath when the second lap was half over. He had gradually +dropped back to last place in the straggling procession and when the +end of the run was in sight he was practically alone on the track, +almost all of the others having turned in through the gate and made for +the gym. Roy had just finished the turn at an easy jog when he heard +cries of distress from the direction of the stables behind him.</p> + +<p>"Spot, drop it! Oh, you bad, wicked cat! John! John! Where are you, +John? Spot! <i>Spot! O-o-oh!</i>" The exclamations ended in a wild, +long-drawn wail of feminine anguish.</p> + +<p>"A girl," thought Roy. "Wonder what's up. Guess I'd better go see."</p> + +<p>Turning, he struck off from the track at a run, crossed a triangle of +turf and found himself confronted by the wide hedge. But he could see +over it, and what he saw was an odd little enclosure formed by one end +of the barn and two walls of packing cases and boxes piled one upon +another. In the center of the enclosure stood a girl with the bluest of +blue eyes, the reddest of red hair and the most despairing of freckled +faces. At first glance she seemed to be surrounded by dogs and cats and +pigeons; afterwards Roy found that the animals were not so numerous as +had first appeared. The girl saw Roy quite as soon as he saw her.</p> + +<p>"Oh, quick, <i>quick</i>!" she commanded, pointing toward the roof of a low +shed nearby. "Spot has got one of the babies and he's killing it! Can't +you hurry, boy?"</p> + +<p>Roy looked doubtfully at the broad hedge. Then he retreated a few steps, +took a running jump, landing three-quarters way across the top and +wriggled himself to the ground on the other side in a confusion of +circling pigeons.</p> + +<p>"Where?" he gasped when he had gathered himself up.</p> + +<p>"There!" shrieked the girl, still pointing tragically. "Can't you climb +up and get it away from him? Can't you do anything, you—you stupid +silly?"</p> + +<p>At last Roy saw the reason for her fright. On the edge of the shed roof, +lashing his tail in ludicrous ferocity, crouched a half-grown cat, and +under his claws lay a tiny young white rabbit. Roy looked hurriedly +about for a stick, but nothing of the description lay at hand. Meanwhile +the red-haired girl taunted him to action, interspersing wails of +despair with pleas for help and sprinkling the whole with +uncomplimentary reflections on his courage and celerity.</p> + +<p>"Aren't you going to do <i>anything</i>?" she wailed. "Are you going to stand +there all night? Oh, please, <i>please</i> rescue him!"</p> + +<p>The reflection on Roy's celerity weren't at all merited, for scarcely a +quarter of a minute had passed since his advent. But if "the baby" was +to be rescued there was no time to lose. The cat, apparently not +understanding what all the noise and excitement was about, still held +his captive and looked down wonderingly from the edge of the roof. Roy +hesitated for just an instant longer. Then he seized the first +apparently empty box that came to hand, turned it upside-down at the +corner of the shed, and, amidst more despairing shrieks than ever, +leaped onto it. Perhaps he was scared by the sudden appearance of Roy's +head over the edge of the roof, perhaps by the renewed and more +appalling clamor; at all events the cat abandoned his prey on the +instant and took off along the roof. Roy managed to save the rabbit from +a bad fall by catching it in one hand just as it rolled over the edge +and in another moment was holding it forth, a very badly frightened +little mass of white fur and pink eyes, to its distressed mistress. But +strange to say the mistress seemed more anguished than ever. What she +was saying Roy couldn't for the life of him make out, but it was +evidently something uncomplimentary to him. In another moment the +mystery was explained. Following the excited gestures of the red-haired +girl, Roy turned just in time to see the box upon which he had stood +topple and fall. Whereupon from out of it stalked a highly insulted red +and green parrot, quite the largest Roy had ever seen. The bird emerged +with ruffled plumage and wrathful eyes, cocked his head on one side and +remarked fretfully in a shrill voice:</p> + +<p>"Well, I never did! Naughty Poll! Naughty Poll!"</p> + +<p>Then he chuckled wickedly and rearranged his feathers with a formidable +beak. After that he turned and viewed Roy with a glittering, beady eye, +and,</p> + +<p>"Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing!" he +shrieked at the top of his voice.</p> + +<p>This outburst was so unexpected and excruciating that Roy gave back +before it. But as though satisfied with the dismay he had caused the +parrot broke out into a shrill burst of laughter and waddled toward the +girl, who had now transferred her attention to the rescued rabbit.</p> + +<p>"I—I didn't know he was in the box," stammered Roy.</p> + +<p>"No, I don't suppose you did," answered the girl grudgingly. "Boys are +so stupid! You might have killed him! Come here, Methuselah, and tell me +all about it. Did the wicked boy frighten you most to death? Did he? +Well, he was a wicked thing, so he was."</p> + +<p>The parrot closed his beak carefully about one of her fingers and was +lifted to her arm, where he sat in ruffled dignity and stared at Roy +with malevolent gaze. The rescued rabbit lay meanwhile, a palpitating +bunch of white, in the girl's other hand. Presently, having examined him +carefully for damages and found none, she stepped to one of the boxes +and deposited him on a litter of straw and cabbage leaves.</p> + +<p>"I've had such horrid luck with the babies," she said confidently, her +indignation apparently forgotten. "There were three at first. Then one +died of rheumatism—at least, I'm almost sure it was rheumatism,—and +one was killed by a rat and now only poor little Angel is left. I call +him Angel," she explained, turning to her audience, "because he is so +white. Don't you think it is a very appropriate name?"</p> + +<p>Roy nodded silently. Like the parrot, he had had his temper a bit +ruffled; the girl's remarks had not been especially complimentary. If +she guessed his feelings she showed no signs of it. Instead,</p> + +<p>"You're a new boy, aren't you?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"What's your name?"</p> + +<p>"Roy Porter."</p> + +<p>"Mine's Harry—I mean Harriet Emery; they call me Harry. Harriet's a +beast of a name, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>Roy hesitated, somewhat taken back.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you needn't mind being polite," continued the girl. "I hate polite +people—I mean the kind that say things they don't mean just to be nice +to you. Harriet is a beast of a name; I don't care if I was named for +Aunt Harriet Beverly. I hate it, don't you? Oh, I forgot! You're one of +the polite sort!"</p> + +<p>"No, I'm not," answered Roy, laughing. "I don't like Harriet any better +than you do. But I like Harry."</p> + +<p>"Do you?" she asked eagerly. "Honest? Hope to die?"</p> + +<p>"Hope to die," echoed Roy gravely.</p> + +<p>"Then you may call me Harry."</p> + +<p>"Thanks. Is Doctor Emery your father?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. Only they don't call him Doctor Emery—the boys, I mean."</p> + +<p>"Don't they? What do they call him?"</p> + +<p>"Emmy," answered Harry with a giggle. "It's such a funny name for papa! +And mamma they call 'Mrs. Em.'"</p> + +<p>"And they call you Harry?" said Roy for want of something better to say. +Harry's head went up on the instant and her blue eyes flashed.</p> + +<p>"You'd better believe they don't! That is, not many of them. They call +me <i>Miss</i> Harry."</p> + +<p>"Oh, excuse me," Roy apologized. "<i>Miss</i> Harry."</p> + +<p>Harry hesitated. Then,</p> + +<p>"Those that I like call me Harry," she said. "And you—you rescued the +baby. So—you may call me Harry, without the Miss, you know."</p> + +<p>"I'll try to deserve the honor," replied Roy very gravely.</p> + +<p>Harry observed him suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"There you go being polite and nasty," she said crossly. Then, with a +sudden change of manner, she advanced toward him with one very brown and +somewhat dirty little hand stretched forth and a ludicrous smirk on her +face. "I forgot you were a new boy," she said. "I hope your stay with us +will be both pleasant and profitable."</p> + +<p>Roy accepted the proffered hand bewilderedly.</p> + +<p>"There," she said, with a little shake of her shoulders and a quick +abandonment of the funny stilted tone and manner, "there, that's done. +Mamma makes me do that, you know. It's awfully silly, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>Methuselah, who, during the conversation, had remained perched silently +on the girl's shoulder, now decided to take part in the proceedings.</p> + +<p>"Well, I never did!" he exclaimed hoarsely. "Can't you be quiet? Naughty +Poll! Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing!"</p> + +<p>This resulted in his banishment, Roy, at Harry's request, returning the +borrowed box to its place, and the parrot being placed therein with +strict injunctions to remain there.</p> + +<p>"Doesn't he ever get away?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, sometimes. Once he got into the stable and went to sleep on +the head of John's bed. John's the gardener, you know. And when he came +in and saw Methuselah sitting there he thought it was an evil spirit and +didn't stop running until he reached the cottage. My, he was scared!" +And Harry giggled mischievously at the recollection.</p> + +<p>Then Roy was formally introduced to the numerous residents of the +enclosure. Snip, a fox terrier, had already made friends. Lady Grey, a +maltese Angora cat, who lay curled up contentedly in one of the lower +tier of boxes, received Roy's caresses with well-bred condescension. +Joe, one of her kittens, and a brother of the disgraced Spot, showed +more interest and clawed Roy's hand in quite a friendly way. In other +boxes were a squirrel called "Teety," two white guinea pigs, a family of +rabbits, six white mice and a bantam hen who resented Roy's advent with +a very sharp beak. And all about fluttered grey pigeons and white +pigeons, fan-tails and pouters and many more the names of which Roy +quickly forgot. And while the exhibition was going on Roy observed the +exhibitor with not a little interest.</p> + +<p>Harriet—begging her pardon! Harry—Emery was fourteen years old, fairly +tall for her age, not overburdened with flesh and somewhat of a tomboy. +Considering the fact that she had been born and had lived all her short +life at a boys' school the latter fact is not unnatural. I might almost +say that she had been a trifle spoiled. That, however, would be rather +unkind, for it was just that little spice of spoiling that had made +Harry so natural and unaffected. The boys called Harry "a good fellow," +and to Harry no praise could have been sweeter. As might have been +expected, she had grown up with a fondness for boys' sports and +interests, and could skate as well if not better than any pupil Ferry +Hill had ever known, could play tennis well, could handle a pair of oars +knowingly and wasn't <i>very</i> much afraid of a swiftly-thrown baseball. +Her muscles were hard and illness was something she had long since +forgotten about. But in spite of her addiction for boys' ways there was +still a good deal of the girl about her, and she was capable of a dozen +different emotions in as many minutes.</p> + +<p>Roy decided that she was rather pretty. Her hair was luridly red, but +many persons would have called it beautiful. Her eyes were very blue and +had a way of looking at you that was almost disconcerting in its frank +directness. Her face was brown with sunburn, but there was color in the +cheeks. A short, somewhat pugnacious little nose, not guiltless of +freckles, went well with the red-lipped, mischievous mouth beneath. For +the rest, Harry was a wholesome, lovable little minx with the kindest +heart that ever beat under a mussy white shirt-waist and the quickest +temper that ever went with red hair.</p> + +<p>Roy's examination of his new acquaintance was suddenly interrupted by +the subject, who swung around upon him with an expression of great +severity.</p> + +<p>"Do you know," she asked, "that the boys aren't allowed in here without +permission and that if papa finds it out you'll be punished?"</p> + +<p>Roy shook his head in bewilderment.</p> + +<p>"And," continued Harry impressively, "that John is coming along the +lane, and that if he sees you here he'll have to report you, and—"</p> + +<p>"What shall I do?" asked Roy, looking about for an avenue of escape.</p> + +<p>"Why," said Harry, laughing enjoyably at his discomfiture, "just stay +where you are. I'm the one who gives permission!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<p class='center'>A MIDNIGHT HAZING</p> + + +<p>After the lights were out that night Roy lay for quite a while in his +bed in the Senior Dormitory reviewing the day. He was tired as a result +of the football practice and he had a lame tendon in his left leg which +he believed he had sustained in his flying leap onto the hedge when +going to the relief of Angel, and which bothered him a little now that +he had stopped using it. But his weariness and soreness hadn't kept him +from eating an enormous dinner in the Dining Hall down stairs, any more +than it was going to keep him from going to sleep in a few minutes.</p> + +<p>During dinner he had begun to feel at home. He had found himself at Mr. +Cobb's table, which later on would be weeded out to make room for the +football players, and had sat next to Captain Rogers, who had spoken to +him several times quite affably, but not about football. The other +fellows, too, had shown a disposition to accept him as one of them, if +we omit Horace Burlen and Otto Ferris, and by the time Roy had scraped +the last morsel of pudding from his dish he had commenced to think that +life at Ferry Hill might turn out to be "both pleasant and profitable," +as Harry had phrased it. After dinner he had spent the better part of an +hour in the study room on the first floor composing a letter home. That +finished, he had wandered down to the river and had been mildly rebuked +by Mr. Buckman, an instructor, for going out of bounds after eight +o'clock. There had been prayers at nine in the two dormitories and after +that, in the midst of shouts and laughter and general "rough house," he +had undressed, washed, donned his pajamas and jumped into the narrow +white enamelled bed to which he had been assigned.</p> + +<p>Tomorrow lessons would begin and he wondered how he was going to fare. +He had entered on a certificate from his grammar school and had been put +into the Second Senior Class. If he could keep up with that he would be +ready for college in two years. Roy's father pretended to think him +backward because he would not enter until he was eighteen, and delighted +in telling him of boys who had gone to college at sixteen. But Roy's +mother always came to his defence. There was no sense, she declared +warmly, in boys going to college before they were old enough to +understand what it meant and to derive benefit from the life. And Roy's +father would shake his head dubiously and mutter that he had never +expected a son of his to be a dullard.</p> + +<p>Greek and English were what Roy was afraid of. Latin and mathematics +held no terrors for him. As for the other studies, he believed he could +worry along with them all right. His mother had hinted hopefully of a +scholarship, but Roy knew his capabilities better than she did and +looked for no such honors.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the dormitory, full of whispers and repressed laughter for the +first few minutes of darkness, had become silent save for a snore here +and there. Roy's thoughts wandered back to the football field and to +Horace Burlen, who was lying somewhere near in the dark, and presently +his eyelids fell together and he was asleep.</p> + +<p>How long he slept he never knew, but when he awoke suddenly to find +hands gently shaking him by the shoulders it seemed that it must be +morning. But the dormitory was still in darkness and the breathing of +the sleepers still sounded.</p> + +<p>"Get up and don't make any noise," commanded a voice at his ear. +Sleepily, he strove to get his thoughts together. For a moment nothing +was very clear to him. Then the command was repeated a trifle +impatiently and Roy began to understand.</p> + +<p>"What for?" he asked, temporizing.</p> + +<p>"Never you mind. Just you do what we tell you, and mind you make no fuss +about it. There are a dozen of us here and we won't stand any nonsense."</p> + +<p>Roy hadn't given any thought to hazing, but now he concluded that, to +use his own inelegant expression, he "was up against it." Of course, if +it was the custom to haze new boys there was no use making a fuss about +it, no use in playing baby. The only thing that bothered him was that +the speaker's voice sounded unpleasantly like Horace Burlen's and there +was no telling to what lengths that youth's dislike might lead him. +However, his companions, whoever they were, would probably see fair +play. So Roy, with a sigh, tumbled softly out of bed. He could just see +indistinct forms about him and hear their breathing.</p> + +<p>"Hold still," said the voice, and Roy, obeying, felt a bandage being +pressed against his eyes and secured behind his head. Then, with a hand +grasping each arm, he was led silently across the floor. Down two +flights of stairs he was conducted, through the lower hall and then the +chill night air struck his face. More steps, this time the granite +flight in front of the hall, and his bare feet were treading +uncomfortably on the gravel. So far there had been no sounds from his +captors. Now, however, they began to whisper amongst themselves and, +although he couldn't hear what was being said, he gathered that they +were undecided as to where to take him. The procession halted and all +save the two who stood guard beside him drew away. The night air began +to feel decidedly chill and he realized that cotton pajamas aren't the +warmest things to wear for a nocturnal jaunt in late September. +Presently the others returned and they started on again. In a moment the +path began to descend and Roy remembered with a sinking heart that he +had trod that same path earlier in the evening and that at the end of it +lay the river!</p> + +<p>By this time his teeth were chattering and he was quite out of sympathy +with the adventure. For a moment he considered escape. But if, as the +leader of the expedition had stated, there were a dozen fellows in the +party, he would be recaptured as sure as fate. Unconsciously he held +back.</p> + +<p>"None of that," said the voice threateningly, and he was pulled forward +again. For a few steps he tried digging his heels in the ground, but it +hurt and did no good anyhow. So he went on without further resistance. +In a minute the procession stopped. Then he heard the keel of a boat +grate lightly on the pebbles.</p> + +<p>"Step up," was the command. Roy obeyed and felt the planking of the +float under his bare feet. Then,</p> + +<p>"Get into the boat," said the voice. Roy did so very cautiously and +found a seat. Oars were dipped into the water and the boat moved softly +away from the landing.</p> + +<p>"Can you swim?" asked the voice, and this time Roy was certain that it +was Horace Burlen's. For an instant he wondered what would happen if he +said no. Probably they would devise some punishment quite as +uncomfortable as a ducking in the lake. The latter wasn't very +terrifying, and, at all events, the water couldn't be much colder than +the air was! So,</p> + +<p>"Yes," he answered, and heard a chuckle.</p> + +<p>"Good, you'll have a chance to prove it!"</p> + +<p>For what seemed several minutes the boat was paddled onward. By this +time, thought Roy, they must be a long way from shore, and he suddenly +wondered, with a little sinking at his heart, whether the current was +very strong thereabouts and how, when he was in the water, he was to +tell in which direction the land lay. Then the oars had ceased creaking +in the rowlocks and the boat was rocking very gently in the water.</p> + +<p>"Stand up," said the voice. Hands guided him as he obeyed and steadied +him.</p> + +<p>"When I count three you will jump into the water and swim for land," +continued the leader.</p> + +<p>"You've got to take this thing off my eyes, though," protested Roy.</p> + +<p>"That may not be," answered the voice sternly, and Roy caught a giggle +from behind him which was quickly suppressed.</p> + +<p>"Then I'm hanged if I'll do it," he said doggedly.</p> + +<p>"Better to jump than be thrown," was the ominous reply.</p> + +<p>Roy considered.</p> + +<p>"Which way do I swim?" he asked. "Where's the landing?"</p> + +<p>"That you will discover for yourself. We may tell you no more."</p> + +<p>"Don't see that you've told me much of anything," muttered Roy +wrathfully. "How do you fellows know that there isn't a big old rock +here? Want me to bust my head open?"</p> + +<p>"We are in clear water," was the answer. "And"—and now the formal +phraseology was abandoned—"if you don't hurry up and get ready we'll +plaguey soon heave you in head over heels."</p> + +<p>"Oh, go to thunder, you old bully!" growled Roy. "Go ahead and do your +counting. I'd rather be in the river than here with you."</p> + +<p>"Take him out farther," said the voice angrily. But the order wasn't +obeyed. Instead there was a whispered discussion and finally the voice +said:</p> + +<p>"All right. Now then, all ready, kid! One!... Two!... Three!"</p> + +<p>The grasp on Roy's arms was relaxed, he raised them above his head and +sprang outward. But just as he was clearing the boat a hand shot forward +and grasped his ankle just long enough to spoil his dive. Then he had +struck the water flat on his stomach and, with the breath gone from his +body, felt it close over his head.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<p class='center'>ROY CHANGES HIS MIND</p> + + +<p>For an instant his arms thrashed wildly. Then he was standing, gasping +and sputtering, with the bandage torn away and the ripples breaking +against his thighs! From the bank, only a few feet away, came roars of +laughter, diminishing as his captors, having drawn the boat up onto the +little pebbly beach, stumbled up the path toward the school. And Roy, +shivering and chattering, stood there in a scant three feet of icy water +and impotently shook his fist in the darkness!</p> + +<p>At first, as he scrambled with his bare feet over the sharp pebbles to +the shore, he could not understand what had happened. Then he realized +that all the rowing had been in circles, or possibly back and forth +along the shore. For some reason this made him madder than if they had +really made him dive into deep water beyond his depth. They had made a +perfect fool of him! And all the way back up the hill and across the +campus he vowed vengeance—when his chattering teeth would let him!</p> + +<p>A few minutes later, divested of his wet pajamas, he was under the +covers again, striving to get some warmth back into his chilled body. +When he had tiptoed noiselessly into the dormitory whispers had greeted +him and unseen persons had asked softly whether he had found the water +warm, how the walking was and how he liked diving. But Roy had made no +answer and soon the voices had been stilled. Sleep was long in coming to +him and when it did it brought such unpleasant dreams that he found +little rest.</p> + +<p>At breakfast, when the announcements were read by Mr. Buckman, Roy found +himself one of four boys summoned to call on Dr. Emery at the office in +School Hall after the meal was over. Looking up he encountered the eyes +of Horace Burlen fixed upon him threateningly. Roy smiled to himself. So +they were afraid that he would tell on them, were they? Well, they'd +see!</p> + +<p>When Roy's turn to enter the office came, after a few minutes of waiting +in the outer room in company with the school secretary, he found himself +a little bit nervous. Perhaps the Principal had already learned of last +night's mischief and held him to blame in the matter.</p> + +<p>But when, five minutes or so later, Roy came out again he looked quite +contented. In the outer office he encountered Mr. Buckman, who nodded to +him, paused as though about to speak, apparently thought better of it +and passed on into the Principal's room. Roy hurried over to the Senior +Dormitory, armed himself with books, pad and pencils and managed to +reach his first class just as the doors were being closed. Lessons went +well enough that first day, and when, at four o'clock, Roy trotted onto +the gridiron for afternoon practice he hadn't a worry in the world. +Perhaps that is one reason why he did such good work at quarter on the +second squad that Jack Rogers patted him once on the shoulder and told +him to "keep it up, Porter," while Mr. Cobb paid him the compliment of +almost remembering his name!</p> + +<p>"Good work, Proctor!" said the coach.</p> + +<p>There were several absentees that afternoon, notably Horace Burlen and +Otto Ferris, and there was much discussion amongst the fellows as to the +reason. Before practice was over the report had got around that the +absent ones had been "placed on inner bounds." Roy didn't know just what +that meant, but it sounded pretty bad, and he was almost sorry for the +culprits. When, after practice was over, Roy did his two laps with the +others, he looked across the hedge as he passed the stables. The doves +were circling about in the late sunshine and the wicked Spot was sunning +himself on the edge of the shed roof, but the girl with the red hair was +not in sight.</p> + +<p>At supper Roy found a decided change in the attitude of the fellows +toward him. Instead of the friendly, half curious glances of the night +before, the looks he received were cold and contemptuous. For the most +part, however, the fellows avoided noticing him and all during the meal +only Jack Rogers and Mr. Cobb addressed him, the former to inquire where +he had played football before coming to Ferry Hill and the latter to +offer him a second helping of cold meat. Later Roy accidentally +overheard a conversation not intended for his ears. He was in the study +room, whither he had taken his books. The window beside him was open and +under it, on the granite steps outside, was a group of the younger boys.</p> + +<p>"Emmy called them to the office at noon," one boy was saying, "and +raised an awful row with them. Said hazing was forbidden, and they knew +it, and that he had a good mind to send them all home. He tried to get +them to tell who started it, but they wouldn't. So he put them all on +inner bounds for a month."</p> + +<p>"How'd he know who was in it?" asked another boy.</p> + +<p>"Why, the new chap squealed, of course!" was the contemptuous answer. +"Horace Burlen says so. Says he doesn't know how he guessed the other +fellows, but supposes he recognized him by his voice. A mighty dirty +trick, I call it."</p> + +<p>"That's the way with those public school fellows," said a third speaker. +"They haven't any principles."</p> + +<p>"It's going to just about bust up the eleven," said the first boy. "Why, +there's Burlen and Ferris and Gus Pryor and Billy Warren all football +men!"</p> + +<p>"Mighty little difference Otto Ferris's absence will make, though."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he'd have made the team this year, all right."</p> + +<p>"Well, a month isn't very long. They'll get back in time to play the big +games."</p> + +<p>"S'posing they do, silly! How about practice? If Hammond beats us this +year it will be that Porter fellow's fault."</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he told on them," said a low voice that Roy recognized +as Sidney Welch's. "He—he doesn't look like that sort!"</p> + +<p>"Doesn't, eh? Then who did tell? Think they peached on themselves?" was +the scathing reply. "You'd better not let Horace hear you talking like +that, Sid!"</p> + +<p>Roy stole away to a distant table with burning cheeks and clenched +hands.</p> + +<p>When bedtime came things were even worse. All the time he was undressing +he was aware that he was the subject of much of the whispered discussion +around him and the hostile glances that met him made silence almost +impossible. But silent he was, doing his best to seem unaware of what +the others were thinking and saying. He passed down the dormitory to the +wash-room with head held high and as unconcerned a look as he could +manage, but he was heartily thankful when Mr. Cobb put his head out of +the door of his room at the end of the dormitory, announced "Bed, +fellows," and switched off the electric lights. Roy wasn't very happy +while he lay awake there in the darkness waiting for sleep to come to +him. He had made a sorry beginning of school life, he reflected +bitterly. To be sure, he might deny that he had told on Burlen and his +companions, but what good would it do when every fellow believed as they +did? No, the only way was to brave it out and in time win back the +fellows' respect. But how he hated Horace Burlen! Some day, how or when +he did not know, he would get even with Burlen! Meanwhile sleep came to +him after a while and he fell into troubled dreams.</p> + +<p>The next day his cup of bitterness was filled yet fuller. Harry cut him! +He met her on the way across the campus at noon. She was immaculately +tidy in a blue skirt and a fresh white shirt-waist and her red hair fell +in a neat braid at her back. She carried a bundle of books under her arm +and Snip, the fox terrier, ran beside her. Roy nodded with a friendly +smile, but his only reward was an unseeing glance from the blue eyes. +The color flamed into Roy's face and he hurried on with bent head. I +think Harry regretted her action the next instant, for when he had +passed she turned and looked after him with a little wistful frown on +her face.</p> + +<p>On the football field life wasn't much pleasanter than in hall. Roy had +already worked himself into the position of first substitute +quarter-back, and Bacon, the last year's quarter, was looking anxious +and buckling down to work in a way that showed he was not over-confident +of holding his place. But when the men before and behind you had rather +make you look ridiculous than play the game you are in a hard way. And +that was Roy's fix. Whitcomb, who was playing center in Burlen's +absence, was inclined to treat Roy rather decently, but there were +others in the squad who never let slip an opportunity to worry him. The +way his signals were misunderstood was extraordinary. Not that it +mattered so much these days, since practice was in its most primitive +stage, but after three afternoons of such treatment Roy was ready to +give up the fight. After practice on Saturday he waited for Jack Rogers +outside the gymnasium and ranged himself alongside the older boy as he +turned toward the dormitory. Jack shot a quick glance at him and nodded.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus05.jpg" alt="blue eyes" /> +<a id="illus05" name="illus05"></a> +<p class="caption"> + + "Roy lifted his hat, and nodded with a friendly smile, +but his only reward was an unseeing glance from the blue eyes."</p></div> + +<p>"I thought I'd better tell you," began Roy, "that I've decided to give +up football."</p> + +<p>"Think so?" asked the captain dryly.</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied Roy, looking a little bit surprised. There was nothing +further from the other and Roy strode on at his side, trying to match +his long stride and somewhat embarrassedly striving to think of what to +say next.</p> + +<p>"You see," he said finally, "there's no use in my trying to play quarter +while the fellows are down on me. It's just a waste of time. I—I don't +seem to be able to get things right."</p> + +<p>What he meant was that the others were doing their best to get things +wrong, but he didn't want to seem to be complaining of them to Rogers. +The latter turned and observed Roy thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"That your only reason?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's stop here a minute if you've got time." The two seated +themselves on a wooden bench under the trees a few yards from the +entrance to the dormitory. "You're new here," continued Jack, "and there +are some things you don't know. One of the things is this: we've got to +win from Hammond this Fall if we have to work every minute between now +and the day of the game. They beat us last year and they didn't do it +very squarely. That is, they played a great big fellow named Richardson +at right guard who had no business on their team. We protested him, but +it did no good. He was a student of the academy at the time, and +although we knew he was there just to play football, we couldn't do +anything beyond making the protest. As it turned out we were right, for +Richardson left Hammond a week after the game, and this year he's +playing on a college team. He was a big fellow, twenty years old, +weighed two hundred pounds and simply played all around our men. He used +up two of them before the game was over. He played mighty dirty ball, +too. Our captain last year was Johnny King—he's playing with Cornell +this year—and he was plucky clean through. The whole school was in +favor of refusing to play Hammond, and Cobb was with us. But King said +he'd play them if they had the whole Yale varsity to pick from. When we +went out for the second half with the score eleven to nothing against us +he said to me: 'Jack, you'll be captain next year, and I want you to +remember to-day's game. Get a team together that will lick Hammond. Work +for it all the Fall. Never mind what other teams do to you; keep Hammond +in mind every minute. Lose every other game on the schedule if you have +to, but beat Hammond, Jack! I'll do all I can to get coaches for you, +and I'll come down myself for a day or two if I can possibly manage it. +What do you say?' I said 'All right, Johnnie,' and we shook hands on it. +Hammond scored again in that half, and after it was over we had to carry +Johnnie back to the gym. Well?"</p> + +<p>He stopped and looked inquiringly at Roy.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'll go ahead and play," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"That's better. You're one of us now, and that means that you've got to +work yourself blue in the face if necessary to make up for what Hammond +did to us last Fall. I can't promise you that you'll get into the game, +although I don't see why you shouldn't, but even if you don't, even if +you stay on the second all season you'll be doing just as much toward +winning the game as any of us—if you'll do your best and a little more. +And it mustn't make any difference to you how the fellows treat you or +what they say. You're there to play football and run your team. Of +course, what takes place between you and the others is none of my +business and I shan't step in to help you, not once; but just as soon as +I find that they are risking the success of the eleven you can count on +me to back you up. I won't stand any nonsense from them, and they know +it; or if they don't know it now they mighty soon will. They say you +gave away the fellows who hazed you the other night. I don't know +whether you did or didn't, and I don't want you to tell me. I don't +care. You can play football, and that's enough for me. I wouldn't care +this year if you had stolen the cupola of School Hall. I have nothing to +do with what you are off the football field. If you'll do your honest +best there I'll stick to you as long as you live. Will you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Good! Shake hands! Now let's go on."</p> + +<p>"About that hazing affair, though," said Roy as they left the seat. "I'd +like to tell you—"</p> + +<p>"I don't want to be told," answered Jack curtly. "If you told on Burlen +and the others maybe you had reason, and if you're a decent sort of a +chap they'll get over it in time. If you didn't you've got nothing to +worry about. If a chap plays fair and square fellows pretty soon know +it. See you at supper. So long."</p> + +<p>Jack turned down the path toward the Cottage and Roy ran up the steps of +Burgess Hall with a lighter heart than he had had for several days.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus06.jpg" alt="stickiness" /> +<a id="illus06" name="illus06"></a> +<p class="caption"> + + "'If you'll do your honest best there, I'll stick to you +as long as you live.'"</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<p class='center'>CHUB EATON INTRODUCES HIMSELF</p> + + +<p>Roy had stayed to speak to Mr. Buckman after the geometry class had been +dismissed, and so, when he reached the entrance of the hall on his way +out, he found the broad granite steps well lined with boys. Nearly a +week had passed since the hazing episode and the beginning of the +present ostracism, and during that period Roy had become, if not used to +it, at least in a measure inured. The smaller boys—the Juniors—were +the worst, and they, Roy felt certain, were being constantly egged on by +Horace Burlen and his chums, of whom Otto Ferris was apparently the +closest. Horace himself refrained from active animosity. When he met Roy +he pretended to consider the latter beneath notice and did no more than +sneer as he turned his head away. But Otto never allowed an opportunity +to be mean to escape him. And to-day, an opportunity presenting itself, +he seized upon it.</p> + +<p>Roy, looking straight ahead, passed down the steps, trying hard to +forget that well nigh every eye was fixed upon him. He had reached the +last step but one and the ordeal was almost over when Otto saw his +chance. The next instant Roy had measured his length on the gravel path +below and his books and papers lay scattered about him. He scrambled to +his feet with blazing cheeks and eyes and strode toward Otto. The +latter, too, got to his feet, but showed no overmastering desire to meet +the other. Instead he retreated a step and began to look anxious.</p> + +<p>"You tripped me up," charged Roy angrily.</p> + +<p>"Who tripped you up?" asked Otto. "You fell over my foot. You ought to +look where you're going."</p> + +<p>Some of the older boys, their sympathies aroused by Roy's fall, moved +between the two. The youngsters gave vocal support to Otto until +commanded to "cut it out." Roy attempted to push by one of the boys, but +was restrained.</p> + +<p>"Run along, Porter," counselled the peacemaker. "It was a shabby trick, +but you won't do any good by scrapping."</p> + +<p>"Supposing you keep out of it," suggested Roy angrily.</p> + +<p>"Now don't you get fresh," answered the other warmly. "You can't scrap +here, so run along as I told you. I dare say you only got what was +coming to you."</p> + +<p>"He deserved it, the sneak!" cried Otto, who, divided from the enemy by +strong defences, had recovered his bravery. Roy heard and threw +discretion to the winds. He ducked under the arm of the boy in front of +him and had almost reached Otto when he was caught and dragged back. +Otto, standing his ground because he could not retreat, looked vastly +relieved. Roy struggled in the grasp of his captors.</p> + +<p>"You let me go!" he cried. "It's none of your affair. Why don't you let +him look after himself, you bullies?"</p> + +<p>"That'll do for you, freshie," responded one of the older boys named +Fernald. "Don't you call names or you'll get in trouble."</p> + +<p>"You'd better do as he says," counselled a quiet voice at Roy's side. +"There wouldn't be any satisfaction in licking Ferris, anyway; he's just +a coward. Come along and pick up your books."</p> + +<p>There was something quietly compelling in the voice, and Roy, ceasing to +struggle, looked about panting into the round, good-humored face of a +boy of about his own age.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said the boy softly. And Roy went.</p> + +<p>Together they rescued the scattered books and papers, while on the steps +discussion broke out stormily; Otto was being "called down" by the older +boys and volubly defended by the youngsters.</p> + +<p>When the books were once more under his arms Roy thanked his new friend +and, without a glance toward the group on the steps, turned toward the +dormitory. When he had gone a few steps he became aware of the fact that +the round-faced boy was beside him and looked about in surprise.</p> + +<p>"I'm going your way," said the other smilingly. "Going to get my +sweater on and go out in the canoe awhile. Do you paddle?"</p> + +<p>"No, I never tried it," answered Roy, rubbing the blood from his +knuckles where they had been scraped on the gravel and shooting a +puzzled glance at the other.</p> + +<p>"Well, never too late to learn," responded his companion cheerfully. +"Come along down and take a lesson. It's a dandy day for a paddle."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, but I've got to study a bit."</p> + +<p>"Oh, leave that until to-night. No practice, is there?"</p> + +<p>"No, most of the fellows went to Maitland with the first eleven."</p> + +<p>"Maitland will beat us, probably. We always lose the first two or three +games. Why didn't they take you along?"</p> + +<p>"Didn't need me, I guess. Bacon is the regular quarter, you know."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I don't see why they need to play him all through the first +game. Well, here we are. Get a sweater or something on and meet me down +here."</p> + +<p>They had paused on the landing outside the Junior Dormitory and Roy +hesitated. Then,</p> + +<p>"You live here, do you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I have a corner bed by the window, and last year, when they wanted +to put me upstairs, I kicked. So they let me stay; told me I could be +useful keeping an eye on the kids. You'll come, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I—I guess so. It's good of you to ask me."</p> + +<p>"Not a bit. I hate to go alone; that's all."</p> + +<p>He turned smilingly into the dormitory and Roy went on upstairs, got rid +of his books and scrambled into his red sweater. It wasn't necessary to +pass School Hall on the way down to the river, and Roy was glad of it. +He felt that in losing his temper and slanging the older fellows on the +steps he had also lost ground. Instead of making friends he had possibly +made one or two new enemies. Then the realization that the boy beside +him was showing himself more of a friend than any other fellow in +school, with the possible exception of Jack Rogers, brought comfort, +and, in a sudden flush of gratitude, he turned and blurted:</p> + +<p>"It was mighty nice of you to take my part and I'm awfully much +obliged."</p> + +<p>"Shucks, that wasn't anything! I'm always for the under dog, anyhow—if +you don't mind being called a dog."</p> + +<p>"No," answered Roy. Then he added a trifle bitterly, "I guess some of +them call me worse than that."</p> + +<p>"Oh, they'll get over it," was the cheerful reply. "Just you pay no +attention to 'em, mind your own affairs and look as though you didn't +give a rap."</p> + +<p>"That's what Laurence said," replied Roy thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"Sensible chap, Laurence," said the other smilingly. "Who might he be?"</p> + +<p>"My brother. He's in Harvard."</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, I remember some one said your brother was 'Larry' Porter, the +Harvard football man. I guess that's how you happen to put up such a +dandy game yourself, eh?"</p> + +<p>"I don't think I've done very well," answered Roy. "But—it hasn't been +all my fault."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! You've played like an old stager; every fellow says that."</p> + +<p>"Really?" asked Roy eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Of course! I've heard lots of the fellows say that Bacon will have to +do better than he ever has done to keep his place. And I know what you +mean about its not being all your fault. But I guess the chaps on your +squad will behave themselves after the dressing down Jack gave them the +other day."</p> + +<p>"Were you there?"</p> + +<p>"No, I don't very often watch practice. I don't care much for football, +I'm afraid. Baseball's my game. No, I wasn't there, but Sid Welch was +telling me about it. Sid's a very communicative kid."</p> + +<p>"He's trying to make the team," said Roy, smiling. "He asked me one day +if drinking vinegar would make him thinner."</p> + +<p>"He's a funny little chump," laughed the other. "Not a bad sort, either. +He has the bed next to mine, and he and I are pretty good chums. By the +way, you didn't tell me what it was your brother said."</p> + +<p>"Oh, why, he said once that if I wanted to get on I must keep a stiff +upper lip and mind my own affairs. And—and he said 'when you're down +on your luck or up against a bigger fellow grin as hard as you can +grin.'"</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus07.jpg" alt="chub" /> +<a id="illus07" name="illus07"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "'Of course I wasn't christened Chub.'"</p></div> + +<p>"Good for him!" cried the other. "I'd like to meet him. That's what I +say, too. No use in looking glum because you're put out at the plate. +Just smile and keep your mouth shut, and likely as not you'll make good +the next time. Besides, if the other chap sees you looking worried it +makes him feel bigger and better. Yes, that's good advice, all right. By +the way, I know your name, but I guess you don't know mine; it's Chub +Eaton."</p> + +<p>"Are you a Senior?"</p> + +<p>"Same as you, Second Senior. Of course, I wasn't christened Chub; my +real name's Tom; but the fellows began calling me Chub the first year I +was here because I was kind of fat then, and I didn't mind. So it stuck. +Well, here's the canoe. Just give me a hand, will you? We'll put her +over the end of the float."</p> + +<p>The boat house was deserted, but out in mid-stream was a pair-oar and a +rowboat, the latter well filled. Roy helped in the launching and soon +they were afloat.</p> + +<p>"It's an awful handsome canoe, isn't it?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Pretty fair. I thought the color would fetch you; it's just a match for +your sweater. Got the paddle? Well, try your hand at it. Just stick it +in and push it back. You'll get the hang after a bit. We'll get out +around the island so as to catch the breeze. I hate calm water."</p> + +<p>It was a glorious afternoon. September was drawing to a close and there +was already a taste of October in the fresh breeze that ruffled the +water as soon as they had swung the crimson craft around the lower end +of Fox Island. Toward the latter the owner of the craft waved his +paddle.</p> + +<p>"That's where we have fun April recess," he said. "If you know what's +good you'll stay here instead of going home. We camp out there for +almost a week and have more fun than you can shake a stick at. Hammond +usually comes over and tries to swipe our boats, and two years ago we +had a regular battle with them. Take it easier, or you'll get sore +muscles. That's better."</p> + +<p>Roy obeyed directions and soon discovered that paddling if done the +right way is good fun. Before the Autumn was gone he had attained to +quite a degree of proficiency and was never happier than when out in the +canoe. But to-day his muscles, in spite of training, soon began to ache, +and he was glad when the boy at the stern suggested that they let the +craft drift for a while. Presently, Roy having turned around very +cautiously, they were taking their ease in the bottom of the canoe, the +water <i>lap-lapping</i> against the smooth crimson sides, the sunlight +slanting across the glinting ripples and the cool down-river breeze +making the shelter of the boat quite grateful. They talked of all sorts +of things, as boys will at first meeting, and as they talked Roy had his +first good chance to look his newly-found friend over.</p> + +<p>Chub Eaton was sixteen, although he looked fully a year older. He was +somewhat thick-set, but not so much so that he was either slow or +awkward. He was undeniably good-looking, with a good-humored face, from +which a pair of bright, alert brown eyes sparkled. His hair was brown, +too, a brown that just escaped being red, but which did not in the least +remind Roy of Harry's vivid tresses. Chub looked to be in the fittest +physical condition and the coat of tan that covered his face and hands +made Roy seem almost pale in comparison. Chub had an easy, self-assured +way of doing things that Roy couldn't help admiring, and was a born +leader. These same qualities were possessed by Roy to a lesser extent, +and that, as the friendship grew and ripened between the two, they never +had a falling-out worthy of the name, proves that each must have had a +well-developed sense of fairness and generosity. As I have said, their +conversation touched on all sorts of subjects, and finally it got around +to Horace Burlen.</p> + +<p>"Horace has the whole school under his thumb," explained Chub. "You see, +in the first place he is Emmy's nephew, and the fellows have an idea +that that makes a difference with Emmy. I don't believe it does, for +Emmy's mighty fair; and besides, I've seen him wade into Horace good and +hard. But he's school leader, all right. The Juniors do just about +whatever he tells 'em to and are scared to death for fear he will eat +'em up. It's awfully funny, the way he bosses things. I don't believe +there are half a dozen fellows in school who wouldn't jump into the +river if Horace told them to. And the worst of it is, you know, he isn't +the best fellow in the world to be leader."</p> + +<p>"How about you?" asked Roy. "You're not one of his slaves, are you?"</p> + +<p>"Me? Bless you, no! Horace and I had our little scrap two years ago and +since then he has given me up for lost. Same way with Jack Rogers. +Jack's the only chap that can make Horace stand around. Jack could have +taken the lead himself if he'd wanted to, but the only thing he thinks +of is football. Horace hates him like poison, but he makes believe he +likes him. You see, Horace was up for captain this year and would have +got it, too, if Johnny King hadn't made a lot of the team promise last +Fall to vote for Jack. It wasn't exactly fair, I guess, but Johnny knew +that Horace would never do for football captain. So that's the reason +Horace has it in for him."</p> + +<p>"Well, he will never get me to lick his boots for him," said Roy +decisively.</p> + +<p>Chub looked at him smilingly a moment. Then,</p> + +<p>"No, I don't believe he will. But you'll have a hard row to hoe for a +while, for Horace can make it mighty unpleasant for a chap if he wants +to."</p> + +<p>"He's done it already," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's nothing," was the cheerful reply. "Wait till he gets to +going. He can be mighty nasty when he tries. And he can be fairly +decent, too. He isn't a coward like Otto Ferris, you see; he's got a +lot of good stuff in him, only it doesn't very often get out."</p> + +<p>"He's a Second Senior, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he's been here six years already, too. He isn't much on study, and +Emmy gets ripping mad with him sometimes. Two years ago he didn't pass +and Emmy told him he'd keep him in the Second Middle for six years if he +didn't do better work. So Horace buckled down that time and moved up. +Well, say, we paddle back. You stay where you are if you're tired; I can +make it against this little old tide all right."</p> + +<p>But Roy declared he wasn't tired and took up his paddle again. As they +neared the school landing the rowboat came drifting down from the end of +the island, the half dozen lads inside of it shouting and laughing +loudly. Suddenly Roy started to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Sit down!" cried Chub sharply.</p> + +<p>Roy sat down, not so much on account of the command as because he had +started the canoe to rocking, and it was a choice between doing that and +falling into the river.</p> + +<p>"Their boat's upset!" he cried back.</p> + +<p>"So I see," answered Chub. "But it isn't necessary to upset this one, +too. Besides, they can all swim like fishes."</p> + +<p>Nevertheless he bent to his paddle and, with Roy making ineffectual +efforts to help him, fairly shot the craft over the water. But long +before they had neared the overturned boat it became evident that their +aid was not required, for the boys in the water, laughing over their +mishap, were swimming toward the beach and pushing the capsized boat +before them. Chub headed the canoe toward the landing.</p> + +<p>"You see," he explained, "no fellow is allowed to get into a boat here +until he can swim, and so, barring a swift current, there isn't much +danger. That's Sid in front. He's a regular fish in the water and it's +even money that he upset the thing on purpose. He'd better not let Emmy +know about it, though. By the way, how about you? Can you swim? I forgot +to ask you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, I can swim pretty fair," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"All right. I took it for granted you could. You look like a chap that +can do things. Do you play baseball?"</p> + +<p>"No; that is, I've never played on a team. Of course, I can catch a ball +if it's coming my way."</p> + +<p>"Good! Why not come out for the nine in the spring? Will you?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe there'd be much use in it," said Roy. "I know so little +about the game."</p> + +<p>"That's all right. You could learn. Half the fellows who try have never +played before. And I know you can start quick and run like a streak. I +saw you make that touchdown day before yesterday. You'd better try."</p> + +<p>"Well," answered Roy, as they lifted the canoe from the water and bore +it into the boat house, "maybe I will. Only I don't think the captain +would be very glad to see me."</p> + +<p>"Don't you worry about the captain," laughed Chub. "He's too glad to get +material to be fussy."</p> + +<p>"Who is captain?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"I am," said Chub. "That's how I know so much about him!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<p class='center'>METHUSELAH HAS A SORE THROAT</p> + + +<p>Football practice was hard and steady the next week, for Maitland had +trounced Ferry Hill 17 to 0, and as Maitland was only a high school, +albeit a rather large one, the disgrace rankled. Jack Rogers wasn't the +sort of chap to wear his heart on his sleeve, and so far as his +countenance went none would have guessed him to be badly discouraged. +But he was, and Roy, for one, knew it. And I think Jack knew that he +knew it, for once in a lull of the signal practice he looked up to find +Roy's eyes on him sympathetically, and he smiled back with a dubious +shake of his head that spoke volumes. Things weren't going very well, +and that was a fact. The loss of Horace Burlen during that first month +of practice meant a good deal, for Horace was a steady center and an +experienced one. To a lesser extent the absence of Pryor and Warren, +Horace's friends in exile, retarded the development of the team. By the +end of the second week of practice a provisional eleven had been formed, +for Mr. Cobb believed in getting the men together as soon as possible, +having learned from experience that team work is not a thing that can +be instilled in a mere week or two of practice. Whitcomb was playing +center on the first squad in Horace's absence. Roy was at quarter on the +second, with a slow-moving young giant named Forrest in front of him. +But Forrest was good-natured as well as slow, and in consequence he and +Roy got on very well, although they never exchanged unnecessary remarks. +The back field had learned that Jack Rogers would not stand any +nonsense, and if they had any desire to make things uncomfortable for +the quarter-back they didn't indulge it on the football field. The +second stood up very well in those days before the first, in spite of +the fact that sometimes there weren't enough candidates to fill the +places of injured players. With only forty-odd fellows to draw from it +was remarkable that Ferry Hill turned out the teams that it did.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile life was growing easier for Roy. Even the younger boys had +begun to tire of showing their contempt, while the fact that Chub Eaton +had "taken up" the new boy went a long way with the school in general. +Chub was not popular in the closest sense of the word; he was far too +indifferent for that; but every fellow who knew him at all liked +him—with the possible exception of Horace—and his position of baseball +captain made him a person of importance. Consequently, when the school +observed that Chub had selected Roy for a friend it marvelled for a few +days and then began to wonder whether there might not be, after all, +extenuating circumstances in the new boy's favor. And besides this +Roy's work on the gridiron had been from the first of the sort to +command respect no matter how unwilling. And it was about this time that +another friend was restored to him.</p> + +<p>Roy had come across Harry but once or twice since she had passed him in +the campus, and each time he had been very careful to avoid her. But one +morning he ran plump into her in the corridor of School Hall, so plump, +in fact, that he knocked the book she was carrying from her hand. Of +course there was nothing to do but stoop and rescue it from the floor, +and when that was done it was too late to escape. As he handed the book +back to her he looked defiantly into the blue eyes and said, "Good +morning, Miss Harriet." Strange to say, he was not immediately +annihilated. Instead the blue eyes smiled at him with a most friendly +gleam, and,</p> + +<p>"Good morning," said Harry. Then, "Only I oughtn't to answer you for +calling me 'Miss Harriet'; you know I hate Harriet."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, I meant Miss <i>Harry</i>," answered Roy a trifle stiffly. It was +hard to forget that cut direct.</p> + +<p>"That's better," she said. "You—you haven't been down to inquire after +the health of the baby since you rescued him."</p> + +<p>"No, but I hope he's all right?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but Methuselah is awfully sick."</p> + +<p>"He's the parrot, isn't he?" asked Roy. "What's wrong with the old +sinner?"</p> + +<p>"He's got a dreadful sore throat," was the reply. "I've tied it up with +a cloth soaked in turpentine half a dozen times, but he just won't let +it be."</p> + +<p>"Are you sure it's sore throat?" asked Roy gravely.</p> + +<p>"Yes, his voice is almost gone. Why, he can scarcely talk above a +whisper!"</p> + +<p>Roy thought to himself that that wasn't such a catastrophe as Harry +intimated, but he was careful not to suggest such a thing to her. +Instead he looked properly regretful.</p> + +<p>"Don't you want to see him?" asked Harry, in the manner of one +conferring an unusual favor. Roy declared that he did and Harry led the +way toward the barn, her red hair radiant in the morning sunlight. On +the way they passed two of the boys, who observed them with open-eyed +surprise. Harry's favor was not easy to win and, being won, something to +prize, since she stood near the throne and was popularly believed to be +able to command favors for her friends.</p> + +<p>Methuselah certainly did look sick. He was perched on the edge of his +soap box domicile, viewing the world with pessimistic eyes, when Harry +conducted the visitor into the enclosure and sent the pigeons whirling +into air. Harry went to him and stroked his head with her finger.</p> + +<p>"Poor old 'Thuselah," she murmured. "Did he have a sore throat? Well, it +was a nasty, mean shame. But he's a naughty boy for scratching off the +bandage Harry put on. What have you done with it? You haven't—" she +looked about the box and the ground and then viewed the bird +sternly—"you haven't eaten it?"</p> + +<p>Methuselah cocked his eyes at her in a world-wearied way that seemed to +say, "Well, what if I have? I might as well die one way as another." But +Roy discovered the bedraggled length of linen a little way off and +restored it to Harry.</p> + +<p>"I'm so glad!" said the girl with a sigh of relief. "I didn't know but +he might have, you know. Why, once he actually ate a whole ounce of +turnip seeds!"</p> + +<p>"Hurt him?" asked Roy interestedly.</p> + +<p>"N-no, I don't believe so, but I was awfully afraid it would. John, the +gardener, said he'd have appendicitis. But then, John was mad because he +needed the seeds."</p> + +<p>Methuselah had closed his eyes and now looked as though resolved to die +at once and get it over with. But at that moment Snip trotted out from +the barn, where he had been hunting for rats, and hailed Roy as a +long-lost friend. Perhaps the incident saved the bird's life. At least +it caused him to alter his mind about dying at once, for he blinked his +eyes open, watched the performance for a moment and then broke out in a +hoarse croak with:</p> + +<p>"Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing! Stop your swearing! Stop your +swearing!"</p> + +<p>It was such a pathetic apology for a voice that Roy had to laugh even at +the risk of wounding Harry's feelings. But Harry, too, found it amusing +and joined her laugh with his. Whereupon Methuselah mocked them +sarcastically in tones that suggested the indelicacy of laughing at a +dying friend.</p> + +<p>"I think," said Harry, "he'd like you to scratch his head."</p> + +<p>Roy looked doubtfully at the bird and the bird looked suspiciously at +Roy, but when the latter had summoned up sufficient courage to allow of +the experiment Methuselah closed his eyes and bent his head in evident +appreciation and enjoyment.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe you're nearly so sick as you're making out," said Roy. +"I believe you're an old bluffer."</p> + +<p>And the bird actually chuckled!</p> + +<p>Harry doused the bandage with turpentine again and once more tied it +around Methuselah's neck.</p> + +<p>"Now don't you dare scratch it off again," she commanded severely, +shaking her finger at him.</p> + +<p>"Well, I never—" began the bird. But weariness overcame him in the +middle of the sentence and he closed his beady eyes again and nodded +sleepily.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe he slept very well last night," confided Harry in a +whisper.</p> + +<p>"Maybe he was cold," Roy suggested.</p> + +<p>"I've thought of that. I don't usually move them indoors until much +later," said Harry thoughtfully, "but the weather is so cold this Fall +that I think I'll put them in to-day. Maybe he's been sleeping in a +draft. Mamma says that will almost always give you a sore throat."</p> + +<p>They walked back to the cottage together and on the way Harry was +unusually quiet. Finally, when Roy had pleaded a recitation, she +unburdened her mind and conscience.</p> + +<p>"I—I'm sorry about the other day," she said suddenly.</p> + +<p>Roy, who had turned away, looked around in surprise.</p> + +<p>"I mean when I didn't speak to you one morning," explained Harry +bravely. Her cheeks were furiously red and Roy found himself sharing her +embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right," he muttered.</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't all right," contradicted Harry. "It was a low-down thing +to do and I was sorry right away. Only you didn't look and so—so I—I +didn't call you. I—I wish you had looked. It was all Horace's fault. He +said—said—"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess I know what he said," interrupted Roy. "But supposing what +he said is so?"</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't care—much," was the answer. "But I know it isn't so! Is +it?"</p> + +<p>Roy dropped his eyes and hesitated. Then,</p> + +<p>"No," he muttered. "It isn't so, Harry."</p> + +<p>"I knew it!" she cried triumphantly. "I told him I knew it afterwards! +And he said girls weren't proper persons to judge of such things, and I +don't see what that's got to do with my knowing—what I know, do you?"</p> + +<p>Roy had to acknowledge that he didn't.</p> + +<p>"And you're not cross with me, are you?" she demanded anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit," he said.</p> + +<p>"That's nice. I don't like folks I like to not like—Oh, dear me! I'm +all balled up! Only I mustn't say 'balled up.' I meant that I +was—confused. Anyway, I'm going to tell all the boys that it isn't so, +that you didn't squeal—I mean <i>tell</i>—on Horace and the others! And I +think it was a nasty trick to play on you! Why, you might have caught +your death of cold!"</p> + +<p>"Or a sore throat, like Methuselah," said Roy, smiling.</p> + +<p>"Or you might have been drowned. Once there was a boy drowned here, a +long, long time ago, when I was just a kid. It was very sad. But you +weren't drowned, were you? And so there's no use in supposing, is there? +But I'm going to tell the boys that—"</p> + +<p>"I'd rather you didn't, please, Harry," broke in Roy.</p> + +<p>Harry, who was becoming quite enthusiastic and excited, opened her eyes +very wide.</p> + +<p>"Not tell?" she cried. "Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Well," answered Roy hesitatingly, "I—I'd rather you didn't."</p> + +<p>"No reason!" said Harry scornfully.</p> + +<p>"If they think I'd do such a thing," muttered Roy, "they can just keep +on thinking so. I guess I can stand it."</p> + +<p>Harry looked puzzled for a moment; she was trying to get at his point of +view; then her face lighted.</p> + +<p>"Splendid!" she cried. "You're going to be a martyr and be misunderstood +like—like somebody in a book I was reading! And some day, long after +you're gone—" Harry looked vaguely about as though searching for the +place Roy was to go to—"folks will discover that you're innocent and +they'll be very, very sorry and erect a white marble shaft to your +cherished memory!" She ended much out of breath, but still enthusiastic, +to find Roy laughing at her.</p> + +<p>"I guess I'm not hankering for any martyr business, Harry. It isn't that +exactly; I don't know just what it is. But if you won't say anything +about it I'll be awfully much obliged."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, I won't," promised Harry regretfully. "Only I do wish you +were going to be a martyr!"</p> + +<p>"I shall be if I don't hurry," answered Roy. "I have math with Mr. +Buckman in about half a minute."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! No one's afraid of Buck!" said Harry scornfully. "Cobby's the one +to look out for; he's awfully strict." Roy was already making for School +Hall. "You'll come and see Methuselah again soon, won't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," called Roy.</p> + +<p>"And you'll play tennis with me some day, too?"</p> + +<p>"I don't play very well."</p> + +<p>"Never mind," answered Harry, "I'll teach you. Good bye!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<p class='center'>COACHES AND PLAYERS</p> + + +<p>October went its way, a period of bright, crisp, golden weather filled +with hard work for the football players. There were defeats and +victories both in that early season, but on the whole the team showed up +fairly well. Burlen and Warren and Pryor returned to practice at the end +of their probation and, although each was more or less stale, their +presence in accustomed positions heartened the team. Otto Ferris, too, +returned, but his advent was not portentous, since the best he could do +was to make the second as a substitute back. Bacon still held his place +at quarter, although in two games he had been kept out of the play, his +position being filled by Roy. The latter had done excellent work, but he +had not had the experience gained by Bacon, and this, together with the +fact that he and Horace did not work smoothly together, made it pretty +certain that Bacon would go into the game with Hammond. Roy was not +greatly disappointed, for he had scarcely dared hope to make the first +team that Fall. Next year Bacon would be gone from school, and then, +barring accidents, the place would be his. Meanwhile, ever mindful of +his promise to Jack Rogers, Roy worked like a Trojan on the second and +ran that team in such a way that a score against the first at least +every other day of practice became something to expect. Had Roy been +able to work with Horace as he did with Forrest, Bacon's position would +not have been so secure. Roy was like a streak of lightning when he once +got away for a run, and, like a streak of lightning, was mighty hard to +catch. At this he quite outplayed Bacon. The latter seldom managed to +make his quarter-back runs tell, but he knew his men from long +experience and used them like a general.</p> + +<p>Chub Eaton, inspired by his friendship for Roy, became a regular +attendant at practice and even travelled on more than one occasion to a +neighboring town with the team. Chub, however, didn't approve of Roy's +presence on the second.</p> + +<p>"It's all poppycock," he declared warmly. "You can play all around Bacon +and I don't understand why Cobb and Jack don't see it. You're too +easy-going, Roy. You ought to make a kick; tell 'em you want what's +coming to you; make 'em give you a fair try-out on the first. I tell +you, my young friend, you don't gain anything in this world by being +over-modest. Get out and flap your wings and crow a few times till they +take notice of you!"</p> + +<p>At all of which Roy smiled calmly.</p> + +<p>The two had become inseparable. Whenever it was possible they were +together. In the evening they sat side by side in the study room and +afterwards Roy spent his time on the edge of Chub's bed in the Junior +Dormitory until the bell rang. There were many stolen hours in the +canoe and always, rain or shine, Sunday afternoon found them on the +river, floating down with the stream or paddling about the shores +engaged in wonderful explorations.</p> + +<p>Roy had recovered from his first nervousness regarding studies and was +getting on fairly well. He was never likely to astonish any of the +instructors with his brilliancy, but what he once learned he remembered +and he was conscientious where studies were concerned. His mother +mentioned the scholarship less frequently nowadays in her letters and +his father asked sarcastically whether they taught anything besides +football at Ferry Hill, but was secretly very proud of his son's success +in that line.</p> + +<p>So November came in with a week of chill, wet days, days when outdoor +practice meant handling a slippery ball and rolling about in puddles of +water, but which sent them in to supper with outrageous appetites.</p> + +<p>Green Academy came and saw and conquered, Pottsville High School was +sent home beaten, Cedar Cove School was defeated by a single point—Jack +himself kicked the goal that did it—and lo, the schedule was almost at +an end, with only the big game of the season, that with Hammond, looming +up portentously ten days distant!</p> + +<p>The whole school was football mad. Every afternoon of practice saw boys +and instructors on the field either playing or watching; only severe +illness kept a Ferry Hill student away from the field those days. Every +afternoon some graduate or other appeared in a faded brown sweater and +after watching practice awhile suddenly darted into the fracas and laid +down the law. And there were long and earnest consultations afterwards +between the grad and Jack and Mr. Cobb, and fellows who were not too +certain of their places trembled in their muddy shoes. And there were +changes, too, in the line-up, and more than one pair of muddy shoes +either went to the side-line or scuffled about with the second. But only +one of the changes became permanent; for Mr. Cobb had selected well. Roy +never forgot the day when Johnny King made his appearance.</p> + +<p>It was just a week to a day before the Hammond game. Roy was one of the +first on the field that afternoon, but Jack and Mr. Cobb were ahead of +him, and with them was a big, broad-shouldered youth in his shirt +sleeves. Roy groaned in sympathy with the first team, knowing from +experience that they would have an unpleasant time of it. The grad had +the look of a chap who knew football, knew what he wanted and was bound +to have it. Then the players assembled, went through a few minutes of +catching and punting and signal line-up, and finally faced each other in +two eager, determined lines. Mr. Cobb blew his whistle and the first +came through the second for a yard outside of left tackle. By this time +Roy had learned the identity of the graduate, and when he could he +examined him with interest, remembering what Jack Rogers had told of the +last year's captain. For awhile King had little to say; he merely +followed the game as it went back and forth in the middle of the field. +Then came a try around the second's left end and Roy, running in, +brought the first's left half-back to earth. The tackle was a hard one +and the half-back lost the ball and sprang to his feet to find Roy +edging toward the first's goal with it under his arm. It was the +second's first down then, and Roy sent full-back crashing against the +opposing left-guard for a yard and a half. That began an advance that +the first was unable to stay. Roy was everywhere, and time and again, +when the whistle had blown, he was found at the bottom of the heap still +trying to pull the runner ahead. But a fumble by the second's +left-tackle, who had been drawn back for a plunge, changed the tide and +the ball went back to the first almost under her goal posts. A halt was +called, Johnny King conferred a moment with Mr. Cobb and Roy was +summoned to the first, Bacon slipping across to the other line. But Roy +could have told King then and there that the change wouldn't pay, for he +knew Horace Burlen. And it didn't. King frowned and puzzled during three +plays. Then his brow lighted.</p> + +<p>"Change those centers," he commanded.</p> + +<p>Forrest, amazed and embarrassed by the unexpected honor, changed places +with Horace.</p> + +<p>"Somebody tell him the key number for the signals," said King. "Forrest, +let's see you wake up; you're slower than you were last year. Now get in +there and do something!"</p> + +<p>And Forrest smiled good-naturedly and bent over the ball.</p> + +<p>Things went better at once, and, Forrest and Roy working together like +well fitted parts of a machine, the ball went down the field on straight +plays and over the line for the first score. But Forrest had to work, +for Horace, smarting under the indignity of a return to the second, +fought over every inch of the ground. The ball was taken from the first +and given to Bacon. And then there was a different story to tell. Bacon +piled his men through center, Horace getting the jump on Forrest every +time and crashing through in spite of the efforts of the secondary +defense. King shook his head and frowned. Then he called Jack Rogers out +of the line and talked to him for a minute, while the players repaired +broken laces and had their heated faces sponged off. Roy, making the +rounds of the men, cheering and entreating, caught by accident a portion +of the conversation between the two.</p> + +<p>"That's where you've made your mistake," King was saying sorrowfully. +"You've failed to see the possibilities in Forrest. Slow? Sure he is; +slow as an ice wagon! But you could have knocked a lot of that out of +him. He's too good-natured; I know the sort; but mark my words, Jack, if +you can get him mad he'll play like a whirlwind! Oh, it's too late now; +Bacon and Burlen are your best pair. Only—well, there's no use +regretting. You've picked a pretty good team, old man, and if you can +ginger them up a bit more, get more fight into them next Saturday, +you'll stand to win. Remember this, Jack; a fresh center that knows the +game, even if he is slow, is better than a tuckered one. Give Forrest a +chance in the second half, if you can; and put Porter in with him. +They're a good pair. Too bad Porter can't work better with Burlen; he's +a streak, that kid! Well—"</p> + +<p>Roy moved out of hearing and presently he and Forrest were back on the +second and they were hammering their way down the field again. The first +fifteen-minute half ended with the ball in possession of the second on +the first's twenty-yard line. The players trotted to the side-line and +crept under their blankets and sweaters, King and Rogers and Cobb +talking and gesticulating a little way off. Roy found himself next to +Forrest. The center, rubbing thoughtfully at a strained finger, heaved a +sigh.</p> + +<p>"Sorry I disappointed Johnny," he said. "But, shucks! Why, I couldn't +stand up ten minutes against that Hammond center! I know what I'm good +for, Porter; I don't try to deceive myself into thinking I'm a great +player; only—well, I'm sorry I couldn't do better for Johnny King."</p> + +<p>"You'll do a heap better next Saturday," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Pshaw! They won't let me into it!"</p> + +<p>"You wait and see," said Roy. "And if you go in I guess I will. And if +we do get into it, Forrest, let's show them what we can do, will you?"</p> + +<p>Forrest turned and observed the other's earnest countenance smilingly.</p> + +<p>"I'll do the best I know how," he said good-naturedly, "but I guess +they'll do better to leave me out."</p> + +<p>"Oh, you be hanged!" grunted Roy. "You'll fight or I'll punch you!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess I'll get my fill of punches," laughed Forrest. "They say +that Hammond center is a corker at that game!"</p> + +<p>"I believe you're scared of him," taunted Roy.</p> + +<p>But Forrest only shook his big head slowly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess not," he answered. "Come on; time's up."</p> + +<p>The first scored again soon after play was resumed, Jack Rogers getting +through outside left-tackle for a twelve-yard plunge across the line. +Then the ball went to the second and, with the injunction to confine his +plays to straight plunges at the line, Roy took up the fight. But the +first were playing their very best to-day; perhaps the presence of the +old captain had a good deal to do with it; at all events, the second's +gains were few and far between and several times it lost the ball only +to have it returned by order of the coaches. They were trying out the +first's defense and although twice Roy stood inside of the first's +ten-yard line, the practice ended without a score for the second.</p> + +<p>"I thought you'd made the first that time," said Chub as he and Roy +walked back to the campus together later. "You would have, too, if +Horace hadn't passed like an idiot."</p> + +<p>"I knew he would," said Roy. "There wasn't much use trying to do +anything with him in front of me. If only Forrest would get some snap +into his playing! Great Scott, he's a regular tortoise!"</p> + +<p>"Well, there's a week yet," said Chub hopefully. "There's no telling +what may happen in a week."</p> + +<p>"There won't anything happen as far as I am concerned," answered the +other a trifle despondently.</p> + +<p>Nor did there. When practice was over on Thursday Roy stood with the +second and answered the cheer given them by the first, and afterwards he +and Forrest walked over to the gymnasium together trying not to feel +blue.</p> + +<p>"Well, that's over with for this year," grunted Forrest. "Tomorrow we'll +be gentlemen and strut around in some decent clothes." He looked +thoughtfully at his torn and faded brown jersey. "I guess this is the +last time I'll wear you, old chap," he said softly.</p> + +<p>But Forrest was mistaken, for the next afternoon he and Roy and four +other members of the second were out on the gridiron again walking +through plays and learning the new signals of the first. Jack Rogers +wasn't going to lose the morrow's game on account of lack of players. +There was a solid hour and a quarter of it, and when Roy went to bed at +half-past nine, a half hour earlier than usual, formations and signals +were still buzzing through his brain.</p> + +<p>The gridiron, freshly marked, glistened under bright sunlight. November +could not have been kinder in the matter of weather. There had been no +hard freeze since the rains and the field was as springy under foot as +in September. Over on the far side a big cherry and black flag +fluttered briskly in the breeze and beneath it, overflowing from the +small stand onto the yellowing turf, were Hammond's supporters. Opposite +were the Ferry Hill hordes under their brown and white banner and with +them a sprinkling of townsfolk from Silver Cove. Here were Doctor Emery, +Mrs. Emery and Harry, the latter armed with a truculent brown and white +banner; nearby was Mr. Buckman acting as squire to a group of ladies +from the town. Beyond was Roy, one of a half-dozen blanketed forms; +still further along, squatting close to the side-line, was Chub Eaton, +and from where he sat down to the farther thirty-yard line boys with +brown and white flags and tin horns were scattered. And between the +opposing ranks were two dozen persons upon whom all eyes were fixed. +Eleven of them wore the brown jerseys and brown and white striped +stockings of Ferry Hill School. Eleven others wore the cherry-colored +jerseys and cherry and black stockings of Hammond Academy. Two more were +in ordinary attire save that sweaters had taken the places of coats. +These latter were the officials, both college men, the umpire showing in +his sweater the light red of Cornell, and the referee, by the same +means, proving allegiance to Columbia. The two teams had been facing +each other for fifteen minutes, during which time the ball had hovered +continuously in mid-field. And now for the fourth time it had changed +hands and Bacon was crying his signals. From the Ferry Hill supporters +came a rattling cheer; "Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! +Ferry Hill! Ferry Hill! Ferry Hill!"</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus08.jpg" alt="harry" /> +<a id="illus08" name="illus08"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Even Harry joined her shrill voice, the while she waved +her flag valiantly."</p></div> + +<p>And from across the field of battle swept back, mocking and defiant, +Hammond's parody "Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Rah rah, rah! Very Ill! +Very Ill! Very Ill!"</p> + +<p>Then cheers were forgotten, for Kirby, Ferry Hill's full-back, was +tearing a gash in the red line outside of right-guard. He was almost +free of the enemy when Pool, the opposing quarter, dragged him down. But +twelve yards is something to gladden the heart when for a quarter of an +hour half-yard gains have been the rule. Ferry Hill forgot to cheer; she +just yelled, each boy for himself, and it was more than a minute before +Chub, leading, could get them together. This time Hammond forgot to mock +and instead sent up a long, lusty slogan that did her credit:</p> + +<p>"Rah, rah, rah! Who are we? H-A-M-M-O-N-D! Hoorah, Hoorah! Hammond +Academy! Rah, rah, rah!"</p> + +<p>Another break in the cherry-hued line and Ferry Hill was down on the +opponent's thirty-yard line Jack Rogers holding the ball at arm's-length +as he lay on the turf with half the Hammond team upon him. Then came two +unsuccessful attempts to get through the center, followed by a +double-pass that barely gained the necessary five yards. Chub was busy +now and so were all the others on that side of the gridiron. Even Harry +joined her shrill voice, the while she waved her flag valiantly. Again +the Brown charged into the enemy's line, but this time her attack was +broken into fragments and Whitcomb was borne back for a loss of six +yards. A tandem on right-tackle failed to regain more than a yard of the +lost ground and Pryor, left half-back, fell back for the kick. It was a +poor attempt, the ball shooting almost straight into air. When it came +down the Hammond right-tackle found it, fought his way over two white +streaks and was finally pulled to earth on the forty-yard line. Then the +tide of battle turned with a vengeance. Back over the field went +Hammond, using her heavy backs in a tackle-tandem formation with telling +effect. The gains were short but frequent. The wings caught the worst of +the hammering, for at center Hammond found it impossible to gain, +although Jones, her much-heralded center-rush, was proving himself a +good match for Horace Burlen. Jack Rogers, at left-tackle, was a hard +proposition, but Fernald, beside him at left guard, was weak, and not a +few of the gains were on that side. On the other side Hadden at tackle +was playing high, and although Gallup was doing his best to break things +up, that wing gave badly before Hammond's fierce onslaught. The backs +saved the day time and again, bringing down the runner when almost clear +of the line. Hammond tried no tricks, but pinned her faith to straight +football, relying upon an exceptionally heavy and fast set of backs. +Down to Ferry Hill's twenty-five yards swept the line of battle, slowly, +irrevocably. There, Bacon shrieking his entreaties and Jack heartening +the men with slaps on backs and shoulders, the brown-clad line held +against the enemy and received the ball on downs.</p> + +<p>Maybe Ferry Hill didn't leap and shout! Down the side-line raced Chub +and his companions, waving flags and awakening the echoes with +discordant, frenzied tootings on their horns. And Mr. Cobb, quietly +chewing a grass-blade, smiled once and heaved a sigh of relief.</p> + +<p>The Brown's first attempt netted scarcely a yard. Her second, a +quarter-back run, came to an inglorious end, Bacon being nailed well +back of the line. Then, with six yards to gain on the third down, Pryor +once more fell back for a kick. This time he got the ball off well and +the opponents went racing back up the field. Hammond's quarter gathered +it in, reeled off some ten yards and was brought down by Warren. Once +again the advance began, but now there were fewer gains through the left +of the brown line; Fernald had found his pace and he and Jack Rogers +were working together superbly. The other side was still vulnerable, +however, and soon, before the fifty-five-yard line had been passed, the +Ferry Hill supporters saw with dismay that Hammond was aiming her +attack, and not without success, at the center of her opponent's line. +Horace Burlen was weakening, and although Fernald and Gallup, on either +side, were aiding him all in their power, Hammond's tandem plunged +through his position again and again for small gains. Bacon's voice, +hoarse and strained, coaxed and commanded, but down to the forty yards +went the cherry and black, and from there to the thirty-five, and from +there, but by shorter gains now, to the thirty.</p> + +<p>"Hold 'em! Hold 'em! Hold 'em!" was the cry from the wavers of the brown +and white banners. But it was far easier said than done. Once more +within sight of a score, Hammond was desperately determined to reach +that last white line. To the twenty-five yards she crept, and then she +was almost to the twenty. A long plunge through center and the fifteen +was close at hand. And then, while the wearied and battered defense +crawled to their feet, a whistle shrilled sharply and the half was over! +And Jack Rogers as he limped across the trampled turf to the bench +thanked his star for the timely intervention.</p> + +<p>The players disappeared through the gate to the gymnasium, followed by +Mr. Cobb and a handful of graduates. On the other side of the gridiron +the Hammond warriors, wrapped in their red blankets, sat in a long row +and were administered to by rubbers and lectured by coaches. On the +Ferry Hill side the boys were singing the school song and interspersing +it with cheers and blasts of tin horns. Chub sought out Roy.</p> + +<p>"Everybody says you'll go in this half," he whispered. "If you do, sock +it to 'em!"</p> + +<p>"I won't get in unless Forrest does," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Well, he's sure to, isn't he? Why, Horace is almost done up already!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but ten minutes of rest brings a fellow around in great shape, +and I wouldn't be surprised if he lasted the game out."</p> + +<p>"Last nothing! Look at the way Hammond was plowing through him! Say, +that's a great tandem of theirs, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Pretty good."</p> + +<p>"Pretty good! I should think so!"</p> + +<p>"It wouldn't be so much against a team that got started quicker. Our +line's too plaguey slow and half of them are playing away up in the air. +Look at Hadden! Rogers ought to make him get down on his knees. Hello, +here they come."</p> + +<p>"Can we keep them from scoring, do you think?" asked one of the +substitutes anxiously as the brown-stockinged players trotted back +through the gate.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess so," Roy answered. "But I don't believe we can score +ourselves."</p> + +<p>"Well, a tie is better than being beaten," said the first youth +hopefully.</p> + +<p>"No it isn't," said Chub. "It's the meanest kind of an ending. You've +done nothing and the other fellow's done nothing and you're no better +off than you were when you started. We played eleven innings with +Hammond year before last and quit six to six. My, but we were mad! And +tired! I'd rather they'd licked us."</p> + +<p>"Hope I get a show," muttered the other wistfully. He was a substitute +end and only his lack of weight had kept him off the team.</p> + +<p>"There's Cobb laying it down to 'em," whispered Chub. "Watch his finger; +you'd think he was in class, eh? Any new men going in? Yes there's—No, +it isn't, either. Blessed if every man isn't going back! Oh, hang!"</p> + +<p>"Some of them won't be there long, I guess," said Roy.</p> + +<p>"Well, I must go back and get some noise. The lazy chumps don't half +cheer. Hope you get on, old chap. So long!"</p> + +<p>Presently the Ferry Hill cheer was ringing across the field, and Chub, +his coat thrown aside, was out on the side-line leading as only he +could. Over the fading white lines the two teams arranged themselves. +From the Hammond side came a last burst of noise. Spectators scurried +back to points of vantage. The referee raised his hand.</p> + +<p>"Ready, Ferry Hill?"</p> + +<p>Jack answered "Ready!"</p> + +<p>"Ready, Hammond?"</p> + +<p>"All right," called the Cherry's right-end and captain.</p> + +<p>The whistle sounded and the game was on again.</p> + +<p>The greater part of the second half was almost a repetition of the +first. Both teams were playing straight football and it would be +difficult to say which was the more aggressive. For a time, the ball was +in Ferry Hill's territory, and then for another ten minutes, in +Hammond's. There were many nerve-racking moments, but each side, +whenever its goal seemed in danger, was lucky enough to get the ball on +downs and, by a long punt, send it out to the middle of the field.</p> + +<p>Jack Rogers kicked off to Hammond's left half-back who made fifteen +yards behind good interference and landed the ball on his own +thirty-five yards. Back went the right-tackle, the tandem swept forward +and broke into fragments against the Brown's left wing. No gain. Once +more it sprang at the line and this time went through between Gallup and +Hadden for two yards. Third down and three to go. A fake kick gave the +ball to the right half and that youth reeled off four yards before he +was downed. The next attack, at the center, netted a yard and a half; +the next, at the same place, two yards; the rest of the distance was +gained outside of left tackle. So it went for awhile and once more the +ball was in Ferry Hill territory.</p> + +<p>Hammond was plugging steadily now at center and right side, Burlen, +Gallup and Hadden all receiving more attention than they coveted. At +last a long gain through Hadden left that youth crumpled up on the turf. +The whistle blew and a big sub, tearing off his sweater, raced onto the +field. Hadden was up in a minute, only to discover that his way led +toward the side-line. The sub, Walker, was a trifle harder proposition +for Hammond, and for awhile that side of the line showed up well, but by +the time the tide had swept down to the thirty-five-yard line Hammond +was once more gaining almost as she liked through right-tackle and +guard. There were no gains longer than four yards, and such were +infrequent owing to the good work of the backs, but almost every attack +meant an advance, and not once did Hammond fail of her distance in three +downs. But on the thirty-yard line Ferry Hill called a halt. The play +was directly in the middle of the field and the goal-posts loomed up +terribly near. Hammond's first try failed, for Bacon guessed the point +of attack and Ferry Hill threw her whole force behind Burlen. Foiled +there, Hammond tried right-tackle again, shoved Walker aside and went +through for a scant two yards. It was third down, and over on the +side-line Roy measured the distance from cross-bar to back-field and +watched for a place-kick. But Hammond, true to her plan of battle, made +no attempt at a kick but sent her tandem plunging desperately at the +line. It was a mistake, as events proved, to point the tandem at Jack +Rogers, for although the attack gained something by being unexpected, it +failed to win the required distance. Jack gave before it, to be sure, +and spent a minute on the ground after the whistle had blown, but when +the referee had measured the distance with the chain it was found that +Hammond had failed of her distance by six inches!</p> + +<p>Bedlam let loose on the Ferry Hill side as Bacon ran in from his +position almost under the goal-posts, clapped his hands and cried his +signals. Pryor fell back to the fifteen-yard line, there was a +breathless moment of suspense, and then the ball went arching up the +field, turning lazily over and over in its flight.</p> + +<p>Hammond captured it on her forty yards but was downed by the Ferry Hill +left-end. Then it began all over again, that heart-breaking, +nerve-racking advance. And this time the gains were longer. At center +Hammond went through for a yard, two yards, even three. Once a penalty +cost Hammond five yards, but the distance was regained by a terrific +rush through Gallup, that youth being put for the moment entirely out of +the play. Later, down near Ferry Hill's forty-five-yard line, a fumble +by Pool, the plucky, hard-playing Hammond quarter, cost his side ten +yards more. And although Pool himself managed to recover the ball it +went to the opponent on downs.</p> + +<p>I think that fumble was in a measure a turning point in the game. +Hammond never played quite as aggressively afterwards. She had gained a +whole lot of ground at a cost of much strength, only to be turned back +thrice. It began to look as though Fate was against her. And a minute +later it seemed that Fate had decided to favor her opponent. For when +Pryor kicked on first down the breeze suddenly stiffened and took the +ball over the head of Pool. The latter turned and found it on the bound +near the ten yards, but by that time the Ferry Hill ends were upon him +and he was glad to call it down on his fifteen yards. The sight of the +two teams lined up there almost under Hammond's goal brought joy to the +hearts of the friends of the Brown, and the cheering took on a new tone, +that of hope. But the ball was still in the enemy's hands and once more +the advance began. They hammered hard at Burlen and gained their +distance. They swooped down on Walker and trampled over him. They thrust +Gallup aside and went marching through until the secondary defense piled +them up in a heap. But it was slower going now, there was more time +between plays, and knowing ones amongst the watchers predicted a +scoreless game. And there was scarcely twelve minutes left.</p> + +<p>Roy, his blanket trailing from his shoulders as he moved crouching along +the border of the field, prayed for a fumble, anything to give his side +the ball there within striking distance of the Hammond goal. But Hammond +wasn't fumbling to any extent that day; wearied and disappointed as they +were, her players clung to the ball like grim death. On her twenty-five +yards she made a gain of three yards through center and when the pile of +writhing bodies had been untangled Horace Burlen still lay upon the sod. +Roy turned quickly toward Forrest. That youth was watching calmly and +chewing a blade of grass. Failing to catch his eye, Roy looked for Mr. +Cobb. Already he was heading toward them. The substitute end tied and +untied the arms of the brown jersey thrown over his back with nervous +fingers. But the coach never looked in his direction.</p> + +<p>"Forrest!" he called. And Forrest slowly climbed to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Porter!" And Roy was up like a flash, had tossed aside his blanket and +was awaiting orders.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<p class='center'>FORREST LOSES HIS TEMPER AND ROY KEEPS HIS PROMISE</p> + + +<p>The coach led Roy and Forrest to the field and gave them his orders.</p> + +<p>"Get in there, you two," he said briskly, "and show what you can do. +There's small hope of scoring against Hammond, but if the chance comes +work their ends for all there is in it. What you've got to do—<i>got</i> to +do, mind!—is to keep them away from your goal-line. Forrest, if you +ever moved quick in your life do it now. You've simply got to get the +jump on Jones. He's a good man, but recollect that he's been playing +pretty nearly an hour and is dead tired. He'll play foul, too, I guess; +Burlen's face is pretty well colored up. But don't you dare to slug back +at him; understand?"</p> + +<p>Forrest nodded smilingly.</p> + +<p>"And as for you, Porter, just you play the best game you know how. Keep +the fellows' courage up; that's half of it. I'm taking Rogers out—he's +not fit to stand up any longer—and you'll act as captain. I guess +you'll know what to do on defense, and if you get the ball remember the +ends. Try it yourself on that formation for tandem on guard; and give +Whitcomb a chance, for I think you can get through between tackle and +end. Don't be afraid to take risks; if you get the ball risk anything! +Go ahead now!"</p> + +<p>Roy and Porter trotted toward the group of players. As they approached +Burlen and Rogers were coming unwillingly off, the former looking pretty +well punished and the latter limping badly. Jack Rogers turned from his +course to speak to them.</p> + +<p>"Good boy, Forrest!" he panted. "We've got to stop them and you can do +it. Porter, remember your promise!"</p> + +<p>Roy nodded and sprinted into the group.</p> + +<p>"All right now!" he cried cheerfully. "Get into it everybody and stop +this. You fellows in the line have got to play lower. Get down there, +Walker, you're up in the clouds. Charge into 'em now! Stop it right +here! You can do it. Look at 'em! They're beaten right now!"</p> + +<p>"Only we don't know it," growled a big guard, wiping the perspiration +from his face onto the sleeve of his red jersey. Roy grinned across at +him.</p> + +<p>"You will know it pretty soon, my friend," he answered. "All right now, +fellows! Every man into it!"</p> + +<p>Then he retreated up the field and watched.</p> + +<p>Hammond had replaced her left-tackle and left half with fresh men, and, +when the whistle blew, went at the work again as though she meant +business. A straight plunge by the new left half gained a yard through +Gallup. Then the tandem formed again and again the hammering began. +Presently Roy saw that Forrest had been picked out for attention and was +getting a lot of it. Two gains through him in quick succession brought +the ball back to the thirty yards. Roy raced up to the line, pulled +Forrest about by the shoulder and shook a fist in the face of that +amazed young giant.</p> + +<p>"Forrest, if you let 'em through here again I'll lick you till you can't +stand up!" shouted Roy, his blue eyes blazing. "You coward! Get in there +and do something! Put that man out. Get the jump on 'em! He's half dead +now!"</p> + +<p>Forrest forgot to smile.</p> + +<p>"All right," he growled.</p> + +<p>After the next attack at center Roy again ran up. Forrest turned with a +bleeding nose and a new light in his eyes.</p> + +<p>"You don't need to scold," he said quietly. "He just handed me this."</p> + +<p>"What are you going to do?" asked Roy scathingly.</p> + +<p>"Do?" grunted Forrest, mad clear through. "I'm going to put him out of +commission."</p> + +<p>"No slugging, remember!"</p> + +<p>"I won't slug; I'll just play ball!"</p> + +<p>And he did. There were no more games through center while play lasted. +Time and again Jones, the big Hammond center, was literally lifted off +his feet by Forrest's savage onslaught; twice the pass was practically +spoiled. Forrest was angry, and being angry forgot both his good-nature +and his slowness. Hammond soon transferred her attention to the wings +again and found a fairly vulnerable spot where Jack Rogers had given +place to a substitute. But there was no chance for her to score and she +knew it. Now she was only killing time, determined to keep the ball in +her possession and guard her goal until the whistle blew. And she would +have done it, too, had not Forrest lost his temper. That blow on the +nose hurt and he set out to make life as unpleasant as possible for his +adversary. He didn't slug once, but he pushed and hauled and upset Jones +until that gentleman was thoroughly exasperated. Over and over he +appealed to the officials to watch Forrest.</p> + +<p>"He's interfering with the ball," he declared.</p> + +<p>But the officials couldn't see it that way. And finally, when the ball +had been worked back to the center of the field and the word had gone +around that there was only five minutes of time left, Forrest spoiled a +snap-back, the ball trickled from Pool's hands and Forrest plunged +through and fell upon it.</p> + +<p>Roy raced in, crying signals as he came. Time was called while the +Hammond center and the Hammond captain made vain appeals to have the +ball returned to them, claiming interference with the snapper-back. But, +as before, they were denied and the two teams lined up again, this time +with the ball in Forrest's hands.</p> + +<p>"<i>7-6-43-89!</i>" called Roy, and Whitcomb, with the pigskin snuggled in +his elbow, was racing around left end. All of eight yards gained, and +the crowd on the side-line went wild with delight! Flags waved and horns +shrieked, and over it all, or so Roy thought, could be heard the shrill +voice of Harry!</p> + +<p>It was a time for risks, the coach had said. And Roy took them. Over and +over he attempted hazardous plays that ought not to have succeeded, but +that did, partly, perhaps, because of their very improbability! Twice +more Whitcomb was sent outside of left end; once Pryor got through for +four yards between right tackle and guard; and once Kirby, full-back, +hurdled Jones for a good gain. It made joy in the Ferry Hill camp and +the wavers of the brown and white banners had visions of a score. But +they were not considering the fact that the timer's watch proclaimed but +two minutes left and that that official was walking out toward the teams +proclaiming the fact.</p> + +<p>Two minutes was not time enough for Ferry Hill to rush the ball from the +forty yards down to the goal line for a score, even when the backs were +getting two, three and even four yards at a plunge. But even those who +up until the last moment had hoped that the Brown by merit or fluke +would win out could not but feel almost satisfied at the ending of the +game. For now Ferry Hill was outplaying Hammond man for man, in spite of +the fact that what superiority there was in age and weight was with the +rival team. Both elevens were tired, but Ferry Hill was the least so, +and to her admirers it seemed that her warriors fought harder, more +determinedly every moment. Chub, watching anxiously between vocal +efforts, came to this conclusion and turned to Sidney Welch, who, having +failed to make the team, was patriotically doing his best to cheer it on +to victory.</p> + +<p>"Sid," said Chub, "if we had another quarter of an hour to play we'd +lick 'em sure as fishing! Why, we're playing better every minute! And +look at Roy Porter! The chump is just getting warmed up! Did you ever +see a team run any finer than that, eh? And look at the way he gets +around himself, will you? Why, he's all over the shop and into +everything! He reminds me of Snip out in the barn. I saw Snip kill a +rat, bite the cow's leg, chase a fly and scratch his ear all inside of +ten seconds one day. And Roy's just like him. And, just between you and +me, Sid, the fellows are working better for him than they did for Bacon, +but maybe it's because they're finding their pace. If only Whitcomb +could get away around the end! The whistle will blow, I'll bet a cookey, +just when we're on the edge of a score! Why doesn't Roy try a +quarter-back run, I wonder? Look at Jack Rogers; he's over there on the +ground, see? I'll bet he doesn't know whether he's on his head or his +feet, and I don't believe he could tell you his name this minute if you +asked him. Fact is, my boy, I feel rather better myself for talking +every minute; it sort of keeps my heart out of my mouth. And as for +you, Sid, that button will be off in just about two more turns. Here, +let's give 'em a cheer."</p> + +<p>Chub leaped to his feet and in a moment the slogan was thundering across +the field to where eleven brown-clad figures were forming once more +against the foe. And it did them good, that cheer; it proclaimed +confidence and affection, and it heartened them so that when the dust of +battle had blown aside the man with the ball lay across the thirty-yard +line!</p> + +<p>It was maddening. Only thirty yards to go, only six trampled white lines +to cross, and not time enough to do it, unless—Roy called for time to +tie a lace and while he bent over his shoe he thought hard. Ever since +he had taken charge of the team he had been studying the disposition of +the enemy's force. He had one more trump to play, a quarter-back run. He +had kept it for the last because he did not want to appear to be seeking +personal glory. For that reason he had given every one of the backs, as +well as the two tackles, a chance. But while they had made good gains +they had failed to get clear for a run. And now he was surely entitled +to a try himself. Not that he was very hopeful of succeeding where the +others had failed, for Pool, the rival quarter, was a veritable wonder +and time and again had called the play in time to allow the back-field +to spoil the run. But time was almost up—there could scarcely be more +than a minute and a half remaining—and it was now or never.</p> + +<p>The ball was on Hammond's twenty-eight yards and well over to the left +of the gridiron. Pool had halved the distance to his goal and was +standing there on his toes, somewhat over toward the right, watching +like a lynx. The whistle blew and Roy called his signals. Right tackle +fell back of the line and left half and full formed behind him in +tandem. The attack was straight at center, and with Forrest heaving and +shoving and half and full pushing from behind tackle went through for +two yards. Again the same formation and the same point of attack. But +this time Hammond's backs were there and the gain was less than a yard. +It was third down and a trifle over two to go. Once more the signals and +the tandem. But as the backs, led by right tackle, plunged forward, Roy, +with the ball hidden at his side, dodged behind them and sped along the +line toward the right. For a moment the ruse went undiscovered, but +before he had reached his opening between tackle and end Pool had seen +him and had started to head him off. Then, as luck would have it, Roy's +own right end got in his way and Roy was forced to run behind him. That +settled the fate of the attempt at a touchdown. Pool was close up to him +now. Roy ran across the field in an attempt to shake him off but to no +purpose. He had not gained a foot, and he knew it. There was no use in +heading toward the side of the field any longer; he must try to capture +the necessary two yards. So, swinging quickly, he headed in, got one of +the yards, made a brave attempt to dodge the wily Pool and came to +earth.</p> + +<p>"Hammond's ball; first down!" called the referee.</p> + +<p>Roy trotted back up the field, trying his best not to show his +disappointment. Hammond was not going to take any risks there in front +of her goal and so her quarter fell back for a punt. Pryor ran back to +cover the left of the field. Roy heard the signals called and then saw +the Ferry Hill forwards plunge through in an endeavor to block the kick. +Then the ball was arching up against the darkening sky. For a moment it +was impossible to judge of the direction. Then Roy was running to the +right and back up the field. It was a splendid punt and must have +covered all of fifty yards, for when it settled into Roy's arms he was +near his own thirty-five-yard line.</p> + +<p>For once the tuckered Hammond ends were slow in getting down and for a +moment Roy had an open field. With Pryor leading he dashed straight up +the middle of the gridiron. At least he would put the ball back in +Hammond territory. Ten yards, and then Pryor met the first of the enemy. +Roy swerved and dodged the second. Then the foe was thick in front of +him. The Ferry Hill players turned and raced beside him, forming hasty +interference, and for a while he sped on unmolested to the wild shrieks +of the watchers. Then the Hammond left half broke through and dove at +him. Somehow, in what way he could never have told, he escaped that +tackle, but it had forced him toward the side of the field. The +fifty-five-yard line was behind him now. Back of him pounded the feet of +friend and foe alike; ahead of him were the Hammond right half and +quarter, the former almost at hand. Roy edged a bit into the field, for +the side-line was coming dangerously near. Then he feinted, felt the +half-back's clutch on his knee, wrenched himself loose and went +staggering, spinning on. He had recovered in another five yards and was +running swiftly again. He had little fear of being caught from behind, +for he believed himself a match for any runner on the Hammond eleven, +but in front of him was Pool, coming up warily with eager outstretched +hands, striving to drive him out of bounds. Roy cast an anxious glance +toward the goal-line and his heart leaped. Already he was passing the +thirty or twenty-five-yard line and the final white streak looked +encouragingly near. Then he shifted the ball to his right arm and turned +acutely toward the middle of the field. Pool was directly in his path +now as Roy, fighting for breath, sped on straight for the goal. For one +brief instant of time the quarter's eyes burned into his. Then the +decisive moment had come, and Roy, taking a deep breath, gathered +himself. Forward shot the enemy in a splendid diving tackle, clutching +fingers outspread. But the fingers grasped empty air, for as he left the +ground, Roy, the ball clutched tightly against his breast, leaped upward +and forward, clearing him by a foot!</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus09.jpg" alt="leap" /> +<a id="illus09" name="illus09"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Roy ... leaped upward and forward, clearing him by a +foot."</p></div> + +<p>From there to the goal-line was only a romp, although he had to fight +hard for breath and although the defeated right half-back was close +behind him all the way. Straight between the posts he staggered, +placed the ball on the turf and rolled over on his back beside it. +Somewhere they were cheering madly and nearer at hand people were +shouting. Then, recovering from his momentary giddiness, Roy opened his +eyes, shut them again because someone was slapping a great cold, wet +sponge over his face and then sat up. Someone gave him a hand and he got +on to his feet, swayed a little dizzily and then found himself in the +grip of what at first seemed a bear and afterwards turned out to be Jack +Rogers.</p> + +<p>"You remembered your promise, Porter," Jack was saying softly, "and I'll +not forget mine. You're a trump!"</p> + +<p>Pryor failed miserably at the try for goal, but who cared? Surely not +Jack Rogers, leading the cheer for his defeated rivals; nor Roy, dodging +his fellows as he tried to steal away to the gymnasium; nor Harry, +waving her brown and white flag and shrieking lustily; least of all the +throng of fellows who, with banners flying and tin horns sounding, +danced madly around the field in the November twilight.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<p class='center'>RED HAIR AND WHITE RABBITS</p> + + +<p>A fellow can't make a touchdown in the last thirty seconds of play, and +so win the game for his school, without affecting his position. No +matter what he was before, after that he's a hero and a saint and a +public benefactor all rolled into one. Roy's case was no exception. He +woke up Saturday morning a rather unimportant and quite unpopular +person. He climbed out of bed Sunday morning to find that, +metaphorically, the world was his! As soon as the bell had rung the +difference was apparent. There was no more dressing in silence, no more +waiting till the others were through for a chance at the wash-room. It +was "Morning, Porter! How are you feeling after it?" "Hello, Mr. +Quarter-back! How'd you sleep?" "Here, Stearns, get out of here and give +Porter a show; he's been waiting hours!" And in the midst of it Chub +came tumbling upstairs half dressed to sit on Roy's bed and delay +matters so that they barely scraped into dining hall between the closing +doors.</p> + +<p>Well, you and I aren't going to begrudge him the satisfaction the +changed conditions brought him. Life has been using him rather badly +for six weeks or so and he surely deserved some compensation. The only +fly in the ointment was the thought that, after all, the sudden +popularity was his only as a clever quarter-back, that, for the rest, he +was still, to the fellows, the tale-bearer. But in this he was not +altogether correct, for the majority of boys argued that any chap who +could display the qualities that Roy had shown on the football field +must of necessity be all right, and that if he had told on Horace and +Otto and the others he must have had some good reason for it. But Roy +couldn't know this, and so he was rather unresponsive through it all and +held himself aloof from all save Chub and Jack Rogers and Tom Forrest. +He was polite enough, but if any of his admirers hoped at that time to +make friends with him they were doomed to disappointment. But there was +still another that Roy admitted to a certain degree of friendship, and +that other was Sidney Welch. Sid became a most devoted admirer, followed +Roy about like an amiable puppy and was content to sit and watch him in +awed admiration as long as Roy would let him. Sid, whose overwhelming +ambition was to make the first eleven and aid in defeating Hammond, had +hero worship in its most virulent form. After two or three days of Sid's +attention Roy got so that he would dodge out of sight when he saw the +youngster coming.</p> + +<p>It required some bravery on Sid's part to show open admiration for Roy, +for Horace still ruled the school, and the juniors especially, with an +iron hand, and Sid was, as he well knew, courting dire punishment. But +it was a time of open revolt against Horace's supremacy and Sid, with +many others, escaped chastisement. Horace hated Roy worse than ever, +hated Tom Forrest because that youth had succeeded where he had failed, +and, now that he had nothing to gain by seeming friendliness toward the +football captain, even threw down the gauntlet to Jack Rogers, who, +happy as a clam over the outcome of the game and over the receipt of a +letter from Johnny King, paid no attention to Horace. Otto Ferris, +disgruntled over his failure to make even the second team save as a +substitute, shared Horace's sentiments with enthusiasm and aided that +youth to the best of his ability in his efforts to discount Roy's +triumph. But it was a hard task that they had set themselves, for Roy +had won gratitude as well as admiration. Ever since the previous autumn +when Hammond had triumphed unfairly over the Ferry Hill eleven the +school had looked forward almost breathlessly to revenge. And now it was +in no mood to withhold adulation from the one who had secured it for +them. And so, ere a week had passed, the revolt had grown to +well-defined proportions.</p> + +<p>The nucleus of the anti-Burlen camp was comprised of Roy, Chub, Rogers, +Forrest and Sid, for at the end of three or four days Sid had thrown off +the yoke. To this handful of revolters came others as the days passed; +Bacon, the quarter-back, who had been almost the first to wring Roy's +hand and congratulate him, Whitcomb, Fernald and Post, of the eleven, +and a few others. There were no open hostilities between the opposing +camps, but before the Christmas vacation arrived the school was sharply +divided and every fellow there had been forced to take sides with either +Horace or Roy, for in some manner Roy had come to be considered the +leader of the opposing force. But before this other things had happened +which had a bearing on the matter.</p> + +<p>About a week after the Hammond game Dr. Emery arose one morning after +breakfast, at which time it was customary for him to make announcements, +and said that he wished to correct an erroneous impression which had +prevailed for some time.</p> + +<p>"At the commencing of school this Fall," said the Doctor, +absent-mindedly polishing his glasses with a napkin, "there occurred an +unpleasant incident. One of the new boys was taken from his bed in the +Senior Dormitory by a number of the older boys and given a bath in the +river. As hazing has always been prohibited at Ferry Hill the guilty +ones were promptly punished. It has only been within the last day or so +that I have learned of an unfortunate thing in connection with the +matter. It seems that the student who was hazed was suspected of having +given information leading to the discovery of the culprits. As a result, +I am informed, this student has until very recently—in fact until the +game with Hammond Academy—been held in disgrace by his fellows. I am +not going to discuss here the justice or injustice of the attitude +assumed by you; my purpose is to remove the stigma of deceit from an +innocent boy. This boy, when summoned before me the morning following +the incident, declared that he believed he knew the leader of the +escapade, having recognized his voice. The identity of the others he did +not know. When asked for the name of the leader he declined to give it. +And, in accordance with our custom, he was not pressed."</p> + +<p>A suppressed hum of applause swept over the dining hall. Roy stared +fixedly at a salt-cellar.</p> + +<p>"Fortunately," continued Doctor Emery, "the instructor in charge of the +Junior Dormitory, Mr. Buckman, happened to be awake when the party +returned and so identified most, if not quite all, of its members. He +reported the matter to me, as he was required to do, and I meted out +such punishment as the offense merited. Naturally, had I known before +that the student was being made to suffer I would have made this +explanation at once. As it was, and as I have said, I learned of it only +yesterday, and then not from one of the school, from whom, it would +seem, information of such a nature should come, but from one whom, it +appears, has the welfare of the school closer at heart than most of you, +my daughter."</p> + +<p>"Bully for Harry!" cried Chub quite audibly. And the sentiment met with +instant applause that grew in volume until the instructors commanded +silence.</p> + +<p>"I believe," went on Doctor Emery, with a slight smile, "that since the +game with Hammond Academy the student in question has become +re-established in the respect and—ah—affection of the school." (The +applause threatened again to drown the speaker.) "And so it seems +scarcely necessary for me now to bespeak for him a reversal of opinion." +("No, sir!" This from the irrepressible Chub.) "You will, I am sure, +each one of you, wish to make such amends as possible for your former +treatment of him. He, I trust, holds no resentment. Indeed such a +sentiment would not become him, for, while his refusal to try to put +himself right with his fellows shows a certain commendable pride, yet it +was hardly fair under the circumstances. That is all, I think, on that +subject. I wish to see the following at my office after breakfast."</p> + +<p>Then came the names of half a dozen fellows, which none, barring, +possibly, the fellows themselves, heard. For each table—and there were +five of them—was eagerly discussing the news; and it was wonderful how +many there were who had "known all along that Porter wasn't that sort!"</p> + +<p>But the public vindication, while it disabused the minds of a few who +still doubted, and explained what had happened to those who had already +ceased to blame Roy in the matter, did not bring about any apparent +difference in the school's treatment of him. He already stood first in +school opinion and all the vindication in the world couldn't have placed +him any higher. He had won the game from Hammond; that was sufficient +for most fellows.</p> + +<p>In view of Doctor Emery's disclosure you have already found me guilty of +having neglected to enumerate with Roy's adherents one of the staunchest +and most important. For it was no little thing to have Harry on your +side, even if she was only a fourteen-year-old girl; and that has been +proved already and will be again before the story is at an end. But it +was unfortunate that Harry's good offices should have led to an +estrangement between her and Roy.</p> + +<p>It all came about in quite the most unforeseen manner. Roy had promised +to play tennis with her the afternoon of Doctor Emery's announcement. +They had had quite a few contests already and Harry had proved herself +more than a match for Roy. To-day they met outside the cottage, Harry +bringing her own racquet and one for Roy, since tennis had scarcely been +included in his education and he possessed no racquet of his own. +Unfortunately Roy started the conversation by accusing Harry of having +broken her promise. That was an awful accusation to bring against her, +since she had an almost quixotic regard for the given word. Stung, she +made no effort to set herself right, only declared sullenly that she had +done no such thing. Roy had not greatly cared, but her curt denials +aroused his impatience.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus10.jpg" alt="temper" /> +<a id="illus10" name="illus10"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "'My, what a temper!'"</p></div> + +<p>"But, Harry," he protested, "you must have! He said so!"</p> + +<p>"I didn't! I didn't! I didn't!"</p> + +<p>"But, Harry, that's nonsense, you know."</p> + +<p>"I didn't break my promise," she answered angrily.</p> + +<p>"Well, then I'd just like to know how he found out. Of course I don't +care much if you did tell him, only—"</p> + +<p>"You've just as good as said I've told a lie!" cried Harry, turning +suddenly with reddening cheeks.</p> + +<p>"I haven't, Harry."</p> + +<p>"You have, too! So! And you—you're very impolite!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw, there's no use in getting mad about it. I only said—"</p> + +<p>"I'll get mad if I want to," said Harry hotly. "And I guess I can keep a +promise as well as you can. You're just stuck-up because you made that +old touchdown!"</p> + +<p>"I'm not!"</p> + +<p>"You are!"</p> + +<p>"My, what a temper! Just what you'd expect of a girl with red hair! Why, +I wouldn't—"</p> + +<p>But he stopped there, for Harry's face went suddenly white with rage and +she gasped as though he had struck her.</p> + +<p>"Now look here, Harry," he began contritely. But Harry had found her +tongue and he got no farther.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you coward!" she cried, trembling. "You—you beast! I know my +hair's red, and I don't care if it is! And, anyway, I'd rather have it +red than just no color at all, like—like a fish!"</p> + +<p>"Harry, I didn't mean—"</p> + +<p>"Don't you speak to me again, ever and ever! I don't want to see you! I +hate you, hate you, hate you, Roy Porter, and I'll never speak to you +again as long as I live!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you want to be nasty about it," muttered Roy.</p> + +<p>But Harry had turned and was running swiftly along the path, trying her +best to keep back the angry tears that threatened every moment to +disgrace her. Roy watched her go, whistled softly, and then followed +slowly after.</p> + +<p>"What a little spit-fire!" he muttered with a laugh that was half angry +and half regretful. "I don't see what I said, anyhow, except that her +hair was red. And it is, as red as fire! If she wants to stay mad she +may for all I care."</p> + +<p>And then, two days later, there occurred an incident which still further +widened the breach between them.</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckman opened his desk in Room B in School Hall and stared in +amazement. It was the first recitation and the class in geometry watched +interestedly. The instructor held forth a white rabbit in each hand.</p> + +<p>"Who put these in here?" he demanded sternly.</p> + +<p>There was no answer. The class was smiling broadly, but Mr. Buckman's +expression prohibited the laughter they longed to indulge in.</p> + +<p>"It was a very funny joke," continued Mr. Buckman scathingly, "only, +unfortunately, one of the rabbits has been stupid enough to die and so +is unable to appreciate it. The other one appears to be on the point of +dying. I presume that they belong to Miss Harriet. I fancy she will +appreciate the joke heartily. I hope to be able to discover the +perpetrator of the delicate jest, in which case he will undoubtedly get +all the applause he desires."</p> + +<p>Mr. Buckman bore the rabbits out of the room and the class, much +soberer, looked questioningly about and whispered inquiries. But +everyone professed ignorance on the subject.</p> + +<p>"Ought to have his head punched, whoever he is," growled Chub to Roy. +And the latter heartily agreed.</p> + +<p>When the class was dismissed Harry was waiting, with a white face and +blazing eyes, in the corridor. She made for Roy instantly.</p> + +<p>"They're both dead," she cried, "and I hope you're satisfied. Of all +nasty, mean things to do, Roy Porter, that's the very meanest! I should +think you'd be ashamed of yourself! I should think you'd be ashamed to +look at me!"</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about it," protested Roy earnestly. "I'm awfully +sorry, Harry, honest!"</p> + +<p>"Do you think I believe that?" demanded Harry, brushing aside the tears +that would leak out in spite of her. "You did it to get even with me, I +know you did! I don't care what you do to me, but it was cowardly to +kill my poor rabbits!"</p> + +<p>"Harry, I give you my word—!"</p> + +<p>"I don't want your word! I wouldn't believe you, Roy Porter! You're a +mean, contemptible thing!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, very well," said Roy angrily, walking away. "You can think whatever +you like; I don't care!"</p> + +<p>But he did care, nevertheless.</p> + +<p>After dinner he spent a few minutes in the office, but his +straightforward denial convinced Doctor Emery of his innocence. The +affair remained a mystery, although Chub professed to have no doubts in +the matter.</p> + +<p>"Nobody but Horace would think of such a thing," he asserted. "And if +Harry had any sense she'd know it."</p> + +<p>But Harry was apparently firmly convinced of Roy's guilt and all he +received from that young lady during the next week was black looks.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile an event of much interest to the school was approaching and +the incident of the white rabbits was soon forgotten by it. Every year, +on the afternoon of Thanksgiving Day, was held the Cross Country Run. +There was a cup for the individual winner and a cup for the class five +of whose entries finished first. Ferry Hill had developed cross country +running into something of a science. The annual event always awakened +much interest and the rivalry between the four classes was intense.</p> + +<p>There were no handicaps, all entries starting together from the steps of +the gymnasium, taking off north-east for three miles to the village of +Carroll, from there to a neighboring settlement called Findlayburg and +so home by the road to the gymnasium, a total distance of six miles. At +Carroll and Findlayburg they were registered by the instructors. In +deference to the cross country event Thanksgiving dinner was postponed +until evening. It was customary for the football players to remain in +training for the run, and this year they had all done so with the +exception of Forrest, Gallup and Burlen, whose weights kept them out of +the contest. No one was prohibited from entering and even the youngest +boy in school was down for the start. One year the junior class had +captured the cup and ever since then succeeding junior classes had +striven mightily.</p> + +<p>As always there were favorites, and this year Chub, Roy and a Middle +Class boy named Townsend were considered to have the best chances. Roy +himself was doubtful of his prowess, for, while he could sprint and even +do a quarter of a mile in good time, he had never tried long-distance +running. But Chub gave him a lot of good advice, assured him that he +stood a good chance to win and ended up with: "Anyhow, it's the best +training in the world and will do you a whole lot of good even if you +don't get the cup." So for a week preceding the day of the contest the +countryside was sprinkled with boys panting up the hills, loping +through the woods and trotting doggedly along the frosty road. And at +two o'clock on Thanksgiving Day afternoon thirty-four boys awaited the +word in front of the gymnasium.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE CROSS-COUNTRY RACE</p> + + +<p>There were boys of all ages between twelve and eighteen in the group +which awaited the word from Horace Burlen. And there were all kinds and +descriptions of costumes. It was a frosty nippy day, cloudy and with +occasional gusts of wind, but nevertheless several of the runners wore +cotton running trunks and short stockings, and the expanse of bare leg +between hose and trunk required lots of rubbing and slapping to keep the +blood in circulation. Others were warmly attired in knickerbockers and +sweaters. Roy had taken Chub's advice in the matter of apparel, and wore +short trousers, woolen stockings, his crimson sweater and a pair of +spiked running shoes. Chub was similarly dressed, as was Jack Rogers and +a number of others. The Juniors had evolved a wonderful plan whereby +certain of their runners were to save themselves until the final turn +toward home and were then to pitch in and beat everything in sight, and +they were gathered in a group plotting excitedly in whispers. Sid Welch +was asking every fellow who would pay attention to him whether he +thought he could last through the race. Sid had worn off eight pounds +during the football season, but had already begun, greatly to his +despair, to put them back again. Chub told him that if he'd run the last +part of the race backwards he might finish—some day. And Jack assured +him that they would see that dinner was kept warm for him.</p> + +<p>"I'm going to keep with you fellows," said Sid, "if you don't mind." And +he glanced devotedly toward Roy.</p> + +<p>"You honor us," answered Chub with a low bow. "Just keep right alongside +Roy and if he tries to run away from you make him take your hand. What +do you weigh now, Sid?"</p> + +<p>"Find out," answered Sid impolitely.</p> + +<p>Whereupon Chub tried to catch him and Sid led him a wild chase through +the crowd, finally seeking protection behind Roy. Roy, however, refused +to be drawn into the affair and Sid was duly made to apologize for his +cheek. By that time Horace was giving instructions again.</p> + +<p>"The course is the same as last year," he announced. "At Carroll you +must give your names to Mr. Cobb, who will be on the porch of the +Windsor House and at Findlayburg you must give them to Mr. Buckman at +the corner store. The finish will be at the gate here. No fellow whose +name doesn't show on both Mr. Cobb's and Mr. Buckman's list will stand +any show, so you want to be sure you get checked. All ready now, +fellows. Get back of the gravel there, Townsend and Young. Are you +ready? Go!"</p> + +<p>The throng moved forward at a trot, pushed and scrambled through the +gate and went across the field. At the farther side was the first +obstacle, a high rail fence, and Sid had his first mishap there at the +outset. He reached the top of the fence beautifully and then +deliberately fell over on the other side into a mass of brush and +wayside weeds. Chub paused to pull him out and put him on his feet again +and Roy waited for them. As a consequence, when they had crossed the +road, surmounted a stone wall and had begun to breast the long slope of +meadow on the other side the three were well toward the rear of the +crowd. By the time the hill-top was reached the field of runners was +well spread out and not a few of the younger boys were already losing +interest in the affair. Jack Rogers was well toward the front now and +Chub suggested to Roy that they close up with him. So there was a little +sprint along the ridge of the hill and they soon found themselves +alongside Jack and with barely a half-dozen runners ahead of them. But +the sprint had played havoc with Sid's wind and he was puffing like a +young porpoise.</p> + +<p>"Slow work so far," called Jack.</p> + +<p>"Why don't you set the pace awhile?" asked Chub.</p> + +<p>"I'll take it through the woods," Jack answered, "if you'll take it from +there to the village."</p> + +<p>"All right. Say, Sid, you'd better drop our acquaintance now. You've +done beautifully and I wouldn't be surprised if you came in pretty near +first—counting backward. But you don't want to overdo it at the start, +you know."</p> + +<p>Sid shot a doubting and suspicious glance at him, shook his head and +puffed on.</p> + +<p>Now that he had got his second wind, Roy found it exhilarating, this +trotting up and down the slopes in the cold November afternoon. There +was a fine glow in his face, the gusts of cold wind that met him now and +then felt good as they ruffled his hair and the half-frozen turf offered +firm hold to his spikes. He would have liked to speed ahead and try +conclusions with the Middle Class boy who was in the lead, for he was +not in the least tired and felt now as though he could run for weeks. +But they had covered only a scant mile and three-quarters, according to +Chub, and that meant plenty of hard work ahead. Down a hillside +sprinkled with rocks and low bushes they went, forded a sandy stream, +scrambled over a tumble-down wall and entered the woods. Here Jack, with +a sprint, took the lead and made fast going. For the first hundred yards +it was difficult work, but after that they found themselves on a +grass-grown road which wound and twisted about over stumps and fallen +logs. Many a youth took a cropper hereabouts, and among them was Sid. +When Roy saw him last he was sitting on a rotted tree which had proved +his Waterloo sadly watching the procession go by. And a procession it +was by this time, for the runners were strung out in single file for a +quarter of a mile.</p> + +<p>Roy and Chub were running fourth and fifth as they left the woods and +found themselves on the edge of a wheat field with the church tower of +Carroll a half a mile away. Jack dropped back and Chub took his place at +the head of the line. It seemed to Roy that Chub let up on the pace a +little, but it may have been only that it was easier going here along +the edge of the field. At all events, Roy was glad of it, for the work +was beginning to tell on him. And he was still gladder when Chub, at the +corner of the field, leaped the wall and went trotting down a lane and +from there into a country road. In another minute or two they were +jogging along the village street and Roy could see Mr. Cobb, paper and +pencil in hand, on the steps of the old brown hotel near at hand. Quite +a little group had formed about him and the runners swept along to a +chorus of criticisms, laughter and applause. As they passed Mr. Cobb, +they cried their names and were answered;</p> + +<p>"Eaton!"</p> + +<p>"Eaton!" And the instructor checked the name on the list he held.</p> + +<p>"Pryor!"</p> + +<p>"Pryor!"</p> + +<p>"Townsend!"</p> + +<p>"Townsend!"</p> + +<p>"Rogers!"</p> + +<p>"Rogers!"</p> + +<p>"Porter!"</p> + +<p>"Porter!"</p> + +<p>"How are we making it?" sang out Jack as he passed.</p> + +<p>"A minute and a fraction behind the record!" was the reply.</p> + +<p>"Hit it up, Chub!" shouted Jack.</p> + +<p>"Go to the dickens!" answered Chub. "Who wants the lead?"</p> + +<p>"I'll take it," Pryor replied.</p> + +<p>"All right." And Chub dropped back to Roy.</p> + +<p>"Minute and a fraction—be hanged!" he gasped. "I'll bet—we're right +on—time! How you coming?"</p> + +<p>"Getting tuckered," answered Roy. "How much farther?"</p> + +<p>"Not quite—three miles. Ouch! Stepped on—fool stone!"</p> + +<p>"Better save your wind, you two," advised Jack.</p> + +<p>"Wish I had some to save," thought Roy.</p> + +<p>Then there occurred the first division in the ranks. Pryor left the road +and scrambled over into a field. Jack, Chub and Roy followed, but +Townsend kept to the road and others as they came up followed him.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter—with the road?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Longer," Chub answered briefly.</p> + +<p>They jogged up a steep hill, turning to the right at the top and then +went down at a brisker pace, Roy wishing his sweater wasn't quite so +heavy. All the spring had gone from his feet now and the exhilaration +was forgotten. It was just hard work. The downward slope lasted for +quite a way and Roy judged that Pryor was letting himself out in the +hope of reaching the road again before the others who had kept to it +arrived. There was a bad bit of brush to struggle through, and then came +the wall and the road. As they climbed over they looked backward, but +only a farmer's wagon was in sight.</p> + +<p>"Beat 'em!" gasped Chub.</p> + +<p>On the road they slowed down considerably and Roy gave silent thanks. He +knew now that he would never be able to keep up with Chub and the +others, but he was determined to stick it out as long as he could. +Presently a little group of buildings came into sight ahead; a store, a +blacksmith shop, a tumble-down shed and three houses. Mr. Buckman was +awaiting them in front of the store, supported by the storekeeper and a +handful of loungers.</p> + +<p>"Are we ahead?" shouted Pryor as they came up. "Yes, and ahead of the +record," was the answer. "All right, Pryor. All right, Rogers, Eaton and +Porter."</p> + +<p>Then they were past, trotting along a frosty, rutted country road.</p> + +<p>"Anyone want the lead?" grunted Pryor.</p> + +<p>"How about you, Roy?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>But Roy shook his head dumbly and Chub moved up to the head of the +group. The wind had increased and was blowing icily out of the +north-east, but it was almost behind them and so helped them along. +Pryor nodded towards a dead beech tree beside the road. Jack nodded +back.</p> + +<p>"Two miles more," he said.</p> + +<p>"Road or hill?" asked Chub, looking around a moment.</p> + +<p>"Don't care," answered Pryor.</p> + +<p>"Hill," said Jack.</p> + +<p>At a turn of the road Chub left it to the right and the others followed.</p> + +<p>"Is this—shorter?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"About—even thing, I think," answered Pryor.</p> + +<p>"A whole minute shorter," said Jack.</p> + +<p>Roy sighed for the road as he dragged his feet up a little hill and saw +before him a rough bit of country in which rocks and stunted bushes +sprang everywhere. For the next quarter of a mile they were always +either going up hill or going down; level ground was not on the map +thereabouts. Jack took the lead again presently and Chub fell back to +where Roy was heroically striving to keep his place. At last Roy +stumbled over a root, went head over heels into a clump of bushes, and +sat up with the last bit of breath knocked out of him. Chub had stopped, +grinning. Roy shook his head and waved his hand for the other to go on.</p> + +<p>"Hurt?" asked Chub anxiously.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus11.jpg" alt="heels" /> +<a id="illus11" name="illus11"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "At last Roy stumbled over a root, went head over heels +into a clump of bushes."</p></div> + +<p>Roy shook his head, found a little breath and gasped:</p> + +<p>"I'm—all right. Go ahead. I'll—follow—presently."</p> + +<p>Chub glanced hesitatingly from Roy to the others. Then he nodded and +went on. At a little distance he turned, waved a hand to the right and +shouted something about the road. Roy nodded indifferently and then fell +back onto the turf and didn't care a rap what happened. It was blissful +just to lie there, stretch his aching legs and get his breath back. +Anyone who wanted that dinkey pewter mug could have it, as far as he +cared. Only—well, he did wish he could have finished! Then it occurred +to him that he could, that if he went on he might even finish well up on +the list. He judged that five minutes had passed since the others had +left him. He already felt better and had regained his wind remarkably. +Well, he'd just go on and have a try; maybe he could help win the mug +for the Second Seniors. So he climbed to his feet and set off in the +direction taken by Chub.</p> + +<p>But a minute or so later he concluded that he had lost the way, for now +the wind instead of being behind him was coming against his left cheek. +Of course the wind might have swung around, but it was much more +probable that he had unconsciously borne to the left. The best thing to +do, he thought, was to get back to the road, which was somewhere in the +direction he was going. So he pushed on, his trot becoming a walk as the +bushes grew thicker and thicker about him. Ten minutes, fifteen minutes +passed and he had found no road. Up and down little hills he went, +across open stretches and through tangles of leafless bushes. He kept +the wind against his left cheek and went on. It was getting toward +twilight and was still cloudy and cold. His legs began to feel stiff and +his feet would drag in spite of him. A half an hour must have passed—he +had left his watch at school and so could only guess—and he was still +travelling over wind-swept upland. He began to feel a bit uncomfortable; +the prospect of spending the night up there wasn't enticing. Observing a +little bush-crowned hill that looked higher than any he had yet found, +he made his way to it. From the top he could perhaps see the road, or, +failing that, discover where the river lay.</p> + +<p>So he climbed up the rise, his feet slipping over loose gravel. At the +top he paused and looked about him. There was no road to be seen, but +behind him were a few twinkling lights, perhaps a mile away, and—yes, +surely, that was the river over there, that ribbon of steely-gray! He +would get to the river, he decided, at its nearest point and then follow +along the bank until he found the school, if he did not stumble across a +road or a house or something before that. So he got the direction firmly +fixed in his mind, broke through the bushes in front of him, gave a cry +of terror, grasped ineffectually at the branches and went plunging, +crashing downward to lie in a silent, motionless heap thirty feet +below.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<p class='center'>HARRY FINDS A CLUE</p> + + +<p>When Chub left Roy lying gasping for breath in the bushes and took up +the race again he was a good hundred yards behind Jack and Pryor, who +were just dropping from sight beyond the brow of one of the little +hills.</p> + +<p>"Keep over that way—get back to the road," he turned and shouted. He +saw Roy nod wearily. Then he set out in earnest to make up lost ground. +That was the hardest bit of the whole run for Chub and it took him the +better part of a mile to make up that hundred yards. Jack and Pryor did +their level best to maintain their advantage. But when they were back on +the road once more Chub was running even with them. Pryor tried to slip +aside and make him take the lead and set the pace, but Chub was too +wary. It could scarcely be called running now, for with less than a mile +to go it became a question with each one of them whether they could stay +on their feet long enough to finish and their pace was a slow jog that +was little like the springy gait with which they had started out.</p> + +<p>There was no breath wasted now in talk. They cast quick looks at each +other, searching for signs of weakness and discouragement. It was every +man for himself, Pryor struggling along with drooping head for the glory +of the Middle Class, Jack resolved to win the honor for the First +Seniors, and Chub equally determined to gain it for the Second Seniors. +A quarter of a mile from the school, just as they turned into the Silver +Cove road, Pryor's time came. He faltered once, stumbled, and Chub +turning aside to avoid him, slowed down to a walk, his breath coming in +agonized gasps. Chub and Jack went on without a turn of the head, side +by side, their eyes glued doggedly on the red-tiled tower of the +gymnasium visible now above the tree-tops a few hundred yards away. Then +the road turned a bit and a group of waiting boys marked the corner of +the school grounds.</p> + +<p>Chub looked at Jack and the latter shook his head with a wry twisted +smile. But when Chub threw his head back and strove to draw away from +him Jack responded gallantly and refused to own himself beaten. So they +had it nip and tuck down to the corner, pounding the hard road like cart +horses and yet making but slow work of it, while the audience shouted +them on, scattering away from the rail fence that they might have plenty +of room. And they needed it. Twice Chub strove to throw his leg across +the topmost bar and twice he failed. Jack, with set teeth, got over on +the second attempt, and when Chub came tumbling after him he had a good +six yards of lead. Ahead, at the gate across the field, stood Doctor and +Mrs Emery and Harry.</p> + +<p>"Hurry! Hurry!" cried the latter, dancing excitedly about. "Oh, it's +Jack Rogers and Chub Eaton! Hurry, Jack! Hurry, Chub! Oh, <i>can't</i> you +run faster?"</p> + +<p>"Which do you want to win, my dear?" asked her mother smilingly. Harry +answered breathlessly without turning.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know! Both!"</p> + +<p>Meanwhile across the gridiron Chub and Jack, accompanied by applauding +friends and partisans, were fighting it out gamely. Chub had almost made +up the distance between him and Jack when the track was reached. Across +the cinders they staggered, the gate and finish but a few yards away. +Then fortune, thus far quite impartial, turned her face to Chub. Jack +stumbled on the wooden rim of the track and, while he saved himself from +falling, gave Chub his chance, and in another second the latter youth +was through the gate and lying with tossing arms on the lawn. Jack +finished a scant yard behind him and keeled over in his turn.</p> + +<p>Horace Burlen set down the times on the list he held and others sprang +to the aid of the exhausted runners. Then all eyes turned again toward +the corner of the field, for someone was struggling over the fence +there. Down he jumped and came trotting across, apparently much fresher +than Chub and Jack. It was Townsend, of the Middle Class. When he was +half way across the field a fourth runner appeared, made several +attempts to surmount the bars, leaned against them a moment, and found +his breath and then came over.</p> + +<p>"It's Pryor," said Horace. "That's two for the Middlers, and one each +for the First and Second Seniors."</p> + +<p>"What was Chub Eaton's time?" asked Forrest as Townsend finished.</p> + +<p>"Four and three-eighths minutes better than the record made four years +ago by Gooch," answered Horace.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'm glad Roy Porter didn't win," said Harry vindictively. Chub +rolled over on his elbows.</p> + +<p>"He went down and out—two miles back," said Chub. He looked across at +Jack, who was sitting up and breathing like a steam-engine. "Sorry I +beat you, Jack. I wouldn't have if you hadn't stumbled."</p> + +<p>Jack nodded with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Glad you won, old man," he said. "It was a tough old run, and you can +bet I'm glad it's over. Phew! but I'm tuckered."</p> + +<p>"Same here. That last mile was the dickens. There's someone else +coming—two, three of them! One of 'em's fallen off the fence. Gee! I +thought I'd never get over that thing!" He got up, followed by Jack, and +passed through the gate. "Hello, Townsend! How was the road?"</p> + +<p>"Rutty as anything and mighty hard running. I got a stitch in my side +about a mile back and had to let up for a while. Passed Pryor moseying +along down near the corner. Who's that coming?"</p> + +<p>"Porter, by Jove!" cried Chub.</p> + +<p>"Porter nothing!" said Horace. "That's Warren. And the next two are +Glidden and Chase. That makes First and Second Seniors and Middlers +tied for first so far. Chase is a Junior, isn't he?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," answered Townsend.</p> + +<p>Chase, a youngster of thirteen, made a plucky race across the field and +beat Glidden of the Second Senior Class by three yards. Then for a while +no more finished. Chub and Jack and the others disappeared into the +gymnasium, and Doctor and Mrs. Emery returned to the Cottage. Harry, +however, still remained. It was getting dim now, and when, after five or +six minutes had passed, more runners reached the fence it was impossible +to identify them. But when they drew near a shout went up. Two of them +were First Seniors, one was a Middler and one a Junior. The First +Seniors needed but one more runner now to give them the cup. And a few +minutes later he came in the person of Bacon and received the biggest +sort of a welcome. From then on until almost dinner time the others +straggled in to find the finish deserted and to crawl weariedly up the +gymnasium steps. Harry had taken her departure when Bacon had finished, +returning to the Cottage through the gathering twilight, looking, unless +her face belied her, rather disappointed, and telling herself over and +over that she was awfully glad Roy Porter hadn't won.</p> + +<p>Dinner that evening was a jolly meal. Every fellow was frantically +hungry for his turkey and sweet potatoes and mince pie and the +appropriate "trimmings." The First Seniors drank their sweet cider out +of the mug they had captured, passing it from one to another like a +loving cup. Perhaps there was no one there who had a bigger appetite or +more to tell in the way of adventures than Sidney Welch, and he talked a +steady streak until Chub told him he'd choke himself.</p> + +<p>It was not until dinner was well-nigh over that Roy's absence was noted +by any save Chub. But when, at half-past nine, he had not returned, the +matter was reported to Doctor Emery and the telephone became busy. But +neither Carroll nor Silver Cove knew anything of the missing boy. The +Principal waited until eleven o'clock, and then a searching party was +made up. Mr. Cobb and Mr. Buckman took charge and with four of the older +boys and Chub, who was taken along to show where Roy had last been seen, +left the Cottage at a little after eleven. They carried two lanterns and +Jack Rogers had slipped a revolver into his pocket which, he said, could +be heard where a shout couldn't. But he said nothing to the instructors +about it, since firearms were forbidden and Jack feared confiscation. +Mr. Emery saw them off from the Cottage porch and instructed Mr. Cobb to +telephone him from Carroll or Silver Cove if he had a chance. It was as +dark as pitch as they made their way across the field and found the +road, and the wavering light from a couple of lanterns seemed only to +accentuate the gloom. Once away from the school they began to call at +intervals but got no response. Chub and Jack had some difficulty in +finding the place where they had returned to the road from the uplands, +but at last they discovered it and the party took off up the hill. It +was soon after that that Mr. Buckman stopped and asked:</p> + +<p>"How many are there in this party, anyhow?"</p> + +<p>"Should be seven of us," answered Mr. Cobb. "Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because, unless I'm much mistaken, I counted eight a minute ago. Who's +that over there, the last one?"</p> + +<p>"Warren, sir."</p> + +<p>"No, I don't mean you. Who's next to you?"</p> + +<p>There was a moment's silence. Then,</p> + +<p>"Blest if I know, sir," answered Warren in puzzled tones.</p> + +<p>"It's me," said an apologetic voice.</p> + +<p>"Who's me?" asked Mr. Cobb moving toward the speaker.</p> + +<p>"Harry," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"Harry! Harry Emery?" exclaimed Mr. Cobb, forgetting his politeness.</p> + +<p>"Yes, I—I thought I'd come along."</p> + +<p>"Well, if that isn't the greatest! Did the Doctor say you could come?"</p> + +<p>"I—I didn't ask him," answered Harry. "Please don't send me back, Mr. +Cobb. I won't be in the way a bit and I can walk miles!"</p> + +<p>"Send you back! Why, I can't send you back now—that is—not alone. I +suppose you'll have to come, but supposing your mother finds you're +missing?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, she won't," answered Harry cheerfully. "She thinks I'm in bed and +asleep. And I was—that is, I was in bed."</p> + +<p>"Well, come along then, but see that you stick close to us," grumbled +Mr. Cobb. "We don't want to loose any more persons to-night!"</p> + +<p>So Harry trudged along at the tail of the party, keeping close to Jack +Rogers and Chub and starting nervously when she heard strange noises in +the bushes along the way.</p> + +<p>It was slow going and when they were well up on the hills the night wind +stung hands and faces. It was well upon midnight when Chub announced +that they should have reached the place where he had left Roy. But a +locality looks very different at night by the light of a wavering +lantern than it does in the daytime, and when they had cast about for a +while, calling and shouting, Chub was forced to acknowledge that he +wasn't certain of the place.</p> + +<p>"It ought to be about here," he said anxiously, "but somehow this +doesn't look like it. It doesn't seem to me it was quite so hilly; and +there weren't any trees about that I remember."</p> + +<p>After a quarter of an hour more of unsuccessful search Mr. Cobb and Mr. +Buckman held a consultation and decided that the best thing to do, +unless they wanted to get lost themselves, was to stay where they were +and wait for dawn. So they found a sheltered spot in the lee of a big +rock and made themselves as comfortable as they could. Warren suggested +a fire and a half-hour was spent in finding fuel within the radius of +lantern-light. Finally, however, the flames were leaping and the sparks +flying and the party regained some of their ebbing spirits.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus12.jpg" alt="search party" /> +<a id="illus12" name="illus12"></a> +<p class="caption"> + Mr. Cobb and the search-party looking for Roy.</p></div> + +<p>"If he sees the light he will look it up," said Mr. Buckman. "That was a +good idea of yours, Warren."</p> + +<p>"What I'm afraid of," said Mr. Cobb, "is that he has met with an +accident of some sort. Seems to me that if he had the use of his limbs +he would have reached the school before this, or at least have +communicated with us. Well, we'll have to make the best of things until +the light comes. Better take a nap, fellows, if you can."</p> + +<p>But they were in no mood for napping. The leaping flames lent their +tinge of romance to a situation already sufficiently out of the common +to be exciting and the boys wanted to live every moment of it. The +uncertainty as to Roy's fate added a qualm of uneasiness, but when once +Warren had got well into his story of the Wyoming outlaws who lived in a +cave and robbed trains and stage coaches, even Chub forgot the purpose +of the expedition for whole minutes at a time. I think Harry +unconsciously dozed several times, although she always denied it +indignantly. Now and then one of the party would mend the fire and then +crawl back to the protection of the ledge and the waving bushes. Mr. +Cobb followed Warren with some stories of Cornwall wreckers which he had +read, and after that every member of the party save Harry, who happened +to be very quiet about that time, contributed some tale of dark deeds. +Presently Jack made the discovery that it was possible to see the +branches of the wind-whipped bushes behind them. Chub climbed to the +summit of the ledge and announced that there was light away down on the +horizon toward the east. Then followed an hour of waiting during which +the world gradually turned from black to gray. The fire died out for +lack of fuel and the boys snuggled into the collars of their sweaters, +for it seemed to grow more chill each moment. Then, when objects a few +yards away could be distinguished, Mr. Cobb suggested that they "break +camp." So they spread out in a line and took up the search again, +calling as they went. The light grew quickly and in the east the sky +took on a tinge of rose. Mr. Cobb stopped once and picked something from +the ground.</p> + +<p>"Must be slate quarries about here," he said. "There's a lot of broken +pieces here and loose gravel. Yes, here's a hole," he went on, walking +forward, "but they only went down a few feet. I wonder if there are more +of them?"</p> + +<p>Suddenly there was a cry from the other end of the line.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Cobb, come see what I've found!"</p> + +<p>It was Harry's voice and Mr. Cobb made his way to her where she stood at +the edge of a thicket of leafless brambles.</p> + +<p>"What is it, Harry?" he asked.</p> + +<p>For answer she held up a tiny bit of crimson yarn.</p> + +<p>"What do you make of this?" asked the instructor, looking at it in a +puzzled way.</p> + +<p>"I think it came from his sweater!" declared Harry triumphantly. "It was +on that branch there."</p> + +<p>"Good for you, Harry!" cried Chub, who had joined them ahead of the +others. "Roy had his red sweater on and it's money to muffins that +thread was pulled out as he went by."</p> + +<p>"He didn't go by, though," said Harry. "He went through. Don't you see +how the bushes are trampled down? Come on!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<p class='center'>A NIGHT IN THE QUARRY</p> + + +<p>When Roy regained consciousness and opened his eyes he found himself in +pitch darkness. His head felt strangely dizzy and for a moment he lay +still and strove to recall what had happened to him. Then he remembered +and with a sudden fear at his heart moved cautiously. But although every +bone in his body felt bruised he was able to climb to his feet. The +effort however, left him so weak and dizzy that he reached out for +support, found a branch and clung to it while a minute or two passed. +And in clinging to it he became aware of the fact that his left hand +hurt him a good deal. Presently, when he could stand without holding on, +he felt of the aching member and found it swollen and sore to the touch. +The trouble seemed to be at the wrist and he wondered whether in falling +he had landed on it and broken it. But it didn't feel broken, for he +could bend it and even wriggle his fingers, although it pained horribly +to do it. Probably it was only a sprain or a dislocation; that could +keep. Meanwhile he would like very much to know where he was.</p> + +<p>When he had fallen he had caught a glimpse of a dark pit, the sides of +which were hidden here and there by bushes. It had been the briefest +sort of a glimpse, for he had stepped over the edge and, without a +second's warning, had plunged downward into twilight darkness. He +remembered clutching at a branch which came away in his hand, and he +remembered crashing through a bush which had broken but not stopped his +fall. Of what happened after that he could remember nothing.</p> + +<p>Now he stepped cautiously forward, feeling in front of him with hands +and feet. The ground was loose and uneven. Three short steps brought his +hands in contact with a smooth expanse of stone. His fingers could find +no place to clutch, even though he managed to fit the toe of one shoe +into a niche a foot or so above the ground. He moved to the right +through the darkness. But the wall of stone continued. Now and then it +became uneven and his hands scraped over rough edges, but it offered no +chance of escape. On and on he went. He knew that he must be describing +something of a circle, since he was in a pit of some sort, but it seemed +that he was edging straight away from where he had fallen. At last he +found bushes and for a moment he had hope. But, although he wormed his +way upward through them for the space of a few feet, at last he brought +up against a perpendicular wall of rock and he was forced to retreat. He +became conscious of a dim feeling of fright and strove to fight it down. +His hands were moist and the perspiration stood on his forehead in +little cold drops. He stopped and leaned against the wall behind him. As +he did so he became aware of hundreds of little noises about him and a +cold shiver travelled down his back. Then,</p> + +<p>"Pshaw!" he muttered. "There's nothing here but birds and such things. +Even snakes don't come out after dark. I guess I'm settled for the night +and I might as well make the best of it. I dare say I've already been +around this old hole half a dozen times. No, I haven't, though, for I've +only found those bushes back there once. I'll go on, I guess; maybe +there's a regular macadamized road out of here."</p> + +<p>He moved on, whistling softly to keep from feeling discouraged. But his +left wrist and hand pained frightfully, and presently he stopped and +tried to find a position for it that would ease the ache. Finally he +found his handkerchief, tied it about his neck and placed the injured +arm through the improvised sling. It helped a little. After that he +continued his search, but rather half-heartedly. He longed for light and +fell to wondering what time it was. Presumably he had fallen in there +about half-past four or maybe five. But there was no knowing how long he +had lain unconscious. It might be eight o'clock or it might be well +toward morning! He wished he knew!</p> + +<p>Above his head, how far he could only guess, the night wind was whipping +the bare bushes. Now and then a gust came down and made him shiver, but +on the whole it was not uncomfortable down there as long as he was +moving about. But he couldn't keep that up much longer, for his head was +aching, his legs were stiff and lame and every movement sent little +thrills of pain down his arm from elbow to fingers. He was glad now of +his thick sweater and wished his legs were as warm as the upper part of +his body.</p> + +<p>For a while he sat on a little rock near the wall along which he had +been travelling. Then he began to feel drowsy. That was fine, he +thought; if he could only go to sleep he could forget his discomforts, +and perhaps when he awoke it would be morning. So he felt about on the +broken stone and moist gravel that formed the floor of his prison half +fearsomely, afraid of encountering uncanny things in the dark. But his +hands found only soil and rock and scant vegetation and he laid himself +down gingerly out of respect to his aching body and closed his eyes. But +for a while the discomforts of his couch made themselves too apparent to +allow of slumber. Queer, stealthy little noises sounded about him and he +imagined all sorts of things creeping toward him through the darkness. +Once or twice he kicked his feet and cried "Scat!" loudly. Then he +laughed at himself for his nervousness and strove not to think of the +sounds. He wondered who had won the race and whether they had missed him +at school: whether Chub had caught up with Jack and Pryor; what Chub was +thinking about his disappearance. Then he started out of his drowsiness. +Surely he had heard his name called! He sat up and listened intently. +Then he called at the top of his voice half a dozen times. But he heard +nothing more, and presently he lay down again with a sigh, eased the +position of his throbbing arm and went quietly to sleep.</p> + +<p>And the very next moment, as it seemed to Roy, he heard his name called +again, quite loudly and distinctly this time, and opened his eyes, +blinking, to find his prison filled with the grey, misty light of +morning and to hear voices above him. Then came his name again, in the +unmistakable tones of Mr. Cobb, and he had time to marvel smilingly that +the football coach had really got his name right for once before he sat +up and answered loudly. Then came sounds of crashing branches and Roy +jumped dizzily to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Look out!" he shouted. "There's a hole here. Look where you're going, +Mr. Cobb!"</p> + +<p>Then Mr. Cobb was kneeling above at the edge of the quarry looking down +upon him anxiously and Harry's face appeared behind his shoulder, a +rather white, frightened countenance in the pale light.</p> + +<p>"Hurt, Porter?" asked Mr. Cobb.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, just shaken up a bit."</p> + +<p>"Well, thank Heaven! Can you climb out anywhere?" Mr. Cobb's eyes +travelled dubiously about the pit.</p> + +<p>"I don't believe so," answered Roy. "I tried to find a place last +night." He turned and looked about him.</p> + +<p>And his face went white at what he saw.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus13.jpg" alt="watch out" /> +<a id="illus13" name="illus13"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "'Look where you're going, Mr. Cobb!'"</p></div> + +<p>In shape the quarry was a rough oval, its walls so steep that at first +glance escape even in daylight seemed impossible. In many places the +top of the wall overhung the bottom. Now and then a clump of grass or +weeds showed against the dark and discolored face of the rock, and in a +few places good-sized bushes had grown out. But all this Roy saw later. +At present he was standing with his back to the bank, staring in +fascinated dread at the center of the quarry. From the walls, all +around, the ground sloped downward toward the center and only a few feet +away from him was the margin of a pool some thirty feet in diameter. +There was no slime on the top, no weeds about its edge and in the dim +light of early morning the water looked black and ugly. Roy stepped +nearer and looked down into its depths. Far below him jutting edges of +rock loomed up but the bottom was not in sight. Shuddering, he +retreated. Had he fallen a little farther away from the bank, or had he +rolled over after falling, they would not have found him so easily. He +muttered a little prayer of thanks to the Providence which had watched +over him during the night and had guided his stumbling footsteps in +safety. Then his head felt dizzy and he sat down suddenly on the bank of +broken and crumbled slate and went off into a faint.</p> + +<p>When he came to, Mr. Cobb was dabbing his face with a wet handkerchief +and Jack Rogers and Chub were slapping his hands and arms. Perhaps it +was the latter method which brought him around, for a dislocated wrist +doesn't take kindly to blows! He yanked his injured hand away with a cry +of pain and Mr. Cobb removed the sopping handkerchief.</p> + +<p>"All right now, eh?" he asked kindly. "Hello, what's wrong there?" He +took the boy's hand and examined it, his fingers probing skilfully. +"How'd you do that? Fall on it?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Roy. "It isn't busted, is it?"</p> + +<p>"No, dislocated. Feel that bone sticking up there? We'll have to fix +that right now, I guess. Hurts, doesn't it? Give me a couple of +handkerchiefs, you chaps." Chub and Jack produced theirs and Mr. Cobb +took a long leather wallet from his coat pocket and emptied it of its +contents. "Just hold your hand out straight," he directed. Then, with +one hand above the wrist and the other about the fingers he pulled +steadily until the wrist slipped back into place. Roy winced a little, +but after the lump had disappeared his whole arm felt easier. Mr. Cobb +laid the leather wallet about the wrist and bound it tightly with the +handkerchiefs.</p> + +<p>"That'll do until we get back," he said. "Put it back in that sling of +yours and keep it there, Porter. Now we'll see if we can get you out of +here. Do you think you can walk?"</p> + +<p>For answer Roy climbed to his feet.</p> + +<p>"All right, only remember that you've had a pretty good shaking up and +haven't had anything to eat since yesterday noon, and don't try to do +too much. We'll see if we can't boost you up over here."</p> + +<p>He led the way to the other side of the pool and Roy saw that a rough +path zigzagged down the face of the bank there. So steep it was, +however, that they had to help each other here and there, and it seemed +a long time before Mr. Buckman and the others, awaiting them at the top, +were able to reach down and pull them over the edge of the rock. Roy +subsided breathless on the grass and looked about him. The sun was just +topping the rising hill beyond and the world looked very sweet to him at +that moment.</p> + +<p>"That's where you went over," said Mr. Buckman, pointing across the pit. +"We followed you up to the edge. You must have struck against that bush +there and broken your fall; the branches are all broken, I noticed; a +good thing you did, too, I guess."</p> + +<p>"I remember falling into some branches," said Roy. "That's the last +thing I do remember; when I woke up it was pitch dark."</p> + +<p>"What's that?" asked Mr. Cobb. "Lose consciousness, did you? Did you hit +your head? Here, let's have a good look at you, my boy." And, presently, +"I should think you did! Doesn't that hurt when I press it?"</p> + +<p>"A little," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Hum! Guess you've got a pretty tough skull. Look at this place, Eaton. +Must have come down on a small stone, I should say. Well, that'll wait +until we get home. I wonder if we can carry him between us? Maybe one of +you chaps had better run back and tell them to send the phaeton."</p> + +<p>But Roy protested that he could walk every inch of the way and finally +Mr. Cobb consented to let him try it, and the return journey began. Chub +walked beside Roy, anxiously solicitous. Most of the party were frankly +sleepy and worn out now that the excitement was over. Harry appeared to +have lost interest in the whole affair. Not once, so far as Roy knew, +did she even so much as glance in his direction.</p> + +<p>"What's Harry doing here?" he whispered to Chub. And Chub recounted the +happenings of the night; how Harry had joined the party unknown to them, +how they had built a fire and waited for light and finally how Harry had +discovered the bit of yarn torn from his sweater.</p> + +<p>"It was fairly easy after that," said Chub. "We could see here and there +where you had broken through the bushes, and once or twice we found your +footprints. We knew they were yours on account of the spikes. If it +hadn't been for Harry I guess you'd have been waiting yet. Though maybe +you could have got up that bank alone."</p> + +<p>Roy trudged on in silence for a while. Then,</p> + +<p>"Who won?" he demanded eagerly. Chub grinned.</p> + +<p>"I won the individual cup and First Seniors got the class cup," he said. +"Jack and I had it nip and tuck all the way to the gate, and if he +hadn't stumbled over the track he'd have beat me."</p> + +<p>"I'm glad you got it," said Roy. "I was afraid you wouldn't catch up +with them, after staying so long with me."</p> + +<p>"I was a blamed idiot to leave you," answered Chub savagely. "I didn't +deserve to win anything. Why, you came mighty near killing yourself!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess I did," said Roy thoughtfully. "But it wasn't your fault, +you silly ass. I got all mixed up and couldn't tell where I was. And +then, the first thing I knew I—I wasn't anywhere!"</p> + +<p>"Tell me about it," said Chub.</p> + +<p>But just then Mr. Cobb told Roy he had better not tire himself by +talking and so Chub had to wait to hear his chum's adventures. An hour +later Roy was fast asleep in his bed. They had served him with some +milk-toast, scanty fare for a boy who had missed two meals, and he had +promptly turned over and gone to sleep. In the middle of the forenoon +the Silver Cove doctor appeared, re-dressed his wrist, put something on +his head and left a tumblerful of some sort of nasty-tasting medicine. +And the next day Roy was up and about again apparently as good as new +save for his injured arm. This was carried in a sling for over a week, +but he didn't mind that much.</p> + +<p>The second morning after his rescue he went over to the Cottage and +asked for Harry. Presently she came down to the parlor where he was +awaiting her in front of the soft coal fire and he tried to remember the +formal speech of gratitude he had fashioned. But it had gone completely +from him. So he just held out his hand and said he was jolly much +obliged to her for what she had done.</p> + +<p>"Everybody says that if you hadn't seen that bit of red yarn I'd have +been there yet," he declared.</p> + +<p>Harry shook his hand formally, said she hadn't done anything, that she +was very glad he had had such a fortunate escape and asked politely +after his injury.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the arm's all right now," said Roy.</p> + +<p>After that conversation languished until Mrs. Emery came down and made +Roy tell her all about it. And during the narrative Harry disappeared. +It was quite evident that she hadn't forgiven him, thought Roy, as he +took his departure. He didn't look back as he went down the drive and so +failed to see somebody with red hair peering down from between the +curtains of an upstairs window.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2> + +<p class='center'>FORMING THE HOCKEY TEAM</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Candidates wanted for the Hockey team. All those who have played or +would like to play please attend a meeting in the Gym at 4 +<span class="smcap">P.M.</span> on Friday.</p> + +<p style="margin-left: 25em;"> +"<span class="smcap">J. S. Rogers</span>,<br /> +"<span class="smcap">T. H. Eaton</span>,<br /> +"<span class="smcap">Roy Porter</span>."<br /> +</p></div> + + +<p>This notice appeared on the board in School Hall the last day of +November, and when, four days later, the meeting was called to order by +Jack Rogers, there were some twenty-five fellows adorning the wooden +benches in the locker room. A handful of the number had come for want of +anything better to do, for it was a dismal, wet afternoon offering +little encouragement to those whose tastes turned toward out-of-door +pursuits. For once the line separating the "Burlenites" and the +"Porterites" was not closely drawn, for there were not a few of the +former present, their desire for a chance to play hockey overcoming +their allegiance to Horace. Needless to say, however, neither Horace nor +Otto was on hand.</p> + +<p>"Somebody turn that switch," began Jack, "and give us some light. That's +better. This meeting has been called by a few of us who want to get up +a hockey team. I don't know much about hockey myself and so I'll let +Porter do the talking. He started the thing, anyhow, and he ought to +have the fun of speechifying to you. But I'd like to say that, as you +all know, Hammond has been playing hockey for five or six years and has +challenged us almost every year to play her. If Hammond has a team we +ought to have one too. And if we have one maybe we can lick her at +hockey just as we have at football." (Deafening applause.) "There's no +reason why we shouldn't. Here, Roy, you tell them the rest."</p> + +<p>Roy got up rather embarrassedly and faced the meeting.</p> + +<p>"Well, all I've got to say is that hockey is a dandy game and we ought +to have a team—if only to lick Hammond. (Renewed applause.) It isn't a +difficult game to learn if a fellow can skate half decently and it +doesn't require much of an outlay. We've talked to Mr. Cobb and he has +secured permission for the formation of a team. And he knows something +about the game himself and will help us all he can. Our idea was to +build a rink along the river about where the old ferry landing is. +Doctor Emery says we can use what lumber there is in the landing and +shed to build the rink with. And I think there'll be more than we need. +Then we'd get a pump and pump water in from the river."</p> + +<p>"Why not play on the river?" asked a boy.</p> + +<p>"Well, that was the idea in the first place," answered Roy, "but Mr. +Cobb thought we'd better have a regular rink. It's hard to play without +boundaries because your puck gets away from you and you have to chase it +all around the shop. Then, too, Mr. Cobb says that half the time the ice +would be too rough or too much broken up to allow of playing on it. +We've figured it up and think the outside cost of the whole thing, rink, +pump, goals and sticks won't be much over eighty dollars."</p> + +<p>"How you going to raise it?" asked one of the audience.</p> + +<p>"That's what we've got to decide on," said Roy. "I suppose we couldn't +get nearly that much by subscription?"</p> + +<p>Several shook their heads, and,</p> + +<p>"I don't believe we could," said Chub. "But we might get half of it. If +every fellow gave a dollar—"</p> + +<p>"Seems to me," said the boy who had raised the question, "that the +fellows who make the team ought to do the subscribing."</p> + +<p>"I don't think so," said Jack. "If we made the football and baseball +teams pay all their expenses I guess we wouldn't have them very long. It +ought to be worth a dollar to every fellow here to have a good hockey +team."</p> + +<p>"That's so," assented Chub.</p> + +<p>"Well," went on Roy, "I wanted to hear what you'd say about it, but I +didn't think we could get the money that way, not all of it, I mean. So +I thought of another scheme. Why couldn't we get up an entertainment of +some kind and charge admission. How would that do?"</p> + +<p>"Great!"</p> + +<p>"Swell!"</p> + +<p>"Fine and dandy!"</p> + +<p>"Chub can sing 'The Old Ark's A-movin'!"</p> + +<p>"Cole can do his card stunts!"</p> + +<p>"Cut it out, fellows," said Jack. "Let's get the matter settled; it's +getting late."</p> + +<p>So they got down to business again and Jack, Chub and Roy were formed +into an Entertainment Committee. After that Roy took the floor again.</p> + +<p>"How many of you fellows will come out for practice?" he asked. +Practically every hand went up. "How many have played hockey?" Twelve +hands. "All right. We'll divide into two teams, first and second, and as +fast as the fellows on the second show that they can play well they'll +get onto the first. We probably won't be able to begin work on the ice +until after Christmas Recess. But as soon as we can get some money we'll +send for goals and sticks and pucks. Then we'll put one of the goals up +here on the floor and practice shooting. Later we'll have another +meeting, after practice has begun, and elect a captain and a manager. +And as soon as we get the manager we'll send a challenge to Hammond. Now +you fellows give your names to Chub Eaton before you go out, and watch +for notices on the board in School Hall."</p> + +<p>That was the beginning of the Ferry Hill School Hockey Association, +which still flourishes and has to its credit several notable victories. +It was Roy's idea from the first. He had played hockey a good deal and +had seen many of the college and school games, and he had been surprised +to learn that Ferry Hill had never had a team. It was easy to enlist +Chub in the project of forming a club, and not very difficult to +interest Jack. Mr. Cobb had been quite enthusiastic but doubtful of +success.</p> + +<p>"They've tried to form a hockey team two or three times," he said, "and +never did it. But I don't want to discourage you chaps. I'll get +permission from the Doctor, so you go right ahead. Try to get the whole +school interested in it; that's the only way to do."</p> + +<p>By the middle of December the old ferry house and landing had been +demolished and the planks had been built into a three-foot barrier or +fence enclosing a space sixty feet wide by one hundred and twenty feet +long. All that remained was to flood the enclosed ground with water to +the depth of four or five inches and allow it to freeze. A hand suction +pump had been ordered from a dealer at Silver Cove, but there was delay +and in the end it did not reach the school until two days before +vacation. However, as December proved unusually mild, there was no harm +done. Meanwhile the goals, pucks and sticks had arrived and practice at +shooting and stick-handling was held five afternoons a week in the +gymnasium. At the second meeting of the candidates the Entertainment +Committee was able to report a plan for the entertainment. There was to +be a minstrel show followed by a series of tableaux in the gymnasium the +night before the beginning of Christmas Recess.</p> + +<p>"Now," said Jack, who was explaining, "you chaps will have to get busy +and interest every fellow you know in the affair. We want a good big +crowd for the minstrels; we ought to have at least two dozen fellows. +There will be another meeting here to-morrow night and I want each of +you to bring me the names of fellows who are willing to take part. And +you must let me know what they can do, whether they can sing or recite +or do sleight-of-hand tricks, you know. And now I want to propose that +we make Harry Emery an associate member of the Club. You see, we +realized that we wouldn't be able to do much in the way of costuming +without her help, so we laid the matter before her. And she went right +into it; suggested the tableaux feature and offered to take part +herself. (Laughter from the audience.) So I think she ought to be taken +in."</p> + +<p>"We ought to make Mr. Cobb and Mr. Buckman associate members, too," +suggested Chub.</p> + +<p>So Harry and the two instructors were duly admitted, and the meeting +went into the plans for the entertainment. Sid, one of the most +enthusiastic members present, reminded everyone that he could play the +banjo, and Jack promised to let him do his worst. Roy was elected +temporary captain and manager and Jack temporary treasurer. Then an +assessment of fifty cents each was levied and Jack spent the best part +of three days collecting the sums. He, Roy, Chub and two others had gone +down into their pockets and advanced the money for the goals, sticks and +pucks, and with Christmas Recess drawing near they were anxious to get +some of it back. The rink was to be paid for in January and the pump on +its arrival. It was going to be necessary to collect something over +sixty dollars from the entertainment, and the committee was getting +anxious. There was little time for rehearsal, and, with Horace and Otto +doing all in their power to throw cold water on the scheme, Roy and his +friends had plenty to worry them.</p> + +<p>But Harry proved a brick. She went into it to the present exclusion of +all else and made things hum. She talked it up everywhere she went with +the result that the affair was extensively advertised before it was well +on foot. Harry attended a girls' academy at Silver Cove, and she wasn't +satisfied until every pupil there had faithfully promised to attend the +entertainment. She also persuaded Mr. Buckman to take part, something +that Jack and the others had failed at. Mr. Cobb had already consented +to sing and do a monologue. Then Harry devised costumes and found them, +levying on the wardrobes of most of her friends and acquaintances. And +in spite of the fact that she and Chub and Jack and Roy met at least +twice a day she still maintained her air of polite indifference toward +the latter.</p> + +<p>When the morning of the day of the entertainment arrived affairs seemed +in the wildest chaos and even Harry lost her head for awhile. Some of +the promised participators had backed down at the last moment, the +principal soloist had a bad cold, the stage was still unbuilt, several +of the costumes were yet wanting and Harris and Kirby, down for a duet +and dance, weren't on speaking terms! And just as though all that wasn't +enough to drive the committee distracted, Chub had appeared at breakfast +with a long face and announced that he had forgotten to mail the poster +to Hammond Academy. In support of the assertion he produced it, stamped +and addressed. It had been lying in his pocket for three days. As +Hammond with its seventy-odd students had been counted on to send quite +a delegation, this was a hard blow. But Jack, with the cheerfulness of +desperation, obtained permission to deliver the poster by messenger and +sent Sid Welch across the river with it at nine o'clock.</p> + +<p>That was certainly a day of troubles. Luckily there were few recitations +for anyone. Jack and Chub spent most of the morning directing and aiding +in the erection of the stage at the end of the gymnasium. The stage was +a sectional affair which, when not in use, was stored in the furnace +room. Unfortunately one section seemed to be missing, and putting the +thing together was, as Chub said, like joining one of those geographical +puzzles.</p> + +<p>"You know the things, Jack; they're cut up with a scroll-saw into all +sorts of wiggly pieces, and Florida insists on getting next to New +Hampshire and Illinois won't fit anywhere except between South Carolina +and Georgia."</p> + +<p>"There must be a piece of this missing," answered Jack. "I'm going to +have another look."</p> + +<p>And presently he came back staggering under what looked like a length of +board walk.</p> + +<p>"Funny you fellows couldn't find this," he said disgustedly as he swung +one end around against the wall and brought down six pairs of +dumb-bells. "It was right in plain sight; they were using it for a +carpenter's bench."</p> + +<p>"It <i>is</i> funny," growled Warren. "Wonder they didn't make an ice-chest +or a sewing-machine out of it!"</p> + +<p>After that it was plain sailing until they came to the curtain. It was a +beautiful thing, that curtain, fourteen feet wide and twelve feet long +and bearing a picture of Niagara Falls in blue, green, purple and pink +surrounded by a wreath of crimson cabbages—only they were supposed to +be roses. Despite its beauty, work up and down it would not. Half way up +it began to range itself in artistic folds, apparently forgetting all +about the wooden roller at the bottom. Once it came down unexpectedly on +Chub's head, and Chub danced around and shook his fist at it and +declared that he'd cut holes in it for two cents. No one offered to put +up the two cents and so the curtain was saved. In the end Jack +manufactured a new pulley-block and after that the foolish thing worked +charmingly every other time.</p> + +<p>"All we'll have to do," said Warren disgustedly, "will be to make +believe pull it up before we really mean to."</p> + +<p>"Kind of disconcerting to the fellows on the stage," commented Jack, +"but I guess that's what we'll have to do."</p> + +<p>The drop curtain, showing a lovely sylvan glade in unwholesome shades of +green, went up without trouble at the back of the stage, but the pieces +at the sides, very frayed trees with impossible foliage, refused to +stand up.</p> + +<p>"We'll have to make props," said Chub. "I don't blame the old things for +wanting to lie down; it makes me tired just to look at them."</p> + +<p>But when, finally, the stage was set and the boys stood off at a +respectful distance and examined it it really looked very well. Chub +admired the effect of distance and wondered where the path led to. +Warren said he'd like to meet the man who had chiseled out the statue +under the trees and another fellow wanted to go bird-egging. Then they +arranged the chairs and benches in rows. They had gathered chairs of all +descriptions from all over the school and the effect was finely +democratic. Doctor Emery's leather arm chair hobnobbed socially with a +plain pine chair from the dining hall and Mr. Buckman's favorite +hour-glass chair appeared to be trying to make an impression on Harry's +rattan rocker, the latter looking very dressy with its pink silk +head-rest.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus14.jpg" alt="chairs" /> +<a id="illus14" name="illus14"></a> +<p class="caption"> +"They had gathered chairs of all descriptions from all +over the school...."</p></div> + +<p>They went to dinner feeling rather more encouraged and found that Sid +had returned with good tidings. Hammond had learned of the entertainment +several days before and had been waiting eagerly for an invitation to +attend. And every fellow was coming, declared Sid. Roy, who had taken a +flying trip to the town for red and blue cheesecloth, reported excellent +progress on the last of the costumes. And Post, who couldn't eat any +dinner because he had been filling himself up all day with cough syrup +and licorice lozenges, thought he might be able to sing, after all. The +last rehearsal was at three o'clock, and after it was over Jack shook +his head dismally.</p> + +<p>"I never saw such a bum show in my life," he declared gloomily. "And +talk about singing! Say, I wonder if we can bribe Post to stay away +to-night?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I thought everything went beautifully!" declared Harry. "You wait +until to-night; they'll do a lot better."</p> + +<p>"The chorus work was all right," said Chub. "And the tableaux were +simply swell. I do wish, though, that Bacon wouldn't look as though he +was going to die every minute!"</p> + +<p>"But those jokes!" groaned Jack.</p> + +<p>"Oh, never mind; I've heard lots worse ones," answered Roy cheerfully.</p> + +<p>"Not outside of a Sunday newspaper supplement, I'll bet," said Jack. +"That one about Mr. Cobb and Miss Webb, and falling in love with her the +first time he 'spider' is the limit. I heard that when I was three +years old!"</p> + +<p>"That's all right; folks like 'em old at a minstrel show," answered +Chub. "Old wine to drink, old books to read, old jokes to—"</p> + +<p>"To cry over," prompted Jack. "All right. No use in cutting up rough +now. We'll have to make the best of a bad show. Just so long as Harris +and Kirby don't start to using their fists on each other during their +turn I suppose I can't kick."</p> + +<p>"Well, let's go to supper," said Roy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE ENTERTAINMENT AND HOW IT ENDED</p> + + +<div class='blockquot'>Entertainment for the Benefit of the Ferry Hill School Hockey +Association in the Gymnasium, Wednesday Evening, December 22d.</div> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus29.jpg" alt="program" /> +</div> + + + +<p class='center'><span class="smcap">Part I.</span></p> + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Overture</span>: "<i>Uncle Sammy</i>,"</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Orchestra</span></td></tr> +</table> + + + + +<p class='center'>FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!</p> + +<div class='blockquot'>The World-Famous Aggregation of Senegambian Entertainers known as the +Darktown Minstrels, just returned from their Triumphant Tour of Europe, +Asia, Africa and New Jersey, where they delighted Royalty and barely +escaped with their Lives!</div> + +<p class='center'>ONE NIGHT ONLY!! READ THE NAMES!!</p> + + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="program"> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Interlocutor</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Rogers</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Bones</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Messrs. Post and Harris</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Tambourines</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Messrs. Eaton and Whitcomb</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left' valign='top'><i>Disturbers-of-the-Peace</i></td> +<td align='right'><span class="smcap">Messrs. Cobb, Buckman, Thurlow, Forrest,<br /> Gallup, Kirby, Warren, Pryor, Bacon, Stone,<br /> Harris, Shattuck, Patten and Welch.</span></td></tr> +</table> + + + + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Solos</i> (the audience permitting) by</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Messrs. Cobb, Post, Thurlow and Forrest.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Duets</i> (at any cost) by</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Messrs. Buckman and Cobb, Harris and Kirby.</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Monologues by</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Cobb</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Imitations by</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Eaton</span></td></tr> +</table> + + + +<div class='blockquot'>To be followed by the First Appearance in this part of the Country of +Professor Carlos Cole, Prince of Prestidigitators, in Astounding Card +Tricks, Marvellous Feats of Sleight-of-Hand and Appalling Wonders of +White and Black Magic never before seen on any stage and not likely to +be again! (The Management earnestly requests Members of the Audience not +to loan the Professor either money or hats. The Management will not be +Responsible for the Return of such Articles.)</div> + +<div class='blockquot'>The Whole to Terminate in a Beautiful and Fantastic Revelry of Song and +Mirth entitled:</div> + +<p class='center'>"<i>Christmas Eve on the Plantation!</i>"</p> + +<p class='center'>INTERMISSION.</p> + +<p class='center'><span class="smcap">Part II.</span></p> + + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Overture</span>: "<i>Medley of College Airs</i>"</td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Orchestra</span></td></tr> +</table> + +<p class='center'>COLLEGE TABLEAUX.</p> + + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'>1. <i>Yale</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Bacon</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>2. <i>Harvard</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Porter</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>3. <i>Princeton</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Eaton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>4. <i>Cornell</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Warren</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>5. <i>Columbia</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Gallup</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>6. <i>Dartmouth</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Forrest</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>7. <i>Vassar</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Miss Emery</span></td></tr> +</table> + + + + +<p class='center'>ENSEMBLE.</p> + +<p class='center'><span class="smcap">Song</span>: "<i>The School on the Hill.</i>"</p> + +<p class='center'>The Audience will please join in the singing.</p> + + + + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="600" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Stage Manager</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Rogers</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Assistant Stage Manager</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Eaton</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Property Man</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Porter</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Electrician</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Pryor</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Prompter</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Mr. Thayer</span></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Wardrobe Lady</i></td><td align='right'><span class="smcap">Miss Emery</span></td></tr> +</table> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Automobiles and launches may be ordered for 10:45. There's no harm in +ordering.</p> + +<p>The audience is earnestly requested not to throw garden truck or +hennery produce. Bricks may be obtained from the Gentlemanly Ushers.</p> + +<p>Attendants will report promptly to the Management any inattention on +the part of the Audience.</p> + +<p>Persons unable to resist weeping at the jokes will please step +outside. Rain checks may be had at the door.</p></div> + +<p class='center'>A MERRY CHRISTMAS!</p> + +<p>The public acted very considerately that evening. Whether the report had +got around that Ferry Hill needed sixty dollars for her hockey team I +can't say, but it's a fact that when the curtain went up—only twenty +minutes late!—there were exactly one hundred and twenty-eight persons +in the gymnasium who had paid for admission, and as the price was fifty +cents apiece the one hundred and twenty-eight persons meant just +sixty-four dollars in the cigar box on the table by the door! Hammond +turned out in force, almost sixty of her boys attending; Miss Cutler's +School for Young Ladies was well represented by twenty-two of Harry's +schoolmates under the protection of Miss Letitia Cutler herself; the +village contributed generously; while as for Ferry Hill, every youth not +holding an official position of some sort—and there were few that +didn't—was on hand, even Horace and Otto being unable to resist the +promises of the programme, while the culinary and dormitory force, as +well as John, the gardener and general factotum, were huddled about the +door. Down in the second row sat Doctor and Mrs. Emery and some friends +from the village. Walker and Fernald made most presentable ushers, and, +as their duties consisted principally of supplying programmes and +answering questions, they did finely.</p> + +<p>I'm not going to attempt a description of the first part of that +entertainment. In the first place it was beyond description, far too +stupendous and awe-inspiring for my pen to do justice to. From the time the +curtain rose—as correctly as though it had never misbehaved!—revealing +the World Famous Aggregation of Senegambian Entertainers until—well, until +it fell hurriedly two hours later, everything went beautifully. Of course +there were little misadventures, but such are expected and only add to the +hilarity of an amateur show. When Chub's tambourine flew whirling out of +his hand and fell into Mrs. Emery's lap it seemed an excellent joke. When +Warren fell over a chair and landed on all fours in front of the descending +curtain, everybody applauded uproariously. When, in the plantation sketch, +the roof of the log cabin fell in because Post had thoughtlessly leaned +against the door-frame, and Sid, in the role of Aunt Dinah, floundered +terrifiedly out through the window with a spirited rending of feminine +garments, the audience rocked in merriment.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus15.jpg" alt="show" /> +<a id="illus15" name="illus15"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Chub's tambourine flew whirling out of his hands."</p></div> + +<p>The orchestra, a Silver Cove combination of piano, flute and violin, did +wonderfully considering the fact that it had attended but one rehearsal. +The solos, especially Mr. Cobb's and Tom Forrest's, were cordially +received. Harris and Kirby buried the hatchet temporarily and got +through "Shine, Silv'ry Star" most brilliantly and had to give an +encore. Mr. Cobb and Mr. Buckman did a ludicrous negro song which +brought the house down, though not in the same way as Post had. The +chorus work was good and the jokes took just as well as though they had +been all fresh and new. Some few of them were. When Post asked Rogers if +he knew what the principal article of diet was at the school across the +river, and when he was finally prevailed on to dispel the interlocutor's +ignorance and replied "Hammond eggs," the visitors from Hammond shrieked +their appreciation. When Harris explained that Ferry Hill was the +brightest school in the country because the students had their wits +sharpened by Emery, the Doctor chuckled most appreciatively. Even the +punning joke to which Jack Rogers had taken exception and which related +the matrimonial adventures of Mr. Cobb and a fictitious Miss Webb went +well.</p> + +<p>Chub's imitations were distinctly clever, that of Mr. Buckman coaching +the crew throwing the Ferry Hill portion of the assemblage, at least, +into convulsions. Sid "did his worst," according to promise, and made a +hit more by his earnest desire to please than by any musical results +obtained from his banjo. Mr. Cobb's monologues were screamingly funny +and he had hard work getting away from the audience. Professor Carlos +Cole, better known as Charlie Cole of the Middle Class, didn't quite +make good all the promises of the programme, but executed some clever +tricks of palming and even managed, with some difficulty, to extract one +of Harry's pigeons out of an empty bottle—with the aid of a voluminous +handkerchief which fluttered suspiciously when produced. The sketch +entitled "Christmas Eve on the Plantation" went better than anyone dared +hope, principally, perhaps, for the reason that about everybody forgot +his lines and did what and how he pleased. The first half came to a +triumphant end with the entire company of entertainers filling the +little stage and vigorously proclaiming that they were "going to live, +anyhow, until they died."</p> + +<p>During the intermission black-faced youths emerged from the +dressing-room under the balcony and visited friends in the audience and +the orchestra performed its "Medley of College Airs." The programme's +announcement of College Tableaux had whetted the audience's curiosity, +and when the hall darkened, the bell tinkled and the curtain—still on +its good behaviour—rolled noiselessly up, there was a general craning +forward of heads.</p> + +<p>The painted back drop had given way to a curtain of white cloth. In +front of it stood a large oblong frame of wood covered with gilt paper. +Behind the latter, like a picture in its frame, stood Bacon on a little +white-draped dais impersonating a Yale oarsman. His costume was a blue +sleeveless jersey with a white Y stitched on it, white trunks, +turned-down socks and rowing shoes. In his right hand he supported an +oar with a blue blade. A gas pipe had been run around the inner side of +the frame and the dozens of little jets threw a brilliant light on the +motionless figure. The applause was instant and hearty. Bacon kept the +pose for a minute while the orchestra played "Boola," and then the +curtain fell again. Presently it went up to reveal Roy in his crimson +sweater, moleskin trousers, crimson stockings and tan shoes. A white H +adorned the front of the sweater and under his arm was a football. Again +the applause, quite as hearty as before, while the strains of "Up the +Street" came from the orchestra.</p> + +<p>Chub, who came next, represented a Princeton baseball player, striped +stockings on his sturdy legs, gray shirt over his black jersey, a gray +cap set rakishly over his smiling face and a mask and ball under his +arm. The applause seemed to be more a tribute to Chub, the captain of +the Ferry Hill Nine, than to the picture he made or the college he +represented. After the music of "Old Nassau" had ceased the curtain fell +once more. Then followed Warren as a Cornell oarsman, Gallup as a +Columbia tennis player and Tom Forrest, with a sixteen-pound hammer +behind him, poised for a throw. Forrest wore Dartmouth's colors and made +an unmistakable hit.</p> + +<p>But the audience was agog for the next picture. Harry had devised the +tableaux and had insisted upon being allowed to appear as Vassar. And +although to Jack and Chub and Roy a girl's college had seemed out of +place on the programme, yet they were too grateful to Harry for her +assistance to think of refusing her. And when the curtain rolled up for +the last time they were all very glad they hadn't. For Harry was the +success of the evening.</p> + +<p>She was standing two-thirds-face to the audience, a black mortar-board +cap on her head, a flowing black gown reaching to her feet and a book +under her arm. The pose was grace itself. But the crowning glory of the +picture was Harry's hair. She had coiled it at the back of her little +head, thereby adding several years to her apparent age, and the intense +light of the sizzling gas-jets made it glow and shimmer like red gold. A +very bright, happy and demure-looking Vassar student she made, and a +pretty one, too. Roy, watching from the wings, could hardly believe that +the smiling, grown-up young lady in front of him was the red-haired +little minx who had "sassed" him so sharply in the stable yard that +first day of their acquaintance!</p> + +<p>The applause grew and grew; at the back of the hall John, the gardener, +had forgotten his awe of the surroundings and was "hurrahing" loudly, +egged on by the admiring women servants. And then suddenly the applause +gave place to cries of alarm. Persons in the front row sprang to their +feet. Those behind them pushed back their chairs and, without knowing +the cause, became imbued with the panic of those in front. Someone cried +"Fire!" and instantly the place was in an uproar.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus16.jpg" alt="tableaux" /> +<a id="illus16" name="illus16"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "It was Roy who dashed across the stage."</p></div> + +<p>But those in the wings had seen as quickly as those in the audience, and +it was Roy who dashed across the stage, picked Harry bodily from the +dais, laid her down and crushed the flames out of her black gown with +his hands before scarcely any of the others had recovered from their +momentary panic. Harry, white-faced but silent through it all, was +helped unharmed to her feet and the curtain came down with a rush. It +had been "a narrow squeak," as Chub excitedly termed it, but, save for a +fright, Harry was none the worse for the happening. But the same could +not be said for her black gown. It had fluttered against one of the +gas-jets, caught fire and had been burned away for a space of several +feet up one side. Doctor and Mrs. Emery joined Roy, Mr. Cobb and Jack as +they conducted Harry to the dressing-room and they were both +embarrassingly profuse in their praise of Roy's presence of mind. The +Doctor insisted on shaking hands and it was then that the discovery was +made that while the rescued had escaped injury the rescuer had not. Both +of Roy's hands were pretty badly scorched, although Roy tried to +convince them that they weren't. Mr. Cobb sent for oil and bandages and +Harry, in order to reassure the audience, was led before the curtain, +where she received applause more hearty than ever. The incident had +effectually ended the evening's performance and the singing of the +school song was omitted. When Harry came back to the dressing-room, +still pale and rather sober, she walked over to Roy who was seated +awaiting the "first aid to the injured," and, to his surprise, leaned +impulsively over and kissed his cheek.</p> + +<p>"Please, Roy," she whispered, "thank you very, <i>very</i> much! And—and I'm +sorry I was so low-down mean!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2> + +<p class='center'>A DEFEAT, A VICTORY AND A CHALLENGE</p> + + +<p>It's a peculiar fact that no matter how glad a chap may be to get home +he's equally delighted to get back to school. At least, that's the way +with most fellows, and it was the way with Roy. Vacation seemed over +almost before it had begun, and then, one bright, snowy January morning +when the new year was but a few days old, he woke up to find himself +snuggled under the yellow comforter that adorned his bed in the Senior +Dormitory. And before he could gather courage to slip even one foot out +into the cold there was a rush on the stairs and Chub, all blue pajamas +and grins, was on him like a small tornado, had thrown the coverings in +all directions and had dragged him out on to the unsympathetic floor. +Jack bore down to see justice done and Tom Forrest, holding a bath towel +about him, paused on his way back from the wash-room to watch and give +encouragement. Roy and Chub had it out on the next bed and Chub +eventually begged for mercy from beneath a feather pillow. And +subsequently they dashed downstairs together and reached the dining +room just on the nick of time, feeling like hungry colts.</p> + +<p>Yes, it was mighty good to be back again, even though mid-winter exams +were due in a few days. Roy had missed Chub and Jack and the others, and +even his brother's breathless narrative of the Yale-Harvard game from +the point of view of a Crimson right-tackle who had become next year's +captain hadn't seemed half so wonderful as it would have a year before. +Chub's badly-spelled letter regarding the outlook for the Ferry Hill +Hockey Team had been much more interesting.</p> + +<p>The rink was flooded that afternoon, a round two dozen boys working with +a will at the pump which drew water from the river and ran it through an +iron pipe into the enclosure. It was a cold day—the thermometer read +eight degrees above at four o'clock—and although the river was frozen +only along the banks and out near Fox Island, there was no doubt but +that they would have a nice sheet of ice for the morrow's practice. Chub +borrowed a thermometer from the kitchen window—without telling anyone +about it—and hung it outside his own casement. Sid solemnly affirmed +that Chub was leaning out of the window reading the thermometer by +moonlight every time he woke up. And as Chub observed scathingly that +Sid was never known to wake up from the time he went to sleep until he +was pulled on to the floor in the morning, Sid's statement doubtless +held some truth. Chub was at Roy's bedside the next morning long before +the rising bell had rung. As he had no business there at that time, he +moved and spoke very cautiously.</p> + +<p>"It's four below, Roy!" he whispered.</p> + +<p>"Huh?" asked Roy sleepily.</p> + +<p>"It's four below zero, you lazy chump!"</p> + +<p>"Who? What?"</p> + +<p>"The thermometer! What did you think I was talking about?"</p> + +<p>"Thought you might mean the dormitory," answered Roy, now thoroughly +awake, drawing the bed clothes closer about him and shivering.</p> + +<p>"Pshaw, you're not cold! Come on; get up."</p> + +<p>"Bell rung?"</p> + +<p>"No, but it will in a minute."</p> + +<p>"Then you'd better sneak out of here before Cobb sees you. There's +Ferris got his eye on you now."</p> + +<p>"If he tells on me I'll break his neck," answered Chub from between +chattering teeth. "What time is practice?"</p> + +<p>"Four o'clock."</p> + +<p>"All right. Guess I'll sneak back. I'm going to play cover-point, eh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I guess so—as long as you last."</p> + +<p>Then he dived under the clothes for protection.</p> + +<p>That afternoon the hockey team got down to real business. It was rather +confused business, to be sure, for many of the two dozen candidates had +never played the game before and some few of them were none too sure +on their feet, or, rather, skates. But Mr. Cobb was on hand, and Roy +explained and instructed too, and soon some order grew out of chaos.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus17.jpg" alt="hockey" /> +<a id="illus17" name="illus17"></a> +<p class="caption"> + Roy giving instruction in hockey.</p></div> + +<p>After that every week day afternoon saw the candidates at work on the +rink, save once or twice when thaws softened the ice. Hockey took hold +of the school with a vim, and those who were not entitled to use the +rink secured sticks and pucks and went at it on the river. At the end of +two weeks of practice a first and a second team had been chosen and +games between them occurred daily. Three candidates dropped out; the +others, not of first choice, were retained as substitutes and always got +into the games for a short while at least. Meanwhile Roy's temporary +captaincy had been made permanent by unanimous vote, Jack had been +elected manager and Chub treasurer. A challenge was drawn up and +delivered to Hammond Academy, was accepted and three games were arranged +to settle the ice hockey supremacy. The first was scheduled for January +20th, and although a thaw had set in the evening before and made the +skating surface far from perfect, the contest came off at three o'clock +on the date set.</p> + +<p>The team which started the game for Ferry Hill was made up of Rogers, +right end, Warren, right center, Kirby, left center, Porter, left end, +Eaton, cover-point, Bacon, point, Hadden, goal. But almost all of the +substitutes had their chances before the game was over. Roy, Warren and +Chub played finely, and Hadden, considering the fact that he had never +before played goal in a hockey game, did excellent work and stopped some +difficult shots. But Hammond's players were all experienced and the +result was not long in doubt. Ferry Hill really deserved commendation +for keeping Hammond's score down to eight and for getting two goals +herself, the latter in the last period of play. There were many faults +to correct and that game served an excellent purpose if it did no more +than show up the weak places on the Ferry Hill team. The stick-work was +still pretty ragged, the forwards let their over-eagerness get them into +many an off-side play, they failed to follow up as they should have and +Bacon, at point, continually allowed himself to be drawn out of his +position. But every fellow had played hard and the faults were all such +as could be largely remedied in subsequent practice.</p> + +<p>A few days later a challenge to play a game with Prentice Military +Academy on the latter's rink came by telephone and Jack accepted. The +team, attended by fully two-thirds of the school, journeyed down to +Prentice the following Saturday afternoon and won its first game by a +score of 6 to 4. This sounds better than it really was, for Prentice +couldn't boast of a very strong team. However, the result of the game +encouraged Ferry Hill, and the fellows went to work again on Monday +afternoon with redoubled vigor. Jack Rogers, who had not been playing as +well as he was capable of, found himself about this time and developed +rapidly into a hard, fast forward, passing brilliantly and making an +excellent team-mate for Warren, who, next to Roy, was the best member of +the team. By the time the second Hammond game arrived many of the more +glaring faults had been eliminated. Bacon had fallen back to substitute, +his place at point having been won by Gallup.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill crossed to Hammond that afternoon for the second game of the +series resolved to even things up by winning one contest at least of the +three. And, in spite of the fact that she was on unfamiliar ice, and +that the cheers of Ferry Hill's handful of supporters were quite drowned +out by the throng of Hammondites, she succeeded. The first half ended +with the score 3 to 1 in favor of the Cherry and Black, after Ferry Hill +had played on the defensive almost every minute of the time. But in the +last period Ferry Hill took a brace, got the puck away from her opponent +a few minutes after play began and scored her second goal. She followed +this less than two minutes later with a third, so tying the score. After +that play was fast and furious. Ferry Hill forced it hard. The next +try-at-goal was by Hammond, and although it looked as though the puck +entered the cage and bounded out the goal was not allowed. Hammond had a +good deal to say about that and play came to a standstill for several +minutes. But the referee, a gentleman of their own choosing, held to his +decision. But even had that goal been awarded to Hammond the game would +still have gone to Ferry Hill, for Jack Rogers and Warren, playing +together like veterans, took the puck down the rink when play was +resumed and shot a goal that couldn't be questioned. That goal was +Jack's second. Hammond made it interesting for the Brown and White after +that, making try after try, but Hadden stopped everything that reached +him. With only a very few minutes to play Kirby stole the rubber from a +Hammond forward, passed it to Roy across the rink and followed up in +time to receive it back again near the center. He lost it for an +instant, recovered it, shot it against the boards ahead of Roy, who +found it as it carromed away, checked the Hammond point and gave Roy a +clean chance at the cage. Roy took the chance and lifted the puck past +goal's knees. There was no more scoring and 5 to 3 were the final +figures. Ferry Hill went home very well pleased with herself, and no one +received more praise than Hadden, whose steady, brilliant work at the +goal had contributed more than anything else to the victory.</p> + +<p>The final game of the series was not due until two weeks later and +during those two weeks Ferry Hill worked like Trojans. But before that +final contest was decided Ferry Hill and Hammond had again met on the +ice and tried conclusions, and although there was no hockey in this +contest it was quite as exciting while it lasted. It came about in this +way.</p> + +<p>Hammond's right end and captain was a big yellow-haired giant named +Schonberg, a brilliant player and a wonderful skater, if the tales one +heard of him were true. Possibly the fact that in the recent game Roy, +who opposed him, had outplayed him, wounded his vanity. At all events +Horace Burlen approached Jack Rogers one morning a few days after the +game with an open letter in his hand and a frown on his brow.</p> + +<p>"Look at this thing from Hammond, will you, Jack," he said. "They've +challenged us to a skating race on the river. Any time and any distance +we like, they say; hang their cheek!"</p> + +<p>Jack stopped and read the letter.</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess they've got us there," he said. "I don't know of any +fellow who would stand the ghost of a chance against that chap +Schonberg."</p> + +<p>"Well, I hate to refuse," replied Horace importantly. "It seems to me we +ought to accept the challenge even if we get beaten."</p> + +<p>"I suppose we ought," said Jack, "but you'll find it pretty hard to find +a fellow willing to try conclusions with Schonberg."</p> + +<p>"I'd try it myself," said Horace carelessly, "but I'm terribly out of +practice; haven't been on the ice more than two or three times this +winter."</p> + +<p>"You be blowed!" answered Jack impolitely. "Why Schonberg would leave +you standing! Me, too, for that matter. I'll talk the thing over with +Roy Porter."</p> + +<p>"Think he would stand any show?" asked Horace.</p> + +<p>"Roy? I don't know. He's a pretty good skater on the rink, but I don't +know what he can do at any distance."</p> + +<p>"Well, if he likes to try, he may," said Horace magnanimously.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell him so," replied Jack dryly. "You needn't send any answer for +a day or so, and meanwhile we'll see what can be done. It seems too bad +not to even try; I'd hate to have Hammond think we were afraid of her or +that we weren't willing to risk a defeat. Yes, I'll speak to Roy and see +what he suggests."</p> + +<p>"Well, of course you understand," said Horace, "that the matter is in my +charge. If you can find anyone, all right; only you'd better let me know +about it before you call the thing decided; I might not approve of the +fellow."</p> + +<p>"Oh, that's all right. Maybe, after all, you'd better find a chap +yourself. I'm rather busy just now with exams—"</p> + +<p>"No, you go ahead," interrupted Horace quickly. "What I was trying to +get at was—well, you understand, Jack; Porter doesn't like me, you +know, and I don't know what he might do; you spoke of consulting him, +you know."</p> + +<p>"Well, if we find any fellow he'll probably be one of the hockey men, +and as Roy's the captain it seems to me—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right. You see what we can do."</p> + +<p>Half an hour later Jack was talking it over with Roy.</p> + +<p>"I don't know what you can do at racing," he said, "but if you think +you'd make any sort of a showing I think you'd ought to try. But you can +do as you like."</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't stand any chance with that Dutchman," answered Roy, "but if +you can't find anyone else I'll race him. I don't mind being beaten."</p> + +<p>So the matter stood for the rest of the day, in fact until the next +forenoon. Then Roy was paying a call on the menagerie between +examinations at the invitation of Harry, who had lately become the proud +possessor of a litter of three Angora kittens. Roy's advice was wanted +in the delicate matter of deciding which one of the three was to be kept +and which two were to be given away to friends at Miss Cutler's. That +momentous question decided and the attractive points of the three little +bunches of fur having been set forth by Harry, Roy made the rounds of +the "cages," as he called the various boxes and receptacles which held +the pets. Methuselah had long ago recovered the full use of his voice +and was willing to prove the fact on any occasion. He had become quite +attached to Roy and would sit on the edge of his box with eyes closed in +seraphic bliss as long as Roy would scratch his head. To-day he talked +incessantly from the time they entered the "winter quarters," which was +an old harness room in a corner of the smallest stable, until they left +to walk back over the ice-crusted boards to School Hall. It was during +that walk that Roy chanced to tell of Hammond's challenge. Harry was +intensely patriotic and the situation worried her for several minutes.</p> + +<p>"There isn't a boy here that can skate," she said scornfully. "They're +all duffers. Unless—" she shot a glance at Roy—"unless you can?"</p> + +<p>"Not much," answered her companion. "I can work around a rink all right +enough, but I never skated in a race in my life."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll be beaten," said Harry dolefully. "And I hate that iceberg +boy!"</p> + +<p>"Schonberg," corrected Roy laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Well, some kind of an old berg. I wish—" Harry paused and walked for a +minute in silence. Then she turned with sparkling eyes. "I know!" she +cried.</p> + +<p>"What do you know?"</p> + +<p>"There's just one—person here that would stand any chance with +Iceberg."</p> + +<p>"Who is he?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't a he," answered Harry mysteriously.</p> + +<p>"Not a he? Then who—what—?"</p> + +<p>"It's me, stupid!"</p> + +<p>"You? But—"</p> + +<p>"Now don't you go and make a lot of objections," cried Harry. "I know +I'm not a boy, but I belong to the school—and I can skate; you ask any +of the boys; ask Chub or Jack—or Horace. So it's all settled. All +you've got to do is to write and tell Hammond that we'll race her any +afternoon that the ice will bear. But you needn't say it's me, you know. +See? Tell them we haven't decided yet—No, that wouldn't be the truth, +would it, for we have decided; at least, I have. Just tell them +that—that we'll race them, and don't say anything about who."</p> + +<p>"That's great," laughed Roy, "and if Jack—and Horace—are willing, I +am. And I hope you'll beat him, Harry. How far do you want to race? They +said any distance."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll decide that when the time comes," answered Harry. "Maybe a +mile, maybe a quarter; we'll see how the ice is, and the wind and all +that. And you'd better arrange it for a week from to-day, and I'll just +practice up all I can. That's all settled then, isn't it?"</p> + +<p>"It certainly sounds so," laughed Roy. "And," he added as the clock in +School Hall tower rang eleven, "I wish you'd settle my Latin exam as +easily!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2> + +<p class='center'>"JUST FOR THE SCHOOL!"</p> + + +<p>There was a stiff, biting wind blowing straight down the river, nipping +the fingers and toes of the crowd about the landing and whirling away +the smoke from the chimney of the boat-house. Overhead the winter sky +was leaden and sullen clouds were driving southward. Underfoot the ice +rang hard as steel, and, save for a space in mid-river, was as smooth as +a mirror. It was well on toward four o'clock and already the shadows +along the banks hinted of coming night. Hammond and Ferry Hill were +hobnobbing about the boat-house stove or out on the ice in front of the +landing. The terms of the race had been arranged and the big, +yellow-haired Schonberg was idly cutting figures in and out of the group +to keep himself warm. The race was to be a half-mile long, starting here +at the Ferry Hill landing, crossing straight as a strip of weak ice +would permit to a point on the Hammond side of the river and returning +again to the landing, finishing at a mark indicated by an empty nail keg +and a broken soap box set some twenty yards from shore. All that +remained of the preliminaries was for Ferry Hill to produce her entry. +Mr. Cobb, who was to act as starter, timer, judge and everything else of +an official sort, looked at his watch and announced that it was time to +start. Schonberg stopped his capers, removed his sweater and skated to +the mark, looking about with pardonable curiosity for a sight of his +adversary. Horace and Harry emerged from the throng and joined him.</p> + +<p>"This is Mr. Schonberg, Harry," said Horace. "Schonberg, my cousin, Miss +Emery."</p> + +<p>Harry bowed gravely in her best society manner and Schonberg made a +futile grab at his knit cap.</p> + +<p>"Happy to meet you," he muttered. Then, possibly for want of something +better to say, he turned to Horace and asked:</p> + +<p>"When are you chaps going to be ready?"</p> + +<p>"We're ready now," answered Horace soberly. Schonberg looked about him. +The crowd had surrounded the mark by this time and Mr. Cobb had his +watch in hand.</p> + +<p>"Where's your man, Burlen?" asked Custis, Hammond's senior class +president.</p> + +<p>"Right here," answered Horace, indicating Harry. "Miss Emery is our +man."</p> + +<p>Hammond howled with laughter. Harry's cheeks reddened and her eyes +flashed.</p> + +<p>"You're joking, aren't you?" asked Custis.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," replied Horace impatiently.</p> + +<p>"But, I say, Burlen, that's poppycock, you know! We didn't challenge a +girl's school!"</p> + +<p>"That's all right," said Burlen. "We said we'd race you, and we will. +Miss Emery is Doctor Emery's daughter and she belongs to the school just +as much as any of us. If you're afraid to race her—"</p> + +<p>"Don't be a fool! Of course we're not afraid, but—but it's such +nonsense!"</p> + +<p>"Course it is," broke in Schonberg. "I didn't come over here to race a +girl!"</p> + +<p>"Then you shouldn't have agreed to our terms," answered Jack, joining +the discussion. "We told you plainly in our letter that we would race +you if you'd allow us to name our entry any time before the race. We've +decided and there she is. If you have any idea, Schonberg, that you've +got an easy thing—well, just try it. Miss Emery's our best skater, and +she's so good that we're not ashamed to acknowledge it. And as we knew +that Schonberg was an A-1 skater we thought our best wouldn't be any too +good."</p> + +<p>"Oh, all right," said Custis, with a shrug of his shoulders, "if you +insist I guess we're willing."</p> + +<p>"I'm not," said Schonberg. "I won't race a girl."</p> + +<p>And Schonberg held out for many minutes and had to be argued with, and +coaxed by, half the Hammond contingent. But finally he yielded, though +with ill grace, and took his place at the mark.</p> + +<p>"All right," he said. "I'm ready."</p> + +<p>Harry took her place a yard away, the throng pushed back and Mr. Cobb +drew out his starting pistol. Those of the boys who were on skates, and +most of them were, prepared to follow the contestants.</p> + +<p>Harry wore a brown sweater and a short gray skirt. Her skating boots +were securely fastened to a pair of long-bladed racing skates. Her head +was bare and the wind blew her red tresses about her face as she awaited +the signal. There was a little spot of intense color in each cheek and +her blue eyes flashed venomously when Schonberg turned to glance at her +half contemptuously. If she had needed any incentive to do her level +best within the next few minutes Schonberg's pronunciation of the word +"girl" had supplied it. Harry was insulted and indignant, and Roy, +watching her from a little distance, guessed something of her feelings +and took hope. No one really expected Harry to win. That a +fourteen-year-old girl should beat a seventeen-year-old boy was out of +the question. Schonberg, too, was known to be as good a skater as +Hammond had had for many years. But every fellow had implicit faith in +Harry and knew that she would give the Hammond skater as hard a race as +he had ever had. Mr. Cobb raised his pistol.</p> + +<p>"On your mark! Get ready! Set!"</p> + +<p>Then the pistol spoke sharply on the winter air and the two contestants, +the brown sweater and the red jersey, shot ahead in a mad scramble. The +throng followed and for a moment the ring of steel on the hard ice was +the only sound. Then the racers, having found their paces, settled down +to work. They were side by side, a bare three yards dividing them. Just +behind them skated the foremost of the spectators, Roy and Warren and +Jack leading. If Schonberg had entertained any idea of having the race +to himself he was disillusioned during the first fifty yards. Once he +threw a glance at the girl. After that he settled down to work and +wasted no time. He skated wonderfully well and even the throng of Ferry +Hill boys behind could not but envy him his speed and grace. Body well +over, legs gliding back and forth from the hips, head up and arms kept +rather close in, Schonberg fairly flew over the ice.</p> + +<p>And beside him sped Harry.</p> + +<p>Harry was not the accomplished skater that her rival was. She was +graceful and she had speed, but she showed far more effort than did the +Hammond boy, her strides being shorter and her little brown-clad arms +swinging back and forth like bits of machinery. Half way across it +became necessary to hold well to the right to avoid the patch of weak +ice, but Harry was the last to leave the straight course and Schonberg +had to either spurt ahead of her and bear up-river or fall behind. He +chose the latter alternative, eased his pace a moment, shot behind her +and made for the lowest point of safe ice. For a moment longer Harry +clung to her straight course. Then she swung up-stream a trifle and +followed him a yard behind, seemingly paying but little heed to the +streaks of snow-ice ahead.</p> + +<p>Schonberg rounded the danger point and made straight for the farther +bank where the limb of a black birch had been placed a few yards from +shore to serve as a turning mark. Harry had lost ground during the last +few moments, in spite of the fact that she had held closer to the direct +course between shore and shore, and was now fully twenty feet behind. +Few of the audience went beyond mid-stream, but stopped there and +watched the racers reach the farther mark, swing around inside of it and +turn back across the river. From where Roy and Jack stood it looked as +though Harry had made up a little of her lost ground, but it was hard to +tell at that distance.</p> + +<p>"He will simply skate away from her coming back," said Jack.</p> + +<p>"She's making a dandy race, though," Roy responded. "I didn't think +she'd do as well as she has, did you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I've seen Harry skate before this. Gee! Just look at the way +that Dutchman is coming!"</p> + +<p>Already Schonberg was half way across to them, heading for where they +stood at the up-stream end of the snow-ice. Behind him, how far behind +it was difficult to determine, came Harry, a brown and gray spot in the +deepening twilight. Jack and Roy turned and followed the others slowly +back toward the finish. When next they looked around Schonberg was +almost up to them and Harry—</p> + +<p>"Where the dickens is she?" cried Roy.</p> + +<p>"There," answered Jack, pointing. "What's she up to? She can't be going +to try that weak ice!"</p> + +<p>But plainly she was. Not one foot from the direct line between turning +point and finish did Harry swerve. Schonberg was well up-stream from +her, but no nearer the finish, for he had gone out of his way to avoid +the weak ice. Roy shouted a warning and Jack waved wildly, but Harry, if +she saw, paid no heed. Straight onward she came, her skates fairly +twinkling over the ice, her little body swaying from side to side. Then, +before any of the watchers could even turn back to head her off, she was +skimming over the white streaks of soft snow-ice.</p> + +<p>Roy and Jack and one or two others sped downstream toward her. Roy +strove to remember what it was best to do when folks went through the +ice and wondered where there was a rope or a plank. Once his heart stood +still for an instant, for Harry had stumbled and nearly fallen. But she +found her pace again almost instantly and came on, skirting a black pool +of open water. She was gaining on Schonberg at every ring of her skates, +and that youth, who had now discovered her tactics, was making for the +finish with all his might. Before Roy or Jack had reached the margin of +the dangerous stretch Harry had left it behind her and was once more on +hard ice. As she swept past at a little distance she glanced up and +smiled triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"Go on, Harry!" they cried in unison, and turned and sped after her.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus18.jpg" alt="race" /> +<a id="illus18" name="illus18"></a> +<p class="caption"> +"Schonberg made a last despairing effort when twenty feet +from the line."</p></div> + +<p>She had gained many yards over Schonberg and as their converging paths +brought them nearer and nearer together this gain became apparent. Roy +and Jack skated as hard as they could go, and, being untired, were +close up behind Harry when the finish line was a bare fifty feet away. +Almost beside them came Schonberg, his head down and every muscle tense +with his efforts to reach the line ahead of his adversary. But he was a +good six yards to the bad. Hammond and Ferry Hill filled the twilight +with their clamor and the wooded bank threw back the frantic cries of +"Come on, Schon!" "Go it, Harry!" "Skate! Skate!"</p> + +<p>And skate they did, the cherry-red jersey and the brown sweater. +Schonberg made a last despairing effort when twenty feet from the line +and fairly ate up the ice, but even as he did so Harry brought her feet +together, pulled herself erect and slid over the finish three yards +ahead, beating her adversary, as Chub said, "in a walk!"</p> + +<p>The throngs surrounded the racers, and Harry, flushed of face, panting +and laughing, was applauded and congratulated until the din was +deafening. Then Schonberg pushed his way through the ranks of her +admirers, his red face smiling stiffly. He held out his hand to Harry +and removed his red cap.</p> + +<p>"You're a bully skater, Miss Emery," he said. "But I guess you wouldn't +have won if you hadn't taken a short cut."</p> + +<p>"No, I wouldn't," answered Harry with the magnanimity of the conqueror. +"You'd have beaten me easily."</p> + +<p>Schonberg's smile became more amiable.</p> + +<p>"Anyway, I can beat any of the fellows here," he said, recovering some +degree of self-sufficiency. And no one contradicted him. "You took big +risks when you came across that rotten ice," he went on. "I wouldn't +have tried that for a thousand dollars!"</p> + +<p>"You wouldn't?" asked Harry, opening her blue eyes very wide. "Why, I'd +do it any day—and just for the School!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP IS DECIDED</p> + + +<p>Roy had passed his examinations without flunking in a thing, and while +that may not sound like much of an achievement to you who doubtless are +accustomed to winning all sorts of honors, it pleased him hugely. They +had proved pretty stiff, those exams, and he had trembled in his shoes +considerably when the day for the announcement of results had come. But +it was all right. To be sure, 68 in English wasn't anything to brag +about, but he was happier over that than the 92 in Latin, which was his +highest mark.</p> + +<p>Jack received one of the six scholarships, which carried with it beside +the honor sufficient money to cancel the year's tuition fee. Chub, too, +was happy. He was happy because he had failed only in Mathematics where +he had feared to fail all along the line.</p> + +<p>I don't know whether Roy's mother was pleased; possibly not; possibly +she had not entirely relinquished her hopes of a scholarship for him. +But Roy's father, if his letter was to be believed, was in the seventh +heaven of bliss. Roy scowled a good deal over that letter, for it +sounded a bit sarcastic here and there! Mentally he resolved to do a +whole lot better and get higher marks in June.</p> + +<p>"I just wish Dad had that exam to buck against," he muttered. "I'll bet +he'd make a mighty mean showing! Maybe then he wouldn't write such +letters!"</p> + +<p>The letter, though, had accomplished just what Mr. Porter had intended +it should; it had made Roy dissatisfied with his showing and resolved to +do better the next time. And, in case I fail to record the fact in its +proper place, be it known here and now that he did do better, +considerably better, so well, in fact, that his mother's waning hopes of +scholarship honors flourished anew.</p> + +<p>Those examinations left Horace Burlen in a peck of trouble. He had +failed in two studies and was consequently ineligible for crew work +until he had made them up. And as Horace was Crew captain and Number +Three in the boat, the whole school became interested in his +predicament. To his honor be it said, however, that he buckled down at +once to make them up, and Mr. Buckman, who was the rowing coach and +adviser, helped him to what extent the rules allowed. Crew practice +began usually in the first week of March, leaving less than a month for +Horace to square himself in the two studies. Those who didn't like him +smiled wickedly and "guessed there'd be a new captain chosen next +month." Horace's friends and adherents, consisting nowadays of about a +third of the students, declared that he wouldn't have any trouble and +advised the scoffers to "just watch him!"</p> + +<p>Meanwhile there was the ice hockey supremacy to be determined. Ferry +Hill had scored another victory, this time over the Whittier Collegiate +Institute team, twelve goals to nine, and had practised diligently and +enthusiastically every possible moment. And so when, on a bright, cold +Saturday afternoon, Hammond crossed the river for the third and deciding +contest, Ferry Hill was in high feather and was looking for a victory.</p> + +<p>Pride goeth before a fall.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill's team was made up as in the first game of the series save +that Gallup was at point in place of Bacon, who had fallen back to the +second team. The ice was hard and smooth, the barriers were lined with +spectators, the cheers of Hammond and Ferry Hill arose alternately into +the still, frosty air. Harry watched breathlessly with Spot in her arms +and Mr. Cobb tossed a puck into the center of the rink and skated back.</p> + +<p>"Ready, Hammond?"</p> + +<p>"Ready, Ferry Hill?"</p> + +<p>Then the whistle piped merrily, Warren secured the puck and passed it +back to Kirby and the game was on. Skates rang against the ice as the +brown-clad forwards spread out across the rink and raced for the +opponent's goal. Kirby passed to Roy, Roy passed across to Warren, +Warren overskated, Rogers doubled back and rescued the disk, passing it +across to Roy again, Hammond's right-end charged, Roy slipped past him +against the barrier and got the puck once more, eluded the cover-point +and passed to Warren, Warren worked the puck to within ten feet of the +net and, with half the team hitting and hacking at his stick, shot the +first goal. Ferry Hill, 1; Hammond, 0.</p> + +<p>But Hammond broke up the attack very nicely the next time, secured the +puck and charged down the rink like a troop of cavalry. Gallup was +decoyed to the left, Hadden was caught napping and the whistle blew. +Ferry Hill, 1; Hammond, 1. Hadden remorsefully kicked the snowy disk of +rubber out from the net and smote it wrathfully with his stick.</p> + +<p>"My fault, Roy," he said.</p> + +<p>"That's all right," answered the captain. "Gallup, you were out of place +that time. Remember that you take the puck and not the man. All together +now, fellows, get after them!"</p> + +<p>Hammond secured the puck at the face and for several minutes the battle +raged hotly, now here, now there. Hadden stopped two tries neatly, Chub +stole the disk from a Hammond forward and took it down the rink, skating +like a cyclone—if cyclones may be said to skate—only to miss his try +at goal by a bare two inches. Twice play was stopped for off-side work +and once Warren was cautioned by Mr. Cobb against roughness. Then, when +the Hammond Point had lifted the puck far down the rink, Gallup was slow +in returning it and the speedy Schonberg was down on him like a flash, +had stolen the puck from under his nose and, charging past Chub, who had +come to the rescue, had shot it between Hadden's feet for the third +goal.</p> + +<p>After that Fortune favored Hammond while the half lasted. Her players +worked like one man instead of seven and when the whistle blew the score +looked frightfully one-sided; Hammond, 5; Ferry Hill, 1.</p> + +<p>"I guess they're too much for us," panted Jack as he struggled into his +sweater. Roy nodded soberly.</p> + +<p>"I never saw better team-work," he muttered. "Well, it's all in a +lifetime."</p> + +<p>"Well, look at the experience they've had," said Kirby. "I'll bet that +next year we'll—"</p> + +<p>Roy turned on him sharply.</p> + +<p>"That'll do for you," he answered. "Never mind next year, think of the +next half. Time enough for next year when we're beaten. I dare say they +will beat us, but if you think, Kirby, that I'm going to be satisfied +with any such score as they've piled up on us now you're mightily +mistaken. What we want to do is to get the jump on those chaps and +everlastingly push them around the shop!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Cobb, who had come up in time to hear the remark, smiled approval.</p> + +<p>"That's right," he said. "You forwards must get together better and you +must take chances. There's not much use waiting to get in front of their +goal before shooting because they've got a fine defense and a dandy +point. Force the playing, shoot whenever there's the ghost of a chance +and check harder. You must be careful about the way you treat those +fellows along the boards, Warren; I wouldn't have been far wrong if I'd +laid you off for a couple of minutes that time."</p> + +<p>"I guess you didn't see what he was doing to me," said Warren.</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't. But you know mighty well that we don't stand for slugging +here, no matter what the other chap does."</p> + +<p>"That's all right," muttered Warren, "but if any chap thinks he can +slash my shins all the time and not get hurt he's a good bit mistaken."</p> + +<p>"Well, don't you try it on when I'm coaching or refereeing," warned Mr. +Cobb coldly. "If you do—look out!"</p> + +<p>Warren made no reply.</p> + +<p>The substitutes and members of the second team had taken possession of +the rink and Bacon was guarding goal against the assaults of half a +dozen swooping, charging players. At the far end Hammond was perched +along the barrier, laughing and fooling, already practically certain of +victory. Roy, watching, set his jaws together and resolved that if +Hammond added to her present score it would be only after the hardest +playing she had ever done!</p> + +<p>"You're not going to let them win, are you, Roy?"</p> + +<p>Roy turned to find Harry beside him with Spot wriggling and twisting in +her arms. Roy petted him and had his cheek licked before he replied. +Then,</p> + +<p>"I'm afraid we can't keep them from beating us, Harry," he answered, +"but we're going to make a lot better showing in this half than we did +in the last."</p> + +<p>"Does your wrist hurt?" asked Harry, glancing solicitously at the silk +bandage about it. Roy shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, but it isn't right strong yet and Mr. Cobb thought I'd better wear +this rather than run any danger of putting it out of place again. How's +Methuselah?"</p> + +<p>"Fine and dandy," answered Harry cheerfully. "You must come and see him; +I think he gets rather dull sometimes. I've got some more white mice. +That makes sixteen. I wish I knew what to do with them. Dad says I'll +have to kill them, but I just couldn't do it."</p> + +<p>"Why not turn them loose?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>Harry giggled.</p> + +<p>"I tried that and some of them came back and went up to John's room and +he found one in his boot in the morning. He was terribly mad about it. +John's very short tempered, you know."</p> + +<p>"He must be," laughed Roy.</p> + +<p>"Yes. And then yesterday he found two in the grain-chest and told Dad. I +don't think it was nice of him to tell, do you? And Dad says I'll have +to kill them."</p> + +<p>"I tell you what," said Roy. "You keep them until warm weather and +we'll take them off somewhere and let them loose. I don't believe they'd +ever get back again."</p> + +<p>"But they might die!"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe so. Anyway, they'd have a fighting chance, and if you +kill them they won't have. See?"</p> + +<p>"John said I ought to buy an owl," said Harry disgustedly, "and feed +them to him. As though I would!"</p> + +<p>"John's a brute," said Roy. "How about the squabs?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, they're coming fast! There are twelve already. I—I wish they +wouldn't hatch. I hate to have them killed."</p> + +<p>"Mighty fine eating, squabs," said Roy teasingly. Harry shot an +indignant glance at him.</p> + +<p>"Any person who'd eat a squab," she cried, "deserves to be—to be—"</p> + +<p>But Roy didn't learn what such a person deserved, for at that moment Mr. +Cobb summoned the teams out again. Roy peeled off his crimson sweater, +looked to his skate straps and called to Jack. When the latter had +skated up Roy talked to him earnestly for a moment.</p> + +<p>"All ready, Porter?" cried Warren.</p> + +<p>"About six or eight feet from the corner of the goal," finished Roy. +"And bang it in without waiting for anything. Understand?"</p> + +<p>Jack nodded and the two skated to their places. Warren and the opposing +left-center laid their sticks on either side of the puck and the +whistle sounded. There was an instant of shoving and pushing and then +the puck shot back to the Hammond side. Over to the boards it went, the +Hammond forwards strung out and dug their skates into the ice and the +puck came down to the Ferry Hill goal, flying back and forth from one +forward to another like a shuttle. Chub checked the Hammond right-center +and the two went to the ice together, a confused mass of legs and arms +and sticks. Gallup slashed wildly at Schonberg's stick, Hadden crouched +between the iron posts and the puck went flying over his shoulder into +the snow outside. The whistle piped and the disk was dug out of its +refuge and returned to the ice just in front of the Ferry Hill goal. +Chub and Gallup fell back to protect Hadden, and Roy and Schonberg faced +off. There was a moment of wild hacking of stick against stick, then the +puck slid through Roy's skates, and Schonberg, reaching around him, made +a quick slash that sent it rolling into the corner of the goal. Hammond, +6; Ferry Hill, 1. Hadden vented his disgust by smashing his stick and +had to have a new one. Back to the center of the ice went the puck, +while the Hammond supporters cheered and laughed.</p> + +<p>Again Hammond get possession of the disk at the face and again the +cherry jerseys sped down the rink. Then <i>smash</i>! went Roy into Schonberg +and the puck was his and he was dribbling it along the boards. A Hammond +forward charged him, but Roy passed the puck inside, passed outside +himself and recovered it beyond. From the other side of the rink came +Jack's voice.</p> + +<p>"All right, Roy!"</p> + +<p>Past cover-point went Roy, and then, just as point flew out toward him, +he shot the puck at an angle against the boards just back of goal. He +went down the next moment before the savage bodychecking of point, but +he didn't mind, for the puck, carroming against the barrier, had shot +out at the other side of goal where Jack was awaiting it and was now +reposing coyly in the farthermost corner of the netting. Ferry Hill went +wild with joy. Six to two sounded far more encouraging than had six to +one. Hockey sticks waved in air as the players skated back to their +places.</p> + +<p>"That's the stuff, fellows!" called Roy. "Good shot, Jack! Now let's +have another one!"</p> + +<p>But there were no more goals for a while, although the game went fast +and furious. Gallup received a cut over the left eye that sent him out +of the game and Bacon took his place. Then the Hammond left-center was +put off for two minutes for tripping and Ferry Hill thought she had +found her chance to score again. But Hammond's remaining six played so +well that Ferry Hill was held off until the penalized player returned to +the game. Along the boards the watchers were kicking their shoes to +bring warmth to their feet. The sun had dropped behind the wooded hills +across the river and the rink was in shadow.</p> + +<p>Presently Ferry Hill had the puck in the middle of the ice and her +forwards flew to their places. Down the rink they charged, the disk +flying from Kirby to Warren, from Warren to Jack Rogers and ultimately +from the latter's stick past goal's knees into the net. Hammond, 6; +Ferry Hill, 3.</p> + +<p>There were eight minutes more to play. Ferry Hill seemed to have found +her pace at last; perhaps the last two goals had encouraged her. At all +events she played as she had never played all season. Roy was a streak +of greased lightning, Jack was a tornado, Warren and Kirby shot about as +though they had wings on their shoes instead of mere steel runners, Chub +was a bull-dog and a fierce and speedy one, Bacon seemed to have eyes in +the back of his head and Hadden was invulnerable. Ferry Hill was forcing +the playing now and for minutes at a time she appeared to have things +all her own way. Only the Hammond goal-tend saved the day for the Cherry +and Black. Time and again he was the only defense left and time and +again he turned seeming success into failure for the swooping enemy. +Then came another carrom back of goal, again Jack was on the spot and +once more the Ferry Hill sticks danced in air. Hammond, 6; Ferry Hill, +4!</p> + +<p>Hammond was beginning to show herself tuckered. Her right-center was +plainly played out and gave his place to a new man. Even Schonberg +exhibited signs of failing strength and no longer played with the dash +and brilliancy with which he had begun the contest. And as the enemy +weakened Ferry Hill strengthened. Schonberg went to the ice and his +stick flew out of his hand while Roy flew on with the puck slipping +along in front of him. Kirby sent cover-point out of the play, the disk +slid along the snowy ice to Warren and he lifted it at goal. Goal-tender +stopped it with his knee, slashed it aside and crouched at the corner of +the net. Roy turned on his heel, found the puck as it flew by and rushed +back to goal. The whole Hammond team was about him and sticks banged and +whizzed. It was a bedlam of cries and whacks and the grind of steel on +ice. Science was forgotten for the moment; Hammond was fighting tooth +and nail to drive back the invader. Once the puck was wrested from Ferry +Hill and shot back up the ice to the middle of the rink, but Chub was +awaiting it and brought it back, speeding along like an express train. +He passed to Kirby in time to fool a Hammond forward, dodged, received +the puck again and charged down on goal, dispersing the foe by the sheer +impetus. Sticks flew about his feet and point threw himself at him. Then +came a quick side pass to Roy, the sharp sound of stick against puck and +the ring of the iron post as the hard rubber disk struck it and glanced +in. Five to six, and Ferry Hill coming all the time! How the +brown-decked boys along the sides yelled! Mr. Cobb consulted the +time-keeper.</p> + +<p>"Two minutes left!" he called.</p> + +<p>"Time enough to win in!" shouted Roy.</p> + +<p>"Sure!" answered Jack triumphantly. With sticks gyrating they sped back +to their positions. But Hammond was in no hurry now and the time-keeper +kept his eyes carefully on his stop-watch until finally the whistle +shrilled again. Then back to the fray went the brown jerseys and over +the ice sped the Ferry Hill skates. A rush down the rink and again the +Hammond goal was in danger. A quick swoop of Warren's stick and the puck +was winging straight for the goal. But a gloved hand met it and tossed +it aside. Roy swung circling back and passed across to Jack. Another +shot, this time wide of the net. Schonberg and Jack fought it out in the +corner and Jack rapped the disk out to Warren. The Hammond cover-point +checked his stick and secured the disk, shooting it down the rink. A +Hammond forward got it but was off-side. Warren joined him and they +faced near the center. A quick pass to Jack and the forwards turned and +dug their blades into the ice. Down they came, charging and passing, +past cover-point, past point, and then—</p> + +<p>Out shot goal and away to the left rolled the puck. Roy, turning after +it, shot a quick glance at the time-keeper. Then he was fighting with a +Hammond man for possession of the elusive black disk, their bodies +crashing against the boards and their sticks flying hither and thither. +But Warren came to the rescue, poked the puck out from under the +Hammondite's skate and passed it across to Kirby in front of goal. +Another try and another stop by the Cherry's goal-tend. And so it went +and so went the precious seconds. And then, suddenly, with the puck +within a yard of goal once more and Roy's stick raised for a shot, the +whistle rang out!</p> + +<p>"Time's up!" announced Mr. Cobb.</p> + +<p>Roy turned fiercely.</p> + +<p>"It can't be up!" he cried, skating toward the referee.</p> + +<p>"It is, though," was the answer.</p> + +<p>"That's perfect nonsense!" said Roy hotly. "You said there was two +minutes left just a minute ago!"</p> + +<p>"That'll do, Porter," said Mr. Cobb coldly.</p> + +<p>Roy dropped his eyes, swallowed something hard in his throat and +examined a cut on his hand. Then,</p> + +<p>"Beg pardon, sir," he said. "This way, fellows! A cheer for Hammond—and +make it good!"</p> + +<p>Well, it wasn't very good. But then you can scarcely blame them when +another second would perhaps have tied the score. But they cheered, and +Hammond answered it; and the hockey season had ended with a defeat for +Ferry Hill. Schonberg skated over to Roy and held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"You had us on the run, Porter," he said. "If we'd played five minutes +longer you'd have won. You've got a slick team, all right! How about +next year? You're going to keep the team up, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure," answered Roy. "And we're going to lick the stuffing out of you!"</p> + +<p>The rival captain laughed good-naturedly.</p> + +<p>"That's right. We've had a dandy time playing you chaps and we'll be +ready again next year. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye," answered Roy as graciously as he could. "Glad you fellows +came over."</p> + +<p>He turned and found Jack beside him.</p> + +<p>"Say, Jack," he asked, "what's the longest period of time you can think +of?"</p> + +<p>"I don't know," answered Jack soberly. "What's the answer?"</p> + +<p>"One year," was the glum reply.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> + +<p class='center'>ON FOX ISLAND</p> + + +<p>Spring came suddenly that year. They woke up one morning to find the +river flowing warmly blue and free of ice, the walks running with +crystal water and the bricks steaming in the fervid sunshine. Winter had +disappeared over night and Spring had come to its own again. With the +awakening of the new season came the awakening of new interests. The +crew candidates, who for weeks past had been toiling ingloriously at the +rowing machines in the basement of the gymnasium, went trooping down the +path to the river and launched their shells. The baseball candidates who +had been throwing and batting in the cage and sliding to bases over the +hard floor trotted out to the field in search of a dry spot whereon to +hold their first outdoor practice. With the former went Horace Burlen, +free at last, in spite of his enemies' croakings, of all conditions, and +Hadden and Gallup and Whitcomb and Otto Ferris and others. With the +baseball candidates went Chub, Roy, Bacon, Kirby, Post and many more. +And—oh, yes—Sid Welch! Sid had entertained hopes of making the second +crew, but such hopes had been sadly shattered. And as Sid had to be +trying for something to be content he naturally went in for the only +first-class sport left.</p> + +<p>"I think," he confided to Chub, "I think I'd like to play shortstop."</p> + +<p>"Just as you say, Sid," Chub answered gravely. "All you'll have to do +will be to beat Bacon out for the position. You're sure you wouldn't +rather pitch? Post and Kirby, you know, aren't so much of a muchness but +what you could beat 'em with a little practice."</p> + +<p>"Well, anyhow, I don't see why I couldn't be a fielder," answered Sid +good-naturedly. "You'll give me a show, won't you, Chub?"</p> + +<p>"Course I will, Sid," answered Chub heartily. "You come along out and +we'll see what you can do. First of all, though, we'll take a little of +that fat off you."</p> + +<p>"I've been trying to get rid of it," Sid replied earnestly and sadly, +"but it doesn't seem to do any good. I haven't eaten any bread or potato +or puddin' for days and days!"</p> + +<p>"Never mind the bread and potato, Sid," said Chub with a laugh. "I know +a better way."</p> + +<p>"What?" asked the other interestedly.</p> + +<p>"Chasing flies, my boy!" was the answer.</p> + +<p>March was kind to them. It gave them a clear two weeks of fair weather +at the end. To be sure, the wind howled dismally sometimes and it was +often cold enough to make fingers stiff, but it allowed them to stay out +of doors and that was the main thing. April, however, started in meanly. +Ten days of drizzle and wet fields affected even Chub's temper. But +everything, even a spell of rainy weather, must come to an end some +time, and the second week of April brought back sunny skies and mild +days. And after that affairs went briskly on the diamond.</p> + +<p>Roy had kept his promise to his chum, a promise made on the occasion of +their first meeting and re-made several times since. For Chub had got it +into his head that Roy had the making of a baseball player and never +allowed him to forget for a moment all winter long that he had agreed to +try for the team.</p> + +<p>"You ought to make a good baseman," Chub said once, looking over his +friend with the eye of a connoisseur. "Maybe third—or even first. +You've got height and a good long reach; and you're quick and heady. +Patten's the only fellow I know of who's after first base. He was +substitute last year. He's not bad, but he's not an expert by a long +shot. Just you come out, old man, and see what you can do."</p> + +<p>And Roy promised for the twentieth time.</p> + +<p>Training table was started the middle of April, with Mr. Cobb in +command. By that time the candidates had been weeded out until there +were but fourteen left. The "culls," as Chub called them, went toward +the making up of the second team. There was practice every afternoon +save Sunday, usually ending with a short game with the second nine, the +latter strengthened by the presence of Mr. Cobb, who played first base +or pitched as occasion required. Roy bought a rule-book early in the +season and studied it diligently, following it up later with an +invaluable blue-covered pamphlet which told him exactly how to play +every position on the team. In the end, however, he discovered that the +best way to learn baseball is to play it.</p> + +<p>Chub started him at left-field and kept him there until he had learned +to judge a ball, catch it and field it home. It was hard work, but Roy +liked it. Sometimes, however, he doubted whether he would ever vindicate +Chub's belief in him. There seemed an awful lot to learn and he envied +the ready thought displayed by the fellows who had been playing the game +for several years. I think that Chub would have strained a point to keep +Roy with him as long as it did not endanger the success of the team, for +by this time the two were well-nigh inseparable. But it very soon became +evident that no favoritism was necessary; Roy deserved a place on the +nine by virtue of his ability. By the middle of April he was having a +try at first and two weeks later he had succeeded to the position vice +Patten removed to the outfield.</p> + +<p>It didn't take him long to accustom himself to the place and its +requirements. As Chub had said, he had height and reach, was quick and +steady and clear-headed. Of course there was talk; disgruntled fellows +who had failed at making the team sneered at Chub's favoritism, and +Horace found time from his rowing duties to try and stir up discord +amongst the baseball men. But Patten, who had more cause than anyone +else to feel dissatisfied, had nothing to say. He had sense enough to +realize that Chub had given the position to the best man, and enough of +the right sort of spirit to be satisfied, so long as it was for the good +of the team and the school. Patten went out to right-field, stifled his +disappointment and "played ball."</p> + +<p>Chub must have been right. Unless he "has it in him" no boy can learn to +play baseball well in three months, as Roy did. Perhaps, though, Mr. +Cobb's coaching deserves more credit than I am giving it. He certainly +worked hard with Roy. And so did Chub. And the other members of the +nine, amongst whom Roy was highly popular, helped, perhaps +unconsciously, to give him self-confidence in the early days of his +novitiate. So, it seems, the Fates worked together to fashion him into a +baseball player much to the regret of Mr. Buckman who had entertained +hopes of securing him for the second four. But although Roy liked the +water well enough and was never more contented than when out with Chub +in the crimson canoe, he was more at home on the turf. Perhaps the first +or second four lost a good oar when Roy chose baseball instead of +rowing; be that as it may, it is certain the nine found a good first +baseman.</p> + +<p>April recess began on the twenty-second and lasted nine days, from +Friday afternoon to the second Monday morning, although, as the fellows +were required to be back at School by Sunday noon, eight days come +nearer to the mark than nine. Crew and baseball candidates were supposed +to remain at Ferry Hill during this recess and most of them did so. Roy +was undecided whether to stay or go home. Chub begged him to remain, +putting it to him first on the score of duty to the nine and then citing +the camping-out on Fox Island as an inducement. Roy's mother decided the +matter for him eventually by writing that she was going South for six +weeks. She suggested that Roy join her at a South Carolina winter +resort, but Roy had no desire for a week of hotel existence and so threw +in his lot with Chub, Gallup, Bacon, Post, Kirby and the others. Jack +Rogers went home and so did Sid, who had been working hard on the second +nine and showing quite a little promise. Doctor and Mrs. Emery took a +week's vacation, but Harry was left behind—greatly to her +delight—because her holidays did not come until later. Mr. Cobb, too, +disappeared from the scene and the charge of the school was left in Mr. +Buckman's hands.</p> + +<p>Saturday was the first day of the recess and Roy and Chub spent the +morning on the river. They paddled down stream for a mile or more in the +canoe and fished, but with scant success. In the afternoon came baseball +practice which ended with a six-inning game with a Silver Cove team. +Sunday was rather dull for it rained torrents. Chub, Roy, Gallup and +Post donned rubber coats or old sweaters in the afternoon and took a +long tramp inland. But Monday morning dawned bright and fresh and as +soon as breakfast was over the fellows, under Mr. Buckman's direction, +began the overhauling of the camping outfit. The four big tents were +pulled from their quarters in the boat house, spread out on the landing +and gone over for holes or weak places. Then lost pegs were replaced, +new guy-ropes supplied and a broken ridge-pole was mended. Dinner was +rather a hurried meal that day, for every fellow—and there were +twenty-odd left at school—was eager to get into camp. At three o'clock +the tents and outfits were loaded into row boats and transferred to the +island. All afternoon boats went back and forth on errands; baking +powder had been forgotten, Gallup wanted his camera, someone had left +one of the hatchets on the landing, cook had neglected to grind the +coffee before packing it, four more blankets were needed, Mr. Buckman +wanted a roll of adhesive plaster and a bottle of arnica. Meanwhile the +tents were erected, the old cook-stove was set up and fuel gathered. At +five o'clock, Kirby, under Mr. Buckman's tuition, began the preparation +of the first meal. Roy and Chub and half a dozen others built the camp +fire in the open space between the tents, piling up the brush and +slanting the dead limbs above it until the whole looked like an Indian +wigwam. Then came supper; bacon, potatoes, tea, milk and "spider cake," +the latter an indigestible but delightful concoction of thin flour +batter poured into the frying pan and cooked until nice and soggy.</p> + +<p>After supper the camp-fire was lighted, the fellows spread themselves +out on the ground about it and the camp went into executive session. +Chub was elected Little Chief—Mr. Buckman was Big Chief—and Roy became +Medicine Man. Then four Chiefs of Tribe were elected and the honors fell +to Roy, Horace Burlen, Kirby and Pryor. These, in turn, selected their +warriors and were assigned to tents—or tepees, as they preferred to +call them. Roy chose Chub, Gallup, Bacon and Post; Burlen selected +Ferris, Hadden, Whitcomb and Walker; Kirby and Pryor made up their +households of what material was left, each having five instead of six +companions as there were twenty-two boys in the party. Mr. Buckman cast +his lot with Burlen's Utes. Roy's tribe was christened Seminole, Kirby's +Ojibway and Pryor ruled despotically over the Navajos. Mr. Buckman +explained the camp rules. There weren't many of them, but they were +strict. The Chiefs of Tribes could grant permission to leave the island +but were required to report the names of those leaving to the Big Chief. +Every tribe must delegate one of its warriors each day to be fisherman; +fishermen must fish not less than two hours and turn their catch over to +the Little Chief. Every warrior or Chief must strip his bed before +breakfast and hang his blankets in the sun. Each tribe must select a +member to be cook and take his turn at preparing the meals; also an +assistant whose duty it was to help and wash up the utensils. Prompt +attendance at meals was imperative. Offenses would be judged by a +council composed of the Big and Little Chiefs, the Medicine Man and the +four Tribal Chiefs and punishment would be meted out by them. In the +absence of the Big Chief the Little Chief took command; in the absence +of both authority was vested in the Medicine Man.</p> + +<p>At nine o'clock the fellows sought their quarters and made their beds, +for which purpose plenty of pine and hemlock boughs had been cut and +piled in the clearing. Each tent was supplied with a lantern which swung +from the ridge-pole. A rustic bench held a half-dozen tin wash-basins +and a looking-glass was hung from a tree nearby. By half-past nine +preparations for the night were complete and the boys gathered again +about the dying fire and, kneeling, recited the Lord's Prayer. Then +good-nights were said and the Tribes separated. For some time the sound +of laughter was heard. Then quiet fell over Fox Island and a big moon, +coming up over the tree tops, threw the four tents into dazzling +whiteness and paled the glow of the dying embers where the camp fire had +been.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus19.jpg" alt="fox island" /> +<a id="illus19" name="illus19"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Quiet fell over Fox Island"</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2> + +<p class='center'>A NIGHT ALARM</p> + + +<p>Fox Island lay about two hundred yards off shore and perhaps thrice that +distance up-stream from the landing. It contained between an acre and a +half and two acres, was beautifully wooded, stood well above flood tide +and was surrounded on two sides by beaches of clean white sand. Doctor +Emery had purchased the island some years before, primarily to keep away +undesirable neighbors, and had soon discovered that it was a distinct +addition to the school's attractions. The spring camping-out soon became +one of the most popular features of the year.</p> + +<p>The next morning Chub and Bacon did the honors of the island, conducting +Roy from end to end and pointing out the historical spots. He saw +Victory Cove, so named because it was the scene of the first struggle +between Hammond and Ferry Hill for the possession of the latter's boats, +a struggle in which the campers came out victorious. ("The next year," +explained Chub, "they got the best of us and swiped four boats and we +had to go over and get them back. But that didn't change the name of +the cove.") He saw Outer Beach, Gull Point, Hood's Hill, named in honor +of a former school leader and Little Chief, The Grapes, a bunch of eight +small rocks just off the westerly corner, Treasure Island and Far +Island, two low, bush-covered islets of rock and sand lying up-stream +from the farther end of the island and divided from it by a few feet of +water through which it was possible to wade when the river is not very +high, Round Harbor, Turtle Point, Turtle Cove, Round Head, Inner Beach, +Mount Emery, a very tiny mountain indeed, and School Point. That +completed the circuit of the island. But it took them well over an hour +because they took it very slowly and neglected nothing. They took off +shoes and stockings and waded to Treasure and Far Islands, they +scrambled up Mount Emery, hunted for turtles in Turtle Cove—without +even seeing one—and tried broad-jumping on the Inner Beach. It was ten +o'clock when they got back to camp and found most of the fellows +preparing for a bath. They followed suit and presently were splashing +and diving in the water off Inner Beach. It was pretty cold at first, +but they soon got used to it. Afterwards they laid in the sun on the +white sand until Thurlow thumped on a dish pan with a big spoon and +summoned them to dinner. Bathing suits were kept on until it was time to +return to the main land for afternoon practice. The island was +practically deserted then, for but few of the campers were neither +baseball nor crew men.</p> + +<p>"Who's going to stay here?" asked Chub before he pushed off the boat. +Four boys answered.</p> + +<p>"Well, you fellows keep a watch for Hammond. They'll be paddling over +here pretty soon, probably to-day or to-morrow, to see where we're +keeping the boats. If they come around don't let them see you, but watch +what they do."</p> + +<p>The quartette promised eagerly to keep a sharp lookout and Chub and Roy +dipped their oars and rowed across to the landing.</p> + +<p>When they returned at five o'clock the two four-oared crews were just +coming back up-stream to the boat-house, looking as though they had been +through a hard afternoon's work. Behind them came Mr. Buckman in his +scull, his small brown megaphone hanging from his neck. Across the +darkening water they could just make out the three Hammond boats +floating downstream toward their quarters.</p> + +<p>"Who'll win this year?" asked Roy, as they took up the rowing again.</p> + +<p>"Hammond, I guess," answered Chub. "They usually do. They did last year. +You see they've got almost a hundred fellows to pick from, while we have +never had over fifty. That makes a difference."</p> + +<p>"Two years ago, though," said Bacon, "they say our crew was thirty +seconds faster than theirs. And we were light, too. I don't believe the +size of the school has much to do with it."</p> + +<p>"Well, it stands to reason that the school that has the most fellows +must have the better material," said Chub. "Look at the way it is in +baseball."</p> + +<p>"That may be," said Bacon, "but a whole lot depends on the spirit of the +fellows and the coaching."</p> + +<p>"Course it does, but no matter what the spirit is, or how good the +coaching may be, four poor oarsmen can't beat four good ones. That's +common sense."</p> + +<p>"Well, but a good coach like Buckman—" began Bacon.</p> + +<p>"Is Burlen a good rower?" interrupted Roy.</p> + +<p>"Great," answered Chub.</p> + +<p>"Dandy," said Bacon.</p> + +<p>"Best we've got," supplemented Post.</p> + +<p>"But I don't believe he makes a good captain," said Gallup. "Whitcomb +told me the other day that he gets mad as anything when Buckman calls +him down."</p> + +<p>"It's like him," said Bacon. "He never could stand being told anything. +Jack's the only fellow that could ever make him do anything he didn't +want to."</p> + +<p>"They say Hammond's four this year is the best they've ever had," said +Roy.</p> + +<p>"They always say that," answered Chub sceptically.</p> + +<p>"The first of the season," amended Gallup. "Later they begin to howl +about the fellows going stale, breaking their ankles or spraining their +wrists. Gee, you'd think to hear them talk a week before the race that +they didn't have a man in the boat who wasn't a corpse or a cripple for +life!"</p> + +<p>"That's so," laughed Bacon, "but you don't want to forget that year +before last Williams did the same thing. He gave it out that two of our +men had malaria and wouldn't be able to row. They didn't have malaria +but they couldn't row much when the time came, so he didn't tell a very +big lie."</p> + +<p>"That sort of thing makes me tired," said Roy disgustedly. "What's the +use in trying to make the other fellow think you're dying. He doesn't +believe it, anyway; and even if he does it isn't fair playing."</p> + +<p>"That's so," said Chub heartily. "It's babyish."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I don't know about that," said Post. "It's part of the game, and—"</p> + +<p>"No, it isn't," interrupted Roy. "It has nothing to do with the game. +And it's just plain, every-day dishonesty!"</p> + +<p>"I don't see how you make that out," objected Post. "Now, supposing—"</p> + +<p>But the discussion of ethics was interrupted by the grating of the +boat's keel on the sand. Gallup jumped out into six inches of water and +pulled the boat up on the beach and the rest scrambled out.</p> + +<p>Nothing had been seen of Hammond's spies and so they went to bed without +posting guards that night.</p> + +<p>"I don't see," observed Roy as he was undressing, "why we don't tie the +boats up if we're afraid of having Hammond swipe them."</p> + +<p>"Well, it wouldn't be fair, I guess," Chub answered. "You see we've +always left them on the beach. If we tied 'em Hammond wouldn't have any +show to get them."</p> + +<p>"You talk as though you wanted her to get them," said Roy in puzzled +tones.</p> + +<p>"We do; that is, we want her to try and get them. If we take to tying +them to trees and things Hammond will stop coming over and we'll miss +more 'n half the fun of the camping. See?"</p> + +<p>"You bet!" grunted Post.</p> + +<p>"What's to keep her from coming over to-night, then," pursued Roy, "and +taking the whole bunch while we're asleep?"</p> + +<p>"Because she doesn't know where they are, silly!" replied Chub. "You +don't expect those fellows are going to row across here and then go +hunting all about the island in the dark, do you? They always come +spying around in the daytime first and see where the boats are hauled +up."</p> + +<p>"It won't be dark to-night," said Roy. "There's a dandy big moon."</p> + +<p>"That's so, but Hammond never has tried it without looking about first +and I guess she won't this year."</p> + +<p>"I wish I was a Hammondite for about three or four hours," said Roy +grimly. "I'd open your eyes for you!"</p> + +<p>Whereupon he was quickly tried for a traitor and sentenced to be +walloped with a belt. The walloping process occupied the succeeding ten +minutes and when concluded—not altogether successfully—left the tent +looking as though a cyclone had visited it. But Chub's prediction proved +correct. The boats were there in the morning, all five of them.</p> + +<p>"Those Hammond fellows are a set of chumps," grunted Roy. "Why don't +they send you a note and tell you when they're coming? They might as +well do that as send fellows over in a boat to rubber around."</p> + +<p>"Get out! How are we going to know when they're coming?" asked Chub. +"Suppose we see them peeking about to-day; maybe they won't come for +three or four nights."</p> + +<p>"Then how do they know you won't move the boats in the meantime?"</p> + +<p>"Why—why we never do!"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I guess I don't know the rules of the game," sighed Roy. "Sounds as +though you were all woozy."</p> + +<p>It was raining that morning when they arose, but the rain couldn't +quench their enjoyment. A shelter tent was put up and they all crowded +under it for breakfast. Afterwards the Utes challenged the Seminoles to +a game of ring-toss under the trees. Roy was assistant cook that day and +so he and Post—Post being chef—were out of it. The Utes won and were +much set up about it, issuing challenges indiscriminatingly at dinner. +The four fishermen came in just before the meal with a big catch, and +Post, who knew less about cooking fish than anything else—and that's +saying a good deal—was in despair. After dinner he and Roy took them +to the water and cleaned them, but neither thought to remove the scales. +The fish were served for supper and there was a popular demand for the +speedy lynching of Mr. Post.</p> + +<p>"I thought we ought to do something else to them," he explained in +extenuation, "but I couldn't think what it was!"</p> + +<p>"You want to watch out pretty sharp," said Horace Burlen with deep +sarcasm, "or they'll employ you to cook at the Waldorf."</p> + +<p>"Fish a la Post," murmured Chub. "Half portion two dollars and a +quarter."</p> + +<p>"They'd have to pay me more than that before I'd order any," responded +Gallup.</p> + +<p>"Post and Porter ought to take singing lessons," said Thurlow.</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Hadden unsuspectingly.</p> + +<p>"So they won't forget the scales next time," answered Thurlow proudly. +He was the recipient of four slices of bread and a portion of a cup of +water, all unsolicited and unexpected. Mr. Buckman mildly objected, but +appeared to think the punishment deserved.</p> + +<p>It had stopped drizzling during the afternoon and practice had been held +on a very wet diamond. Chub had sustained a wrenched ankle by slipping +while running bases and was inclined to be down on his luck. Roy tried +to cheer him up, but had scant success. Chub was convinced this evening +that the nine was no good and that certain defeat at the hands of +Hammond stared them in the face. Like most normally cheerful persons, +Chub was the gloomiest of the gloomy when he decided to be. At camp-fire +Thurlow brought out his banjo and got them all to singing. That seemed +to raise Chub's spirits some; it did him good, he declared, to howl. +Later it started in drizzling again and the campers went to bed early, +tying the tent flaps securely ere they retired.</p> + +<p>It was black night when Roy awoke. He couldn't even see the canvas +overhead. He wondered what had awakened him and listened to the deep +breathing about him for a moment. Perhaps Post had talked in his sleep; +he often did. Roy turned over again and closed his eyes. Then he opened +them quickly. From somewhere came a sound as though a boat was being +drawn across the pebbles of a beach. He listened intently, but heard +nothing more. He had imagined it, he told himself sleepily. But he +wasn't satisfied. After a moment he heard it again, that grating noise. +He reached toward Post about to awaken him, thought better of it and +scrambled noiselessly out of bed. After all it was hardly probable that +Hammond had visited them without giving the usual notice; it wouldn't be +playing fair and Chub would be frightfully pained and grieved! Roy +smiled to himself as he tried to find the cords which lashed the tent +flap close. There was no use in waking the whole crowd up unless there +was some reason for it. He would just look around a bit first—if he +could ever get out of the fool tent! Then the last cord gave way and he +slipped out into the darkness.</p> + +<p>The camp-fire was long since out and the shower had drowned even the +embers. It was no longer raining, but the ground was wet underfoot and +the grass and low growth threw drops against his bare ankles. It was not +quite so black outside here as it had been in the tent, and in the east +a rift in the clouds hinted of the moon, but it was too dark to see much +of anything. Roy felt his way across the clearing, stumbled over a peg +as he crept past the Ute quarters and shook a shower of raindrops from a +young pine as he went sprawling into the underbrush. It was very damp +there on the ground and pine needles and grass and twigs were plastered +to his body, but he lay still a moment and listened. Surely, if there +was anyone round they couldn't have failed to hear him crash into the +bushes! All was still for an instant; then there was a subdued splash as +though someone had unintentionally plunged his foot into water. Roy +cautiously lifted his head. Now came a whisper; another answered from a +distance; an oar creaked in its lock.</p> + +<p>Only a fringe of pines and underbrush divided Roy from the Inner Beach +which was here some thirty feet wide. As noiselessly as possible he +stood up and stared into the darkness ahead. It seemed that he could +distinguish forms moving about, but he decided that an excited +imagination was to blame. Cautiously he pressed through the bushes, +which being wet gave little sound as their branches whipped back. Then +he was on the edge of the pebbles. And as he raised his bare foot to +step forward again the moon broke forth from the broken clouds and he +stopped short, stifling the cry that sprang to his lips. In the sudden +flood of dim light the edge of the stream seemed fairly alive with +boats, while right in front of him, so near that another step would have +reached him, a dark figure was kneeling in his path.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2> + +<p class='center'>ROY VISITS HAMMOND</p> + + +<p>Roy's first impulse was to summon assistance, to rouse the camp; his +next, to avoid detection. For the beach was empty of boats; every one of +the five, the four steel rowboats and Chub's canoe, had been lifted into +the water and manned by the marauders, and by the time the fellows +reached the scene they would be far out into the river. All this Roy +sensed in far shorter time than it has taken to tell it. Scarcely a +moment had passed since the moonlight had revealed the stooping figure +in front of him. Roy still stood poised for that forward step. The form +at his feet resolved itself into a boy with a woolen sweater and a cloth +cap. He had laid a piece of paper on the beach and was piling pebbles +upon it. Had he glanced up quickly he could not have failed to see Roy, +even though the latter stood in partial shadow. Roy held his breath and +waited. In the boats the dark forms of the invaders were motionless, +startled doubtless by the sudden advent of the moonlight. Then the boy +at Roy's feet straightened himself up with a little laugh, and, without +glancing back, crept down the beach toward the boats. And as suddenly as +it had come the moon went, and once more the darkness enveloped +everything. Roy took a deep breath and, with pulses leaping, crept +silently after the other. The moon had played into his hands.</p> + +<p>He kept to the right, heading toward the last of the boats as he +remembered its location. The Hammond boy had gone straight down the +beach and Roy had no desire to overtake him. In a moment his feet were +in the water, splashing softly. Vague forms came and went in the +darkness and his hands groped toward them. It is probable, however, that +he would have waded straight into the middle of the stream had not a low +voice hailed him.</p> + +<p>"Here you are, Jim, get in here!"</p> + +<p>Roy turned toward the voice, stumbled over a sunken stone and collided +with the side of a rowboat.</p> + +<p>"Don't make so much noise, you plunger!" said the voice. "Give me your +hand."</p> + +<p>Roy gave it and was promptly hauled over the side of the boat. Someone +pulled him down upon a seat.</p> + +<p>"All right!" whispered the voice.</p> + +<p>"All right, fellows!" called someone in the next boat softly. And there +came the sound of creaking rowlocks.</p> + +<p>"Got your oar?" whispered the fellow who shared Roy's seat. Roy felt +around and found it and began to row.</p> + +<p>"Look out, you fellows!" called a voice from the darkness beside them, +and they ceased rowing while another boat crossed ahead of them.</p> + +<p>"More to the right," commanded a boy behind Roy and Roy pulled hard on +his oar. Presently a little breeze came into their faces and Roy guessed +that they were rounding the lower end of the island. Very silently they +went. After a little Roy turned his head and saw a light here and there +on the farther shore. He judged that they were by this time about half +way across. The fellows about him began to converse in whispers, +gradually forgetting caution as they left the island farther and farther +behind.</p> + +<p>"Won't they be a surprised lot of chumps in the morning!" asked someone +with a laugh.</p> + +<p>"They sure will," answered another Hammondite. "They'll be 'very ill' +for a long while."</p> + +<p>"I never thought we'd do it," said the boy who was working an oar next +to Roy. "I don't see yet why they didn't hear us."</p> + +<p>"They weren't expecting us," said another. "I tell you that was a foxy +idea of Jim's, to find out where they kept the boats from the other +shore, now wasn't it?"</p> + +<p>"Who went over, Jim?" asked Roy's companion. Roy's heart sank, but +luckily someone behind answered for him.</p> + +<p>"He went over himself, he and Smith. Rowed over a mile up-river, left +the boat, came down across the fields. They watched for an hour and saw +the Ferry Hill fellows come back from school and haul the boats out. Oh, +it was an all-right scheme!"</p> + +<p>Roy looked at the sky, hoping mightily that the moon wouldn't come out +until they had reached the other shore. There was still a lighter +patch up there, but the moon seemed pretty well extinguished for the +time being. If only they wouldn't insist on his talking!</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus20.jpg" alt="breath" /> +<a id="illus20" name="illus20"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Roy held his breath and waited."</p></div> + +<p>"Do we have to give the boats back right away, Jim?" asked a voice from +the bow. Roy hesitated, hoping that as before someone would answer for +him. But no one did. So he plucked up his courage.</p> + +<p>"Guess so," he replied, rather huskily.</p> + +<p>"Say, you've got a peach of a cold, haven't you?" asked his neighbor. +"Did you get wet?"</p> + +<p>"Sopping," growled Roy.</p> + +<p>"Too bad. You come up to my room when we get back and I'll give you a +dose of medicine. I've got some dandy stuff! Nasty's no name for it, but +it'll do you good."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," muttered Roy.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the others were discussing the yielding of the prizes of war.</p> + +<p>"They'll probably be around in the morning for them," said one boy. "I +vote we all go down to the landing and receive them."</p> + +<p>"Sure; we always do," said another.</p> + +<p>"Much you know about it," said a third. "You weren't here two years ago, +and we didn't get them last year."</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess I've heard about it, haven't I?" was the indignant +response.</p> + +<p>"Easy at the oars, fellows," a voice in the bow cautioned. "We're almost +in."</p> + +<p>"Where the deuce are we?" asked another voice.</p> + +<p>"Here's the landing over here!" The information came from some distance +down stream and Roy and the other rower headed that way. Then their bow +bumped into one of the other boats, and presently, after several moments +of confused rowing and backing, they were alongside the float. Roy +dropped his oar and sprang out.</p> + +<p>"Say, someone strike a light!" suggested a voice. "I'll see if I can +find the boat-house lantern."</p> + +<p>An exclamation of pain and a crash told the rest that he had gone in +search of it; and at the same moment Roy's companion shoved the boat +they were in up on shore and rushed toward the platform, leaving Roy +alone with the boat, while the attention of the others was centered upon +the effort to get a light.</p> + +<p>"I've got a match," called a boy, and Roy dove wildly into the darkness +just as a tiny point of light flared up. Where he was going he didn't +know; but luckily the branches of a tree whipped his face and he groped +his way into a damp thicket and subsided panting upon the ground. He had +gone some twenty yards. Back on the landing they were lighting the big +square lantern that hung on the front of the boat-house and the radiance +from it allowed Roy to watch what was going on. As nearly as he could +judge there had been fully a dozen boys in the party and now they were +securing their own boats and the Ferry Hill crafts along the edge of the +float.</p> + +<p>"I think we ought to put them in the boat-house or somewhere," he heard +one of the crowd say. "Supposing they find out that we've swiped them +and come over here before we're up."</p> + +<p>"Oh get out!" someone answered. "They won't know anything about it until +half-past six or seven. We'll be down here by that time."</p> + +<p>"Where does this lantern belong?" asked a voice.</p> + +<p>"Any old place. Leave it here."</p> + +<p>"Let's take it along to find the path with."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and have Crowley or Murdock see it and get on to the whole thing! +I guess not! Blow it out and leave it by the boat-house."</p> + +<p>Then came darkness again and the sound of feet drawing near Roy's place +of concealment. On they came, trooping up the path, laughing and talking +softly. Roy crawled gingerly back into the bushes. The first of the +crowd passed within arm's reach, or so it sounded. Then came others, +stumbling and muttering. Presently,</p> + +<p>"Is that you, Jim!" asked one of the passers.</p> + +<p>"That's me," answered a clear voice.</p> + +<p>"Coming up to the room for that medicine?"</p> + +<p>"What medicine?"</p> + +<p>"For your cold."</p> + +<p>"Say, you want to get to sleep, my boy. I haven't got any cold."</p> + +<p>"You said you had, you idiot! It doesn't sound so now, though."</p> + +<p>"I said I had a cold? When did I say so?" demanded Jim.</p> + +<p>"Why, in the boat, coming back. I said—"</p> + +<p>Then they passed out of hearing and Roy smiled all to himself there in +the darkness. Finally the last of the footfalls ceased sounding on the +path and Roy stretched his cramped limbs and eased his position. It +wouldn't do to return to the landing yet, though; he must allow them at +least an hour to get to bed and asleep. To be sure, the dormitories were +not, he believed, in view of the landing, but it wouldn't do to take +chances. So he made himself as comfortable as he could and waited. He +was shivering now and his teeth chattered every time he opened his mouth +to yawn. He wondered what time it might be; perhaps one o'clock, perhaps +four. At any rate, he must wait an hour longer and he mustn't go to +sleep while he waited.</p> + +<p>That was the hardest part of it, to keep awake. It seemed to him that he +had never been sleepier in his life. The minutes passed while he strove +to keep his eyes open. Time and again he caught himself drowsing and +threw off the temptation just in time. But the minutes went by, as they +must even when a chap is sitting in a thicket in a suit of damp clothes, +and minutes make hours. After a while he assured himself that the hour +had passed, yet resolutely held his place for a while longer to be on +the safe side. Finally, shivering and cramped, he crawled out and picked +his way back to the landing. If only he had matches! he thought +ruefully. And the next moment his bare foot trod on something and +stooping he picked up what he wanted! It felt like a good one, but he +decided to find the lantern before he tested it. He didn't have to +search long for the lantern, for he fell over it almost the next step he +took. Finding a sheltered place, he opened the lantern and tried the +match. It lighted, flickered uncertainly a moment and then burned +steadily. He held it to the wick, closed the door and raising the light +looked about him.</p> + +<p>There were seven rowboats and Chub's canoe made fast to the end of the +float. It was a little difficult to tell which were Ferry Hill and which +Hammond craft, but Roy didn't let that trouble him. For the next ten +minutes he was so busy that he forgot his coldness. Once the moon came +out for a moment or two, but for the most part it was so dark that the +lantern's rays seemed very feeble. Finally, however, the last knot was +tied and Roy, blowing out the lantern, slid into one of the Ferry Hill +boats and slipped oars into oarlocks. Then, slowly, he headed away in +the darkness, and one by one went each of the seven other boats, the +canoe dipping along in the rear. For, thought Roy with a chuckle, +"what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander."</p> + +<p>I'm not going to dwell on the next hour. Fortunately there was no wind, +and the slight tide was in his favor. There were one or two lights on +the opposite shore, but as Roy didn't know where they were they didn't +help much, and it was more by good-luck than good management that he +reached it at all.</p> + +<p>When the boat did grate on the shore he leaped out with painter in hand +and made fast to a rock. Then he returned to the boat and waited as +patiently as he could for dawn. But he didn't have to do that, as it +proved. He had been nodding here only half an hour perhaps when the +moon, which all the night had been trying its best to elude the clouds, +positively leaped into view with an effect so startling that Roy almost +fell out of the boat. The moon was floating across a little pond of +purple-gray sky, the banks of which were piles of fluffy white clouds +like snow. But he didn't waste much time in admiring the scene. Swiftly +he looked about him. He would have yelled with joy if he hadn't been so +tired and sleepy, for there, not a dozen yards away along the bank was +the boat-house.</p> + +<p>At first he decided to pull the boats out where they were and return to +the island without them. Then he determined to see the thing through if +it took all the rest of the night. So he pushed off and headed +up-stream. By keeping well in toward shore he was soon in the lee of the +island where no breeze could reach him. After that, it was simple work. +The moon stayed out long enough to guide him to shore and then retired +again. A few minutes' work on the beach sufficed to bring all the boats +out of the water. He worked quietly, for he had no wish to explain the +night's happenings then; he wanted only to tumble into bed and go to +sleep. Softly he felt his way through the brush—it was too dark to find +the path—crossed the clearing and at length found his tent and crept +quietly into bed. The next thing he knew the canvas overhead was a +moving pattern of sunlight and shadow and Chub was pulling him out of +bed by one foot.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus21.jpg" alt="darkness" /> +<a id="illus21" name="illus21"></a> +<p class="caption"> +"Then, slowly, he headed away in the darkness"</p></div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h2> + +<p class='center'>FERRY HILL CHANGES ITS LEADER</p> + + +<p>The presence of the strange boats on the Inner Beach was not discovered +until just before breakfast. Roy had said nothing to anyone of the +night's adventures. Otto Ferris was noisily hammering a spoon on a new +dish-pan when Kirby burst excitedly on to the scene.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Buckman, there are three new boats on the beach, sir!"</p> + +<p>"New boats?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, rowboats."</p> + +<p>"Where did they come from? Whose are they?" asked the instructor, +bewilderedly.</p> + +<p>"I don't know, sir. They're not ours."</p> + +<p>"Someone must have come in the night," said Horace. "Maybe campers."</p> + +<p>"Well, after breakfast we'll have a look around," said Mr. Buckman.</p> + +<p>As soon as grace had been said Roy spoke up.</p> + +<p>"Those boats belong to Hammond, Mr. Buckman," he said.</p> + +<p>"To Hammond? How do you know, Porter? What are they doing here?"</p> + +<p>"I brought them, sir."</p> + +<p>A howl of laughter arose. Mr. Buckman smiled genially.</p> + +<p>"I suppose there's a joke somewhere," he said. "Get rid of it, Porter."</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, there is a joke, sir," answered Roy quietly. "And I guess +it's on Hammond."</p> + +<p>Something in his tone silenced the laughter and from one end of the +trestle table to the other the fellows forgot the sizzling ham and eggs +before them and looked eagerly at Roy.</p> + +<p>"You've been up to something!" cried Chub.</p> + +<p>"I've been up half the night," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>Excited yells and exclamations followed this announcement. Fellows +jumped from their places and crowded about him.</p> + +<p>"Out with it!" they cried. "What's up? Where did you find the boats? +When was it?"</p> + +<p>And so Roy began at the beginning, hugely enjoying the amazement the +story created. Time and again he was interrupted by excited questions; +thrice Chub literally fell on his neck and hugged him until torn away by +eager members of the audience. And when the story was finished they +dragged Roy from the bench and sat upon him and pummelled him joyfully. +He was more than satisfied with the sensation he had created; he was +even glad for the sake of his aching ribs that it hadn't been any +greater. And then he was dragged off to the beach and made to go through +the narrative all over again, pointing out where he stood and where +"Jim" stood, Mr. Buckman following as interestedly as any. And in the +middle of it they found the note under the stones.</p> + +<p>"Found!" (it ran) "Five boats. Owner may have same by applying to +Hammond Academy and describing property."</p> + +<p>"Cheeky dubs!" growled Post.</p> + +<p>Chub, who during the last few minutes had been looking grave and +sorrowful, broke in aggrievedly.</p> + +<p>"It was mighty mean of you to keep the whole thing to yourself, though," +he said. "You might have let me in on it."</p> + +<p>Roy had to explain the impossibility of doing so, but Chub was +disconsolate until, an hour or so later, a boat was seen leaving the +Hammond landing. Then the entire camp went to the end of the island and +watched in silent enjoyment the approach of the Hammond boat. It held +four fellows, and it didn't head straight for the island; evidently they +weren't quite certain what had become of their boats. They passed the +end of the island, each fellow apparently trying to look unconcerned, +waved to the group on the point and kept on toward the other shore. But +when the Inner Beach was in sight and the boats revealed to view they +stopped rowing, talked a minute among themselves and then turned and +rowed slowly toward the beach. The campers walked dignifiedly around to +meet them.</p> + +<p>It was a sheepish-looking quartette that beached their boat and advanced +toward the group. The leader was Schonberg. Beside him was a tall, +good-looking fellow whom Roy rightfully guessed to be "Jim." Schonberg +spoke first.</p> + +<p>"Hello, you fellows," he said sadly. "You're mighty smart, aren't you?"</p> + +<p>"So-so," answered Horace amiably.</p> + +<p>"I s'pose we can have our boats?" asked Schonberg.</p> + +<p>"Help yourself," answered Horace with a grin.</p> + +<p>Schonberg saw the grin, strove to look unconscious and finally grinned +back. That broke the ice. Ferry Hill howled its enjoyment and the three +ambassadors joined in, though with less spontaneity.</p> + +<p>"Come on up, you fellows," said Chub. "Let's chin."</p> + +<p>So they came up and sat down at the edge of the bushes.</p> + +<p>"It's one on us," said Schonberg, "isn't it, Jim?"</p> + +<p>Jim laughed, plucked a blade of grass, stuck it in the corner of his +mouth and said he guessed it was.</p> + +<p>"What I'd like to know, though," he added puzzledly, "is how the dickens +you did it."</p> + +<p>"Ask this fellow," suggested Chub, nodding toward Roy.</p> + +<p>The ambassadors looked inquiringly at Roy. Roy explained. The +ambassadors opened their eyes, looked blankly incredulous and finally +convinced.</p> + +<p>"Well, I'll be blowed!" muttered Jim. "That's what Joyce meant when he +asked about my cold!"</p> + +<p>"What do you think of that?" exclaimed Schonberg. The other two shook +their heads, plainly at a loss for words to adequately express just what +they did think. Then there were a lot of questions, which Roy answered +cheerfully, and finally Schonberg got up.</p> + +<p>"Well, you did us to a turn," he said frankly. "As for you, Porter, +you—" he hesitated; then—"you ought to come to Hammond!" he finished, +evidently bestowing the highest praise he could think of.</p> + +<p>"Thanks," answered Roy with a laugh, "but I was there last night and +found it mighty cold."</p> + +<p>"If we'd known it was you," said Jim, "we might have made it warmer for +you."</p> + +<p>"That's just what I thought, and so I took particular pains not to tell +anyone."</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill assisted Hammond to launch her three boats. Hammond expressed +her thanks. Each bade the other good-bye. Hammond rowed away. Then the +formal politeness of the parting was suddenly marred by one of the +ambassadors who had thus far scarcely spoken. He was a thin, scrawny +youth and wore glasses. When the boats were a little way off shore and +headed toward home he looked defiantly across at the group on the beach +and shook his fist.</p> + +<p>"Just you wait until next year, you fresh kids!" he shouted. Schonberg +told him to dry up and Jim splashed him with water, but he of the +spectacles would not be stilled. "We'll show you next time," he added +venomously. Ferry Hill laughed; all save Post. Post blew a kiss.</p> + +<p>"All right, dearest!" he called back.</p> + +<p>"Dearest" replied at some length, but his utterances were marred by Jim +who promptly pulled him backward into the bottom of the boat. So +Hammond, acknowledging defeat, took her departure, trailing her +recovered war-craft dejectedly behind.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill was in raptures all day long; and a week later when school +had begun once more and the camp was only a memory, Roy found himself a +hero indeed. The returning students listened to the tale with wildest +delight and Horace Burlen's supremacy was a thing of the past. Only the +veriest handful of loyal subjects remained about his fallen throne. +Ferry Hill acknowledged a new leader, and his name was Roy Porter.</p> + +<p>Horace accepted his overthrow with apparent good grace, but that he was +far from reconciled subsequent events proved. Roy took his honors coolly +and modestly. A youth less well-balanced might have been badly spoiled. +The younger boys followed Roy about and hung breathless on his lightest +word. Quarrels and arguments were laid before him for adjustment and +there were always one or more worshiping subjects at hand eager to run +his errands. But Roy did his own errands and refused to be spoiled by +the adulation of his friends. Horace's overthrow, however, pleased him +well. He had never forgotten or forgiven that youth's insult to his +crimson sweater, and revenge was sweet.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile April passed into May and May ran swiftly toward June. Hammond +came over and played the first of a series of three games on the +diamond and won decisively by twelve runs to five. Neither Post nor +Kirby proved effective in the pitcher's box and the playing of the other +members of the team was listless and slow. Ferry Hill made as many +errors as runs and secured only four hits off of Rollins, the opposing +pitcher; who, by the way, proved to be the "Jim" of Roy's midnight +adventure. Chub was in despair. Mr. Cobb rated the players soundly after +the game and threatened all sorts of dire punishments if they didn't do +better. Roy had one error to his credit, but aside from that had played +a fairly good game. The second Hammond game was two weeks away and in +the meanwhile every effort was made to better the team. Practice became +stiffer, and stiffer substitutes were tried in almost every position. Up +to the last week of May there had been little to choose between Post and +Kirby, but in the game with Highland Academy on the twenty-eighth of the +month, Post showed such excellent form that it was decided to save him +for the next Hammond contest.</p> + +<p>Affairs on the river were meanwhile promising far better. The first Four +was rowing finely, Whitcomb at stroke, Hadden at 2, Burlen at 3 and +Gallup at bow. Otto Ferris had failed to get out of the second boat, +where, with Fernald, Walker and Pearse he was daily making the first row +its hardest to win out in the Practice races.</p> + +<p>On the track things were in poor shape. Hammond would not compete with +Ferry Hill in track and field games and so there was but little +incentive for the latter school. Still, a handful of boys went in for +running, hurdling, pole-vaulting, jumping and shot-putting in +preparation for the preparatory school meet.</p> + +<p>Those boys who neither rowed, played baseball nor performed on the +track—and there weren't many such—essayed golf or went fishing on the +river or along one or the other of the two nearby streams. The streams +were the more popular, though, for they afforded excellent sport with +rod and fly, Wissick Creek especially yielding fine trout, principally +for the reason that it ran for several miles through private estates and +had been carefully preserved for many years. The best pools were posted +and once in a great while a case of poaching came up before the +Principal, but as poaching was held to be a dire offence, punishable +with expulsion, the fellows as a general thing contented themselves with +such portions of the stream as were open to the public. Of course, +fishing on Sunday was strictly prohibited, but sometimes a boy would +wander away from school for a Sunday afternoon walk with a fly-book in +his pocket and an unjointed rod reposing under his clothes and making +him quite stiff-kneed in one leg. Such things will happen in the best +regulated schools just as long as trout will rise to a fly and boys' +nature remains unchanged.</p> + +<p>Roy and Chub and Bacon and the others making up the first nine had no +time, however, in those days, for fishing, either legal or illegal. They +were busy, very busy. And the nearer the second Hammond game +approached, the busier they were. Mr. Cobb worked them right up to the +eve of that important contest. If they lost it would not be for lack of +hard practice.</p> + +<p>All Ferry Hill crossed the river in a blazing June sun, brown and white +banners flying, to watch and cheer. Even the crew men postponed rowing +until after the game. It was a hard-fought battle from first to last, in +which the honors went to the pitchers. Hammond started with her second +choice twirler, he giving place in the seventh inning to Jim Rollins. +Ferry Hill used Post all through and he didn't fail her. Neither side +scored until the fifth, and then Ferry Hill got a man to second on an +error, and scored him by making the first hit of the game, a two-bagger +that placed Chub on second, where he stayed, while Roy flied out to +center-field and brought the inning to a close. In the sixth an error by +Bacon, at short, started things going for Hammond. Her first man up +stole second. Her next batsman sacrificed and sent him to third from +where he scored on a long fly to the outfield which Patten couldn't +handle fast enough. Then nothing more happened until the eighth, when +Bacon was hit by Rollins, stole second, went to third on a sacrifice and +scored on a passed ball. Hammond failed to solve Post's curves in their +half of that inning, Ferry Hill had no better luck in the first of the +ninth and Hammond, in the last half of the ninth, placed a man on first +and then went out in one, two, three order.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill had won, but she had won on errors largely, and the outlook +for the deciding game, when Rollins would pitch all through, was far +from bright. But at least Ferry Hill had rendered that third game +necessary, and that was something to be thankful for. And the fact that +she had played with vim and snap and had made but two errors was +encouraging. Ferry Hill went home with banners still flying and her +cheers echoing back from shore to shore. And Roy, because he had +accepted every chance and had played a faultless game at first-base, +found himself more of a hero than ever.</p> + +<p>More practice followed, interspersed with minor contests with +neighboring schools. Ferry Hill seemed to have found her pace, for she +disposed of three visiting nines in short order, and on the Saturday +following the Hammond victory traveled down-river and won from Prentice +Military Academy by the overwhelming score of 16 to 2. Chub's spirits +had risen since the last Hammond game and it was his old self that +tumbled upstairs from the Junior Dormitory the next morning before +rising bell and snuggled into Roy's cot.</p> + +<p>"Get over, you log," he whispered, "and give me some room."</p> + +<p>"Room! You've got the whole bed now! If Cobb sees you—"</p> + +<p>"Let him; who cares? Say, Roy, let's go fishing to-day. I feel just like +it."</p> + +<p>"And get found out and put on inner bounds? No; thanks!"</p> + +<p>"We won't get found out, Roy, my boy. We'll just go for a walk this +afternoon and take a couple of rods with us.</p> + +<p>"I'll borrow one for you. I've got flies to burn. We'll go to a place I +know, a dandy hole; regular whales there! What do you say?"</p> + +<p>"I say you're a silly chump to risk it."</p> + +<p>"Tommy rot! Come along!"</p> + +<p>"I'll go along, but I won't fish."</p> + +<p>"What a good little boy!"</p> + +<p>"That's all right, Chub, but I don't want to go on bounds just when the +Hammond game is coming along. It's only a week, you know. You take my +advice and be good."</p> + +<p>"I can't be good—to-day. I feel too kittenish," added Chub with a +gurgle of laughter. "There goes the bell. Will you come?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but won't fish."</p> + +<p>"Oh, pshaw! Yes, you will. I'll borrow a rod for you anyhow."</p> + +<p>And Chub slipped out of bed and scampered downstairs again.</p> + +<p>At three o'clock two boys sauntered idly away from school in the +direction of the river. One of them held himself rather stiffly and his +side pocket bulged more than usual. But there was no one to notice these +trivial things. Once on the river bank they doubled back and struck +inland toward the Silver Cove road, Chub leading the way.</p> + +<p>"Gee!" he said, "I'll be glad when I can take these poles out! They're +mighty uncomfortable."</p> + +<p>"Did you bring two?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Sure! When you see the way those trout bite you'll want to take a hand +yourself. I borrowed Tom's. Otto Ferris had to come nosing around and +saw it, but he won't tell. If he does I'll make him wish he hadn't!"</p> + +<p>"He might tell Horace," said Roy uneasily. "If Horace thought he could +get me into trouble he'd do it mighty quick."</p> + +<p>"Oh, he's a back-number," answered Chub gaily. "This way, over the fence +and across the pasture; it's only about a quarter of a mile from here."</p> + +<p>Soon they were treading their way along the bank of a fairly wide brook, +pushing through the alders and young willows. After a while Chub stopped +and jointed his pole.</p> + +<p>"You're going to fish, aren't you?" he asked.</p> + +<p>Roy shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, especially since there's a chance that Ferris will tell Horace. I +don't want to get hung up for the Hammond game. You go ahead, if you've +got to, and I'll watch."</p> + +<p>"All right, if you won't. What's that?"</p> + +<p>He started and turned, peering intently through the bushes.</p> + +<p>"Thought I heard someone," he muttered.</p> + +<p>"Hope it wasn't Cobb or Buckman," said Roy fervently.</p> + +<p>"Oh, they don't spy," answered Chub, selecting a grey fly from a pocket +of the book that had swelled his pocket. "Well, here goes for that nice +black place over there where the little eddy is."</p> + +<p>The line flashed in the air and fell softly into the shadowed water. +After that Chub seemed to forget Roy's presence entirely. Roy leaned +back with hands clasped behind his head and watched; that is, he watched +for a while; then his eyelids closed and with the babble of the stream +and the drowsy hum of insects for a lullaby he went to sleep.</p> + +<p>When he awoke the shadows had lengthened perceptibly and Chub was not in +sight. From the cramped condition of his neck and arm he judged that he +had slept hard and long. He got to his feet and called softly. There was +no answer. Evidently Chub had wandered further along stream. Roy waited +a while, then, as it was fast approaching supper-time, he started home. +As he reached the fence back of the athletic field Chub jumped into the +road a few rods above and hurried toward him.</p> + +<p>"You're a great one," called Roy. "I waited almost half an hour for you +to come back there."</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry," said Chub. "You see I couldn't get even a nibble +there and so I thought I'd go on up-stream. You were having a lovely +sleep and I hated to wake you. I tried two or three pools and found +nothing doing. Didn't get even a bite all afternoon. And when I got +back you were gone. What did you do with Tom's pole?"</p> + +<p>"Tom's pole?" echoed Roy blankly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, did you leave it there? I couldn't see it."</p> + +<p>"Why, it wasn't there! At least, I don't think it was. Are you sure you +didn't take it with you?"</p> + +<p>"Sure; I only had my own. That's funny. It's too late to go back now. +I'll go up in the morning and see if I can find it. If I can't I'll have +to buy him another one."</p> + +<p>"I'll do the buying," answered Roy. "You borrowed the old thing for me."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense; it's my funeral. You said you didn't want it, and I insisted +on getting it for you. Well, maybe I'll find it. Come on, we'll have to +hurry a bit."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE POACHING</p> + + +<p>When Otto Ferris had happened into the Senior Dormitory in time to see +Tom Forrest hand his fishing-rod to Chub he had thought nothing of it. +And when, having found the book he was after, he returned to the Campus +and ran into Horace he mentioned the incident as a mere bit of +unimportant news; on a drowsy Sunday afternoon nothing is too slight to +serve as conversation. Horace settled himself with his back to a big elm +tree and thought it over.</p> + +<p>If Doctor Emery should learn of the fact that Chub and Roy had gone +fishing he would promptly punish them. But the punishment would be +something not worth considering. But if, by chance, the two boys were +detected fishing on private property, say on old Farmer Mercer's +territory, they would suffer badly; they might even be expelled. Horace +didn't want anything as bad as that to happen to Chub, for he only half +disliked that youth, but he couldn't think of anything that would please +him more than to see Roy Porter leave school in disgrace. In that case +he could, he believed, very quickly regain his former leadership.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes he had thought out a scheme which might work, and +which, if it did work, would probably bring about the results desired. +It was risky, but Horace wasn't a coward, whatever his other faults +were.</p> + +<p>He looked about. Otto was deep in his book under the next tree. Horace +smiled to himself and called across to him. Otto listened to the scheme +with avidity and promptly pledged assistance.</p> + +<p>"What you've got to do," directed Horace, "is to get the sweater. He +keeps it in the top tray of his trunk; I saw it there a couple of days +ago when he opened it."</p> + +<p>"But supposing it's locked?"</p> + +<p>"I don't believe it's locked," answered Horace. "Anyhow, you go up and +see. I'll wait here."</p> + +<p>"Well, but—but why don't you do it?" blurted Otto.</p> + +<p>"Now don't you begin to ask questions," replied Horace severely. "You do +as you're told. If you don't you may have trouble keeping your place in +the second boat."</p> + +<p>"That's all right," whined Otto, "but you more than half promised to get +me into the first, and you haven't done it."</p> + +<p>"I said I would if I could," answered the other coolly. "If you could +row as well as Whitcomb I'd give you his place, but I'm not going to +risk losing the race just to please you. Run along now."</p> + +<p>Otto went, but was soon back again.</p> + +<p>"I can't do it," he said. "Tom Forrest's up there asleep on his bed."</p> + +<p>"Lazy chump," muttered Horace crossly. "Wait; I'll come along."</p> + +<p>There was no doubt of the fact that Tom was sleeping. His snoring +reached them outside the door. Horace and Otto tiptoed in and the former +considered the situation. Then, motioning Otto toward Roy's trunk which +stood beside the head of his cot, he placed himself so as to watch +Forrest and cut off that youth's view of the trunk. Otto crept to the +trunk. It was unlocked and the crimson sweater lay in the top of the +till. Down came the lid again noiselessly and Otto retreated to the +door, the sweater stuffed under his coat. Horace crept after him.</p> + +<p>"All right so far," murmured Horace as they went softly downstairs. "Now +we'll take a walk. Can't you stuff that thing away better than that? You +look like an alderman. Here, I'll show you."</p> + +<p>He folded it flatly and laid it against Otto's chest, buttoning his coat +over it.</p> + +<p>"That's better. Now we'll cross the field and take a nice quiet walk. +And if anyone ever asks you where we went you remember to say that we +walked down the Silver Cove road as far as the branch and came back +again. We went very slow, remember, and were gone about an hour."</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus22.jpg" alt="sweater" /> +<a id="illus22" name="illus22"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "It was unlocked and the crimson sweater lay in the top +of the till."</p></div> + +<p>But once on the road, instead of following it toward the village they +crossed it and made up through the woods. When they reached the creek +they turned up it and went stealthily, keeping a sharp lookout for +Chub and Roy. As it was, in spite of their caution, they very nearly +walked on to them at the deep pool, and had they not fallen instantly to +the ground would have been detected. Afraid to move away lest the +rustling of the branches prompt the others to investigate, they had to +lay there for fully a quarter of an hour while Chub whipped the pool and +Roy went off to sleep. Then they saw Chub wind in his line, glance at +Roy and move toward them. Luckily for them, however, Chub took it into +his head to try the opposite side and so crossed over on the stones and +passed them by. They waited until he had slowly taken himself +downstream. Then Horace sat up and saw the idle pole lying on the ground +almost at Roy's feet. It was Otto who finally, after much persuasion and +threatening, crept over and secured it without arousing the sleeper. +Then, making a little detour, they went on up the creek.</p> + +<p>Five minutes brought them to the edge of Farmer Mercer's property and in +view of a placard threatening dire punishment to trespassers. Horace now +donned the crimson sweater, threw his coat to Otto and jointed up the +pole.</p> + +<p>"Wish I had a line and fly," he muttered. "They'll think he was a crazy +sort of fisherman, I guess."</p> + +<p>Leaving Otto at the wall, he clambered over and stole on. A couple of +hundred yards further on there was a place where the meadow came down to +the stream and where there were neither bushes nor trees to screen it. +It was in full view of Farmer Mercer's big white house which lay perhaps +an eighth of a mile away across the meadow. Here Horace, a +readily-distinguished crimson spot against the green of the farther +trees, halted and went through the motions of casting his line. But all +the time, you may be sure, he kept one eye on the white house. He had +landed just one mythical trout and was preparing to cast again when his +eye caught a dark figure stealing along the porch toward the meadow +gate. Out flew the non-existent line. Through the gate hurried Farmer +Mercer. Then, as though catching sight of the latter for the first time, +Horace became apparently panic-stricken. He dropped his pole, picked it +up again, looked this way and that for escape, made as though tossing a +trout back into the stream, and finally, when the farmer was less than +two hundred yards away, dropped his pole again and plunged into the +bushes.</p> + +<p>"Hi!" shouted the pursuer. "Hi! Come back, you rascal!"</p> + +<p>But Horace refused the invitation. Instead he made for the spot where +Otto was awaiting him, running, however, so slowly that the farmer had +him in sight for fully a minute as he threaded his way through the trees +along the creek. The farmer's cries continued and the farmer still +pursued, trying his best to head off the fugitive. But he was running a +losing race, for when Horace picked up Otto they ran in earnest and all +the farmer had for his trouble was a discarded fishing pole minus line +or hook and a vivid memory of a crimson sweater.</p> + +<p>The two boys made a short cut for the school, but, as luck would have +it, when they reached the dormitory the troublesome Tom Forrest was wide +awake. So Horace, who had stowed the sweater under his own coat this +time, had to smuggle it under his pillow and await Tom's departure. But +Tom apparently had no present intention of leaving. And a few minutes +later Chub and Roy clattered in. When they saw Horace and Otto they +deferred telling Tom about his pole, and Chub laid himself down, very +stiffly because of his own pole, on Roy's bed. Conversation languished. +Horace mentioned the fact that he and Otto had been for a walk and Chub +replied that they too had taken a stroll. Both sides waited for the +others to leave. Suddenly the supper bell rang. Horace went to the +wash-room and Otto followed. Chub slipped off downstairs and Roy told +Tom about the pole. Tom good-naturedly told him to let the old thing go. +Then Roy, by the merest chance, noticed that his trunk was unlocked, +turned the key, slipped it into his pocket and followed Tom down to +supper. A moment after when Horace went to return the sweater to its +place he found that he was too late. After a second of indecision he +opened his own trunk and hid the garment down at the bottom of it. Then +he locked the trunk securely and, with Otto at his heels, followed the +others.</p> + +<p>It was at half-past nine the next morning that Roy was summoned to the +Principal's office. A rather stout, hard-featured man of middle-age whom +Roy had never seen before to his knowledge, sat beside the Doctor's +desk.</p> + +<p>"Porter," said the Doctor, "does this belong to you?"</p> + +<p>He took a fishing-rod from the desk and held it out. Roy looked at it +and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"No, sir," he answered.</p> + +<p>"Do you know whose it is?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"Do you own a fishing-rod?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"Where were you yesterday afternoon at—" The Doctor looked inquiringly +at the stranger.</p> + +<p>"Four o'clock," prompted the latter gruffly, viewing Roy with unfriendly +gaze. Roy hesitated and his heart sank. Then,</p> + +<p>"I was asleep, sir," he answered.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" The Principal paused and tapped softly on the polished surface of +the desk. Then, "In the dormitory, you mean?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"No, sir, I wasn't in the dormitory."</p> + +<p>"Not in the dormitory? But you just said you were asleep?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, I was."</p> + +<p>"Whereabouts, then?"</p> + +<p>"By Wissick Creek, at what the fellows call the Deep Hole."</p> + +<p>The stranger snorted triumphantly.</p> + +<p>"Why did you go there to sleep?" asked Doctor Emery.</p> + +<p>"Why, sir, I—I was out walking and—and I laid down and got sleepy. So +I just went to sleep."</p> + +<p>He knew that it sounded awfully silly and unconvincing. Evidently the +Doctor thought so too, for he smiled gently and regretfully.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think that's rather a strange tale to tell, Porter?"</p> + +<p>"It's the truth, sir."</p> + +<p>"It's a tarnation lie, that's what it is," said the stranger +vindictively. Roy turned hotly.</p> + +<p>"It isn't a lie," he cried. "And I don't know what business it is of +yours, anyhow!"</p> + +<p>"Well, I rather guess it's my business—" began the other. But Doctor +Emery held up a hand.</p> + +<p>"Leave him to me, if you please, Mr. Mercer," he said quietly. "Porter, +this gentleman tells me that he discovered a boy, presumably one of my +boys, fishing at the bottom of his meadow at about four o'clock +yesterday afternoon. The boy saw him coming and ran away, leaving this +pole behind him. The boy wore—"</p> + +<p>"Ask him what he wore," interrupted Farmer Mercer.</p> + +<p>"Just what I have on now," answered Roy. "And this cap," he added, +holding it forth.</p> + +<p>"Yes, you had a cap all right," said the farmer. "But I don't suppose +you happened to have on a red sweater, eh? A dark red one?"</p> + +<p>"No, I didn't, sir," replied Roy.</p> + +<p>"You have such a sweater, I understand, however," said the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir, I have a crimson sweater."</p> + +<p>"That's what it was, crimson," said the farmer.</p> + +<p>"But I didn't wear it yesterday. I haven't had it on since camp."</p> + +<p>"Have you loaned it to any one recently?" asked the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"No, sir."</p> + +<p>"Where is it kept?"</p> + +<p>"In my trunk."</p> + +<p>"Could any one borrow it without your knowing of it?"</p> + +<p>"Why, I suppose so, sir; that is, if my trunk was unlocked."</p> + +<p>"Do you keep it unlocked?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, not very often."</p> + +<p>"Then you think it would have been impossible for anyone to have taken +it without your knowledge?"</p> + +<p>"I think it would, sir."</p> + +<p>"Do you know of anyone else in school who has a red sweater?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir. Gallup has a red and white striped one."</p> + +<p>"There wasn't no stripes on the one I saw," said Farmer Mercer +decidedly.</p> + +<p>"Porter," said the Doctor after a moment's silence. "I'm sorry that I +can't bring myself to believe your story. Is there anyone who can +substantiate it? Were you alone yesterday afternoon?"</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry, sir, that you won't believe me. I wasn't on this man's land +yesterday, and I don't think I ever was. Anyhow, I never fished on it. +I've never fished since I came here."</p> + +<p>"I hope you are telling the truth," answered the Doctor gently. "But +circumstantial evidence is sadly against you. There is no one who can +prove that you were at the Deep Hole at four o'clock?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir, no one knows that I was there at that time." Chub, he +reflected, had left him at least a quarter of an hour before and so +couldn't have been sure of his whereabouts at four o'clock.</p> + +<p>"Hm! That's unfortunate," said the Doctor. He turned to Farmer Mercer. +"I don't think I need trouble you to remain, sir. I regret deeply that +this has occurred and assure you that punishment will be justly meted +out to the culprit."</p> + +<p>The farmer arose.</p> + +<p>"It's got to be stopped, Doctor," he said. "As for the culprit you've +got him right here. That's the boy without a doubt. Put him in his red +sweater and I'll tell you mighty quick. Just about his height he was, +and kinder slimmish like. Well, you know you own business best. Good +morning, Doctor."</p> + +<p>And the farmer passed out with a final ugly look at Roy.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> + +<p class='center'>ON INNER BOUNDS</p> + + +<p>By noon the news was all over school: Roy Porter was on inner bounds for +the rest of the term!</p> + +<p>"Emmy told him," confided Sid importantly to a group of Juniors and +Middlers awaiting the dinner summons on the steps of Burgess, "that if +it wasn't for his good record all year he would have suspended him!"</p> + +<p>"Gee!" quoth the youngest boy in school, "that's pretty fierce, just for +fishing on Sunday!"</p> + +<p>"He was poaching," explained Sid. "Anyhow, Emmy says he was. Old Mercer +swears he saw him on his place yesterday afternoon. Why, a couple of +years ago there was a fellow <i>fired</i> for poaching!"</p> + +<p>"Gee!" echoed the youngest again in wide-eyed amaze.</p> + +<p>"Well, Sid, who'll play first?" asked another of the audience. Sid shook +his head dispiritedly.</p> + +<p>"Patten, I s'pose. I think it's a beast of a shame, that's what I think! +Take a fellow off the nine just five days before the big game! Of course +Hammond'll lick us."</p> + +<p>"Sure!" was the concurrent opinion.</p> + +<p>"If Patten goes back to first you may get his place at right-field," +suggested the youngest boy.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I will," answered Sid gloomily, "but who wants to play if Roy's +out of it?"</p> + +<p>And the countenances of the audience answered:</p> + +<p>"Who indeed?"</p> + +<p>"I'll bet if we wanted to we could get him back on the nine," said Sid +presently.</p> + +<p>"How?" asked half a dozen voices eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I know a way," was the unsatisfying reply.</p> + +<p>"Go on and tell us, Sid!"</p> + +<p>"I would if you'd promise never to tell anyone, cross your heart and +hope to die."</p> + +<p>Everyone promised instantly and fervidly.</p> + +<p>"Supposing, then," resumed Sid, "that a whole raft of us were caught +fishing on old Mercer's place. What would happen?"</p> + +<p>"We'd all get suspended," piped up the youngest boy promptly.</p> + +<p>"Inner bounds," suggested someone else.</p> + +<p>"Huh! I guess not! It isn't likely Emmy would suspend half the school," +replied Sid scornfully. "He'd see the injustice of it, of course, and +give us all a good blowing up and let us go. And if he let us go he'd +have to let Roy off too. It would be a—a—" Sid paused for a word—"it +would be in the nature of a popular protest!"</p> + +<p>"That's so," said one of the number. "He couldn't punish all of us very +well."</p> + +<p>"He might, though," muttered the youngest uneasily.</p> + +<p>"Oh, we don't want you in it," answered Sid contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"I'm going if the rest do," was the dogged answer.</p> + +<p>"We'd ought to get a whole lot of fellows, though," one of the Middlers +said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, about twenty," answered Sid. "We can do it, too, you bet! +Supposing we call a meeting of the Middlers and Juniors for this +afternoon after supper?"</p> + +<p>"Good scheme! Whereabouts?"</p> + +<p>"At the boat-house. You fellows tell it around, but don't say what the +meeting's about. If you do Emmy'll hear of it, sure."</p> + +<p>Then the dinner bell rang and the informal conclave broke up.</p> + +<p>"Wait for me after dinner," whispered Chub to Roy at the table. "I want +to see you."</p> + +<p>"All right," answered Roy cheerfully.</p> + +<p>He was trying very hard to hide the fact that he was terribly down in +the mouth. The half-curious, wholly sympathetic looks of his companions +followed him all through the meal and he was glad when it was over. Chub +caught up with him on the steps and together they crossed the walk and +found seats under one of the elms well away from possible eavesdroppers.</p> + +<p>"Tell me all about it," demanded Chub, scowling fiercely.</p> + +<p>So Roy told him.</p> + +<p>"You don't think he will let you off in time for the game Saturday?" +asked Chub.</p> + +<p>"No, I'm pretty sure he won't. He's dead certain it was me that Mercer +saw."</p> + +<p>Chub jumped to his feet.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" asked Roy suspiciously.</p> + +<p>"To see Emmy," was the answer. "I'll tell him that you didn't wear your +red sweater and that you couldn't have been on old Mercer's place +because you were with me."</p> + +<p>"Don't be a fool!" said Roy. "What's the good of getting into trouble +yourself? He'll ask what you were doing and you'll have to 'fess up; and +then the nine won't have any captain on Saturday."</p> + +<p>"I don't care," answered Chub stubbornly. "I got you into the hole and +the least I can do is to get you out."</p> + +<p>"But you wouldn't get me out! You'd just throw yourself in with me. Look +here, now, Chub; Emmy isn't going to take any stock in your story. He'll +just think that we concocted it between us this morning. Besides, you +left me for almost an hour and you can't swear that I didn't go over to +Mercer's while you were gone. It's only a quarter of a mile from where +you left me."</p> + +<p>"But you were asleep!"</p> + +<p>"So you say."</p> + +<p>"Well, weren't you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but Emmy won't believe it. He'll think we were both out fishing +and that I went to Mercer's; and instead of being minus a first baseman +on Saturday the team will be short a first baseman and a second baseman +too; also a captain."</p> + +<p>"But it isn't fair," cried Chub. "I was the only one that fished, and +now you're getting the blame for it. It was all my fault, anyhow; I made +you go along when you didn't want to."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense; I didn't have to go."</p> + +<p>"But you went to please me."</p> + +<p>"Oh, well, what if I did?"</p> + +<p>"It isn't fair," muttered Chub. "If I play in that game and you don't +I'll feel like a brute."</p> + +<p>"You don't need to, Chub. Besides, there's the school to think of. You +know plaguey well we'll get done up brown if you don't play—"</p> + +<p>"We will anyway, I guess," interpolated Chub sadly.</p> + +<p>"—And that isn't fair to the nine and the school. You've got to do +everything you can to win that game, Chub. You don't suppose that I mind +being out of it if we're going to win, do you?"</p> + +<p>"But we need you, Roy! Who's going to play first?"</p> + +<p>"Patten, of course; he can do it."</p> + +<p>"He can't bat like you can."</p> + +<p>"He'll do all right," answered Roy cheerfully. "Now you keep your mouth +shut, old man, will you?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," Chub muttered. "But I hadn't ought to."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you had, too. I'm not the main thing, Chub; there's the school."</p> + +<p>"You're a brick," said Chub. "All right; I'll keep mum as long as you +want me to. But if you change your mind all you've got to do is to say +so and I'll do all I can with Emmy. Promise to tell me if you change +your mind?"</p> + +<p>"Honor bright; but I sha'n't change it; I don't mind, Chub, as long as +we win."</p> + +<p>"Win! Thunder, we aren't going to win! We're going to get everlastingly +walloped!"</p> + +<p>"No, we're not," answered Roy hopefully. "We're going to win; you see."</p> + +<p>"Look here," said Chub after a moment's silence, "you didn't poach on +Mercer and I didn't. Who the dickens did?"</p> + +<p>"I can't imagine. I dare say it was some fellow from the village."</p> + +<p>"With a crimson sweater on? Not likely. I suppose it couldn't have been +your sweater, eh?"</p> + +<p>Roy shook his head.</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" pursued Chub.</p> + +<p>"'Cause mine was locked in my trunk."</p> + +<p>"Sure?"</p> + +<p>"Certain."</p> + +<p>"Someone might have had a key that fitted the lock, though."</p> + +<p>"They might have, but—" Roy paused and scowled thoughtfully. "Come to +think of it, Chub, my trunk wasn't locked yesterday afternoon. I +remember now. I locked it after we got back."</p> + +<p>"Was the sweater there?"</p> + +<p>"I didn't look."</p> + +<p>Chub whistled softly.</p> + +<p>"Bet you anything some fellow swiped it and wore it," he declared. +"Let's go see if he put it back."</p> + +<p>They hurried up to the dormitory and Roy unlocked his trunk, threw back +the lid and opened the till.</p> + +<p>"I thought I left it here on top," he muttered, diving through the +contents of the till. "Maybe I put it underneath, though." Out came the +till and out came most of the contents of the trunk. But there was no +crimson sweater. Roy turned to Chub in distress.</p> + +<p>"I don't care if they took it," he said, "but I hope they'll bring it +back! I wouldn't lose that sweater for anything!"</p> + +<p>"Lock your trunk again," said Chub, "and let's get out of here. Some +one's coming. Let's go somewhere and think it over."</p> + +<p>"If we only knew who was away from school yesterday afternoon," said Roy +when they were once more under the trees.</p> + +<p>"We know that Ferris and Burlen were," answered Chub suggestively. "They +said so."</p> + +<p>"And Ferris saw you borrow that pole from Tom!" said Roy. Chub sat up +suddenly.</p> + +<p>"I'll bet that was Tom's pole that old Mercer brought with him!" he +cried.</p> + +<p>"But you left it at Deep Hole, and I didn't leave there until long after +four, I guess."</p> + +<p>"But you said you didn't see it when you left!"</p> + +<p>"That's so; I'm pretty sure it wasn't there," answered Roy, thinking +hard. "But how could anyone have got it?"</p> + +<p>"Don't know, but I'll bet someone did. They might have sneaked up while +you were asleep. Horace Burlen could do it."</p> + +<p>They looked at each other a moment in silence. Then,</p> + +<p>"If he took the sweater I'll bet he's thrown it away," said Roy +sorrowfully. "He wouldn't be likely to bring it back again."</p> + +<p>"Why not? He found the trunk unlocked and maybe thought he could put it +back again without anyone knowing anything about it. See? That's just +about what happened, Roy. I'll bet he did the whole thing to get you in +trouble."</p> + +<p>"Wasn't Tom in the dormitory when we got there?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Then maybe he was there when Horace got back; and Horace couldn't get +at my trunk without being seen."</p> + +<p>"What do you suppose he'd do with it?" asked Chub.</p> + +<p>Roy shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Put it in his own trunk maybe," he answered.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said Chub.</p> + +<p>Back to the Senior Dormitory they hurried, for each of them had an +examination at two and it was almost that hour now. The dormitory was +empty and Chub stood guard at the head of the stairs while Roy crossed +the room and examined Horace's trunk.</p> + +<p>"Locked," he announced softly.</p> + +<p>Chub joined him and they stood for a moment looking at the trunk as +though striving to get an X-ray view of its contents.</p> + +<p>"Maybe we could find a key to fit it," whispered Chub.</p> + +<p>"I wouldn't like to do that," answered Roy, shaking his head.</p> + +<p>"No more would I," answered Chub, "but I'd do it if I was just a little +more certain that the thing was in there. I'd like to bust it open with +an axe," he added savagely.</p> + +<p>Then the two o'clock bell rang and they hurried downstairs.</p> + +<p>"Keep mum about it," said Chub, "and we'll get to the bottom of it yet."</p> + +<p>"The trunk?" asked Roy with a weak effort at humor.</p> + +<p>"You bet!" was the answer.</p> + +<p>Roy watched practice that afternoon. He stood on the school side of the +hedge which marked inner bounds and, out of sight himself, saw Patten +playing on first. It was lonely work and after a while the figures on +the green diamond grew blurred and misty. Then, suddenly, Brother +Laurence's advice came back to him and Roy brushed the back of his hand +across his eyes and turned away.</p> + +<p>"'When you're down on your luck,'" he murmured, "'Grin as hard as you +can grin.'"</p> + +<p>So he tried his best to grin, and made rather a sorry affair of it until +he spied Harry walking toward the tennis courts with her racket in hand. +He hailed her and she waited for him to come up.</p> + +<p>"I'm awfully sorry, Roy," she greeted him. "I told dad you didn't do +it."</p> + +<p>"And he believed you at once," said Roy despondently.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus23.jpg" alt="grin" /> +<a id="illus23" name="illus23"></a> +<p class="caption"> +"'When you're down on your luck,' he murmured, 'grin as +hard as you can grin.'"</p></div> + +<p>"N-no, he didn't," answered Harry. "He—he's a little bit stupid +sometimes; I often tell him so."</p> + +<p>Roy laughed in spite of his sorrow.</p> + +<p>"What does he say then?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Oh, he just smiles," answered Harry resentfully. "I hate people to +smile at you when they ought to answer, don't you?"</p> + +<p>Roy supposed he did. And then, in another minute, they were side by side +on the stone coping about the stable yard and Roy was telling Harry +everything, even to the examining of Horace's trunk and the reason for +it.</p> + +<p>"That's it!" cried Harry with the utmost conviction. "He did it! I know +he did!"</p> + +<p>"How do you know it?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I just do! I don't care if he is my cousin; he's as mean—!"</p> + +<p>"Well, suspecting him won't do any good," said Roy. "We can't see into +the trunk. And, anyhow, maybe he didn't bring the sweater back at all."</p> + +<p>"Yes, he did too," answered Harry. "Don't you see he'd want to put it +back again so that you couldn't say that someone had taken it and worn +it? It's there, in his trunk."</p> + +<p>"And I guess it'll stay there," said Roy hopelessly. "He won't be fool +enough to take it out now."</p> + +<p>"Couldn't you make him open his trunk?"</p> + +<p>"I don't see how. I couldn't go and tell him I suspected him of having +stolen my sweater; not without more proof than I've got now."</p> + +<p>"I suppose not," answered Harry thoughtfully, her chin in her hand and +the heel of one small shoe beating a restless tattoo on the wall. "You +might—" she lowered her voice and looked about guiltily—"you might +break it open!"</p> + +<p>"And supposing it wasn't there?"</p> + +<p>"But it is there!" cried Harry. "I know it is!"</p> + +<p>"Wish I did," grunted Roy.</p> + +<p>"Well, we'll just have to think of a way," said Harry presently, +arousing herself from her reverie. "And now I must go on, because I +promised to play tennis with Jack Rogers. I'm sorry."</p> + +<p>"That's all right," answered Roy. "I—I've got some studying to do, +anyhow."</p> + +<p>Harry turned upon him with alarm in her face.</p> + +<p>"Now don't you go doing anything desperate, Roy Porter!" she commanded. +"You just sit still and hold tight and—and it'll come out all right. +You leave it to me!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> + +<p class='center'>SID'S "POPULAR PROTEST"—AND WHAT FOLLOWED</p> + + +<p>Harry and Jack played one set of tennis, which resulted, owing largely +to Harry's evident preoccupation, in an easy win for Jack, 6—3.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Harry, you don't really want to play tennis, do you?" asked +Jack.</p> + +<p>Harry started and flushed guiltily.</p> + +<p>"Do you mind?" she asked.</p> + +<p>"Not a bit," he answered. "What's bothering you? Methuselah got a +headache? Or has Lady Grey eaten one of the white mice?"</p> + +<p>Harry shook her head.</p> + +<p>"I wish I could tell you, Jack, but it's not my secret," she answered +regretfully and a trifle importantly. "Do you—would you mind taking a +walk?"</p> + +<p>"No; where to?"</p> + +<p>"Over to the Mercers'."</p> + +<p>Jack thought he could guess then what Harry was troubled about, but he +said nothing, and they cut across the orchard, in which a few trees of +early apples were already beginning to ripen their fruit, and headed for +Farmer Mercer's.</p> + +<p>Harry was a great favorite with Mrs. Mercer and was cordially greeted. +They had root beer and vanilla cookies on the front porch, and then, +leaving Jack and Mrs. Mercer to entertain each other, Harry ran off to +the barn to find the farmer. She was back again in a few minutes and she +and Jack took their leave.</p> + +<p>"Well, did you discover anything?" asked Jack when they were once more +on the road hurrying homeward. Harry shot a startled glance at him. Jack +was smiling.</p> + +<p>"No," she answered disappointedly. "How'd you know?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I just guessed."</p> + +<p>"He insists that it was Roy, but he didn't see him near to at all, so I +don't see how he can tell."</p> + +<p>"Don't you think it was Roy?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>Harry's indignant look was eloquent.</p> + +<p>"Of course it wasn't! He says so!"</p> + +<p>There was a mysterious exodus of Middle and Junior Class boys from the +campus to the boat-house that evening after supper. And, when, an hour +later, they came straggling back every face bore the impress of a high +and noble resolution. It had been unanimously resolved—after a good +deal of pow-wow—that they should proceed in a body on the following +afternoon to Farmer Mercer's grounds and fish in Wissick Creek.</p> + +<p>Behold them, then, at the time appointed, marching across the fields and +through the woods for all the world like a band of young crusaders, each +armed with a fishing pole and line! There were not enough "truly" poles +to go around, so many of the party were forced to cut branches from the +willows. On to prohibited territory they marched, eighteen strong, +Sidney Welch, having sought and received permission to absent himself +from practice, in command. In full view of the white farm-house they +lined the bank of the stream and threw in their lines. To be sure, many +of the lines were guiltless of flies or even worms, but that was a +detail. The minutes passed. One boy actually hooked a trout, but was so +surprised that the prey escaped before he could land it. And still the +minutes passed, and the irate voice of the tyrant sounded not. The +sportsmen began to tire and grew bored. Many of them had never fished +before and didn't care about it. A few tossed aside their rods and fell +to playing stick-knife. And then, just when Sid had decided to give up +and lead his defeated hosts back to school, a figure ambled toward them +across the meadow.</p> + +<p>"He's coming!" whispered Sid hoarsely.</p> + +<p>Fully half of the group exhibited unmistakable signs of alarm; half a +dozen edged toward home and were summoned back by the stauncher members.</p> + +<p>"He can't do anything to us," said Sid nervously. "We're too many for +him—even if he is big!"</p> + +<p>"Well, boys, what you doin'?" inquired the farmer amiably.</p> + +<p>There was a moment of constrained silence. Then,</p> + +<p>"Fishing," answered Sid bravely.</p> + +<p>"Caught anything?" asked the farmer as he joined the group and looked +curiously at the huddled poles.</p> + +<p>"Not yet, sir," answered Sid.</p> + +<p>"Too sunny, I guess," was the reply.</p> + +<p>The trespassers darted bewildered glances along their front. This awful +calm was worse than the expected storm.</p> + +<p>"Didn't take you long to get here, by gum!" said Farmer Mercer +presently. "I didn't just bargain for having the whole school turn out +to once, but I don't know as it matters. A bargain's a bargain. I give +my word, and there it is. 'Let 'em come once a week, then,' says I, 'but +no more 'n that.' The way that gal sassed me was a caution!" The +farmer's face relaxed into something very like a smile. "'If you gave +'em permission to come,' says she, 'they wouldn't care about it so much. +It's the temptation that leads 'em,' says she. 'Tell 'em they can come +and they won't want to.' Looks like she was mistaken there, though."</p> + +<p>"Who—o?" stammered Sid.</p> + +<p>"Why, Harry Emery. That's the way she talked, like a regular book. Said +it was all my fault you boys got in trouble!" He chuckled hoarsely. +"What do you think of that, eh? My fault, by gum! Called me a—a +'perverter of youth,' or somethin' like that, too! Couldn't do nothin' +but give in to her after that! 'Let 'em come and fish once a week, +then,' says I, 'an' as long as they behaves themselves I won't say +anything to 'em.' Well, you ain't had much luck, to be sure, but I guess +you're clustered kind o' close together. Guess what fish you fellers +catch won't hurt much of any!"</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus24.jpg" alt="sassed" /> +<a id="illus24" name="illus24"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "'The way that gal sassed me was a caution!'"</p></div> + +<p>And Farmer Mercer turned and ambled off, chuckling to himself.</p> + +<p>The trespassers looked from one to another; then, with scarcely a word +spoken, they wound up their lines and, with poles trailing, crept +crestfallenly home. And in such fashion ended Sid's "popular protest!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Meanwhile events marched rapidly. School came to an end the following +Wednesday. In four days, that is on Saturday, came the boat-race, in the +forenoon; and the final baseball game, at three o'clock. Examinations +would end the day before. It was a breathless, exciting week. On the +river the finishing touches were being put to what the school fondly +believed was the finest four-oared crew ever destined to carry the Brown +and White to victory. On the diamond Mr. Cobb and Captain Chub Eaton +were working like beavers with a nine which, at the best, could be +called only fairly good. Tappen at first was doing his level best, but +his best was far below the standard set by Roy. The nine, discouraged at +first by the loss of Roy, was, however, fast regaining its form, and +Chub began to feel again that he had at least a fighting chance.</p> + +<p>It was a hard week for Roy, for there was always the hope that Fate +would intervene and deliver him from his durance. But Wednesday came and +Thursday came, and still the crimson sweater, upon the discovery of +which so much hinged, did not turn up. Roy vetoed Chub's plea to be +allowed to rip open Horace's trunk, and Harry's assistance, from which, +for some reason, Roy had hoped a good deal, had so far worked no relief. +There were moments when Roy was strongly tempted to accuse Horace to his +face and dare him to display the contents of that battered trunk of his +in the Senior Dormitory. But there was always the lack of certainty in +the other's guilt to deter him.</p> + +<p>Of Harry, Roy caught but fleeting glimpses. But although she had no good +news for him, no brilliant plans to suggest, she was by no means idle. +She very nearly thought herself into brain fever. So absorbed was she in +Roy's dilemma that the permission wrung from Farmer Mercer to allow the +boys to fish his stream passed entirely out of her mind until after +school had closed. None of the members of the poaching expedition cared +to talk about it, and so Harry remained in ignorance of it for the time +being.</p> + +<p>Roy finished the last of his examinations on Thursday afternoon, and, +while he would not learn the results until next week, he was hopeful of +having made a better showing than in the winter. Afterwards he went to +the limit of his prison on the river side and watched from a distance +the placing of the course flags for the race.</p> + +<p>Presently from down the river the brown-shirted crews swept into sight, +rowing strongly in spite of their weariness. They had finished the last +work before the race, although in the morning there would be a half-hour +of paddling. Number 2 in the first boat was splashing a good deal as the +slim craft headed toward the landing, but it probably came from +weariness rather than from poor form. The second crew looked pretty well +done up and the coxswain's "Let her run!" floated up to Roy long before +the landing was in sight. After that they paddled slowly in and lifted +their shell from the darkening water as though it weighed a thousand +pounds.</p> + +<p>From behind Fox Island, well over toward the farther shore, a row of +white shirts caught a shaft of afternoon sunlight and Roy watched the +rise and fall of the oars as the Hammond four returned home at a good +clip closely pursued by the second crew. Then, on his own side of the +river, a single scull crept into view around the point and Mr. Buckman, +handling the long sweeps with an ease and rhythm that seemed the poetry +of motion, his little brown megaphone bobbing from the cord about his +neck in time to his movements, shot his craft up to the landing. Then, +save for the launch gliding across to the Hammond side, the river was +empty and long lanes of sunlight were disappearing, one by one, as the +sun sank behind the purple hills.</p> + +<p>Roy had not watched baseball practice since that first afternoon. +Brother Laurence's advice might be very excellent, but a chap couldn't +always follow it; there were moments when the grins wouldn't come. And, +somehow, when Chub confided to him that evening that things were looking +up, and couldn't help showing some of the cheerfulness he felt, Roy was +more lonesome and out of it than ever.</p> + +<p>The next morning after breakfast Doctor Emery announced that every +student must be in the dormitories at ten o'clock and have his trunk and +cupboard open for inspection; Mrs. Emery would examine the boys' +clothing and take away for repairs such garments as needed them. The +announcement was something of a surprise to the older boys, for never +before had such an examination been made. It was the custom for the boys +to lay aside each week whatever clothing needed mending, cleansing or +pressing, but a general inspection was something unprecedented. Many +fellows made up their minds to get upstairs as soon as possible and +remove certain things from their trunks; firearms and sensational +literature, for instance, were prohibited and subject to confiscation if +discovered.</p> + +<p>Roy's heart leapt when he heard the announcement and he couldn't help +glancing at Horace. The latter youth, however, had apparently not heard +it, for he was talking away with Whitcomb at a great rate and his +countenance showed no sign of dismay or uneasiness. But Roy made up his +mind to be near Horace's trunk when Mrs. Emery looked through it! As he +had nothing in his trunk he was unwilling for the authorities to see, he +didn't go to the dormitory after breakfast. Instead, he crossed over to +the gymnasium in the hope of finding Chub there. But Chub wasn't to be +discovered, and Roy mooned about the campus for the better part of an +hour and then went up to the dormitory. It was pretty well filled and +the fellows were getting a good deal of fun out of the occasion. Jack +Rogers called across and told him he wanted to see him after +inspection. Horace Burlen had his trunk open and was sitting +nonchalantly on the side of his cot. Mrs. Emery soon appeared and, with +Mr. Cobb in attendance, began her rounds. The whole thing looked rather +perfunctory to Roy. Perhaps the fellows' garments were in good +condition; at least, few of them were laid aside for mending. When Mrs. +Emery reached Horace's trunk Roy sauntered carelessly over and looked +on. He imagined that Horace looked a bit uneasy when Mrs. Emery began +taking his clothing out of the till.</p> + +<p>"Your things are in nice condition, Horace," she said. "Now what's +underneath?"</p> + +<p>"There's nothing much there," answered Horace. "Everything's all right, +Mrs. Emery."</p> + +<p>"Well, I guess we'd better look at them and make sure," was the pleasant +reply. "Just lift out the till, please."</p> + +<p>Horace obeyed with ill-grace, and Roy, his heart beating hard, edged +nearer. Garment after garment came out to be piled neatly on the floor +and finally the last one appeared. The trunk was empty and the crimson +sweater was nowhere in sight!</p> + +<p>Roy's eyes darted here and there in search of other recesses, but beyond +a doubt he had seen everything the trunk contained. Mrs. Emery began to +place the things back very carefully, one by one, as though even she +were looking for that sweater. Roy wondered. Perhaps—Of course that was +it! Harry had taken her mother into her confidence and the unusual +proceedings had been instituted on his account! He felt very grateful to +Mrs. Emery, but he was terribly disappointed. There was only one thing +to suppose now, and that was that Horace had thrown the sweater away +instead of bringing it back to school with him. Of course red sweaters +weren't scarce, but that particular one had been very precious to Roy +and he felt its loss keenly. He went back to his own side of the room +and dolefully locked his trunk. One by one the fellows went out. Mrs. +Emery, having completed her task, collected a half-dozen garments and, +still escorted by Mr. Cobb, took her departure. Horace, too, followed, +and only Roy and Jack were left.</p> + +<p>"Did you want to see me, Jack?" asked Roy indifferently.</p> + +<p>"Er—yes. Just wait a minute."</p> + +<p>He went to the door and called:</p> + +<p>"O Chub!"</p> + +<p>"Coming!" bawled Chub's voice from downstairs, and in a moment he came +in. He was beaming like the cat that ate the canary. Roy sighed. It was +all well enough for Chub and Jack to stand there and grin at him, he +reflected sadly; they hadn't lost a priceless crimson sweater and +weren't on inner bounds.</p> + +<p>"Have you told him?" asked Chub breathlessly.</p> + +<p>Jack shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Told me what?" asked Roy resentfully.</p> + +<p>For answer the two boys bade him rise from his cot. Wondering, Roy +obeyed. Then, between them, they lifted bedding and mattress.</p> + +<p>"Look underneath," said Chub.</p> + +<p>Roy looked.</p> + +<p>And the next instant he had his crimson sweater in his hands and was +looking bewilderedly from it to Chub and from Chub to Jack and so back +again at the sweater. Chub and Jack were grinning like satyrs and +enjoying hugely his bewilderment.</p> + +<p>"How—how'd it get there?" whispered Roy finally.</p> + +<p>"Put it into your trunk and come on out," said Chub. "We've got +something to tell you."</p> + +<p>Roy found his key and unlocked the trunk. But in the act of laying the +sweater away he paused and drew back. Under one shoulder was a long rip +where the stitches had given way.</p> + +<p>"I—I think I'll take it over to Mrs. Emery," he said, "and get her to +mend it. That's a beast of a hole!"</p> + +<p>"All right," said Jack. "Come on."</p> + +<p>So they took the precious garment over to the Cottage, and as they went +Chub—Jack assisting—explained.</p> + +<p>"It was Harry's scheme, Roy. She told her mother and Mrs. Emery got the +Doctor to issue that order about having the fellows unlock their trunks. +But Harry knew that if Horace had the sweater he'd try and get rid of it +before the examination. So she told Jack and me to come up here right +after breakfast and hide where we could see what was doing. Well, we +did. We got under Gallup's bed where he couldn't see us and waited. We +hadn't been there five minutes before up comes little Horace. He looked +around mighty carefully, you bet, and then he unlocked his trunk, dug +down to the bottom of it and pulled out the sweater. Jack nearly +whooped when he saw it!"</p> + +<p>"That's right," agreed Jack. "I came near spoiling the whole show!"</p> + +<p>"So Horace tiptoed over to your bed, lifted up the mattress and stuck +the sweater underneath. Then he lit out. And he doesn't know yet that we +saw the whole thing!"</p> + +<p>"I knew he had it!" muttered Roy. "Gee! I'm awfully much obliged to you +chaps."</p> + +<p>"You want to thank Harry, I guess," said Jack. "It was her scheme."</p> + +<p>"That's so," said Roy. "Harry's a wonder! I suppose she's at school now. +Too bad, for she was dying to know what was going to happen and I +promised to come over as soon as I could and tell her."</p> + +<p>Mrs. Emery smiled knowingly when she came to the door and Roy handed the +sweater to her, but she only said that she'd be very glad to draw the +hole together for him and that Harry would be delighted to hear that it +was found.</p> + +<p>"I'll tell her as soon as she gets home from school," she added.</p> + +<p>"And—and please thank her for me," said Roy.</p> + +<p>"Is the Doctor in?" asked Chub</p> + +<p>"No, he's gone to town," was the reply. "But he'll be back very shortly. +Will you come in and wait?"</p> + +<p>"No 'm, thanks. We'll come back again at noon," answered Chub. And when +they had left the Cottage he turned and thumped Roy triumphantly on the +back. "Practice at three, old chap!" he cried.</p> + +<p>Roy smiled happily. Then,</p> + +<p>"I suppose he will let me off?" he asked doubtfully.</p> + +<p>"Who? Emmy? Course he will! What's he got against you now? Both Jack and +I saw Horace put the sweater there, and we know that he was away from +school Sunday afternoon. What more proof is wanted?"</p> + +<p>"We've got Horace done brown," said Jack. "Emmy won't do a thing to +him!"</p> + +<p>"Kind of hard luck, too," said Chub, "with the race coming off in the +morning; for of course Emmy will yank him out of the boat the first +thing."</p> + +<p>"Then we'll lose the race, won't we?" asked Roy.</p> + +<p>Chub shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Sure to," he answered. "I'm kind of sorry for Horace, but he deserves +every bit of it. It was a mean trick to work."</p> + +<p>Roy was silent a moment. Finally,</p> + +<p>"Well, I don't care so much now that I've got my sweater back," he said +thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>"Care about what?" asked Jack.</p> + +<p>"Oh, the rest of it; being on bounds and—and not playing to-morrow," +answered Roy. "You see, I'd just about made up my mind that I wasn't +going to play, anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Well, you're <i>going</i> to play," answered Chub cheerfully. "And I'm +pleased purple. A few of those nice long hits of yours to-morrow will do +a heap of good, Roy."</p> + +<p>But Roy didn't seem to hear.</p> + +<p>"No one knows about this but you and Jack and me?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"That's all," replied Chub.</p> + +<p>"And if we don't say anything about it, then, no one else will know."</p> + +<p>"Don't say anything about it!" cried Chub. "Are you crazy?"</p> + +<p>"No, but there's the boat race to think of, Chub; we don't want to lose +that, I guess. And if they take Horace out—"</p> + +<p>"Now don't you be a silly ass!" interrupted Chub in alarm. "Let them +lose the old race! I reckon we don't want to lose the ball game either, +do we? Now don't get sentimental and sloppy; Horace deserves all that's +coming to him!"</p> + +<p>"Maybe," answered Roy, "but I guess we'll just keep this to ourselves, +if you fellows don't mind."</p> + +<p>"But you won't be able to play!"</p> + +<p>"I know," Roy replied, "but I wasn't expecting to, you see. And—and, +anyhow, I've got my sweater back!"</p> + +<p>"Sweater be blowed!" exploded Chub. "Don't be a fool, Roy! You're just +fooling, aren't you, eh?"</p> + +<p>"No, Chub, I'm not. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but—but I don't think +it would be fair to the school to tell on Horace and lose the race. I'd +like to play mighty well, but—I guess we'll just keep this to +ourselves, fellows!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE BOAT-RACE</p> + + +<p>It was Saturday morning.</p> + +<p>Along the Ferry Hill shore, from the landing to a point half a mile +further downstream where the finish flags flew, students and villagers, +the former in most cases accompanied by friends or relatives, stood, sat +or strolled at points of vantage. On the river white-sailed skiffs, +chugging launches, gaudy canoes and more sober rowboats darted and +drifted across the sunlit water. It was the hottest sort of a June +morning and only the steady little northerly breeze kept the heat from +being intolerable to the spectators along shore.</p> + +<p>The crews had gone up the river half an hour before, the men making the +trip to the starting point in comfortable launches, their shells +streaking along in tow. The time for starting the race was already past +and everyone about the finish was eagerly awaiting the distant boom of +the tiny brass cannon aboard the referee's launch which would announce +to them that the struggle had begun two miles away.</p> + +<p>From where Chub and Roy sat in the midst of a throng of onlookers on a +high point of rock near the finish line the entire course was in sight +save for a space where Fox Island hid it. Away up the broad blue ribbon +of water tiny specks that danced and glittered in the blaze of sunlight +told where the start was to be made, but only Sid, who was the proud +possessor of a pair of dilapidated field-glasses, could tell one boat +from another. At last there was an excited grunt from that youth.</p> + +<p>"They're off!" he cried. "I saw the smoke from the cannon on the Sylph!"</p> + +<p>And in confirmation of his statement a low <i>boom</i> came down to them on +the breeze. Everyone jumped to his feet and gazed intently up-stream. +But only such as had glasses were able to throw any light on the +situation up there. Sid was popular and voluble.</p> + +<p>"We're ahead, 'way ahead!" he cried excitedly. "About two lengths, I +guess."</p> + +<p>"<i>Hooray!</i>" shrieked Patten.</p> + +<p>"No, we're not, either," said Sid lamely. "I was looking at a launch. I +can't see our boat at all!"</p> + +<p>"O—oh!" groaned the others.</p> + +<p>"Yes, there it is! I think—it looks as though—"</p> + +<p>"Well, out with it!" commanded Chub.</p> + +<p>"I guess it's about a length behind," finished Sid.</p> + +<p>But when half the course had been rowed it was possible to identify the +two boats without the aid of field-glasses. Side by side they were, or +very nearly, and coming hard. Someone in the Ferry Hill shell was +splashing occasionally; they could see the water dash up into the +sunlight. Then, still rowing about even, they were lost to sight behind +the island and suspense gripped the spectators. The seconds seemed +minutes until, at last, the slim sharp bow of a boat shot into sight +past the lower end of the island. Followed a breathless moment until the +back of the bow oar appeared. Then the group groaned as one man. Bow +wore a white shirt; the Hammond shell was in the lead. Clear of the +island it came and still the rival boat didn't follow.</p> + +<p>"Guess our boat's sunk," muttered Chub nervously.</p> + +<p>Then another brown nose poked its way past the point and Ferry Hill, +three lengths behind, but rowing hard, flashed into view. The crowd on +the shore vented its relief in a long yell. Maddox, the tiny coxswain, +his megaphone strapped to his mouth, was bending forward and urging his +crew onward. But three lengths is a good deal to make up in the last +quarter-mile of a hard race, especially when one of the crew is plainly +ragged.</p> + +<p>"Just look at Hadden!" moaned Thurlow. "He isn't pulling a pound!"</p> + +<p>"Thinks he's a blooming geyser, I guess," said Chub disgustedly. "See +him splash, will you? He's just about all in."</p> + +<p>But Hammond's stroke was also showing the effects of the work and was +rowing woefully short. Inch by inch the brown shirts crept up on the +white. At first, so slow was the gain, that no one noticed it. Then Chub +let up a whoop of joy.</p> + +<p>"We're after 'em!" he cried. "We're gaining on 'em!"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but we can't cut down that lead," answered Roy, who had been +freed from inner bounds for the race. "But we certainly are creeping +up!"</p> + +<p>"You just bet we are!" shrieked Sid. "Why, we're only two lengths +behind! We—we aren't that much!"</p> + +<p>"Length and a half," grunted Thurlow.</p> + +<p>The two boats were almost abreast of them now and only a couple of +hundred yards remained. In and out dipped the red blades and the brown, +forward and back bent the straining bodies, back and forth like shuttles +slid the two red-faced, shouting coxswains. The strident tones of Maddox +came up to those on the hillside:</p> + +<p>"Hit it up, now! Hit it up! Ten hard ones! One!... Two!... Three!..."</p> + +<p>Ten hard ones made a difference. The bow of the Ferry Hill shell slid up +to the stern of the rival boat. On the shore pandemonium reigned. +Shouts, yells, shrieks, bellows; entreaty, command; a vocal jumble that +no one even heard! For below there on the flashing river the two boats +were crossing the finish line, Hammond a half length to the good! Down +went the white signal flag.</p> + +<p>"Let her run!" cried the Hammond coxswain.</p> + +<p>Past the judge's boat floated the shells, victor and vanquished, while +on the shore and in the watching craft spectators drew long breaths and +turned homeward. In the Ferry Hill boat only Horace Burlen sat erect. +Whitcomb was leaning weakly on his oar, Gallup's head was in his hands +and Hadden was huddled limply while Maddox splashed water upon him. +Hammond was paddling slowly around in a circle, coming back. Abreast +of their defeated rivals they rested on their oars and cheered for Ferry +Hill. And Ferry Hill cheered weakly for Hammond. And the boat-race was a +thing of the past.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus25.jpg" alt="ten" /> +<a id="illus25" name="illus25"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Ten hard ones made a difference"</p></div> + +<p>"Another fifty yards and we'd have had them," said Chub disappointedly.</p> + +<p>"Surely," answered Roy. "But we certainly rowed the pluckiest kind of a +race. Look at the way we overhauled them there at the last!"</p> + +<p>"Fine!" said Thurlow.</p> + +<p>"Swell!" said Sid.</p> + +<p>And in this way they found surcease for their disappointment; which was +as it should have been. A race well rowed and won is something to be +proud of; a race well rowed and lost may be quite as creditable. Pluck +and sportsmanship is always the criterion, not merely victory. Many a +time has a defeated crew or eleven taken off the first honors. Ferry +Hill's game finish to a heart-breaking race—rowed, as the timers' +watches proved, twelve seconds under record time for the course—more +than atoned for her defeat.</p> + +<p>"After all," said Thurlow, "it wasn't that our crew was poorer than we +thought it was, but that Hammond's was a blamed sight better. Why, we +must have finished six or seven seconds under the record!"</p> + +<p>"Sure," answered Chub more cheerfully. "It was a dandy crew and Horace +deserved to win. If the fellows know their business they'll re-elect him +for next year. I don't like the chap a bit, but he certainly did row a +fine race!"</p> + +<p>"That's right," responded the rest as they climbed the hill back to +school. And by the time the campus was reached they were all smiling as +though victory instead of defeat had fallen to their lot. All save Chub. +Chub was very unhappy, but not over the race.</p> + +<p>"Lots of good you did," he said to Roy as they made their way across to +the dormitory. "You might as well have squared yourself; we got beat +anyhow."</p> + +<p>"Maybe, but that doesn't change the—the ethics of the thing," replied +Roy.</p> + +<p>"Ethics!" snorted Chub. "I'll bet ethics won't help us to win from +Hammond this afternoon. Oh, I dare say it's all mighty fine and heroic, +Roy, but it's blamed hard on me!"</p> + +<p>"I'm sorry."</p> + +<p>"Oh, I dare say, but you're not half as sorry as I am," answered the +other ruefully. "Look here, now. The race is all over and done with. +Let's go see Emmy now and tell him what we know. What do you say? Shall +we? He can't refuse to let you play."</p> + +<p>But Roy shook his head.</p> + +<p>"I'd rather not, Chub. I decided not to tell on Horace and I'm not going +to, ever. That's settled. Besides, Emmy wouldn't let me play now; he'd +say I ought to have told him as soon as I found it out."</p> + +<p>"Wish to goodness you had," groaned Chub. "You're an obstinate beast, +Roy. If I didn't like you so well I'd punch your fool head for you!"</p> + +<p>Chub wasn't the only one disappointed and disgusted by Roy's stand. +Harry had almost given way to tears when she had learned of his +resolution.</p> + +<p>"After all my trouble!" she had wailed. "I don't think it's very—very +appreciative of you, Roy Porter!"</p> + +<p>But in the end she, like Chub and Jack, had been bound to secrecy, +promising not to tell her father. That she hadn't been cautioned against +telling anyone else had been merely because Roy had known her ability to +keep her own counsel.</p> + +<p>"I suppose he will let you come and watch the game, won't he?" asked +Chub as they parted on the stairway.</p> + +<p>"Yes, he gave me permission to see both the race and the game," answered +Roy. "And I'll be there, never fear. I'm going to help Hadden and Cole +with the cheering."</p> + +<p>"Well, so long. I'll see you at dinner. We're going out at two-thirty. +You'd better come along."</p> + +<p>The breeze died away about noon and when, at half-past two, the nine and +substitutes went out to the field and the spectators began to assemble, +the heat was almost unbearable. But it was a good baseball day, for +after one has once begun to perspire freely he can play ball to the +King's taste. Hammond trotted on to the diamond soon after Ferry Hill +and went to work practicing Ferry Hill remaining at the batting net +until a quarter to three. Then the two nines changed places and Mr. Cobb +began knocking out the ball.</p> + +<p>The stands were well filled by three o'clock and fans were waving +lustily. Along one edge of the field Hammond Academy's supporters, +nearly a hundred strong, squatted on the grass and strove to keep the +burning rays of the sun from their faces by using their flags and +pennants as screens. Across the diamond Ferry Hill had assembled, +fortunate in having the stand behind them to throw some shade where they +sat. Roy and Hadden and Cole were to lead the cheering and to this end +had armed themselves with brown megaphones. Coats were discarded, while +on the seats green and white and brown sunshades made brilliant blots of +color. In the center of the main stand sat Doctor Emery, Mrs. Emery and +Harry, and with them as guests of honor were Doctor Hammond, Principal +of the rival academy, and his wife. It looked at first glance as though +Harry had joined the enemy, in spite of the brown banner she carried, +for in her lap was something hued much like the Hammond's brilliant +color. But it was only Roy's sweater which, having been repaired, Harry +had brought along to return to its owner. An enterprising citizen of +Silver Cove was doing a rushing business selling "ice-cold drinks! Lemon +pop, sarsaparilla <i>and</i> root beer! Who's next?"</p> + +<p>At two minutes past the hour Chub and O'Meara, respectively captains of +Ferry Hill and Hammond, met at the plate and watched the umpire spin a +coin.</p> + +<p>"Heads!" cried O'Meara.</p> + +<p>"Tails," said the umpire, stooping to rescue the coin. "What do you +want?"</p> + +<p>"We'll take the field," replied Chub.</p> + +<p>Then out they trotted, nine sturdy young figures in grey suits and +brown and white striped stockings, while Roy, Hadden and Cole shook +their megaphones and students and graduates and friends shouted +enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>"Ferry Hill! Ferry Hill! Ferry Hill!" rang the slogan, "Rah, rah, rah! +Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Ferry Hill!"</p> + +<p>Hammond answered promptly. Then Ferry Hill cheered for Hammond and +Hammond returned the compliment. The umpire walked down to his position +behind pitcher, tossed a nice, shiny white ball to the redoubtable Post, +Ferry Hill's crack pitcher, and casually remarked:</p> + +<p>"Play ball!"</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE GAME WITH HAMMOND</p> + + + + +<div style="margin-left: 10em;"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="500" summary="table"> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Ferry Hill</i></td><td align='left'><i>Hammond</i></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Eaton</span>, 2b</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Mullen</span>, 3b</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Bacon</span>, ss</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">O'Meara</span>, ss</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Thurlow</span>, 3b</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Stone</span>, cf</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Pryor</span>, lf</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Young</span>, rf</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Kirby</span>, cf</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Hartley</span>, 1b</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Patten</span>, 1b</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Hyde</span>, 2b</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Cole</span>, c</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Taft</span>, lf</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Welch</span>, rf</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Smith</span>, c</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Post</span>, p</td><td align='left'><span class="smcap">Rollins</span>, p</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p>Post showed his ability in that first inning. Not a man reached first. +Three strikes and out was the invariable rule, and Ferry Hill went wild +with joy. If Post could serve Hammond's best batters in such fashion +what hope was there for her tail-enders?</p> + +<p>But Post was not the only one who could strike out batsmen. In the +second half of the inning Rollins disposed of Chub, Bacon and Thurlow in +just the same fashion, and so far the honors were even. Ferry Hill, who +had loyally cheered each of the warriors as they stepped to the plate, +looked less elated. The game speedily resolved itself into a pitchers' +battle in which Rollins had slightly the better of it. Two innings +passed without a man getting safely to first base. Then Sid, who was +still rather bulky in spite of the hard work he had been through, got in +the way of one of Rollins' in-shoots and trotted to first ruefully +rubbing his hip. He made a valiant effort to profit by Post's scratch +hit to shortstop but was easily thrown out at second. Not satisfied with +this, Hammond played the double, catching Post a foot from the base. +That was in the last of the third. So far the game had dragged along +uninterestingly. But now things began to happen.</p> + +<p>O'Meara was the first man up for Hammond. Perhaps Post let down for an +instant. At all events, the Hammond captain lined out the first hit of +the contest, a long, low two-bagger which made the cherry and black +flags wave ecstatically. Then Stone sacrificed and O'Meara sped to +third. Young fouled out to Patten, who made a brilliant catch after a +long run. Hartley hit to Bacon who threw home. O'Meara doubled back to +third and Hartley was safe on first. Hyde, with a record of three +strike-outs against him, managed to find something quite to his liking +and knocked out a sharp grounder between Chub and Bacon. O'Meara came +home for the first run of the day amidst wild cheers from the Hammond +side, and Hartley got to third. The coaching was incessant and Post got +a little bit rattled.</p> + +<p>Taft bunted along first base line and Post ran for it, scooped it up and +threw, to Patten. The throw was a little wild, but it seemed that Patten +should have got it. As it was it went over his head and had not Sid been +on the spot to back him up things would have been worse than they were. +Hartley scored, but Hyde was put out at the plate, Sid being the hero of +the play. Two runs to nothing.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill went in with Bacon up. A scratch hit to third followed by +slow fielding took him safely to first. Thurlow flied out to pitcher, +Pryor sacrificed and Bacon reached second. Kirby got four balls and took +his base. Patten struck out miserably.</p> + +<p>Again, in the fifth, Hammond scored and an error went down in Thurlow's +column. Ferry Hill had begun to have listless moments which boded ill +for success. Errors were becoming too frequent to be merely accidents; +it was a case of discouragement. Post, however, in spite of the gradual +weakening of the most of the nine, held up his end nobly. And Chub never +for a moment eased his pace. But the rest of the team, if we except +Cole, who was catching Post steadily and well, were plainly suffering +from a fit of stage-fright. Whether the attack was to be temporary or +permanent remained to be seen. Ferry Hill's supporters were getting +uneasy; three runs to nothing seemed a pretty long lead with the game +more than half over!</p> + +<p>Cole got his round of applause when he stepped to bat in the last of the +fifth and it seemed to hearten him. Rollins was still pitching the best +of ball, but Cole was a weak batter and the Hammond twirler proposed to +rest his muscles when the chance afforded. So he started out to dispose +of Cole with as little effort as possible. The first two deliveries +went by and were called balls. Then came a strike; then another ball. It +was time for Rollins to get down to work. Cole let the next one pass +him, hoping that it would give him his base, but the umpire announced +strike two. Cole gripped his bat a little farther toward the end and got +ready. Smith, the Hammond catcher, read this to mean that he was +resolved to strike at the next ball no matter what it looked like and +signalled for a drop. It came. The umpire glanced at his tally and waved +toward first.</p> + +<p>"Four balls!" he called.</p> + +<p>Roy and the other cheer leaders leaped to their feet as Cole trotted +down the line.</p> + +<p>"Start it going now!" cried Roy. "Regular cheer and make it good!"</p> + +<p>They made it good. Then they made it better. Chub, back of first, was +begging Cole to take a longer lead and assuring him that Rollins +wouldn't throw. Sid selected his bat and stepped up to the plate. There +was one excellent thing about Sid; he didn't know what it was to get +really nervous. He had his instructions to sacrifice and proceeded to do +so by hitting the first ball thrown and trickling it slowly toward +third. Third baseman and pitcher both made for it with the result that +each interfered with the other and when the ball reached second Cole had +been there for ages. And Sid, to his own surprise, was safe on first. +With none out it looked like a score at last, and the cheering became +continuous. But Post, although a good pitcher and clever fielder, was a +miserable batter. It took just four balls, three of them straight over +the plate, to send him back to the bench.</p> + +<p>Chub went to bat looking determined. With two foul strikes on him and +two balls he found something he liked the looks of and let go at it. It +resolved itself into a long high fly to deep center. Stone was under it +in time to gather it in, but not in time to field it home to prevent +Cole from scoring. Ferry Hill jumped and shouted. They had made a run at +last! Then Bacon tried to bunt Sid home and himself to first and only +succeeded in rolling the ball out for a foul. After that he swung at a +drop and missed it. He let the next two go by and found the fifth +delivery for a safe drive into shortstop's territory, a drive that was +so hard and ugly that it was beyond handling. Sid romped home like a +Percheron colt and Bacon got to first. Thurlow killed time until Bacon +had stolen second, and then in an effort to knock the cover off the ball +merely sent up a pop fly that was easily pulled down by second baseman. +That ended the fifth inning, but Ferry Hill was vastly more encouraged. +Two to three wasn't so bad; a run would tie the score.</p> + +<p>But they were reckoning without Mr. Right Fielder Young. Mr. Right +Fielder Young started the sixth in a way that made the Hammond +supporters hug themselves and each other ecstatically. He drove out a +three-bagger over Kirby's head. Then when Hartley found Post's first +delivery for two bases, sending Young home, the Ferry Hill pitcher went +up into the air. Hyde advanced Hartley and went out himself at first. +Taft waited and trotted to first and the bases were full. Things looked +dark for the home team just then. But there was some comfort in the fact +that the batters coming up now were the poorest of the Hammond string.</p> + +<p>Smith, Hammond's catcher, knocked a weak liner which Bacon got on the +bound and fielded home in time to cut off Hartley. Ferry Hill took heart +and cheered. Rollins came to bat, struck at the first ball pitched and +sent a foul far back of the boards. Post steadied down now; possibly he +forgot his nervousness in his desire to even matters with Rollins for +the summary way in which that youth had dealt with him. Post scored +another strike against his rival and then Rollins let go at an +out-shoot.</p> + +<p>The ball bounded off the tip end of the bat and went whirling along the +first-base line. Rollins lit out in the track of the ball. To field it +Patten had to run up a few steps directly in Rollins' path. He got the +ball on a low bound and tried to step aside and tag Rollins as he +passed. He tagged him all right but he didn't get out of his way in +time, and the runner with head down collided with him and sent him +sprawling three yards away. The inning was over, but Patten was in a bad +way. Rollins' head had struck him between chest and shoulder and as a +result his shoulder blade was broken. It was not serious, said the +doctor, but it ended his playing for that day. Patten begged to have his +shoulder bandaged and be allowed to return to the game, but the doctor +wouldn't consider the idea for a moment. And Chub, watching Patten being +led away to the gymnasium for repairs, felt as though the very bottom +had fallen out of things!</p> + +<p>Pryor opened the last of the sixth with a "Texas Leaguer" behind first +that gave him his base with seconds to spare. But Kirby went out on +strikes. Carpenter, a substitute batting in Patten's place, followed +suit and the inning came to an inglorious end when Cole sent a liner +straight into Rollins' glove.</p> + +<p>Chub brought Kirby in from center to first and placed Carpenter in +center. Kirby was not a wonderful baseman by any means, but he was the +best at Chub's command. Carpenter was merely a common or garden variety +of player who couldn't be depended on to hit the ball, but could pull +down flies when they came near him and field them home with some chance +of their reaching the plate in course of time. Chub was pretty well +discouraged by this time; only Mr. Cobb kept a cheerful countenance.</p> + +<p>"It's never over until the whistle blows," he said. And Chub was too +miserable to notice that the coach had confused baseball with football.</p> + +<p>The seventh opened with the score four to two and ended with it seven to +three. For Post went quite to pieces and the only wonder was that +Hammond didn't score six runs instead of three. Mullen, the head of the +Hammond batting list, found Post for two bases, O'Meara, the captain, +hit him for two more, scoring Mullen, and Stone hit safely to right +field. Sid couldn't get under that ball in time, but he did field it +back so as to keep O'Meara on third. Then Post presented Young with his +base, and the bags were full. Hartley hit to Bacon and a double +resulted, O'Meara scoring. Hyde, after hitting up six fouls, none of +which were capable of being caught, lined out a hot ball that escaped +Chub by a foot. Stone scored the third run of the inning. Then Taft +obligingly brought the slaughter to an end by putting a foul into Cole's +mitten.</p> + +<p>Sid opened the last half of the seventh for Ferry Hill by a splendid +drive into deep left field that brought a throb of hope to the breasts +of the wavers of the brown and white flags. But stupid coaching by Bacon +resulted in his being caught off of first. Post surprised everyone by +hitting to third and reaching his base ahead of a slowly fielded ball. +Chub flied out to left fielder. Bacon got his base on balls. Thurlow hit +weakly to second who tried to tag his base, slipped and fell and only +recovered his footing in time to keep Post from scoring. Pryor knocked a +high fly back of third which that baseman allowed to go over his head +and Post came in with Ferry Hill's third tally. Kirby struck out. Score, +7—3.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Harry had viewed proceedings with a sinking heart and when Post went to +pieces, making it evident that Kirby would have to be taken from first +and placed in the box if only to keep the opponents from entirely +running away with the game, she felt desperate. Perhaps she would have +continued to feel that way with nothing resulting had she not, while +glancing dejectedly about her, spied Horace Burlen in the throng below +her. Post had just reached first at the moment and in the resulting +delight Harry's departure was not noticed by the Doctor or his wife. She +called to Horace over the heads of the throng surrounding him.</p> + +<p>"Horace! Please come here a minute. I want to speak to you!"</p> + +<p>When he had made his way out of the crowd and joined her she led him to +a quiet corner at the back of the stand. Harry's cheeks were flushed and +her eyes were sparkling excitedly.</p> + +<p>"Horace," she began breathlessly, "Kirby will have to pitch and there's +no one to take his place on first! We'll be beaten as sure as anything +if Roy doesn't play. You've got to tell the truth to Dad, Horace!"</p> + +<p>Horace flushed a little but only laughed carelessly.</p> + +<p>"You've just got to, Horace!" she cried. "If you don't tell I will. I +don't care if I did promise Roy!"</p> + +<p>"Say, Harry, what's the matter with you?" Horace asked. "What are you +going to tell?"</p> + +<p>"About this!" She held up the crimson sweater before him. "You know what +I mean, Horace, and there's no use in pretending you don't. You've got +to go to Dad this minute and tell him!"</p> + +<p>Horace's eyes fell and the blood rushed to his cheeks. He turned away.</p> + +<p>"I can't stay here and talk nonsense with you," he muttered, "I want to +see the game."</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus26.jpg" alt="this" /> +<a id="illus26" name="illus26"></a> +<p class="caption"> +"'About this!'"</p></div> + +<p>But Harry seized him by the arm.</p> + +<p>"Why won't you own up, Horace?" she pleaded. "You might. Roy saved you +and—"</p> + +<p>"How did he?" asked Horace, pausing.</p> + +<p>"Why, by not telling. He knew yesterday. But he wouldn't tell; he +wouldn't let us tell; he said if he did you'd lose your place in the +boat and we'd get beaten. He made us promise not to tell Dad, but I +will, just the same, if you don't promise this minute to do it +yourself!"</p> + +<p>"I don't know anything about the sweater," muttered Horace.</p> + +<p>"Oh, you big fibber! Jack and Chub were under the bed and saw you take +it out of your trunk and put it under Roy's mattress! And we told Roy, +and he wouldn't tell on you because he said—"</p> + +<p>"Oh, I've heard all that once," he interrupted roughly. "I guess if he +didn't tell he had a mighty good reason for it!"</p> + +<p>"I've told you why he didn't!" cried Harry impatiently. "Do you suppose +he <i>wanted</i> not to play to-day? He spared you and I think you might do +that much to help him—and me—and the school."</p> + +<p>"It was just a sort of joke," murmured Horace, his eyes on the ground. +"I didn't know it was going to cause so much bother." He laughed +uncertainly. "What's the good of making more rumpus now? Roy can't win +the game; we're beaten already."</p> + +<p>"You don't know!" insisted Harry. "Anyhow, it would be only fair and +square; and you want to be that, don't you, Horace?"</p> + +<p>"And get fired?" he asked glumly. "Oh, sure!"</p> + +<p>"You won't be fired! Why, it's almost the end of school!"</p> + +<p>Horace was silent a moment, his gaze on the diamond where the Hammond +second baseman was picking himself up from the ground in a successful +effort to head off Post at the plate.</p> + +<p>"Look here, Harry," he said finally, "do you really think Roy kept quiet +so that I could stay in the race? Honest injun?"</p> + +<p>"I know he did! Chub and Jack will tell you the same thing! Honest and +honest, Horace!"</p> + +<p>There was another moment of hesitation. Then Horace squared his +shoulders, laughed carelessly and turned away.</p> + +<p>"All right, Harry," he said. "Lead me to the slaughter!"</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>"You go into the box," said Chub to Kirby, "and for goodness sake hold +'em down, old man! Post, you go out to center, will you? Who've we got +for first, sir?"</p> + +<p>And Chub turned in perplexity to Mr. Cobb.</p> + +<p>"Thurlow; let Reynolds take his place at third."</p> + +<p>Chub groaned.</p> + +<p>"Maybe I'd better try it myself, sir. And let Reynolds take second."</p> + +<p>But Mr. Cobb shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Won't do," he answered. "You're needed where you are."</p> + +<p>"All right. Where's Reynolds? Hello, Roy! Isn't this the limit? If only +you hadn't been such an idiot!"</p> + +<p>"Why?" asked Roy, his face one broad smile.</p> + +<p>"Why? Why! Oh, go to thunder! Because if you were playing first we +wouldn't be in such a hole, that's why."</p> + +<p>"I'm going to," answered Roy.</p> + +<p>"Going to what?"</p> + +<p>"Play first, if you want me to."</p> + +<p>"Want you to!" shouted Chub. "But what about Emmy?"</p> + +<p>"He's given me permission. Horace has 'fessed up. It's all right."</p> + +<p>Chub hugged him violently and deliriously.</p> + +<p>"Oh, good boy!" he cried. "It's all right, sir!" he called to Mr. Cobb. +"We won't need Reynolds. Porter's going to play!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Cobb hurried across from the bench and nearly wrenched Roy's hand +off.</p> + +<p>"Doctor willing, is he? That's good! That's fine! Do your best, Porter, +do your best. Eaton's a bit discouraged, but I tell him it's not over +till the whistle—that is, till the umpire—er—Well, good luck!" And +the coach hurried over to the scorer to arrange the new batting list.</p> + +<p>"Come on, fellows!" cried Chub. "Let's win this old game right here!"</p> + +<p>And Ferry Hill trotted out to the field for the first of the eighth.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII</h2> + +<p class='center'>THE CRIMSON SWEATER DISAPPEARS</p> + + +<p>"Seven to three," muttered Roy as, drawing his big leather mitten on, he +stepped to the base and held his hands out toward Kirby. "That's four to +make up to tie them." <i>Sock</i> came a ball against the hollow of his mitt. +"If Kirby does his part, though, and they don't get any more runs, we've +got a chance." Back went the ball to the new pitcher and once more it +flew across to Roy. "If I wasn't surprised when Emmy sent for me! 'There +seems to have been a mistake made, Porter. I trust I have not discovered +it too late for the success of the nine. If you are wanted, take a hand, +and good luck to you. Come and see me after supper, please.' 'What it +means—(I beg pardon, Kirb; my fault!)—I don't know; unless Horace told +on himself; he was there looking kind of down in the mouth. I'm certain +Harry didn't break her promise!"</p> + +<p>"All right, fellows!" shouted Chub, throwing the practice ball to the +umpire and trotting to his position. "After 'em hard, now. We're all +back of you, Kirb!"</p> + +<p>Cole settled his mask into place and Kirby sent three trial balls to +him. Then Smith, the first of the Hammond batsmen, stepped into the +box.</p> + +<p>"Hello, you!" called Chub cheerfully as Roy edged over toward him. "It's +good to see you there, old chap. Get after 'em, Roy. We're not beaten +yet!"</p> + +<p>"Not a bit of it!" answered Roy. "We'll have them on the run in a +minute."</p> + +<p>A whole lot depended on Kirby, and everyone realized that fact. If he +could pitch his best game and hold Hammond down to her present score +there might be a chance of Ferry Hill's doing something in the next two +innings. But Kirby had had but a few minutes of warming up work and +might prove stiff. He got one strike on Smith and then sent him four +balls, one after the other, seemingly unable to find the plate. Smith +trotted to first. Chub called laughingly across to Kirby.</p> + +<p>"That's right, Kirb, give 'em a show."</p> + +<p>Kirby smiled and dug his toe into the ground.</p> + +<p>Rollins tapped the plate with his bat and shot a questioning look toward +Smith on first. Kirby pitched wide, Cole slammed the ball down to Roy +and Roy swung at the runner. But Smith was full-length in the dust with +his fingers clutching a corner of the bag. Roy tossed the ball to Kirby. +Smith crawled to his feet, dusted his clothes and took a new lead.</p> + +<p>"Strike one!" droned the umpire.</p> + +<p>Smith trotted back to the bag. The coach sent him off again.</p> + +<p>"Take a lead, take a lead!" he shouted through his hands. "He won't +throw it! Down with his arm, now! <i>Look out!</i>"</p> + +<p>But the warning came too late. Kirby had turned suddenly and thrown +swiftly, and Roy's downward swinging hand had found Smith a good six +inches away from base.</p> + +<p>"Out on first," said the umpire.</p> + +<p>From the Ferry Hill side came the sound of clapping hands and cheering +voices. Smith walked back to the bench and Roy, moistening his mitten in +the inelegant but effective manner of the ball player, trotted out to +his position.</p> + +<p>"One gone, Cap!" he cried. "Let's have the next one!"</p> + +<p>"All right, Roy. Next man, fellows!"</p> + +<p>The next man was easy for Kirby. Rollins already had one strike and one +ball on him and Kirby finished him up in short style, causing him to +strike a full six inches above a deceptive drop and then putting a swift +ball directly over the center of the plate and catching Rollins napping.</p> + +<p>"Well, well," cried Chub merrily. "Only one more, Kirb. They can't touch +you, old man!"</p> + +<p>But that wasn't quite so, for Mullins, the head of the rival batting +list, touched him for two bases. O'Meara came up plainly resolved to do +as well if not better, but only brought the first half to a close by +popping up a high foul which Thurlow had no trouble with.</p> + +<p>As the teams changed places the cheering broke out simultaneously from +both sides of the diamond, and flags waved tumultuously.</p> + +<p>"Who's at bat?" asked Chub as he trotted to the bench.</p> + +<p>"Carpenter," said the scorer. "No, I mean Porter."</p> + +<p>"All right, Roy," said Chub.</p> + +<p>"Take it easy," counselled Mr. Cobb. "All you want is to reach first. +We'll get you on from there."</p> + +<p>"What's he like?" asked Roy of Chub as he stooped to select his bat.</p> + +<p>"Oh, kind of hard. Look out for slow balls; he's full of 'em and works +'em on you when you're least expecting 'em. You can hit him."</p> + +<p>"Hope so," answered Roy as he selected his stick and walked to the +plate. As he faced the Hammond pitcher, who grinned at him in probable +recollection of the camp adventure, the Ferry Hill supporters started a +cheer.</p> + +<p>"Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Porter!"</p> + +<p>Roy felt a little warming tingle in the region of his heart. Then he was +swinging his bat back, for Rollins had undoubled and shot the ball +forward. Chub staggered back out of its way.</p> + +<p>"Ball!" droned the umpire.</p> + +<p>Then came what was seemingly a straight delivery and Roy swung at it. +But it went down so suddenly when a few feet from the plate that his bat +traveled several inches above it and threw Roy off his balance. Hammond +jeered and laughed.</p> + +<p>"Don't try to slug, Roy!" called Chub. "Easy does it!"</p> + +<p>And so it proved. Rollins sent a "teaser," one of his puzzling slow +ones, but Roy had the good fortune to guess it before it reached the +plate. He met it with an easy swing and made for first. Third baseman +smothered it as it arose from the ground for the first bound and threw +swiftly. But Roy was like a streak when it came to running bases, and +this fact, coupled with the fact that first baseman had to step wide of +the bag to get the throw, made him safe. Chub raced over to coach and +seized the moment while the pitcher was returning to his box to whisper +instructions.</p> + +<p>"Don't wait for a hit; steal on the first ball."</p> + +<p>Cole appeared at the plate and Chub retreated to the coacher's box and +knelt on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Not too far," he counselled anxiously. "Watch out! Wait for the hit. +Charlie'll send you down."</p> + +<p>Rollins looked over at him, but didn't throw. The new player was plainly +timid and wouldn't give much trouble. So he turned his attention to +Cole. Roy pranced nervously about on his toes a scant yard from base +while the pitcher doubled himself into a knot. Then, as the arm began to +drop swiftly, Roy leaped forward and shot for second.</p> + +<p>"He's gone!" cried the infielders.</p> + +<p>Cole swung at the ball, which was a drop, the Hammond catcher found it +near the ground, side-stepped and sent it swiftly down to second. +Unfortunately for success, he delivered it head-high to shortstop and in +the moment that it took for the latter player to swing down with it Roy +found safety. Squatting on the bag he waited for proceedings to resume, +dusting the brown soil from the front of his shirt and hearkening +happily to the cheers which thundered from the Ferry Hill side. Then he +was up and taking a good long lead in response to the appeals of Thurlow +back of third. Rollins evidently felt sore, for Roy had done what few +had succeeded in doing that spring; he prided himself on the fact that +runners found it mighty hard work to steal bases on him! So he tried +twice to catch Roy napping on second, but failed each time. Cole sent up +a foul and then fanned out.</p> + +<p>Sidney Welch took his place. Sid had made a good record to-day for a +youngster and Roy looked for a hit. It came at once. Sid took a try at +the first delivery and sent it speeding into short center field. Center +slammed the ball down to third, but Roy was up again by the time it got +there. Post came to bat looking determined. Roy danced along third base +line and once narrowly escaped a put-out when Rollins slammed the ball +over to third. Then Post let drive at a straight one and lifted a high +fly into short left field. He was caught out and neither Roy nor Sid had +a chance to advance.</p> + +<p>"Two gone!" shouted Cole over at first. "Everything goes!"</p> + +<p>"You've got to score, Roy!" coached Thurlow. "Take a good lead now! +That's it!"</p> + +<p>Chub was at bat. Rollins sent a strike over. Chub tapped the plate. Sid +edged farther away from first. Rollins pitched again.</p> + +<p>"He's gone" was the cry. "Watch home!"</p> + +<p>Sid was lighting out for second. Shortstop ran in and catcher threw down +to him. Roy ran a few steps farther toward the home plate and stayed +there, ready to go on or return to third. Sid doubled back for first. +Shortstop sized up the situation, made as though to throw to third and +then sent the ball to first. Sid turned again toward second. Roy was +dancing about a third of the way home.</p> + +<p>"Watch home!" shouted the catcher.</p> + +<p>But first baseman didn't hear, or hearing thought he knew better what to +do. Sid was between him and second baseman now, scrambling back and +forth like a rat in a trap. First threw to second and—</p> + +<p>"Home! Home!" shrieked the rest of the players.</p> + +<p>Second threw home, but he threw wildly and the ball struck the ground to +the left of the catcher and went bounding back toward the fence.</p> + +<p>Roy picked himself up and, patting the dust from his clothes, walked +panting to the bench. Sid had reached third. Ferry Hill shouted and +capered and waved brown and white flags.</p> + +<p>The scorer credited Ferry Hill with one more precious tally and, amid +noisy encouragement, Chub stepped smiling back into the box.</p> + +<p>Rollins was the least bit rattled for the first time during the game. +Chub found a nice one and Sid raced home. Out between right fielder and +center fielder the ball fell to earth untouched and Chub was on first.</p> + +<p>The cheering from the Ferry Hill side was wild and discordant, and it +didn't stop for an instant until Chub was caught stealing second and +put out two yards from the bag.</p> + +<p>Ferry Hill's supporters were happier than they had been for an hour and +a half. To be sure, Hammond was still two runs to the good, but seven to +five sounded a whole lot nicer than seven to three; and, besides, Ferry +Hill's best batsmen were coming up for the last of the ninth. Hammond +went to bat with Stone, her center fielder up.</p> + +<p>But Kirby had found his pace. Stone stood idle while two strikes and one +ball were called on him. Then he swung at what seemed to be made for his +purpose. Then he went back to the bench. Young took his place. Young was +a good hand with the stick and even Kirby's most puzzling balls couldn't +keep him from first. He lined out the hottest kind of a sizzler over +Chub's head and was ready to go to second when Post fielded it. But he +decided to stay where he was for the present. Perhaps had he known what +was to befall Hartley and Hyde he would have risked more then. As it +was, when he left first base it was not to take second but to trot out +to his position in right field. For Kirby struck out the next two +batsmen in a style extremely pleasing to his friends and was the +recipient of an embarrassing ovation when he walked to the bench.</p> + +<p>"Here's our last chance," said Chub a trifle nervously as he ran in. +"You're up, Bacon. Do something now, for goodness sake!"</p> + +<p>Well, not to prolong the suspense, Bacon did something. He struck out; +struck out as miserably as though his side didn't need two or three +runs the worst way in the world. And he went back to the bench and Chub +and the others looking ready to cry.</p> + +<p>"Hard luck," said Chub, striving to seem cheerful.</p> + +<p>"Rotten batting!" muttered Bacon angrily.</p> + +<p>Thurlow brought hope back, however, by getting to first on second +baseman's juggling of a liner. Pryor went to bat with instructions to +bunt, tried it twice and then went out to third baseman. There were two +out, a man on first and the tag end of the batting list was in sight. On +the Hammond side the cheering was loud and contented. On the opposite +side the brown flags were drooping dejectedly and the stands were +emptying. Clearly, defeat was to be Ferry Hill's portion to-day.</p> + +<p>But Kirby wasn't ready to acknowledge it. At least, he told himself, he +would have one good bang at that ball. He could do no more than go out. +So he slammed away at two deliveries, waited while a third went by and +then hammered out a clean two-base-hit that sent Thurlow ambling across +the plate for the sixth tally. Somehow, that seemed to change the entire +aspect of things. Homeward-bound spectators paused and edged back to the +diamond. Ferry Hill's cheers, which for the last five minutes had been +weak and quite evidently "machine made," now broke out afresh and the +air became full of waving brown flags.</p> + +<p>It was "Porter at bat!" now, and Chub was whispering intensely in Roy's +ear, accompanying him to the plate and parting from him finally with a +slap on the shoulder that was heard across on the stand.</p> + +<p>Now, if there's one thing in the whole wide world calculated to give a +chap a fit of nervous prostration it is to go to bat in the last half of +the ninth inning with the knowledge that on his ability or inability to +hit safely hangs victory or defeat. Roy had that knowledge, and little +chills crept up and down his spine when he considered it. So he tried +not to. He tried to forget everything save that he was there to hit the +ball; everything save that and what Chub had whispered in his ear at the +last.</p> + +<p>"'When you're up against a bigger man, Roy, grin as hard as you can +grin!' Don't forget what your brother told you! That's all, you dear old +chump!"</p> + +<p>So Roy grinned. Perhaps he grinned so much that he quite disordered his +features, for he found Rollins looking at him curiously as though +wondering as to his sanity. But Roy still grinned—and watched.</p> + +<p>Rollins wound himself up and unwound himself, and the ball shot forward. +Roy judged it quickly and let it go by. The umpire vindicated his +judgment.</p> + +<p>"Ball!" he said.</p> + +<p>Then came something of a different calibre and Roy stepped down and hit +at it. It went by without a jar.</p> + +<p>"Strike!" said the umpire.</p> + +<p>Again Roy tried his luck, spun half around and recovered himself to find +Rollins doing the grinning. Roy grew angry. To have Rollins laugh at him +was too much. He gripped his bat and took position again. Then he +remembered his grin. It was hard to get it back, but he did it. Roy has +an idea that that grin worried Rollins; that as may be, it is a fact +that the next ball went so wide of the plate that the catcher had to +throw himself on the ground to stop it and Kirby was safe on second.</p> + +<p>"Two and two!" cried the catcher, setting his mask firm again. "Right +after him, Jim. He's pretty easy."</p> + +<p>Jim undoubtedly meant Roy to strike at the next one, but Roy didn't +because the ball quite evidently had no intention of coming over the +base.</p> + +<p>"Three balls," remarked the umpire in a disinterested tone, just as +though hundreds of hearts weren't up in hundreds of throats.</p> + +<p>For the first time since coming to bat Roy had a gleam of hope. Rollins +had put himself in a hole and the next ball would have to be a good one. +And it was.</p> + +<p>Roy swung sharply to meet it, dropped his bat like a hot potato and +streaked for first. Out in left field a cherry and black stockinged +youth was gazing inquiringly toward the afternoon sky. Home raced Kirby, +around the bases streaked Roy. He had seen the ball now and hope was +dying out within him. Left fielder seemed directly under it. But he +would run as hard as he knew how, at any rate; there was no harm in +that; and you never could tell what would happen in baseball. So Roy +went flying across second base and headed for third like a small cyclone +in a hurry. And as he did so his heart leaped, for left fielder had +suddenly turned and was running sideways and backward by turns out into +the field.</p> + +<p>He had misjudged it badly. Had he not done so I should have had a +different ending to narrate. But he did, and when the ball came to earth +he was not quite under it although he made a frantic effort to get it. +And by the time he had picked it up and relayed it to shortstop Roy was +turning past third. And by the time shortstop had his hands about it and +had turned, Roy was almost at the plate. And by the time—But what's the +use in drawing a story out in this way? Roy beat that ball to the plate +by at least two seconds. And in one more second he was being literally +carried to the bench in the midst of a howling, shrieking, dancing mob +of Ferry Hillites.</p> + +<p>Perhaps Ferry Hill would have continued the game until her third man had +been put out had she had a chance. But when the spectators take it into +their heads to have a war-dance in the middle of the diamond, ball +playing is extremely difficult. So Chub shouted something to the umpire, +the scorer slammed his book shut on a score of 8—7 and pandemonium had +everything its own way.</p> + +<p>Here and there a Ferry Hill player tried to sneak back to the gymnasium +undetected, but in every case he was captured and placed high up on the +shoulders of frantic, joy-crazed friends. There was no band there to +lead that triumphant procession around and around the diamond, but no +one felt the necessity for one. There was noise enough without it.</p> + +<p>Roy, swaying unsteadily on the shoulders of a little group of hatless, +red-faced youths, looked down on the sea of pushing, panting figures and +grinned happily. Chub, clinging desperately to the heads of two of his +bearers, charged through the throng in Roy's direction.</p> + +<p>"Hello, there!" he bawled. "Use your spurs and come on!"</p> + +<p>But Roy's bearers needed no spurs. They charged the crowd and Roy went +bobbing through a little forest of upraised eager hands. Then the +procession took some semblance of form and began its march around the +bases according to time-honored custom. As Roy, following closely behind +Chub, passed third, he found Doctor Emery and his family beside him. The +Doctor was smiling broadly, Mrs. Emery was waving a diminutive banner +and Harry was dancing and shrieking, her red hair floating in disordered +wisps about her face. She caught sight of Roy on the instant and darted +toward him.</p> + +<p>"Wait! Wait!" she commanded shrilly.</p> + +<p>Roy's bearers waited, laughing and panting protestingly.</p> + +<p>Harry reached up and tossed a crimson sweater about Roy's shoulders.</p> + +<p>"I'm so glad, Roy," she cried breathlessly. "And it's all mended; I did +it myself!"</p> + +<p>Roy nodded, drew the arms of his precious sweater across his chest and +called his thanks. Then, impatient of the delay, his bearers charged +forward again and Roy clutched wildly to keep his seat. Thrice around +the diamond the procession went, cheering and singing, and then it +turned across the track and filed through the gate in the hedge and so +through the June twilight and under the great elms to the gymnasium.</p> + +<div class="center"> +<img src="images/illus27.jpg" alt="bearers" /> +<a id="illus27" name="illus27"></a> +<p class="caption"> + "Roy's bearers waited"</p></div> + +<p>And in the van of the line, like a vivid standard of victory, swayed The +Crimson Sweater.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CRIMSON SWEATER***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 33425-h.txt or 33425-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/3/4/2/33425">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/4/2/33425</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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