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diff --git a/36409-h/36409-h.htm b/36409-h/36409-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..accc62c --- /dev/null +++ b/36409-h/36409-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8857 @@ +<!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" xml:lang="en" > +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> + <meta content="Harry Watson’s High School Days" name="DC.Title"/> + <meta content="Frank V. 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Webster + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Harry Watson's High School Days + The Rivals of Rivertown + +Author: Frank V. Webster + +Release Date: June 14, 2011 [EBook #36409] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARRY WATSON'S HIGH SCHOOL DAYS *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i001' id='i001'></a> +<img src='images/illus-cvr.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br /> +</div> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i002' id='i002'></a> +<img src="images/illus-001.jpg" alt="WITH THE NEW STUDENT STILL BORNE ALOFT THEY RETRACED THEIR STEPS. (Page 80)" title=""/><br /> +<span class='caption'>WITH THE NEW STUDENT STILL BORNE ALOFT<br/>THEY RETRACED THEIR STEPS. (Page 80)</span> +</div> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<div class='center'> +<p><span style='font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;'>HARRY WATSON’S</span></p> +<p><span style='font-size:1.4em;font-weight:bold;'>HIGH SCHOOL DAYS</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p>Or</p> +<p> </p> +<p>The Rivals of Rivertown</p> +<p> </p> +<p>BY</p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:larger;'>FRANK V. WEBSTER</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>AUTHOR OF “ONLY A FARM BOY,” “AIRSHIP ANDY,” “THE</span></p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL,” ETC.</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p>ILLUSTRATED</p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>NEW YORK</span></p> +<p>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>PUBLISHERS</span></p> +</div> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<div class='center'> +<p><span style='font-size:larger;'>BOOKS FOR BOYS</span></p> +<p>By FRANK V. WEBSTER</p> +<p>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Price per volume.</p> +<p> </p> +</div> +<div class='center'> +<p>ONLY A FARM BOY</p> +<p>TOM, THE TELEPHONE BOY</p> +<p>THE BOY FROM THE RANCH</p> +<p>THE YOUNG TREASURE HUNTER</p> +<p>BOB, THE CASTAWAY</p> +<p>THE YOUNG FIREMEN OF LAKEVILLE</p> +<p>THE NEWSBOY PARTNERS</p> +<p>THE BOY PILOT OF THE LAKES</p> +<p>THE TWO BOY GOLD MINERS</p> +<p>JACK, THE RUNAWAY</p> +<p>COMRADES OF THE SADDLE</p> +<p>THE BOYS OF BELLWOOD SCHOOL</p> +<p>THE HIGH SCHOOL RIVALS</p> +<p>BOB CHESTER’S GRIT</p> +<p>AIRSHIP ANDY</p> +<p>DARRY, THE LIFE SAVER</p> +<p>DICK, THE BANK BOY</p> +<p>BEN HARDY’S FLYING MACHINE</p> +<p>THE BOYS OF THE WIRELESS</p> +<p>HARRY WATSON’S HIGH SCHOOL DAYS</p> +<p> </p> +</div> +<div class='center'> +<p><em>Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York</em></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>Copyright, 1912, by</span></p> +<p>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>Harry Watson’s High School Days</span></p> +<p> </p> +<p><span style='font-size:smaller;'>Printed in U. S. A.</span></p> +</div> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<div class='center'> +<p><span style='font-size:larger;'>CONTENTS</span></p> +</div> +<table class='c' summary=''> +<tr><td style='font-size:smaller'>CHAPTER</td><td></td><td style='font-size:smaller'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>I.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry Shows His Mettle</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chI'>1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>II.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Jed Brown Finds a Protector</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chII'>8</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>III.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Socker’s Plot</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chIII'>17</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>IV.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry Shows His Grit</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chIV'>24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>V.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Race on Skates</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chV'>29</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>VI.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Girls’ Race</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chVI'>36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>VII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Rivalry Between Harry and Elmer</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chVII'>41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>VIII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Paul’s Party</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chVIII'>48</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>IX.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The False Charge</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chIX'>54</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>X.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry is Exonerated</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chX'>59</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XI.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>“Old Grouch”</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXI'>67</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Pledged to the Pi Etas</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXII'>74</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XIII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A Serious Charge</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXIII'>79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XIV.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Boys Appoint a Committee</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXIV'>85</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XV.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Mr. Larmore Issues an Ultimatum</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXV'>90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XVI.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Stumbling Across a Clue</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXVI'>95</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XVII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Trip to Lumberport</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXVII'>102</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XVIII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry Arranges for a Settlement</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXVIII'>107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XIX.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Upholding the Honor of Rivertown</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXIX'>114</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XX.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry Receives Bad News</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXX'>127</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XXI.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Elmer Baits His Rival</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXXI'>137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XXII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Dark Days</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXXII'>144</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XXIII.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A Mile a Minute Spin</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXXIII'>151</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XXIV.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Harry Pilots the Lightning</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXXIV'>170</a></td></tr> +<tr><td valign='top' style='text-align:right; padding-right:1em;'>XXV.</td><td valign='top' style='text-align:left; padding-right:3em;'><span style='font-variant:small-caps'>“All’s Well that Ends Well”</span></td><td valign='top' style='text-align:right;'><a href='#chXXV'>189</a></td></tr> +</table> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<h1><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_1'></a>1</span>Harry Watson’s High School Days</h1> +<h2><a name='chI' id='chI'></a>CHAPTER I—HARRY SHOWS HIS METTLE</h2> +<p> +“Hey, fellows, we’ve a new student at Rivertown +High!” +</p> +<p> +“Who is he, Socker?” chorused a group of +boys to whom their schoolmate had come running +with his tidings. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t know. Nettie told me that she and +Viola had met him as he was coming out of Principal +Larmore’s office.” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, and you’d better watch out, Elmer. +Nettie said Viola has been talking about nothing +else but that good-looking fellow since she saw +him!” bantered another of the group. +</p> +<p> +The boy, light and rather handsome, but with +a weak face, to whom this last remark had been +addressed was about to reply, when a warning +was sounded. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_2'></a>2</span> +</p> +<p> +“Keep quiet! Here he comes now!” declared +Socker. +</p> +<p> +Instantly all eyes were turned in the direction +of the schoolhouse where they saw a lad walking +with a swinging stride. Apparently about fifteen +years of age, he was well built and rather tall. +Dark hair, which curled about his cap, and laughing +eyes bespoke him as a jolly, handsome fellow, +and the ruddy glow brought to his cheeks by the +crisp winter air was evidence that he was possessed +of health in abundance. +</p> +<p> +“Why, I know who he is!” asserted another of +the group. +</p> +<p> +“Who?” +</p> +<p> +“He must be Harry Watson, nephew of the +Widow Watson. I remember Mrs. Watson told +mother the other day that her nephew, Harry, +was coming to Rivertown.” +</p> +<p> +“Where’s he from?” +</p> +<p> +“Can’t say.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, let’s see if he’s any good!” exclaimed +a big, hulking fellow, Pud Snooks, who was the +bully of the school. “Hey, you, Watson, come +over here!” he shouted. +</p> +<p> +Rivertown High School, a two-story brick building +containing some fifteen class rooms and a large +assembly room, was situated on a bluff overlooking +the Conoque River: and the road leading from +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_3'></a>3</span> +it to the village, in addition to being steep, made +a sharp turn at the foot of the hill. +</p> +<p> +The spot was a favorite one with the scholars +for coasting, and several of the boys had been in +the act of placing a double-runner bob in position +at the top of the hill, when they had been apprised +of the fact there was a new student in +school. +</p> +<p> +The boys of Rivertown High had a fondness +for trying out new students, and Pud’s suggestion +met with ready approval. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly, when the bully proposed putting +Harry Watson to the test, the other boys sat +down on the double-runner, taking good care to +leave the steering seat vacant. +</p> +<p> +“When I shove off, everybody stand up!” +whispered Pud. Then he exclaimed aloud: +</p> +<p> +“Hey, Watson! Can you steer a sled?” +</p> +<p> +Stopping as he heard his name, Harry looked +toward the group of boys. +</p> +<p> +“Sure thing, if you’d like to have me,” he answered. +“My name is Harry Watson.” +</p> +<p> +“And mine’s Pud Snooks,” announced the bully. +Then bowing in mock seriousness, he continued: +</p> +<p> +“That fancy blonde behind me is Elmer Craven. +He is the richest and most famous personage +we have at Rivertown High. Twice a week +he goes across the river to Lumberport, and he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_4'></a>4</span> +believes that Viola Darrow is never happy +when——” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, cut it out, Pud!” growled Elmer. +</p> +<p> +With a grin, the bully went on with his introductions. +</p> +<p> +“The next exhibit is Socker Gales, and the +specimen with the ten-foot reach is Longback, +whom his family calls Sam Dalton. Now just +take the ropes and I’ll push off. We’re a precious +load, as I hope I’ve made clear to you, so don’t +tip us over!” +</p> +<p> +While Harry had been acknowledging these +bantering introductions, he had also been looking +at the icy roadway. +</p> +<p> +A glance at the sharp turn had told him it would +require clever work to make it, and so, when he +took the steering ropes, instead of sitting down +on the sled, he gave them a quick jerk—to have +one of them part near the runner. +</p> +<p> +“Good thing that didn’t happen on the hill!” +he exclaimed, quickly cutting off the broken end +and making a new knot, after which he again +tested the rope and found it sound. +</p> +<p> +Pud and his chums, however, though they pretended +to, did not share this opinion, and that +there might not be more delay, as soon as Harry +sat down and placed his feet on the bracers, the +bully started the sled. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_5'></a>5</span> +</p> +<p> +“We’re off!” he shouted, as he gave the double-runner +a terrific shove. +</p> +<p> +As though eager for the fun, the first sled shot +over the crest of the hill—and then all the boys +put their feet down and let the sled pass between +their legs! +</p> +<p> +Instantly Harry realized that he was alone on +the double-runner. +</p> +<p> +With no weight on the hind sled, he knew it +would bump and slew as soon as he got fairly +started and especially when he struck the curve. +But Harry was game. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll show these Rivertown High chaps that +they can’t stump me by any of their tricks,” he +said to himself, and braced his feet more firmly, +leaning back to throw as much weight as possible +on the hind sled. +</p> +<p> +As the double-runner gained momentum, it fairly +danced over the icy roadway. +</p> +<p> +Behind, Pud and his cronies were hurrying as +fast as they could that they might gain a spot +whence they could see the spill they expected +when the sled struck the curve. +</p> +<p> +But as Harry approached the turn, he leaned +far out. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, you Pud! You guessed wrong when you +picked Watson for an easy mark,” chuckled Longback. +“That boy knows something about steering.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_6'></a>6</span> +</p> +<p> +The next instant, however, the disappointment +of the boys at learning that they were not to have +the fun of seeing Harry dumped, was forgotten +in their alarm at hearing shouts of warning and +fright beyond the curve! +</p> +<p> +Just as Harry’s sled dashed around the turn, +he had caught sight of two little children starting +up the hill, dragging their sleds behind them. +</p> +<p> +A group of high school girls, among them +Viola Darrow and her chum, Nettie Masterson, +were descending the hill, and it was they who, +when they heard the rattlety-bang of the double-runner, +and saw the toddlers ahead, had cried +out in terror. +</p> +<p> +One side of the road was banked by the hill, +while the other dropped down toward the river; +a fence with one rail some three feet from the +ground serving as a guard. +</p> +<p> +What was below the embankment Harry did +not know, but he remembered to have seen some +bushes as he had walked up the hill. +</p> +<p> +In their effort to save the children, the girls +had run out into the roadway, practically blocking +it. +</p> +<p> +So great was Harry’s speed, however, that +they realized it would be impossible for them to +seize the toddlers and get them to one side in +time to let the double-runner pass—and in such a +manner were they spread across the road that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7'></a>7</span> +Harry had no chance to guide his sled past them. +</p> +<p> +“Open out! Let him through!” shouted Longback +and Socker; while Elmer and Pud, terrified +at the impending tragedy threatened by their trick, +simply stared at the scene in silence, their faces +white, their mouths agape. +</p> +<p> +But in the instant that had followed his discovery +of the little girls starting up the roadway, +Harry had made up his mind what to do—and +acted. +</p> +<p> +With a sudden pull, he jerked the sled from its +course, headed it between two of the posts which +supported the guard-rail—and the double-runner +leaped over the embankment at a spot less than +six feet from where the group of girls and the two +children stood, panic-stricken and crying. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8'></a>8</span><a name='chII' id='chII'></a>CHAPTER II—JED BROWN FINDS A PROTECTOR</h2> +<p> +Several of the other boys who were members +of Rivertown High, among them Paul Martin and +Jerry Post, had reached the turn just in time to +see the sled as it took its mad leap over the embankment. +</p> +<p> +For a moment, they, as well as the girls, gazed +in silence at the spot where the double-runner +with its lone passenger had disappeared. Then, +as with one accord, they broke into lusty cheers +at the aversion of the tragedy which had seemed +inevitable. +</p> +<p> +But their joy was quickly checked. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t cheer! You don’t know what has happened +to that nervy chap!” shouted Paul Martin. +</p> +<p> +And as his words brought silence, he and Jerry +rushed to the edge of the embankment, while the +others followed. +</p> +<p> +Fortunately Harry had landed in a pile of underbrush, +and as the white-faced boys and girls +lined the rail he was picking his way out, none the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9'></a>9</span> +worse for his experience save a few rents in his +clothes. +</p> +<p> +The sight of the boy, safe and sound, brought +a reaction from the terror, and wildly the scholars +cheered, while Paul, Jerry and Longback ducked +under the guard-rail and slipped and slid down to +meet the hero. +</p> +<p> +“Hurt?” asked Jerry, anxiously. +</p> +<p> +“Nowhere, except in my clothes,” returned +Harry—and again prolonged cheers greeted his +ears. +</p> +<p> +Many were the willing hands that were extended +to help draw him up into the road, and when they +had succeeded, he became immediately the centre +of an excited, admiring group. +</p> +<p> +“I think that was just perfectly splendid of +him!” exclaimed Viola. “Some of you boys introduce +me to him, won’t you?” +</p> +<p> +As she spoke, the girl, whose beauty and wealth +made her the favorite of the school, looked +straight at Elmer—but he gave no sign that he +noticed her. +</p> +<p> +Their leader having thus given the stamp of +approval to Harry, the other girls quickly pressed +forward, all talking and chatting at once. +</p> +<p> +But no one responded to Viola’s request and, +flushing, she turned away while the new student +grew very red, as he looked from one to another +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10'></a>10</span> +of the boys who had invited him to steer the +double-runner. +</p> +<p> +The situation was awkward in the extreme and +Harry, diffident and sensitive as he was, felt it +keenly. Yet he was the one to relieve it. +</p> +<p> +“Hey, you Snooks, you’d better go down and +get your sled—or do you want me to do that?” +he called. +</p> +<p> +“So it was one of Pud’s tricks?” exclaimed +Nettie. “We might have known it, Viola. Pud, +I think you’re perfectly horrid!” and with all +the dignity of her fifteen years, the girl turned her +back on the bully and, putting her arm through +Viola’s, led her away down the hill. But as they +went, both girls smiled at Harry. +</p> +<p> +During the embarrassing scene, Longback had +whispered to some of the other boys who Harry +was, and Jerry and Paul immediately took him in +tow. +</p> +<p> +“If you don’t mind, we’ll walk home with you, +Watson,” exclaimed Jerry. And glad of the +chance to escape the attention of the other members +of Rivertown High, Harry started off, accompanied +by the two boys who were later to become +his chums. +</p> +<p> +The story of Harry’s quick-wittedness and courage +had proceeded him, thanks to Viola and Nettie; +and as he walked down the main street of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11'></a>11</span> +town to the comfortable home of his aunt, many +were the glances directed toward him. +</p> +<p> +“Rather a bad start, I’m afraid,” he said to his +companions, with a feeble attempt at a smile. +</p> +<p> +“Bad? I should say it was a corking fine one!” +returned Paul, sincerely. “It isn’t many fellows +who can become a hero and at the same time get +the best of Pud Snooks!” +</p> +<p> +The mention of the bully caused Harry to grow +serious. +</p> +<p> +“I’m afraid it will make Snooks down on me,” +he said. “He had no idea that those little girls +would be in the road.” +</p> +<p> +Well did Jerry and Paul know that the outcome +of the bully’s trick, sensational as it had +been, would, indeed, arouse his anger against the +boy who had turned the tables on him; and +though they tried to disabuse Harry’s mind of the +idea, it was with relief that they reached the gate +of the Widow Watson’s house. +</p> +<p> +Despite Harry’s cordial invitation, both boys +declined to go in, and he entered the house feeling +strangely alone. +</p> +<p> +His aunt’s greeting and loving words of praise +after she had heard of his experience, however, +did much to restore his good spirits. +</p> +<p> +“Who is Viola?” he asked, as they were seated +at dinner. +</p> +<p> +“She is the daughter of one of the wealthiest +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12'></a>12</span> +men in Rivertown,” replied the widow, a shade +of sorrow passing over her face. “What makes +you ask?” +</p> +<p> +“Because she said my steering over the embankment +was perfectly fine!” +</p> +<p> +Again the cloud passed over Mrs. Watson’s +face and this time it did not lift. +</p> +<p> +“She’s a very sweet and lovely girl, Harry,” +she replied. “But she isn’t the sort you should +choose for a companion.” +</p> +<p> +At the words, the boy looked up quickly at his +aunt and what he read in her face made him flush. +</p> +<p> +“I mean, she is very rich and I think—that is, +I have heard—her family intend her to marry +Elmer Craven.” +</p> +<p> +“He’s rich, too, isn’t he?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> +<p> +Deeply did it grieve the good woman to speak +the words she had, but she believed it would be +best for her nephew to realize the social difference +that existed between Viola and himself, that he +might be spared the humiliation and embarrassment +in the future. Though they allowed their +daughter to attend the Rivertown High School, +the Darrows were proud and arrogant people and +always did all in their power to prevent the girl +from mingling with her schoolmates. +</p> +<p> +But though Mrs. Watson strove to offset the +sting of her statement, the rest of the dinner was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13'></a>13</span> +eaten in comparative silence, and Harry set out +for school with a heavy heart. +</p> +<p> +Not far had he proceeded up the main street, +however, before he caught sight of a form he +recognized as that of the bully who had been the +ringleader in the trick which had so nearly ended +in a tragedy. +</p> +<p> +“Hope he won’t come up and try to smooth +things over,” said Harry to himself. But the +next moment, his anxiety on this score was allayed. +</p> +<p> +Pud was busy making snowballs and storing +them under his arm. +</p> +<p> +“Wonder if he’s going to vent his disappointment +on me,” mused Harry, taking his hands from +his pockets that he might be ready to return the +bombardment, should the bully open on him. +</p> +<p> +Yet when he saw the bully’s victim, Harry’s +anger at the fellow was greater than ever. +</p> +<p> +As the new student passed a cross street, he +saw Pud jump behind a tree and then, peering +from one side, hurl one of the half dozen snowballs +he had under his arm. +</p> +<p> +Turning to see at whom they were aimed, +Harry was amazed to behold a bent and aged +man, hobbling along the sidewalk with the aid of +a cane. +</p> +<p> +The snowball knocked the cane from the man’s +hand and as it fell, the aged cripple tottered. +</p> +<p> +With an exclamation of disgust, Harry rushed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14'></a>14</span> +up behind the bully and, seizing his arm, jerked +it so that the remaining snowballs fell to the sidewalk. +</p> +<p> +The thought that anyone had seen his cowardly +act in snowballing the aged man shamed the bully, +but only for the moment. +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean by that?” he demanded, +fiercely, whirling round to face the interrupter of +what he considered his sport. And as he beheld +the boy who had brought disgrace upon him in the +morning, his face grew white with anger. “Oh, +it’s <em>you</em>, is it?” he went on. “Who do you think +you are, anyhow? Just because you couldn’t steer +the sled and went over the embankment is no reason +why you should think you are so much!” +</p> +<p> +“You know I could steer that sled, and only +went between the posts to keep from running into +the girls,” returned Harry. “But that has nothing +to do with the present matter. You ought to +be ashamed of yourself, to throw snowballs at an +old man!” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, nobody cares about old Jed Brown!” +</p> +<p> +“Well, you can’t snowball him when I’m +round!” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, is that so? Who’s going to stop me, I +should like to know?” +</p> +<p> +“I am.” +</p> +<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i003' id='i003'></a> +<img src="images/illus-002.jpg" alt="HARRY RUSHED UP BEHIND THE BULLY AND SEIZED HIS ARM." title=""/><br /> +<span class='caption'>HARRY RUSHED UP BEHIND THE BULLY AND SEIZED HIS ARM.</span> +</div> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15'></a>15</span></div> +<p> +“You?” And, after standing for several +seconds, during which he looked Harry over from +the top of his head to his feet, the bully burst into +laughter. “So <em>you</em>, whom I could pick up and +carry on one finger, are going to stop my doing +anything I want to, eh? That <em>is</em> a good one. +Why, kiddo, there is enough of me to make three +of you and then some.” +</p> +<p> +The tone in which Pud spoke sent the color +flushing to Harry’s face. +</p> +<p> +“Where I come from, it isn’t so much the size +that counts as it is the heart!” he retorted. “And +a fellow who will snowball an aged man can’t +have very much real heart!” +</p> +<p> +An instant the bully glowered at Harry, then +made a rush toward him. +</p> +<p> +“You’re getting altogether too fresh, young +feller!” he hissed. “Because of you, I’m getting +into all sorts of trouble—and I’m not going to +stand it! If I want to snowball or do anything +else to old Jed Brown, I’m going to, understand?” +And as though to give more force to his words, +Pud stooped down to pick up one of the missiles +the new student had knocked from his arm. +</p> +<p> +Before he could reach it, however, Harry threw +out his foot and crushed the snowball, then with +more quick movements demolished the others. +</p> +<p> +Never had anyone so thwarted the Rivertown +bully before and, for the moment, the big hulk of +a boy stood gazing at his discomfiter in amazement. +But only for a moment. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16'></a>16</span> +</p> +<p> +With a snarl, he shook his fist under Harry’s +nose. +</p> +<p> +“You seem to be looking for trouble—and +now you’re going to get it!” +</p> +<p> +Though the bully was much larger than Harry, +the latter did not cower before him. +</p> +<p> +So engrossed had the boys been in their quarrel +that they had failed to notice the approach of +Principal Larmore. But he made his presence +known just as Pud drew back his arm to strike. +</p> +<p> +“Snooks, go about your business!” he exclaimed. +“I’m ashamed to think you should seek +to pick a quarrel with the very boy who prevented +your trick with the sled from having a very serious +ending!” +</p> +<p> +As Harry had said, the bully was a coward at +heart, and growling to himself, he slunk away. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17'></a>17</span><a name='chIII' id='chIII'></a>CHAPTER III—SOCKER’S PLOT</h2> +<p> +With an amused smile, Mr. Larmore watched +Pud as he slouched off up the street. +</p> +<p> +“Rather a strenuous introduction to Rivertown, +you’re having, Watson,” he exclaimed, +pleasantly. “Do you mind telling me what Snooks +was saying to you?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, sir; I do. It was only a personal matter.” +</p> +<p> +Fate, however, decreed that the principal should +learn the cause of the quarrel he had interrupted. +</p> +<p> +First with surprise, then with thankfulness, Jed +Brown had beheld Harry’s intervention—for the +aged man, veteran though he was, and bearing the +mark of his service for his country in a crippled +leg, was considered fair sport by many of the +young people in the village, and he was not accustomed +to having anyone champion him. +</p> +<p> +Consequently, when he had seen the school bully +threaten Harry, he had hobbled toward the pair +as fast as he could, only to arrive just as Mr. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18'></a>18</span> +Larmore had asked concerning the cause of the +trouble. +</p> +<p> +“It was about me, Mr. Larmore, sir, the fuss +was,” declared Jed. “Snooks was throwing +snowballs at me and this young man stopped him.” +Then, turning to Harry, he continued: “I’ll not +forget your kindness, my boy. My name is Jed +Brown.” And he extended a trembling hand. +</p> +<p> +“I’m Harry Watson,” smiled the boy, as he +shook hands. +</p> +<p> +“You ain’t any relation to Amos Watson, of +Lawrenceburgh, are you?” inquired the veteran, +eagerly. +</p> +<p> +“He’s my father.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, well, well!” exclaimed Jed, excitedly, +again shaking the boy’s hand. “I’ve known Amos +ever since he was knee high to a grasshopper, and +there ain’t a finer man in this state, Mr. Larmore. +Harry, whenever your skates need sharpening +or you feel lonesome, just come around to see +me; I live in a little one-story house down at the +end of this street. You can’t miss it.” +</p> +<p> +“Thank you, I—” then, chancing to glance +down the street, the boy caught a glimpse of Pud +as he poked his head cautiously from behind a +tree-trunk, evidently with the purpose of finding +out where the veteran was, and he changed his +words, saying, “I guess I’ll walk along with you +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19'></a>19</span> +now. I have a knife that needs sharpening badly +and I can leave it with you.” +</p> +<p> +The principal had also seen the bully’s action +and he readily understood that Harry had made +his knife the excuse for walking home with the +old man, that he might protect him from any +further attack by Snooks. Yet he feared the bully +might waylay the boy and, as the other two set +out, fell into step beside them, much to the embarrassment +of both. +</p> +<p> +Arrived at Jed’s house which, though small, was +spick and span in appearance, Harry gave him his +knife, and after promising to call for it the next +afternoon, continued on his way to the school with +Mr. Larmore. +</p> +<p> +The detour which they had made to escort the +veteran to his home caused them to be a trifle +late in reaching the schoolhouse, and Harry was +very glad that none of the scholars were outside +to see him walking with the principal, for he +feared it might give them the impression that he +was a “teacher’s boy.” +</p> +<p> +But when he entered his classroom, he was the +centre of all eyes. +</p> +<p> +“Grandstand play!” growled Elmer to Socket. +“He’s got a swelled head, already, because he +steered the sled over the bank. Anybody with +any decency wouldn’t have waited until school +was in session before he came in.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20'></a>20</span> +</p> +<p> +“Never mind, we’ll take him down a bit!” +returned Elmer Craven’s chum. “Just wait till +after school!” +</p> +<p> +The eye of the instructor chancing to wander +in their direction, the two boys buried their heads +in their books; and Elmer was forced to forego +asking his chum what scheme he was thinking out. +</p> +<p> +But when school was over for the day, he +quickly learned. +</p> +<p> +“Play hockey, Watson?” asked Socker, joining +a group of boys who had gathered about +Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> +<p> +“Then come on down to the river and we’ll +have a game.” +</p> +<p> +“It will depend upon whether my trunk has +arrived or not. If it hasn’t come since I was at +aunt’s for dinner, I won’t be able to play because +my skates are in it.” +</p> +<p> +“I have an extra pair at the house you can +take,” interposed Paul. “The rest of you fellows +go down to the river; and Harry and I’ll join you +as soon as we can.” And falling into step beside +the boy who was soon to become his crony, Paul +Martin started down the hill which had been the +scene of the memorable incident in the morning. +</p> +<p> +To his delight, Harry found that his trunk had +arrived, and it was but the matter of a very few +minutes for him to open it and take out his skates. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21'></a>21</span> +</p> +<p> +At the river, they found a merry crowd of boys +and girls, and quickly Harry and Paul sat down +to put on their skates. +</p> +<p> +“Now Sam, you go over and bring Mr. Watson +back with you as soon as he’s got his skates on,” +commanded Viola, who, with Nettie, had been +keeping a lookout for the boy whom she had been +unable to meet in the forenoon. +</p> +<p> +None too willingly, the fellow started, but before +he could reach Harry, the boy was on his feet, +and hockey stick in hand, was skimming over the +ice to where those who were to play were lined +up, some quarter of a mile up the river. +</p> +<p> +“Isn’t that provoking!” pouted Viola, as she +noted his action. “But I’m going to meet Harry +Watson—even if I have to introduce myself. +Come on, Nettie, let’s skate over and watch the +game.” +</p> +<p> +With the arrival of Harry and Paul, Socker +exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“Watson, you’ll play on Jerry’s team. Let’s +get the game started as soon as we can. It’ll be +dark before long.” +</p> +<p> +Quickly the boys took their positions, and Socker +and Elmer noticed with delight that the boy +who had incited their enmity was playing “rover.” +</p> +<p> +After the puck was put in play, it was dribbled +back and forth; then, as Paul noticed Harry was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22'></a>22</span> +keeping well out to one side, he shot the rubber +to him. +</p> +<p> +Nursing it carefully, he dashed in, that he might +have a less difficult angle from which to try for +goal. +</p> +<p> +“Get him! Block him! Don’t let him score!” +cried Socker to his team-mates, and with a rush +they skated down upon Harry with tremendous +momentum. +</p> +<p> +For several moments, Jerry watched the strange +play of his opponents—for they had left their positions +uncovered; then it dawned on him what +their purpose was and he charged down to Harry’s +rescue, at the same time shouting: +</p> +<p> +“Shoot it across, Watson! Shoot it across!” +</p> +<p> +With a deft twist of his wrist, Harry sent the +rubber spinning over the ice just in front of Socker +and his players. +</p> +<p> +But instead of checking themselves and going +after it, they continued straight at the new student. +</p> +<p> +Surprised, but believing that their speed was +such that they were unable to turn quickly, Harry +grinned at them, wheeled on his right skate with +a suddenness that would have done a professional +proud, and sought to go around them. +</p> +<p> +Clever as was his move, however, it came too +late. +</p> +<p> +With terrific force, Socker, Elmer and another +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23'></a>23</span> +boy crashed into him—and as they all went down, +there was a resounding whack. +</p> +<p> +“Pretty raw work, Craven!” snapped Jerry, +as he caught the richest boy in Rivertown High +School by the collar and jerked him off the pile. +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean?” +</p> +<p> +Jerry, however, was too engrossed in the task +of getting the others off Harry to reply. +</p> +<p> +But when he had succeeded, the new high school +scholar lay on his back, motionless. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24'></a>24</span><a name='chIV' id='chIV'></a>CHAPTER IV—HARRY SHOWS HIS GRIT</h2> +<p> +Abashed at the sight of the boy lying white +and still on the ice, the other hockey players gazed +at one another. +</p> +<p> +“He’s shamming!” growled Elmer. +</p> +<p> +“You know better than that!” retorted Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean?” +</p> +<p> +“That you and Socker deliberately ran into +Watson—and you know it as well as I do!” +</p> +<p> +“I saw Socker give him the knee!” interposed +Paul. +</p> +<p> +Intense was the feeling between the two teams, +and instinctively the boys who had been playing +lined up with their respective captains. But before +the argument became more bitter, Harry +opened his eyes, gazed about him in a dazed +manner, and then sat up. +</p> +<p> +“Got a bit of a knock, didn’t I?” he smiled. +“I say, did I score a goal?” +</p> +<p> +At the question, all the boys turned to look toward +the net of Socker’s team, having forgotten in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25'></a>25</span> +their excitement to notice where the puck had +gone. +</p> +<p> +“Jove, but you did!” cried Paul. “Good boy, +Harry!” +</p> +<p> +Instantly the other members of the team with +which Harry was playing took up the cry and +Elmer and his companions skated away to hide +their chagrin. +</p> +<p> +“Here comes Longback; we can put him in, +and you can get out of the game!” exclaimed +Paul, helping Harry to his feet. +</p> +<p> +“Not much—that is, if you are willing I should +keep on playing,” returned Harry. “I’m all +right now; and I should like to show those other +fellows that I’m not a pillow!” +</p> +<p> +“But can you stand the handling?” asked Jerry, +anxiously. +</p> +<p> +“Leave it to me—I’m no rag-doll,” retorted +Harry. “If they are up to any tricks, I know a +thing or two!” +</p> +<p> +The gameness of the new student appealed to +all the members of the team on which he was +playing, and without further comment they lined +up for the next play. +</p> +<p> +Surprised to see Harry still in the line-up, +Socker skated over to Elmer and held a brief +consultation with him, but their whisperings were +interrupted by the puck being put into play. +</p> +<p> +As luck would have it, the rubber was sent +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26'></a>26</span> +straight toward Elmer and, with a clever stop, +he dribbled it along toward Harry, evidently +thinking that he would be able to pass him easily +because of his seemingly dazed condition. +</p> +<p> +But Harry realized his purpose and, with a +burst of speed, he rushed in, snatched the puck, +steadied his stick—and then drove it spinning toward +the goal net, sending it past the tender. +</p> +<p> +“Good boy!” shouted his team-mates. And +the cheer was immediately taken up by the boys +and girls who had gathered to watch the game. +</p> +<p> +Smarting more under the thought that the fellow +they had sought to humiliate had succeeded +in turning the tables against them than in the fact +that their opponents had scored two goals, Socker +called his men about him. +</p> +<p> +“Play for Watson!” he cried through clenched +teeth. “That fellow’s got to have his big head +taken off him!” +</p> +<p> +“Ready!” called the lad who was acting as +umpire; and with set teeth, Socker’s men took +their positions. +</p> +<p> +Straight and true for the goal Paul sent the +puck, but Snooks checked it just in time to prevent +another score, and cleverly Elmer took the rubber +through the opposing players until only Harry +stood between him and the man at the net. +</p> +<p> +Gritting his teeth, the new member of the Rivertown +High School determined to show that he was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27'></a>27</span> +an offensive as well as a defensive player. With +a terrific rush, he bore down on Elmer Craven, +and with a sudden twist of his stick, tripped the +fellow, grabbed the rubber, dribbled it out of +reach, then sent it spinning with a force that drove +it through the net! +</p> +<p> +Loud were the shouts from the onlookers—but +Elmer lay still and quiet. +</p> +<p> +“You hit him in the head with your stick!” +growled Socker, starting toward Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Nonsense! <em>I</em> play a clean game! Leave it +to me—I’ll bring him round in a jiffy!” +</p> +<p> +And while the others stood inactive, Harry +scraped up some ice with his skate and rubbed +the shavings on Craven’s face. +</p> +<p> +“Who’s doing that?” demanded the boy, sitting +up. +</p> +<p> +But his only answer was a general laugh. +</p> +<p> +“Everybody ready, puck’s going to be put in +play!” shouted the umpire, and without delay, +the boys took their positions. +</p> +<p> +“You want to watch out, the whole team will +be down on you this time!” warned Jerry to +Harry, but the lad only laughed. +</p> +<p> +“I reckon I can give them as good as they +send,” he replied. “It just took me a few minutes +to get onto their game. I——” +</p> +<p> +But his words were interrupted by the play. +</p> +<p> +While Snooks caught the rubber and started +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28'></a>28</span> +back with it, all the other members of the team +bore down on Harry. +</p> +<p> +Not seeming to notice them, the boy hurried to +the assistance of the goal tender, his pursuers in +full cry. Then, with a suddenness that caused the +scholars on the side lines to gasp, Harry turned, +shoved his stick between the skates of the fellow +nearest him, and sent him sprawling on the ice, +causing the others to fall on top of him. +</p> +<p> +Loud was the laughter that rose from the boys +and girls who were not in the game, while Jerry +and Paul patted Harry on the back. +</p> +<p> +But several of the instructors happened to be +among the spectators and, realizing that the game +would soon be beyond the bounds of sport, they +intervened. +</p> +<p> +“Vhy not ve all go and get kindling voods +for a bonfire dis efening?” shouted Prof. Schmidt, +the genial German professor. +</p> +<p> +“Yes! Yes! Get wood for a bonfire!” cried +the boys and girls on the side lines; and forgetful +of the hockey game, they skated across the ice, +effectually putting an end to the contest. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29'></a>29</span><a name='chV' id='chV'></a>CHAPTER V—THE RACE ON SKATES</h2> +<p> +In thorough good humor on account of their +winning the hockey game, Paul and Jerry called +Harry, and together they started up the river to +where a big pile of brush lay on the bank. +</p> +<p> +In full cry, a score or more of the other boys +and girls, among whom were Viola and Nettie, +set after them, calling to them to wait. But the +three boys only checked their speed slightly. +</p> +<p> +“Come on. A race for the brush-pile,” shouted +Longback. “I’ll wager hot soda for the bunch +of us that I’ll be the first one to reach it.” +</p> +<p> +“You’re on! You’re on!” shouted a dozen of +the boys, among whom were Harry and his recent +team-mates. +</p> +<p> +And as the challenge was accepted, the boys +dashed away. +</p> +<p> +No more than a few yards had he gone, than +Elmer Craven shouted: +</p> +<p> +“Oh, you Paul and Jerry! You’ve got the start +of the rest of us. Come back and line up.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30'></a>30</span> +</p> +<p> +“No. This is as fair for one of us as it is for +another,” cried Pud, whose inordinate love for +soda caused him to exert himself to the utmost, +and during the checking of the speed as the result +of Craven’s suggestion, he had taken the lead. +</p> +<p> +“Sure you think it’s fair now, Pud,” laughed +Jerry, “so long as you’re ahead.” +</p> +<p> +“You’ll have to come back and line up as Elmer +said or I won’t make good my offer,” declared +Longback. +</p> +<p> +At this ultimatum all the boys who had started +ahead checked themselves and then returned to +where the offerer of the prize had scratched a +mark on the ice. +</p> +<p> +With great good nature, laughing and joking +with one another, the boys lined up, Harry and his +two team-mates happening to be on the end where +Viola and Nettie were standing. +</p> +<p> +“Who’s going to give the word to start?” demanded +Snooks in a none too pleasant tone, for +he was disappointed at having had to give up the +lead which he had obtained over the others. +</p> +<p> +“I will,” cried Viola. +</p> +<p> +“That means Elmer’ll win,” declared Nettie. +</p> +<p> +“Why not let Prof. Schmidt start it?” suggested +some one. +</p> +<p> +Readily the genial professor consented; and +taking his position at the opposite end of the +line from where the two girls stood, he cried: +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31'></a>31</span> +</p> +<p> +“Eferybody get retty! You Schnooks, you +get back onto the line. Don’t try to shteal a +yard.” +</p> +<p> +Grumbling to himself, the boy obeyed. +</p> +<p> +“Now, vonce again. Eferybody retty! Von, +two, t’ree—<em>Go!</em>” +</p> +<p> +Eagerly the boys dashed forward and for a +few minutes they were all bunched together. Then +Elmer, Snooks, Longback and Harry dashed +ahead of the others, and for a few moments raced +neck and neck. +</p> +<p> +“Go it, Elmer!” “Go it Longback!” shouted +their partisans, and as though the good wishes of +their friends gave them greater speed, the two +boys forged ahead. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, why doesn’t somebody shout for Harry +Watson!” exclaimed Viola, stamping her foot. +</p> +<p> +“Going back on Elmer so soon,” chided several +of the girls who were with her. She made them +no reply, but instead, skating after the racers. +</p> +<p> +“Come on, we girls will have a race, and the +one who wins we’ll crown queen of the ice at the +bonfire to-night!” cried Nettie. +</p> +<p> +“Fine! Dandy!” chorused a dozen or so of +the girls, and one of them added: +</p> +<p> +“Let’s have a regular carnival, and we’ll make +the boy who wins king.” +</p> +<p> +“Will you start it, Prof. Schmidt?” asked +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32'></a>32</span> +Viola, and again the genial old German complied, +sending the girls off in short order. +</p> +<p> +During the preliminaries Viola had kept her +eyes on the boys ahead, and it seemed to her as +if Harry cut down the lead of Elmer and Longback. +Instantly the thought occurred to her that +if no one would introduce her to the new student, +by winning the girl’s race, she would surely be +able to meet him at the mock coronation ceremony +planned for the carnival. And, gritting her teeth, +she bent forward, skating with all the speed she +could summon. +</p> +<p> +After the start of the girls, the interest of the +spectators had again turned to the boys and, that +they might the better see the finish, everyone +skated in the direction of the brush-pile. +</p> +<p> +When Snooks saw Harry taking the lead he +grew furious. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll get him! If I can’t win, <em>he</em> certainly +shan’t,” he growled to himself, and his anger at +the boy who had so humiliated him on two occasions +giving him increased strength, he quickly cut +down Watson’s lead, although in doing so, he +swerved his course from the extreme opposite +end of the line of racers close over to that of +the boy for whom he had conceived such hatred. +</p> +<p> +“What’s Pud up to?” exclaimed several of +those who were following. But not long was the +bully’s purpose in doubt. Tiring from his burst +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33'></a>33</span> +of speed when he was almost abreast of Harry, +realizing that if he were to carry out his mean +scheme he must act immediately, he lunged +viciously towards the new student. +</p> +<p> +“Watch out, Watson! Snooks is trying to +foul you!” shouted Jerry. +</p> +<p> +The warning was unnecessary, because Harry +had heard the sharp strokes of the skates close +to him, and, although he did not check his speed +by looking around, he intuitively seemed to realize +that the approach of the skater boded him no +good; and, just as the bully sought to throw him +off his balance, he turned his skate out and shot +rapidly to one side, putting himself a scant foot +beyond Snook’s reach. +</p> +<p> +“Pretty work! Good boy!” shouted the spectators, +as they realized the bully’s attempt and +our hero’s escape. +</p> +<p> +But his move had taken Harry several yards +out of his course, and quick were Elmer and +Longback to improve the opportunity to wrest +the lead from him. Clenching his fists more tightly, +Harry bent lower, and exerted himself to the +utmost to recover the lost ground. Less than one +hundred yards away was the brush-pile, and a +stick held in front of the racers would have +touched each one, so even were they. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, you Elmer! Get a move on! They’re +going to have a carnival and crown the winner +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34'></a>34</span> +king. The girls are racing to be queen, and +Viola’s leading!” shouting one of the scholars. +</p> +<p> +Thus apprised for the first time of the additional +plans which had been made for the bonfire, +the three boys bent themselves to still greater +efforts. +</p> +<p> +To Elmer, the thought that Harry might win +and thus share the honor of participating in the +mock ceremony with Viola was bitter indeed. +</p> +<p> +“If there was no one else but Longback, I +wouldn’t care,” he told himself. “But I can’t +let that scrub play king when Viola is queen.” +</p> +<p> +Nearer and nearer to the finish the three boys +sped, amid the yells and cheers of advice and encouragement +their partisans hurled at them. +</p> +<p> +But though each of the trio was skating with +might and main, not one of them seemed able to +gain on the others—and the brush-pile was a +scant fifty yards away. +</p> +<p> +“Shake ’em, Elmer! Shake ’em, Watson!” +cried the spectators, according to their preference. +</p> +<p> +But another ten yards were cut from the distance +to go, and Elmer and Harry were still +abreast, having gained slightly on Longback. +</p> +<p> +With a sudden burst of speed Elmer forged +ahead, amid the cheers of his supporters, but +even as the air was rent by their shouts of “Elmer +wins!” their hopes were dashed. +</p> +<p> +With no warning, the rich boy gave a sudden +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35'></a>35</span> +lurch towards Watson, struggled desperately to +recover himself, then fell to the ice, sliding with +terrific force toward Harry. +</p> +<p> +At the sight, the boys and girls who were following +cried out in surprise and disappointment, +while Jerry and Paul shouted warnings to their +new friend. +</p> +<p> +“That’ll finish Watson as well as Elmer,” declared +one student. +</p> +<p> +But his prophecy was not to be fulfilled. +</p> +<p> +When he heard the shouts of warning, Harry +had turned his head to learn their cause just in +time to see Craven’s body come sliding toward +him over the ice with amazing speed. +</p> +<p> +Realizing that, should it hit him, he, too, would +be knocked down, and the race go to the boy +whom they had both outskated, Harry took a +desperate chance and jumped, clearing Elmer’s +shoulder by a few inches. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36'></a>36</span><a name='chVI' id='chVI'></a>CHAPTER VI—THE GIRLS’ RACE</h2> +<p> +Harry’s action was greeted with shouts of approval +by all the scholars, but just when it seemed +that he was going to win without further mishap, +he fell and Longback flashed across the line a +winner! +</p> +<p> +In landing after his jump, Harry had leaned +too far forward, with the result that, though he +strove desperately to keep his balance, his centre +of equilibrium was too far forward, and he pitched +onto his face. +</p> +<p> +Little time did the fellows have to discuss the +eventful race, when there sounded a cry: “Get +out of the way! Give the girls a chance to +finish!” +</p> +<p> +Quickly the crowd that had surrounded the +fallen skaters, moved out of the way, as the girls +bore down upon the imaginary line that marked +the end of the race. Bent far down, her arms +swinging like well regulated pistons, Viola was +in the lead, a good three yards separating her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37'></a>37</span> +from her nearest antagonist, Mildred Evans, +while almost an equal distance behind Mildred, +the rest of the girls were bunched. +</p> +<p> +His disappointment over his fall forgotten in +the thought that Longback had snatched victory +from the boy to whom he had taken such a +dislike, Elmer cried: +</p> +<p> +“Look out for that crack in the ice, Viola, or +you’ll get tripped just as I did.” +</p> +<p> +Although the girl heard the warning, she gave +no evidence, either by thanks or by action, and +could the richest boy of Rivertown High School +have known what was passing in her mind, he +would have worn anything but the pleased smile +that enveloped his face. +</p> +<p> +So long as Harry had been in the lead, Viola +had exerted herself to the utmost to leave the +girls with whom she was racing as far behind +as she could. With a little gasp of dismay, she +had seen Snooks’ desperate but futile attempt to +foul Harry, and when the boy had jumped over +Elmer, she had been one of those who had shouted +their delight, and corresponding was her disappointment +when Harry himself fell, and Longback +won. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll not be queen to Longback’s king!” exclaimed +the proud girl, indignantly, yet, aware +as she was of the lead she had over the others in +the race, she was puzzled to know how she could +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38'></a>38</span> +manage to lose it without her purpose being too +evident. +</p> +<p> +When she heard Elmer’s warning, however, +she realized that there was a crack in the ice +which would throw her. Quickly she formed her +plans, and, with almost imperceptible slackening +in her speed, she began to search the ice for the +crevice. +</p> +<p> +For several seconds she was unable to discern +it; then of a sudden her glance fell upon a zigzag +depression, and she changed her course, though +ever so slightly, that she might be the more sure +to strike it. +</p> +<p> +“Look out! Look out! Keep away from +that edge of the bank!” shouted Elmer and several +of his companions. But as unheeding as +before, the girl kept on, appeared to stagger a +moment as she struck the depression, and then +sank to the ice. +</p> +<p> +First, in blank dismay, and then in anger, the +rich boy who had seemed to be the favored one +among Viola’s friends stared at her, and finally, +with a mumbled exclamation, skated toward her. +</p> +<p> +“You did that on purpose!” he snarled, as, +stooping over, he took hold of Viola’s arm to +assist her to her feet. +</p> +<p> +At the words, the blood flushed hotly to the +girl’s cheeks and indignantly she wrenched her +arm from Elmer’s grasp. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39'></a>39</span> +</p> +<p> +“How dare you say such a thing to me, Elmer +Craven!” she exclaimed angrily. “Even if I +have sprained my ankle, I am quite capable of +getting up by myself,” and forthwith she proceeded +so to do. +</p> +<p> +In the excitement caused by Viola’s fall, coming +as it did after the two leaders in the boys’ +race had been put out of the running by similar +accidents, those who had been watching the girls’ +race were too absorbed in their efforts to urge on +their favorites, now that all had practically an +even chance of winning, for, in her endeavor not +to meet a similar mishap to Viola, Mildred had +skated so far to one side that she had lost the +lead, so that none of them had seen the trick +save Nettie and Harry. +</p> +<p> +Both of them, however, were too far away to +hear what passed between the boy and girl, but +as Nettie saw her chum limp when she tried to +skate after picking herself up, she gave up the +race and went to her assistance. +</p> +<p> +“What is it? Have you hurt yourself?” she +asked, solicitously. +</p> +<p> +“It’s my ankle. I’m afraid I’ve sprained it.” +</p> +<p> +“Really?” +</p> +<p> +“Don’t be a goose.” +</p> +<p> +A moment the girl gazed at her chum and then +the light of understanding coming to her, she +exclaimed, significantly: +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40'></a>40</span> +</p> +<p> +“Oh!” And the better to give the semblance +of truth to the supposed injury, she put her arm +around Viola to support her, and led her to the +bank, where she sat down on a tree stump. +</p> +<p> +In the meantime, the race had been won by +Annabel Hutchins, who was known among her +classmates as the infant prodigy, because being +precociously bright, she had entered the freshman +class when she was only thirteen years old. +</p> +<p> +For a moment after the tall, awkward girl +skated across the line in the lead of the others, +there was a silence. And then, as the humor of +the situation dawned upon the others, for Longback, +a member of the senior class, had the +proper contempt for the under classmen, the boys +and girls yelled and cheered frantically. +</p> +<p> +“This will be some coronation!” cried Socker, +with a grin. But some of the girl’s, noting Annabel’s +embarrassment, prevented any more such remarks +by surrounding her and skating her to the +brush-pile. Then quickly seizing some of the +dried branches, they started down the river with +them toward the spot where the bonfire was to +be built. +</p> +<p> +The boys, however, especially the freshmen, +found it too great an opportunity to tease the +haughty senior, and they made his life so miserable +with their comment that in a rage he skated +away by himself. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41'></a>41</span><a name='chVII' id='chVII'></a>CHAPTER VII—THE RIVALRY BETWEEN HARRY AND ELMER</h2> +<p> +Their victim, having thus put himself beyond +their torment, the other boys turned to the brush-pile, +and each taking as many branches as he +could carry skated down the river. +</p> +<p> +Viola and Nettie were still on the stump, and +only Paul, Jerry and Harry were left at the +brush-pile. +</p> +<p> +“You don’t suppose Miss Darrow hurt herself +so badly she can’t skate back, do you?” asked +Harry of his companions. +</p> +<p> +“Jove! I hadn’t thought of that,” returned +Paul, and skating over to where the two girls +were, he asked concerning the extent of Viola’s +injuries. +</p> +<p> +“She’s hurt her ankle,” explained Nettie. +</p> +<p> +“My! that’s bad. Can you skate on it at all?” +inquired Paul. +</p> +<p> +“I can’t skate on it, but I may be able to step +on it,” dissembled Viola, and getting to her feet, +started to walk, only to sink down with a little cry +of well-feigned pain. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42'></a>42</span> +</p> +<p> +“Jerry and Harry, come over here! Viola’s +hurt her ankle, and we’ve got to get her back +down the river some way,” called Paul to his +chums. +</p> +<p> +“Remember we haven’t met Mr. Watson!” +exclaimed Nettie in a low voice, as the two boys +left the brush-pile and skated toward them. +</p> +<p> +“Why, I’m glad you reminded me. I’d forgotten,” +murmured Paul, and when the new student +joined them, he was quickly introduced. +</p> +<p> +“We’ll have to go down the river and get a +sled for you, Viola,” announced Jerry. “You +wait here with Nettie and Paul, and Harry and +I’ll go down.” +</p> +<p> +But after their manœuvring to meet Harry the +two girls did not propose to lose his companionship +so quickly, and Viola hurriedly exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“I think perhaps if you boys will help me, I +shall be able to walk down.” +</p> +<p> +“But that will only make your ankle worse, +Miss Darrow,” declared Harry. “I have it. +We’ll take a big pile of the brush and you and +Miss Masterson can sit on it and we will pull +you down the river.” +</p> +<p> +“The very thing!” cried the other boys, and +without more ado, they returned to the heap of +dried branches, picked out several big ones, which +they placed on the ice, heaping smaller ones +across them, until they had made a rustic nest +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43'></a>43</span> +into which the girls climbed, while the boys, with +pieces of rope which they had found and with +their skate straps, bound the heavy limbs together +and made a leash by which they could pull the +improvised sled. +</p> +<p> +But not without difficulty did the strange method +of transportation advance. First some of the +heavy limbs spread, letting the twigs and girls +down onto the ice and frequently were they +spilled from their nest, but all enjoyed it and with +much laughter and merry chatter they approached +the spot where the others were stacking the brush +which was to be set on fire in the evening. +</p> +<p> +“My eye! Look what’s coming!” shouted +Misery Jones, as he espied Viola and the others. +</p> +<p> +At his cry the rest of the boys and girls followed +the direction of his gaze, and when they +beheld the moving brush-heap with its two passengers, +they shouted and laughed as they skated up +to meet them. +</p> +<p> +“<em>Ach! die liebliche Schnee-fogeln!</em>” exclaimed +Prof. Schmidt, laughing as he caught sight of the +two pretty girls on the brush-pile. “Too bad it +iss dat wir de coronation not now can have?” +</p> +<p> +As he heard the words, Longback took a hasty +glance over the crowd assembled near the brush-pile, +and not seeing Annabel, exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“That’s a good idea, Professor. It’s getting +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44'></a>44</span> +so dark that we can have the bonfire now just +as well as later.” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, no you don’t!” cried Misery. “You +can’t get out of the formal ceremony by one got +up on the spur of the moment. The real queen +who won the race, you know, might object and +cause you domestic unhappiness. Even kings are +allowed only one queen.” +</p> +<p> +The result of the boy’s protest was a lunge +from Longback’s hockey stick, from which he was +able to dodge back in the very nick-of-time. +</p> +<p> +But the haughty senior was not allowed to get +away with his caddish suggestion with only Misery’s +reproof. +</p> +<p> +“Now look here, Sam Dalton! No matter if +Annabel Hutchins is a freshy she won the race, +and she’s going to be crowned queen when you’re +crowned king!” exclaimed several of the older +girls, gathering about Longback. “You wouldn’t +have made any objection, you know, if it had +been Viola, or even Nettie, and they’re only freshmen, +too; so if you don’t want to regret it all +the rest of the time you’re in Rivertown High +School, you’ll be just as nice to Annabel as you +possibly can be. The poor child went home crying +because she thought we were all laughing at +her.” +</p> +<p> +“If it’s going to make so much trouble, what’s +the use of having the mock ceremony at all?” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45'></a>45</span> +exclaimed Elmer, seeking to come to the aid of +his chum. +</p> +<p> +“That’s it! Be a spoil sport!” cried several +of the boys and girls. +</p> +<p> +“Then I’ll resign my honor in favor of any +of you who desire it,” growled Longback. +</p> +<p> +“Let’s not have the bonfire at all,” exclaimed +Viola, flashing a look of contempt at the senior. +“Instead let’s go on a hay ride to Cardell—I’m +sure I can have the horses.” +</p> +<p> +“Good! We’ll take along Nettie’s and Socker’s +mothers and then we can have a dance at the +Lake House!” exclaimed Paul. +</p> +<p> +The suggestion met with instant approval. +</p> +<p> +“Let’s have a great big sleigh-ride,” Socker +exclaimed. “I guess father will let me take our +horses, too, and we can fix up with hay, and it will +be a great lark.” +</p> +<p> +“You all can do as you please,” declared Viola, +“but I want Jerry and Paul and Nettie and +Mildred and Sally and Elise and Dorothy and +Mr. Watson and Misery and Jack and Horace +and Annabel to be members of my party.” +</p> +<p> +Readily the boys and girls accepted, and their +hostess requested them to gather at her house at +eight o’clock. The omission of Elmer, Longback +and Socker from her guests caused looks of +amazement to be exchanged between the other +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46'></a>46</span> +boys and girls, while the three fellows themselves +blushed. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll take the rest of our gang!” Socker exclaimed. +“We’ll go up to Cardell, anyhow, and +have a dance, and Viola, if you want to bring +your little friends, we should be very pleased to +see both you and them.” +</p> +<p> +“Will everybody whom I’ve invited go?” +asked the proud girl, ignoring the remark. +</p> +<p> +One after another they accepted until it came +to Harry, and he said, mindful of what his aunt +had told him: +</p> +<p> +“I thank you very much, Miss Darrow. I +should like to go, but I’m afraid it will be necessary +for me to stay at home and study.” +</p> +<p> +“Wow! Wow! Listen to that!” moaned Misery. +“On top of saving the kids and beating +Pud’s hockey team, he’s a grind!” and skating +over to the new student, he felt of his shoulders, +murmuring “It’s just as I thought. I can feel +his wings sprouting. My, won’t Rivertown get +a reputation when people know we’ve got an +angel among the freshies.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, if he stays in school until he’s a senior, +there won’t be any angel left about him,” laughed +Jerry. “Come on, Harry, you can go just as +well as not. The only thing we have to-morrow, +beside drawing and rhetoric, is Latin, and Old +Grouch Plummer always flunks everybody in that, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47'></a>47</span> +so it isn’t worthwhile to study the lesson. Besides, +we want to initiate you into the delights +of the dancing floor at the Lake House, it’s——” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps he doesn’t dance,” sneered Elmer. +“I’ve always heard that a lot of people down at +Lawrenceburgh were opposed to dancing, and +maybe Watson’s family is among them.” +</p> +<p> +This utterly uncalled-for slur made even the +rich boy’s chums look at him in amazement, but +though Harry flushed hotly, the darkness concealed +his confusion, and he replied in a steady +voice: +</p> +<p> +“I’m very fond of dancing, but really, Miss +Darrow, I must decline your invitation.” And +quickly wishing his friends among the boys and +girls “good-night,” he skated over to the bank, +took off the ice-runners, and went home. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48'></a>48</span><a name='chVIII' id='chVIII'></a>CHAPTER VIII—PAUL’S PARTY</h2> +<p> +The real reason for Harry’s declination of the +invitation to form one of the merry party, was +the fact that he knew there would be necessarily +some expense attached to the dance, and his +circumstances were such that he was obliged to +watch his money carefully. Indeed, it had only +been at a distinct personal sacrifice that his father +had been able to arrange for the boy to go to +Rivertown High School. Aware of this fact, +he realized that it would not be right for him to +start out by associating with those whose parents +were in a position to give them liberal allowances +for spending money. +</p> +<p> +For a few moments after Harry’s abrupt departure +there was a silence among the boys and +girls who were planning the sleighing party and +dance. +</p> +<p> +“There’s no use in allowing a new freshy to +interfere with our fun,” Socker exclaimed. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49'></a>49</span> +</p> +<p> +“Who’s going and who isn’t? I want to know, +so that I can get the horses and the sled and the +hay ready.” +</p> +<p> +The others sided in with this view of the matter, +and arrangements for meeting were quickly +made, after which the boys and girls separated, +going to their respective homes. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t you think that was queer in Harry +Watson to decline your invitation, Viola?” asked +Nettie, as they walked along. +</p> +<p> +Before the girl could answer, however, a voice +behind them exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“He hasn’t got money enough to go, or to do +anything the rest of us can. Father says he +knows Watson’s father and that he’s poorer than +a church mouse.” +</p> +<p> +Surprised to think their conversation had been +overheard, the girls turned quickly and beheld +Pud Snooks. +</p> +<p> +“Well, if that’s the real reason Mr. Watson +declined to go with us, it’s nothing to be ashamed +of. I’m sure it’s better not to go than to sponge +on some of the boys who have money,” sniffed +Viola. At this taunt, which was particularly +stinging for the reason that, although the bully’s +father had plenty of money, he gave his son very +little to spend, with the result that he was always +taking part in the pastimes of his schoolmates, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50'></a>50</span> +and forcing his companions to pay his share, +Snooks growled to himself and slunk away. +</p> +<p> +For several minutes the two girls walked along +in silence. +</p> +<p> +“Well, if it is true that Harry Watson won’t +be able to go to our dances and things, I’m going +to be all the nicer to him at school and on the +ice, because I like him. Honestly, I do, Nettie,” +said Viola. +</p> +<p> +This frank avowal surprised her chum, but +she discreetly kept the fact to herself, and it was +not long before the unpleasant incident on the +ice was forgotten. +</p> +<p> +But it had made a deep impression upon Harry +and, when he arrived at the comfortable home of +his aunt he was very serious, returning her greeting +almost curtly. +</p> +<p> +Realizing that something was amiss with the +boy, yet knowing well that should she question +him about it, she would but add to his reticence, +the aunt wisely held her peace, trusting that +during the evening he would let her know what +the trouble was, of his own accord. +</p> +<p> +The boy, however, came to the conclusion that +the problem which confronted him was one that +he alone could work out; and, during supper, he +forestalled any possible inquiries on the part of +his aunt by relating to her the incidents of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51'></a>51</span> +hockey game, and then the races to the brush-pile. +</p> +<p> +No sooner was the meal finished, however, +than he betook himself to his room on the plea +that he wished to unpack his trunk, and he was +soon busily engaged in so doing, at the same time +revolving plans in his mind by which he could +either win the good will of the boys who had +taken such an evident dislike to him, or else +manage in some way to get the best of them so +effectually that, for the future, they would not +seek to annoy him. +</p> +<p> +“I thought you were going to grind out your +Latin,” cried a voice, presently. +</p> +<p> +“Why, hello, Paul! I thought you were going +on the sleigh-ride!” returned Harry. +</p> +<p> +“None of our crowd are going, because Mrs. +Masterson wasn’t able to chaperone us to-night. +Instead we are going to have a candy-pull over +at my house, and I came over to get you. So +put your duds on and come along.” +</p> +<p> +At first our hero thought of refusing, then he +reconsidered his idea, and accompanied the fellow +who was later to be his most intimate chum to his +home, where he found all the boys and girls who +were to have been members of Viola’s sleighing +party, even to Annabel; and pleasant, indeed, was +the evening which he passed. +</p> +<p> +As they bade Paul’s mother and the boy good +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52'></a>52</span> +night and went out on the piazza, Mildred suddenly +cried: +</p> +<p> +“Oh, look at that red spot in the sky!” +</p> +<p> +Instantly the others turned in the direction +towards which the girl was gazing. +</p> +<p> +“It’s a fire!” exclaimed Misery. “It’s a bad +night for one, too, with the wind blowing, and it’s +so cold it will be hard to get any water.” +</p> +<p> +“Where is it? Why doesn’t someone give the +alarm?” exclaimed several of the boys and +girls. +</p> +<p> +“It’s over toward the bluff leading up to the +school.” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps it’s only a manifestation of the aurora +borealis!” exclaimed Annabel. +</p> +<p> +“That sounds fine, Annabel, but I guess I know +a fire when I see one,” returned Misery. +</p> +<p> +“But it’s just as likely to be the aurora as it +is a fire,” protested Mildred. +</p> +<p> +“No, it isn’t either,” retorted Misery. “It’s +a bad night, and fires always come on bad nights.” +</p> +<p> +The excited voices attracted the attention of +Paul’s father, and as the gentleman made his way +to the front door, several of them turned to him. +</p> +<p> +“Is that a fire, Mr. Martin?” they asked. +</p> +<p> +Ere the old gentleman could reply, however, +all doubt was put at rest by the shout of “Fire!” +followed almost immediately by the ringing of the +church bell. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53'></a>53</span> +</p> +<p> +Mr. Martin’s house was situated on the main +street, and as the members of the volunteer fire +company rushed by to get the hand engine, Paul’s +father called out: +</p> +<p> +“Where is it, boys?” +</p> +<p> +“It’s Jed Brown’s house,” came the answer. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54'></a>54</span><a name='chIX' id='chIX'></a>CHAPTER IX—THE FALSE CHARGE</h2> +<p> +A fire in a small country village, always a +dread catastrophe, is much more serious in the +winter, especially when any wind is stirring; and +in the realization of these facts, the street was +soon alive with men and women hurrying to the +scene of the conflagration. +</p> +<p> +When they learned, however, that it was the +home of the crippled veteran, many of them +turned back. +</p> +<p> +All Paul’s friends, together with his father, +had started towards the scene, as soon as they +knew where the fire was; and as Mr. Martin +met several men whom he knew, returning, he +asked: +</p> +<p> +“Where are you going? Is the fire out, or +what?” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, it’s nothing but old Jed Brown’s shanty,” +retorted one of them. +</p> +<p> +“That doesn’t make any difference. You +ought to be willing to help Jed as quickly as anyone +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55'></a>55</span> +else. Besides, there’s quite a wind, and if we +don’t check the blaze, it may spread. Now turn +around and come back with me.” +</p> +<p> +As Mr. Martin was a person of importance +and influence in Rivertown, the men whom he +had stopped and ordered to go back quickly +obeyed. +</p> +<p> +When they arrived at the head of the street +whence they could see the veteran’s little house, +they all realized that it would be impossible to +save it, for, though it had been a short fifteen +minutes since the alarm had been sounded, the +house was a seething mass of flames. +</p> +<p> +Frantically men were working with shovels, +throwing the snow which they scooped up onto +the leaping tongues of fire, but without any result. +</p> +<p> +Rising high into the air, the sparks were borne +in all directions, and when an unusually strong +gust of wind swirled down the bluff, the burning +brands were carried from the doomed house. +</p> +<p> +“Where are the boys with the hand engine?” +demanded Mr. Martin, when no sight or sound +was there of the volunteer fire department. +“Aren’t they coming?” +</p> +<p> +“They’re stuck. One of the runners on the +front bob gave in,” informed a man who had +just joined the constantly-increasing fringe of men +and women whose figures stood out in prominent +silhouette against the lurid flames. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56'></a>56</span> +</p> +<p> +“Then we must get busy and form bucket +brigades to wet down the roofs of those two +houses right alongside!” exclaimed Mr. Martin, +pointing to two large white residences, one of +which was about one hundred feet from the burning +house, and the other almost directly across the +not over-wide street. +</p> +<p> +“Come on, men! If those houses catch, the +fire will sweep right through the town! A quarter +of an hour’s work now will save them; but +if we wait very long it will be too late.” +</p> +<p> +Aroused by the words of the town Nestor, the +men and boys lost no time in rushing to each of +the residences; and while some of them went into +the kitchens and manned the pumps, others +formed a line to pass the pails, which were contributed +by everybody; while others of the men +who had placed ladders against the eaves, mounted +the roof, where they sat astraddle of the ridgepole, +dousing the embers which were falling on +the roofs with greater frequency. +</p> +<p> +Suddenly, the rumor spread among those still +watching the fire that the crippled veteran was in +his house. +</p> +<p> +Hysterical women wrung their hands and +begged the men to rush into the flames and rescue +the helpless man. Such an act, however, would +have been the height of folly, and none of them +made the attempt, knowing full well that were he +inside he would have met his death long before. +</p> +<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i004' id='i004'></a> +<img src="images/illus-003.jpg" alt="OTHERS FORMED A LINE TO PASS THE PAILS." title=""/><br /> +<span class='caption'>OTHERS FORMED A LINE TO PASS THE PAILS.</span> +</div> +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57'></a>57</span></div> +<p> +The rumor, however, was dispelled almost as +quickly as it had started. +</p> +<p> +“Ha! Old Jed ain’t in the house! I seen him +sneaking off down the street just as soon as the +fire was going well,” exclaimed Pud. +</p> +<p> +“How long was that before the alarm was +given?” demanded several of the men, who had +heard the statement of the butcher’s son. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, five or ten minutes, I should say. It +seems funny to me that the house should burn +so quickly; and then I should have thought Jed +would have wanted to stay and watch it,” added +Pud. +</p> +<p> +Had the boy known, however, the purpose for +which the old veteran had gone down the street, he +would have been less active in trying to sow the +seeds of suspicion among those who were in earshot +of him. But in his ignorance he continued +to make statements that would cast suspicion upon +the old man. +</p> +<p> +“When I first seen the fire, I thought I smelled +kerosene.” +</p> +<p> +“So did I,” chorused several others. +</p> +<p> +This mention of the fact that they had noted +the odor of the combustible oil immediately started +the tongues of the women gossips to wagging; +and gathering into little groups, they began to talk +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58'></a>58</span> +over with one another the reasons the crippled +veteran would have for burning up his home. +</p> +<p> +The bully, however, had not finished his sensational +statements. No sooner had he seen that +his sowing of the seed of suspicion had found +ready soil, than he added to his previous effect +by saying: +</p> +<p> +“After I seen Jed and smelled the kerosene, +I went down around behind the house and seen +a fellow running. Seeing he was headed toward +the village I cut around back and followed him +while he walked up Kenosha street—and who do +you think it was?” +</p> +<p> +The highly excitable minds of the women and +the village gossips had been worked to concert +pitch by the bully, and as he paused dramatically +after his story, they cried: +</p> +<p> +“Who? Tell us, quick!” +</p> +<p> +Looking round from one to another of the +score of people who had gathered about him, the +bully exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“It was Harry Watson, the boy that’s come to +live here!” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59'></a>59</span><a name='chX' id='chX'></a>CHAPTER X—HARRY IS EXONERATED</h2> +<p> +Unfortunately for Harry, he and his boy +and girl friends who had been at the Martins’ +house during the evening were all scattered between +the two houses where the bucket brigades +were working, and no one was there to speak a +good word for him in contradiction of Snooks’ +most despicable charge, for his manner as he +spoke gave no room to doubt that he believed +the new student had fired the building. +</p> +<p> +The others quickly put this interpretation upon +his statement, and with the rapidity only to be +found in villages, word spread about that Harry, +for some fancied spite, had burned up the home +of the crippled veteran. +</p> +<p> +And as the story was repeated, it lost nothing +in the telling. +</p> +<p> +“Why doesn’t someone go swear out a warrant +for the boy’s arrest?” demanded a particularly +irascible old woman. +</p> +<p> +“You can’t do it, Mirandy, unless you got +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60'></a>60</span> +some reason for making the charge, and you +didn’t see the boy,” returned one of the men. +</p> +<p> +“But Pud Snooks seen him. He can swear out +a warrant!” exclaimed the spinster. “It ought +to be done. There won’t be nobody safe in the +village with that boy liable to burn us all up at +any time.” +</p> +<p> +The words caused alarm among several of the +women, who gathered about the old gossip, and +they began to demand that action be taken; but +when some of the men finally started to look for +the bully who had spread the wicked report, he +was nowhere to be seen. +</p> +<p> +The gossips, however, interpreted Snooks’ absence +to their own ends. +</p> +<p> +“Some of the men have probably taken him +up to Squire Baxter’s,” said Miranda, and others +who had heard her words instantly gave the +irresponsible old spinster’s remark the stamp of +authority, declaring that Harry’s arrest was but +the question of a few minutes. +</p> +<p> +In the meanwhile, the fire having burnt itself +out on Jed Brown’s house, and the danger to the +neighboring mansions being thereby over, the +members of the bucket brigade made their way +once more to the scene of the conflagration. +</p> +<p> +With Mr. Martin on one side, and his son Paul +on the other, Harry approached the ruin. +</p> +<p> +“There he comes! There he comes! Luther +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61'></a>61</span> +Martin has the little sneak! He knows what to +do with him!” snapped Miranda. +</p> +<p> +And in whispers, low but none the less audible, +the word quickly ran around the circle of gossips +that the village Nestor was holding the youthful +fire-bug until the proper authorities could take +him into custody. So curious were the glances +cast at them by the rest of the people, that Mr. +Martin could not help but notice them, and, wondering +at their cause, he turned to the man nearest +him, calling him by name, and asked: +</p> +<p> +“What is the matter, Zeke? Why is everybody +whispering and looking at me?” +</p> +<p> +“’Tain’t you they’re looking at,” returned the +man, in a voice as solemn as though he were chief +mourner at a funeral. +</p> +<p> +“Then who is it?” +</p> +<p> +“Harry Watson.” +</p> +<p> +“What about him?” +</p> +<p> +“You know as well as I do.” +</p> +<p> +Too familiar with his neighbors not to know +that something of unusual seriousness was afoot, +Mr. Martin laid his hand heavily upon Zeke’s +shoulder. +</p> +<p> +“I want you to tell me what people are saying +about Harry Watson, and what all this mysterious +whispering means?” declared the patriarchal +man in stern tones. +</p> +<p> +Realizing that it would be folly to try to deceive +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62'></a>62</span> +the village Nestor, Zeke looked uneasily +about him, then cleared his throat, preparatory +to speaking. +</p> +<p> +“Well, it’s this way, Luther,” he began in a +whining voice. “They are saying as how you’re +holding Harry Watson until the constable can +come and arrest him.” +</p> +<p> +Both Paul and the boy against whom the breath +of suspicion had been directed could not help +but hear what passed between Mr. Martin and +the man with whom he was talking, and as the +latter explained the action of the rest of the spectators, +Harry staggered back as though he had +been struck a blow in the face. +</p> +<p> +“Arrest me!” he exclaimed. “What for?” +</p> +<p> +“You know,” declared Zeke in a mournful +voice. +</p> +<p> +“Nonsense, Zeke. Nobody’s going to arrest +Harry Watson any more than they are me,” interrupted +Mr. Martin. “And now if you’ll just +get over your desire to create a mystery and tell +me what this is all about, I’ll quickly settle it—and +if you don’t, I’ll ask somebody who can tell +me the plain facts without any trimmings.” +</p> +<p> +Fond as he was of beating about the bush and +giving vague hints and meaning glances, rather +than a plain statement of facts, Zeke, however, +did not wish to be deprived of exploding the +bomb. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63'></a>63</span> +</p> +<p> +“Pud Snooks says he seen young Watson running +away from the fire, and he and a lot of us +smelled kerosene just as the blaze started, and +Mirandy and the rest of us has been saying that +there won’t be any house safe in Rivertown until +that boy is fast behind lock and key.” +</p> +<p> +His son having told him during supper the +trick the bully had tried to play on Harry which +had come so near to resulting in the death of the +little children; also about the new student’s preventing +Pud from snowballing the crippled veteran, +and his attempt to foul the boy during the +race on the river, Mr. Martin readily realized +the story was but the emanation of the bully’s +brain. +</p> +<p> +Raising his voice so that it could be heard by +all within a radius of fifty feet, the village Nestor +exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“That’s utter nonsense, Zeke. Harry Watson +is a good boy. He comes from an honorable +family, and there’s no more reason for accusing +him of setting Jed Brown’s place afire than there +is of accusing me!” Then the patriarchal man +paused a few moments to allow the murmurs of +surprise to subside before he added in a still +louder voice than at first, for the greater effect: +</p> +<p> +“Besides, Harry Watson has been at my house +all the evening, and came to the fire together with +my boy, Paul, several of his friends, and myself.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64'></a>64</span> +</p> +<p> +“But Pud said he seen him!” declared several +people, evidently unwilling to accept Mr. Martin’s +words. +</p> +<p> +“Where is Pud?” demanded the village Nestor. +“I——” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, where is Pud Snooks? I want to talk +to him!” exclaimed a shrill voice, interrupting. +</p> +<p> +Turning at the sound, the men and women beheld +the bent and bowed form of old Jed Brown. +</p> +<p> +Instantly, there was a babel of talk and exclamations +at this unexpected turn in affairs. +</p> +<p> +“What do you want to see him for?” demanded +one of the men. +</p> +<p> +“I want to see him to ask him what he was +doing in my shed just before I caught him coming +out.” +</p> +<p> +At the words, several of the men and women +crowded about the crippled veteran, plying him +with questions; but with a wave of his hand, Mr. +Martin silenced them. +</p> +<p> +“This is a very serious statement, Jed,” he +exclaimed in a stern voice. “I warn you that you +must be careful what you say. Now tell me just +what happened, and how you discovered the fire.” +</p> +<p> +As they heard the words, those of the men +and women who were still at the scene, formed +a circle about the village patriarch and the crippled +veteran, necks craned forward, ears cocked, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65'></a>65</span> +that they might not lose a syllable of anything +that was said. +</p> +<p> +“I was just getting ready to go to bed when +I heard a noise out in the shed,” declared Jed. +“For some time I’ve been missing tools, and so +I picked up a club I had by the kitchen stove, +and started out to see what the trouble was. +</p> +<p> +“I s’pose I made some noise, for just as I +had stepped out of the kitchen door, somebody +ran out from the shed and tried to pass me. +</p> +<p> +“‘Who is it?’ I cried. But instead of answering +me, the person swung at me and caught +me in the shoulder with a blow that would have +knocked me down had I not thrown my arms +about him and hung on.” +</p> +<p> +As he made this statement, the crippled veteran +paused. For several moments his auditors waited, +thinking he would continue, but when he did +not several of them asked: +</p> +<p> +“Did you see who it was?” “Could you get +a look at his face?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> +<p> +“Who was it?” +</p> +<p> +“Pud Snooks!” +</p> +<p> +At the pronouncement of the bully’s name, cries +of astonishment arose from the circle of men and +women. +</p> +<p> +“Why didn’t you hold onto him?” demanded +Mr. Martin. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66'></a>66</span> +</p> +<p> +“Because he shook me off.” +</p> +<p> +“Then what did you do?” +</p> +<p> +“I started after him—and I hadn’t gone more +than half way up the street before I saw flames +burst from the shed.” +</p> +<p> +In silence all those in the circle heard these +words. +</p> +<p> +“Do you want to have the boy taken up for +this, Jed?” finally asked Mr. Martin. +</p> +<p> +“No. I don’t want to bring trouble to anyone, +but I’m not going to have the house burnt over +my head without getting some return. I want +to find Pud Snooks and ask him some questions, +and then I want to have a talk with his father.” +</p> +<p> +“You’re a sensible man, Jed,” declared Mr. +Martin. “Just come along with me and we will +go find Pud’s father. Come, Harry! Come, +Paul.” +</p> +<p> +Without more words Mr. Martin turned on his +heel, and led the way up the street, several of the +more curious among the crowd tagging at his +heels. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67'></a>67</span><a name='chXI' id='chXI'></a>CHAPTER XI—“OLD GROUCH”</h2> +<p> +“I don’t believe it was Pud who set fire to Mr. +Brown’s house,” exclaimed Harry, as they walked +along. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t you s’pose I know him when I see +him? I have good reason to!” retorted the +crippled veteran. +</p> +<p> +“What makes you think it wasn’t he, Harry?” +asked Mr. Martin. +</p> +<p> +“Because he was going on a sleigh ride with +Socker Gales and some of the other boys and +girls,” returned Harry. +</p> +<p> +“But evidently he didn’t go, for he was at +the fire after it was burning fiercely,” asserted +the venerable man. Nobody knew the cause for +the bully’s remaining at home. +</p> +<p> +Stung deeply by the words Nettie had uttered +when he had come up behind them when the two +girls were walking home, Snooks had asked his +father for some money that he might join his +friends in driving to the Lake House at Cardell +for the dance, only to be gruffly refused. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68'></a>68</span> +</p> +<p> +Angry at his father, his friends and himself, +the bully had eaten his supper in sullen hastiness, +and then left the house by the back way for the +purpose of watching his friends depart on the +sleigh ride. The route he took, however, led +him past the house of the crippled veteran whom +he hated so deeply, and the sight of it suggested +to him that he might work off his ill-humor by +playing some trick on old Jed. +</p> +<p> +Entering the shed, he lighted a match and was +looking about the shop, when he had heard the +crippled veteran opening the door of the kitchen, +and, thinking only that he must escape, the boy +had thrown the match on the floor and rushed +to leave the shed. Instead of going out, the +match had fallen into a pile of shavings, quickly +igniting them, and the flames found ready food +in the pieces of wood, oil-soaked leather and other +odds and ends with which the shop was littered, +and in a few moments had gained such headway +that they were irresistible. +</p> +<p> +Such was the story which Mr. Martin and the +bully’s father extorted from the boy after they +had questioned him closely in the presence of the +crippled veteran for a half hour. +</p> +<p> +Though the fire was purely an accident, it was +so evident that Pud had gone to his arch-enemy’s +house bent on mischief, that the butcher and Mr. +Martin were at a loss how to proceed in the matter +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69'></a>69</span> +of meting out punishment; and as they sat in +silence, pondering over the confession, it was Jed +himself who solved the problem. +</p> +<p> +“Well, I’m glad you didn’t come to the house +with the intention of burning it, Pud,” he exclaimed. +“You and I know I hadn’t occasion +for being fond of you, but I’d hate to think there +was any boy, or man either for that matter, in +Rivertown who was so down on me that he would +want to burn the roof over my head. +</p> +<p> +“Now, I’ve carried a bit of insurance on the +place and I’m not going to live very much longer, +so if——” +</p> +<p> +“Jed, I ain’t liked you no better than my boy,” +interrupted the butcher, “but you’ve been so decent, +and not asked me to punish Pud or send him +away where they’ll take care of him, that if it’s +agreeable to you I’ll give you two hundred and +fifty dollars. Pud, go get my check book.” +</p> +<p> +“No need to bother about that to-night, +Snooks. You can give me the money to-morrow,” +declared Jed. And with this understanding Mr. +Martin and the crippled veteran took their departure. +</p> +<p> +Once they were outside, the village patriarch +seized the hand of the crippled veteran and shook +it heartily. +</p> +<p> +“Jed, you certainly are a man!” he exclaimed, +feelingly. “But where will you go to live, now?” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70'></a>70</span> +</p> +<p> +Ere the old man could answer, Harry and Paul, +who had been waiting outside the house, joined +them just in time to hear Mr. Martin ask this +question. +</p> +<p> +“If you’d care to, I should like to have you +come around to our house!” exclaimed Harry. +“I know Aunt Mary would like it, and then as +you’re an old friend of dad’s he’d want me to +ask you.” +</p> +<p> +“That would be just the thing,” asserted Mr. +Martin, “and I don’t doubt but that you can +make arrangements to live at her house with +Mary as long as you care to stay in Rivertown. +I’ll go and explain things.” +</p> +<p> +Surprised at first, after the incidents of the +evening had been made clear to her, Mrs. Watson +readily agreed to board the veteran as long as +he cared to remain; and after bidding them all +a cordial good-night, Mr. Martin and Paul went +to their home. +</p> +<p> +Many were the glances that were cast at the +bully and Harry when they appeared at the high +school the following day, but no one had the +temerity to speak to them about the incident of +the fire, although there were many whispered +conversations held in which the sympathy was +entirely with the new student. +</p> +<p> +As Paul had said, the only lesson of importance +the freshman class were called upon to attend +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71'></a>71</span> +was the Latin, of which the crusty old Prof. Isaac +Plummer, often called “Grouch” by the students, +was instructor. +</p> +<p> +As the boys and girls filed into the classroom, +the professor, who was a little squat man, with a +scrubby beard, so thin that one of the girls had +said it was really an individual beard, glanced +at them over the tops of his spectacles. +</p> +<p> +“There’s no use asking any of you, I suppose, +whether you have your lesson or not,” he snapped, +in a high-pitched, jerky voice. “The fire last +night would have been a sufficient excuse, I suppose, +even if it wasn’t for the fact that you never +do have your lesson anyway.” +</p> +<p> +Then, his eyes resting on Harry, he exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“What are you doing in here?” +</p> +<p> +“I came to recite, sir.” +</p> +<p> +“Listen, the rest of you. Here’s a boy who +has come to recite. Do you, by any chance, happen +to be a member of the Rivertown High +School, or have you just dropped in like manna +sent from Heaven to show the rest of these young +idiots that it is possible for a child to know its +Latin lesson? What’s your name?” +</p> +<p> +“Harry Watson,” stammered the boy, his face +scarlet at the brusqueness of the Latin instructor’s +greeting. +</p> +<p> +“Where do you come from?” +</p> +<p> +“Lawrenceburgh, sir.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72'></a>72</span> +</p> +<p> +“Do you like Latin?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, sir.” +</p> +<p> +“Then that explains it. I don’t wonder you +left Lawrenceburgh. No man who cared for +Latin would ever live there, let alone learn it +in any of their schools. How far have you gone +in Caesar?” +</p> +<p> +“Through the first two books.” +</p> +<p> +“Indeed! I didn’t suppose anyone ever got +beyond the grammar in Lawrenceburgh. Suppose +you start in at the beginning of the second book, +which is our lesson to-day, and read as far as +you can.” +</p> +<p> +During this tirade many were the nudges in +which the boys and girls indulged themselves; and +Elmer and Pud had reveled in it, gleefully, believing +that they were about to witness the discomfiture +of the boy for whom they had conceived +such a dislike. +</p> +<p> +But Harry was fond of Latin and was also well +grounded in his fundamentals. Opening his book +at the part indicated, he began to translate, and +Prof. Plummer allowed him to finish two sections +before he began to ask him questions on +construction. But though he tried his best to +confuse the boy, Harry did not get rattled, and +acquitted himself creditably. +</p> +<p> +“Watson, I want you to come up here,” the +instructor exclaimed, when he had finished. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73'></a>73</span> +“Let me shake hands with you. I’m glad to know +there is one scholar in Rivertown High School +who has even the faintest conception of the Latin +fundamentals.” +</p> +<p> +Blushing even more furiously than he had +while he was being baited, Harry stood in his +place uncertain whether the professor meant what +he said or not, and hoping in his heart that he did +not. +</p> +<p> +“Ah, you hesitate, I see,” grinned Prof. Plummer, +sardonically. “After you know me better +you will know I never mean what I say. Never +to my knowledge have I willingly had one of +the pupils of Rivertown High School approach +any nearer than you are now. Kindly remember +that.” +</p> +<p> +And after calling upon one after another of the +members of the class only to have them answer +“Not prepared,” old Grouch dismissed the class +in disgust. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74'></a>74</span><a name='chXII' id='chXII'></a>CHAPTER XII—PLEDGED TO THE PI ETAS</h2> +<p> +Although the majority of the scholars in the +Rivertown High School lived in Rivertown, there +were a goodly number who came from adjacent +villages, and for the benefit of these, as well as +to give a greater school life to those who lived +at home, the trustees of the high school had sanctioned +the use of several halls as society rooms. +</p> +<p> +Thus the girls had two for their exclusive use, +the Gamma Gammas and the Lambda Nus; and +the boys three, the Kappa Phis, the senior society, +the Psi Mus, to which only juniors were +eligible, and the Pi Etas, nicknamed the Pie +Eaters by the upper classmen, composed chiefly +of sophomores, although such of the freshmen +as were not too crude were admitted to membership. +</p> +<p> +For several days after Harry’s encounter with +the Latin professor, he was discussed by the +boys at the head of the Pi Etas, and, after deciding +that he was eligible, the members began to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75'></a>75</span> +rush him, inviting him around to the club room, +to their homes, their skating and dancing parties. +</p> +<p> +Elmer and Socker, as well as Paul and Jerry, +belonged to the Greek letter society, and the proposal +to take Harry into the folds of the Pi +Eta met with a vigorous opposition from the +former pair. Sufficient were there of the sophs, +however, who believed that, with a little rubbing +off of the rough edges, Harry would be a desirable +member of their crowd, to out-vote them, and in +due course a committee was selected to pledge +him. +</p> +<p> +But when Harry was approached, he exhibited +no great enthusiasm. Fortunately, however, Paul +and Jerry were members of the committee and, +after the full body had sounded him, they remained +at his aunt’s house with him. +</p> +<p> +“What’s wrong? Don’t you like the crowd?” +asked Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“You bet I do! It isn’t that.” And then our +hero paused, blushing, finally continuing: +</p> +<p> +“I might as well tell you fellows, because it will +save a lot of unpleasantness for me. I can’t afford +to do the things the rest of you fellows can.” +</p> +<p> +At this frank announcement, Paul and Jerry +looked at one another in dismay, for neither of +them knew exactly how to answer, and moreover, +it was confirmation of their belief that Harry’s +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76'></a>76</span> +refusal to go on the sleigh ride was because of +his lack of funds. +</p> +<p> +As the pause that ensued after the statement +became embarrassing, Jerry took the bit in his +teeth. +</p> +<p> +“There’s practically no expense, Harry. No +initiation fees, or anything like that. All we have +to do is to pay for the light and heat. The school +pays the rent, that is, they say they do, though +none of the rooms or halls of Rivertown societies +have cost a penny, for they’re given by people +who own the property. My assessment, so far, +this year has been seventy-five cents. You know +there are fifty Pi Etas and the expenses for the +rest of the year, with Spring coming before long, +will be still less, and we want you to be one of the +bunch,—honestly, we do. It means no end of fun +next year, the Psi Mu surely for junior and the +Kappa Phi for senior year.” +</p> +<p> +A lot of other things Jerry and Paul told our +hero, and by the time they had finished talking +to him, he had fully come to the conclusion that he +would get the money to pay his dues in some +manner, and he signified his delight at the prospect +of joining the society. +</p> +<p> +“Good boy!” chorused his chums. “Just stay +in your room to-night. As your superiors in the +Pi Eta we command you to.” +</p> +<p> +And hitting the boy such powerful whacks on +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77'></a>77</span> +his back that is seemed to him his teeth would fall +out, Paul and Jerry left him. Descending the +stairs, they bade Mrs. Watson a significantly courteous +“good night” and hurried back to the society +room to carry the tidings of Harry’s acceptance +to their waiting fellows. +</p> +<p> +With an understanding of what the call of all +the boys upon her nephew meant that would have +done credit to a father, Harry’s aunt went to her +desk, took out a sheet of paper, and wrote: +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;margin-right: 2em;'> +“My Dear Boy: +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;margin-right: 2em;'> +“I hope you find this of use, and it affords +me more pleasure to be able to give it to you than +it can you to receive it. +</p> +<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-right:2em;;'>“Lovingly, Aunt Mary.</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;margin-right: 2em;'> +“P. S.—If anything should ever happen that +you should get into a little scrape, I want you to +feel that you can come to me. Tell me all about +it instead of going to an outsider. I shall be able +to help you.” +</p> +<p> +And enclosing a five dollar bill, she put it into +an envelope and biding her time until Harry came +downstairs, slipped up to his room and placed it +on his study table where he would be sure to find +it. +</p> +<p> +Wonder as to what his instructions to remain +in the house meant filled Harry with an alternating +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78'></a>78</span> +succession of vague misgiving and delight, and +appreciating his mood, his aunt humored him during +supper, refraining from pressing him with any +awkward questions as to his unusual nervousness. +</p> +<p> +When he finished supper, Harry stayed around +downstairs till he heard the sound of voices out +in the street in front of the house. As they drew +nearer and nearer, it became evident that they +were chanting. +</p> +<p> +“Mercy! What can that be? It sounds like +a funeral dirge!” exclaimed Mrs. Watson, simulating +an ignorance of the familiar song by which +the Pi Etas announced their descent upon a +prospective victim to their initiation, though she +had heard it numberless times before, when the +members of the society in years gone by had +passed through the street in quest of their victims. +</p> +<p> +The blood mounting to his face, Harry listened +a moment, then ran up to his room, grabbed up +his Caesar, dropped into a chair and vainly strove +to concentrate his mind upon the text before him. +</p> +<p> +Once only in a life-time does the indescribable +thrill grip the heart of a boy who realizes that he +has been found fit by the most critical jury in the +world, his fellow students, to become a member +of one of their secret societies—and in the ecstasy +of his happiness Harry never noticed that his +book was upside down. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79'></a>79</span><a name='chXIII' id='chXIII'></a>CHAPTER XIII—A SERIOUS CHARGE</h2> +<p> +As the measured tread of the steps of the +students marching in military time rang out on the +porch, Harry could not restrain his feelings, and +jumped to his feet, pacing excitedly up and down +his room. +</p> +<p> +For moments that seemed eternal after the +sound of the tramping came, he listened for the +peremptory knock. +</p> +<p> +At last it came, and as it rang out, with significance +the boy could never forget, his heart almost +stopped beating—then he was dully aware that +his aunt had gone to the door and opened it. He +heard the sound of excited voices, then it seemed +as though there were a mighty crash against the +door of his room, in rushed several of the boys +whom he knew, seized him, tossed him to their +shoulders and started down the stairs, not a word +having been spoken. But as he gained the outside +door, the boys assembled in the yard broke into a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80'></a>80</span> +chant of triumph, and with the new student still +borne aloft, they retraced their steps down the +street, the rhythm of their song growing in its +delirium until they reached their society room. +</p> +<p> +But once Harry was inside the sacred precincts, +guarded by the four plastered walls, he was no +longer the good fellow sought by his schoolmates, +but the victim of initiation—and before he had +performed all the stunts which were put up to him, +it was early in the morning. And when he made +his way to his aunt’s house, it was not the carefree +boy who had been borne forth on the +shoulders of his friends, but a youth, bedraggled, +and with a more proper appreciation of his utter +insignificance in the scheme of life. +</p> +<p> +Proud to think that her nephew had been picked +out for one of the members of the secret society, +Mrs. Watson sat up, with the purpose of welcoming +him when he returned home. But as hour +after hour went by without his appearing, after +the manner of a woman, she began to fear that +some harm had befallen him. Accordingly, when +at last she heard his halting footsteps on the +porch, she threw open the door, and greeted him +fondly. +</p> +<p> +But Harry was so used up that he failed to +appreciate the tenderness of the caress, and, realizing +the fact, his aunt sent him to bed with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81'></a>81</span> +the injunction to sleep as late in the morning as he +pleased. +</p> +<p> +Sore, indeed, was Harry when he awoke the +next morning, but as he noted the glance cast at +him by the other fellows passing on the way to +school, glances in which there was a certain +amount of envy, he began to forget the ache and +pain, caused by the anything but gentle thumps he +had received during his initiation, and by the time +he had reached the schoolhouse, he was quite his +natural self. +</p> +<p> +But though the boy was in exuberant spirits, it +did not take him long to realize that a depression +had fallen upon his society mates, and he lost no +time in trying to learn the cause. +</p> +<p> +“What is it?” he asked Paul and Jerry, as +they came toward him. +</p> +<p> +“It’s fierce, that’s what it is,” returned Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“But why don’t you tell me what it is?” +</p> +<p> +“Because nobody knows <em>exactly</em>,” asserted +Paul. +</p> +<p> +“We’ll know, though, just as soon as chapel’s +over,” announced Jerry, in a voice so doleful, +that the last vestige of Harry’s enthusiasm vanished. +</p> +<p> +Not far into the school grounds had Harry +and his companions proceeded, before the boy +had found that the gloom shared by his society +brothers was reflected in all whom he met, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82'></a>82</span> +though he nodded to such of the boys and girls +as he knew, when there was any response at all, +it was merely perfunctory. +</p> +<p> +“Sort of a dismal morning to hand out to a +new Pi Eta, what?” exclaimed Misery. +</p> +<p> +But Harry had become too imbued with the +spirit of disaster to make any reply, and as he +took his seat in the chapel, he was as anxious-eyed +as any of the others. +</p> +<p> +The formal chapel service over, Mr. Larmore +closed the Bible with decided emphasis, and then, +taking off his glasses and wiping them nervously, +he leaned over the little reading table and gazed +at the hushed students before him. +</p> +<p> +“I’m sorry, very sorry, to tell you all that there +were depredations committed last night in the +physical laboratory belonging to the school. +</p> +<p> +“Several pieces of valuable experimental apparatus +were destroyed. +</p> +<p> +“I believe that you all have too much understanding +to make it necessary for me to dwell upon +the heinousness of such acts. +</p> +<p> +“The incident, bad as it is of itself, is particularly +unfortunate in view of the fact that +there was, as I understand, an initiation in one +of the Greek letter societies last night!” +</p> +<p> +The significance of the principal’s words were +so unmistakable that, as they were uttered, a gasp +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83'></a>83</span> +of shocked surprise ran through the benches of +the students. +</p> +<p> +Not one among them was there who did not +know that Harry had been the boy who was +initiated, and, as if drawn by an irresistible impulse, +they turned their gaze upon him. +</p> +<p> +Again clearing his throat, Mr. Larmore started +to speak, when a boy rose from the seats occupied +by the seniors. +</p> +<p> +“My name is Thomas Dawson. You know +me, Mr. Larmore. So do the other people of +Rivertown and the scholars of the high school. +</p> +<p> +“I had the honor to be elected a member of the +Pi Eta during my freshman year, and, in the +memory of what the society stands for in scholarship +and in manliness, in high ideals of school life, +I resent most emphatically the imputations in +your remarks cast upon the initiation into the Pi +Eta society last night!” +</p> +<p> +Never before had such a defiance to the principal +of the school been made, and as the boys +and girls who pursued their studies within its +brick walls heard it, they were seized with an +amazement even greater than at the words of the +principal. +</p> +<p> +But the cup of their surprise was not yet filled. +</p> +<p> +Pausing a moment after his statement, that the +dramatic effect of his utterance might be the +greater, Dawson exclaimed: +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84'></a>84</span> +</p> +<p> +“In the name of the members of the Pi Eta +society of Rivertown High School, I demand to +know the authority for your statement that it was +any of our members who caused the breaking of +the apparatus?” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85'></a>85</span><a name='chXIV' id='chXIV'></a>CHAPTER XIV—THE BOYS APPOINT A COMMITTEE</h2> +<p> +Never before in the annals of Rivertown +High had such a scene been witnessed in the +chapel, and as the scholars realized that one of +their number was openly defying the man who, +for years had guided the destinies of those studying +under him, they were dumfounded. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Larmore, himself, evidently shared the +general astonishment for, as he heard Dawson’s +demand, his eyes flashed, he opened his mouth +as though to speak, and then, evidently thinking +better of it, closed it again. +</p> +<p> +The silence enveloping the chapel was so intense +that the fall of a pin would have sounded +loud. +</p> +<p> +Realizing that such a situation could not be +tolerated, the principal at last exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“Dawson, I am surprised that you should +assume such an attitude in this matter. +</p> +<p> +“For obvious reasons, I cannot enter into an +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86'></a>86</span> +argument with you as to the source of my information. +I will say, however, that I consider my +authority reliable. +</p> +<p> +“It grieves me more than I can express to +think that any of my boys should so far forget +themselves in their sport as to do damage to the +school’s property. +</p> +<p> +“I shall go to my office directly after I have +dismissed chapel, and I shall expect those boys +who took part in the breaking of the apparatus +to come to me and confess. +</p> +<p> +“Chapel is dismissed.” +</p> +<p> +Instantly there was a hum of excited voices as +the boys and girls filed from the assembly room +where the chapel exercises were held. +</p> +<p> +Instead of going to their class rooms, however, +the members of the Pi Eta society filed out +of the schoolhouse and gathered about their +leader who had challenged the principal. +</p> +<p> +“Did any Pi Eta smash the apparatus?” asked +Dawson. “If he did, for the good of the society +he must go to Larmore and take his medicine. I +want to be sure of my facts before I take any +further action.” +</p> +<p> +But not a boy spoke up. +</p> +<p> +“I put you on your Pi Eta oath,” announced +Dawson. +</p> +<p> +But even this placing them on their most sacred +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87'></a>87</span> +honor had no additional effect upon the society +boys. +</p> +<p> +Several of the members of the other Greek +letter societies gathered about the Pi Etas—for +they realized that a crisis had arisen that affected +all the social organizations of the school—and +they wanted to plan how to meet it. +</p> +<p> +When, therefore, they learned that none of the +society members had been implicated in the +trouble, they cheered loudly. +</p> +<p> +“The thing to do now, is to find out who told +‘Princy’”—which was the nickname the boys applied +to the principal of the school—“that it was +the work of the Pi Etas,” said Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“It strikes me that the best thing to do is for +some of us to go in and have a talk with him,” +declared Longback, when none of the boys offered +any suggestion as to who the bearer of the information +might be. +</p> +<p> +“Why not let the Pi Etas settle it themselves?” +proposed another boy. +</p> +<p> +“Because it concerns the rest of us just as much +as it concerns them—as a matter of fact I believe +it concerns us more; because I’m sure that not +one of the Pi Etas had anything to do with it.” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, and if any of us should go into Princy’s +office, he and everybody else in the school, would +think we had come to confess,” declared Paul. +</p> +<p> +This argument proved a clincher for the plan +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88'></a>88</span> +of sending a delegation to call on Mr. Larmore +in his office, and without delay the boys expressed +their preferences, the committee finally being composed +of Dawson, Longback, Jerry, Harry and +Misery. +</p> +<p> +The new member of the society objected to +serving on the ground that it wouldn’t look well +for a boy who had just had the honor of coming +into the Pi Eta to take such a prominent part in +its affairs so soon. +</p> +<p> +“Well, you <em>must</em> come with us,” returned Dawson, +“and I’ll tell you why. There’s no use in +mincing matters. Princy and all the other profs +think that as part of your initiation, the rest of +us either made you break the apparatus, or that +you did so in a spirit of bravado.” +</p> +<p> +The case having been put to him thus plainly, +Harry offered no further objection to serving on +the committee, and without more ado the boys +who had been chosen as delegates mounted the +steps preparatory to going to the office of the +principal. +</p> +<p> +“What is it? School for the rest of us?” +called another boy, looking about at his companions. +</p> +<p> +“No, let’s cut?” cried three or four, while one +of them continued: +</p> +<p> +“It will show Princy and the other Profs that +we don’t like the deal he’s handing to us.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89'></a>89</span> +</p> +<p> +Readily all the members of the Greek letter +societies in the school agreed to the plan, and +without even so much as going into the school +house for their books, they hied themselves to +their respective society rooms. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90'></a>90</span><a name='chXV' id='chXV'></a>CHAPTER XV—MR. LARMORE ISSUES AN ULTIMATUM</h2> +<p> +The excitement among the rest of the scholars +as to what the members of the accused society +would do was intense, especially among the Greek +letter girls, and little, indeed, was the attention +they paid either to their books or recitations, +their eyes being upon the gathering of boys. +</p> +<p> +In ignorance of what had been decided upon, +when some of them beheld the five who had been +chosen to wait upon Mr. Larmore, they instantly +concluded that they must be the boys who had +taken part in the smashing of the instruments, and +quickly they passed the word along to the other +students who were unable to look out of the window. +</p> +<p> +As some of the boys who had advised against +sending the delegation had argued, when the +knock sounded on the door of the principal’s office +and the order to enter had been given, Mr. +Larmore believed that the five students who filed +in, had come to confess. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91'></a>91</span> +</p> +<p> +Accordingly, assuming a stern but injured manner, +he rose and bowed to each of them. +</p> +<p> +“There is no need for me to say that I am +shocked when I see who of my students took part +in the mischief, but I am glad that you are men +enough to come to me and tell——” +</p> +<p> +“Pardon me, Mr. Larmore, but you are mistaken,” +interrupted Dawson. “We have not +come to confess anything.” +</p> +<p> +“Eh? What?” exclaimed the principal, looking +over his glasses at the speaker. +</p> +<p> +“I said that we have not come to confess,” repeated +Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“Then to what do I owe the honor of this +call?” Mr. Larmore asked, dropping back into +his chair and assuming his most sarcastic tone and +manner. +</p> +<p> +“In the first place, we want to tell you that no +member of the Pi Eta society had a hand in the +doings in the physical laboratory; and in the +second, we wish to know who it was that charged +us with the work.” +</p> +<p> +As he heard the statement, the principal’s face +grew even more stern, and for several minutes he +thrummed his desk without making any reply. +</p> +<p> +He had not asked the boys to sit down, and +as they stood in front of him, they began to get +nervous, shifting uneasily in an embarrassed sort +of way from one foot to another as though unable to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92'></a>92</span> +bear his gaze—and realizing how uncomfortable +he was making the boys, Mr. Larmore +kept silent longer than he otherwise would have. +</p> +<p> +Resenting such treatment, Dawson fidgeted with +his collar, and then exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“Will you——” +</p> +<p> +“Just a moment, please,” interrupted the principal, +raising his hand to stop the boy. “I should +like to know on what grounds you make your +assertion that none of the Pi Etas took part in +the outrage.” +</p> +<p> +“Because they have told me so, sir,” replied +Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“Of course! How stupid of me. I should +have known that did the great Tom Dawson ask +who broke the apparatus, the guilty boy would +have run right up to him. I made a mistake in +not asking you to——” +</p> +<p> +During this ironical remark, the senior who +had taken upon himself to defend the members of +the under class society, grew very red. +</p> +<p> +“That’s not fair, Mr. Larmore!” he exclaimed, +interrupting the principal. +</p> +<p> +“Very well. Why should you expect the boys +to admit their guilt to you?” +</p> +<p> +“Because I asked them under Pi Eta oath.” +</p> +<p> +This reply was sufficiently illuminative to cause +the principal to cast a keen glance at the spokesman. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93'></a>93</span> +</p> +<p> +“Do you really mean to tell me any member +of that society would confess their guilt to you +if you put them on their oath?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, sir.” +</p> +<p> +“And may I ask what you would have done had +any of them made such a confession?” +</p> +<p> +“Sent them to you, sir.” +</p> +<p> +Again did the principal look over the top of his +glasses, and he realized as he never had before, +what a power the Greek letter societies could be in +the discipline of the school. +</p> +<p> +“But if no members of your club committed +the outrage, who did?” asked Mr. Larmore +finally, evidently voicing the thought that was in +his mind. +</p> +<p> +“That, sir, we cannot tell you at the moment—but +we will be able to later.” +</p> +<p> +“How, pray?” +</p> +<p> +“Because we shall make it a point to find out, +sir. And as a first step toward that end we should +be obliged if you would tell us who gave you the +information.” +</p> +<p> +“I will do that—presently. First, however, I +should like to ask you what punishment you think +should be meted out to the boys who are guilty?” +</p> +<p> +“I fancy they won’t be ready for punishment +for some time after we find out who they are,” +exclaimed Longback. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94'></a>94</span> +</p> +<p> +Smiling at this answer to his question, Mr. +Larmore exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“I am obliged to you boys for coming to see +me. I’m sorry to say, however, that I cannot +accept your statements as to the innocence of the +members of the Pi Eta society in regard to smashing +the apparatus in the physical laboratory. +</p> +<p> +“My authority—who is no other than Tony, +the janitor,—is, I believe, altogether too reliable. +</p> +<p> +“For that reason, I have decided that until I +can learn who the perpetrators of the act are, to +punish them individually, I shall assess the Pi +Eta society the amount of the damages, which +comes to seventy dollars, and until payment is +made, I shall insist that the society’s room be +closed. +</p> +<p> +“I shall be obliged if you will act as collector +for me, Dawson. You can also announce my +decision to all the society members, though I shall +do it in school just before the noon recess. +</p> +<p> +“And now, young gentlemen, I bid you good +morning.” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95'></a>95</span><a name='chXVI' id='chXVI'></a>CHAPTER XVI—STUMBLING ACROSS A CLUE</h2> +<p> +Mingled, indeed, were the feelings with which +the boys heard this ultimatum from Mr. Larmore. +</p> +<p> +After he had dropped his sarcasm, they believed +that he would at least be fair with them, +and accordingly, when they heard his terms, they +could scarcely believe their ears. +</p> +<p> +But they managed to control their feelings and, +bowing curtly, turned on their heels and strode +from the office. +</p> +<p> +Once out in the hallway they gave vent to their +indignation. +</p> +<p> +“My word! Princy must have had something +awful mean for breakfast to have accumulated +such a grouch!” exclaimed Misery. +</p> +<p> +“But we can’t blame him so much,” returned +Longback. “What sticks in my craw is that old +Tony Farelli, who was janitor at Rivertown High +when most of our fathers and mothers were students, +should have laid the trouble to the Pi +Etas.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96'></a>96</span> +</p> +<p> +“He must have some good reason for thinking +it was some of us,” returned Dawson, “because +Tony has always been square.” +</p> +<p> +“Seventy dollars is going some,” declared +Jerry. “It looks to me as if the Pi Eta chapter +room will be closed for some time to come.” +</p> +<p> +“Shall you pay it? I suppose you’ll assess the +members equally?” asked Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Pay it! Well, I should say not!” retorted +Dawson, angrily. “Princy can nail up the door +of the chapter room first!” +</p> +<p> +“Now, don’t go to making any threats, Tom,” +interposed Longback. “The thing to do is to +have a meeting of the Kappa Phis and Psi Mus +to decide what shall be done.” +</p> +<p> +“How about us?” demanded Jerry. “Being +the victims, it seems to me we should have a little +say in the matter.” +</p> +<p> +“There you go again,” retorted Dawson. +“You freshmen never can seem to understand +that it is part of your training to do as your +betters tell you. Inasmuch as just about all the +Kappa Phis are old Pi Eta men, you can be very +sure that nothing will be decided upon that will +lower the dignity of any Pie Eater.” +</p> +<p> +While they were talking, the boys were standing +upon the porch of the school building. +</p> +<p> +In the meantime, the principal had started on +his rounds of the various rooms, immediately upon the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97'></a>97</span> +departure of the student committee, and it +was only a short time before he had learned that +all the Greek letter men had cut their classes. +</p> +<p> +Angered at such action, Mr. Larmore was +stalking back to his office, when he chanced to espy +the committee members through the glass in the +door. +</p> +<p> +Hastening his steps, he pushed open the inner +door, yanked the knob of the outside one so that +the door came open with a jerk, and faced the +boys. +</p> +<p> +“Why aren’t the Greek letter students at their +classes, and what are you doing out here?” he +demanded. +</p> +<p> +“I can only speak for myself, sir,” returned +Dawson. “I am out here because I’m not going +to school to-day.” +</p> +<p> +Only the tone in which he spoke saved the boy’s +speech from being grossly disrespectful, but the +principal had sufficient understanding of scholars +to know that it would not be well for him to press +the matter farther, and without another word, he +closed the door and returned to his office. +</p> +<p> +“Wow, but Princy’s mad!” ejaculated Jerry. +“Let’s get hold of the other fellows and decide +on our plan of action just as soon as we can.” +</p> +<p> +This suggestion met with the approval of the +other members of the committee, and forthwith +they hied themselves down the hill. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98'></a>98</span> +</p> +<p> +As they reached the foot, they met a crowd of +boys hurrying toward them. +</p> +<p> +“Princy’s closed the Pi Eta room,” cried several +of them, as they gathered about the members +of their committee. +</p> +<p> +“We know it,” returned Dawson. “And +what’s more it will stay closed until the Pi Etas +pay seventy dollars, which Mr. Larmore says is +the amount of the damage done in the physical +laboratory—and that, I opine, will be some time +in the far distant future.” +</p> +<p> +At first the other boys refused to believe this +announcement, but they were quickly assured of +its authoritativeness, and when its full significance +dawned upon them they stared at one another +blankly. +</p> +<p> +“I can also tell you that Princy’s very sore +because the Greek letter men have cut their +classes.” +</p> +<p> +“My word, but the prospect looks cheerful, +doesn’t it?” commented Socker. “Where will +the Pi Eta bunch meet, now?” +</p> +<p> +“The graveyard seems the most appropriate +place,” asserted Misery. +</p> +<p> +“You’ll have to do without your chapter +room,” laughed Dawson. “In the meantime, the +Kappa Phis and the Psi Mus are going to have +a meeting to decide what you shall do.” +</p> +<p> +“That’s awfully sweet of you,” mocked one of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99'></a>99</span> +the freshmen. “I do hope you won’t decide on +anything that it won’t be perfectly ladylike to +do,” and turning to his companions he exclaimed: +“Come on, fellows, let’s go down to the river and +have a hockey game.” +</p> +<p> +“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” countermanded +Dawson, as a dozen or so of the boys started off +to get their skates. “It’s up to you boys to find +Tony, while the rest of us are holding our consultation.” +</p> +<p> +“But what’s old Tony got to do with it?” +chorused several of the group. +</p> +<p> +“Everything, seeing that it is he who told +Princy the Pi Etas were in the laboratory,” returned +Longback, dryly. +</p> +<p> +“But there isn’t one of us Tony wouldn’t +recognize—except, of course, Watson.” +</p> +<p> +“That’s it, exactly,” asserted Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“Can Watson prove an alibi?” demanded a +voice from the outside of the crowd which had +been constantly increasing, as the word had passed +around that the delegates had concluded their +interview with the principal of the Rivertown +High School. +</p> +<p> +“Who said that?” demanded Jerry, indignantly. +</p> +<p> +No one, however, made any response. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll wager the fellow who said that thing is +the one who broke the apparatus,” declared Paul. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100'></a>100</span> +</p> +<p> +“Of course, I——” began Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Keep quiet! Shut up! Don’t answer him! +Forget it!” shouted several of the boys, effectually +drowning Harry’s words. +</p> +<p> +“You mustn’t forget you’re a Pi Eta, and that +a Pi Eta is never doubted,” said Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“Hear! Hear!” mocked several of the upper +classmen. +</p> +<p> +“Seriously, though, you mustn’t waste any more +time,” interposed Longback. “You noble spirited +Pi Etas go find Tony, and we’ll have our confab; +then you may meet us in the hall in front of the +Psi Mu chapter room.” +</p> +<p> +The freshmen, however, did not wait to hear +the last of the taunt, and breaking up into bands +of two or three, they started out with the purpose +of locating the janitor. +</p> +<p> +“Why not look for him at the school,” suggested +Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Because, this is his day to go to Lumberport,” +returned Jerry. “He always goes over there +every Thursday to draw money for school expenses.” +</p> +<p> +“Maybe he hasn’t gone yet. Let’s go round +to his house,” suggested Paul. +</p> +<p> +Quickly, the boys who were natives of Rivertown +set out to guide their new chum to the house +where the janitor lived; but when they arrived +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101'></a>101</span> +they were disappointed to know that he had been +gone some two hours. +</p> +<p> +“Are you the young gentlemen he was expecting +to bring him money?” asked Mrs. Farelli. +</p> +<p> +“Money for what?” asked Paul, surprised. +</p> +<p> +“I don’t know, sir. He just said some young +men were to bring him some money and I thought +it might be you, so I was going to tell you he said +to take it over to Lumberport and leave it at +Rector’s cigar store for him, as he won’t be back +for a couple of days.” +</p> +<p> +“Then he hasn’t gone on school business, to-day?” +exclaimed Jerry, with a rising inflection +in his voice. +</p> +<p> +“No, sir.” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102'></a>102</span><a name='chXVII' id='chXVII'></a>CHAPTER XVII—THE TRIP TO LUMBERPORT</h2> +<p> +After thanking the janitor’s wife for her information, +the boys left the house. +</p> +<p> +“Funny Tony should be going to stay away a +couple of days,” remarked Paul, as he walked +along. +</p> +<p> +Both his companions agreed with him, but as +Harry had lived in Rivertown so short a time, he +was little acquainted with the habits of Farelli, +and so he could offer no intelligent comment. +</p> +<p> +“It seems to me we ought to get over to Lumberport +as quickly as we can,” announced Jerry. +“If we can locate Tony and pull the story out of +him before anyone else gets to him, it will be +some feather in our caps.” +</p> +<p> +“It seems to me we ought to tell Dawson, and +some of the other boys,” declared Harry. “If +there really is any crooked work they will be more +likely to make the janitor tell about it than we +would, I should think, considering the fact that +they have been at the school four years.” +</p> +<p> +To this suggestion, our hero’s chums agreed, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103'></a>103</span> +and quickly they betook themselves to the hall in +which the room of the Psi Mus was located. +</p> +<p> +“You’ve got a nerve to rap at our door. Didn’t +we tell you to wait and meet us in the hall?” demanded +the boy who answered the summons. +</p> +<p> +“That’s all right. We’ve found out something +you people ought to know, so you needn’t +close the door in our faces,” retorted Jerry. +</p> +<p> +The statement that they had important information +to impart had been heard by the leaders +of the two societies who were holding the consultation, +and quickly they called to them to enter. +</p> +<p> +“Well, what is it that’s so important?” demanded +Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“We went down to see if Tony was at home,” +began Paul, when he was interrupted by one of +the others exclaiming: +</p> +<p> +“Of course he wasn’t. This is his day to go +to Lumberport on school business for Princy.” +</p> +<p> +“I know that,” retorted Paul, “but we thought +perhaps he might not have started yet. When we +got there, Mrs. Farelli asked us if we’d come to +pay Tony some money, for if we had, he wanted +us to leave it at Rector’s, in Lumberport, because +Tony won’t be home for a couple of days.” +</p> +<p> +“That’s just Tony’s way of trying to collect +his debts quickly,” commented one of the boys. +</p> +<p> +“Then why shouldn’t he have told his wife to +take it,” asked Harry. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_104'></a>104</span> +</p> +<p> +“And that’s what he would do,” interposed +Dawson. “I say it won’t do any harm for some +of us to go over to Rector’s and see what’s up. +In the meantime, you three boys keep your mouths +closed about what Mrs. Farelli told you.” +</p> +<p> +To their disappointment, none of the freshmen +were invited to become members of the party that +went to Lumberport, but they trailed along, nevertheless; +and when they trooped into the tobacco +store which the janitor had appointed as a rendezvous, +they were surprised to see Elmer Craven +and Pud Snooks talking with Tony. +</p> +<p> +Their amazement, however, was nothing compared +to that of the two students of Rivertown +High when they discovered the presence of their +schoolmates. +</p> +<p> +“Didn’t know you boys would dare come into +a cigar store,” growled Elmer, scowling. +</p> +<p> +“So that’s why you selected it for your meeting +place with Tony?” retorted Dawson, and +then, ignoring the presence of the rich boy, the +leader of the Kappa Phis turned to the janitor. +</p> +<p> +“Tony, I want you tell me which of the Pi +Etas it was who broke the stuff last night?” +</p> +<p> +“It was this young man, here,” returned the +Italian, nodding toward Harry. +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean?” demanded the accused +boy, his face blanching. “I wasn’t anywhere +near the schoolhouse last night. Just as soon as +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105'></a>105</span> +the fun was over at the chapter room, I went +home—and to bed.” +</p> +<p> +“I can vouch for the going home part of it,” +declared Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“And so can I,” added Paul. +</p> +<p> +“And my aunt can vouch for my being in the +house,” continued Harry. +</p> +<p> +“You see, Tony, you must have made a mistake, +don’t you?” pursued Dawson. +</p> +<p> +The charge that he had been wrong in the +identification of the marauder angered the Italian +and he did not hesitate to let the fact be known. +</p> +<p> +Dawson and Harry’s chums, however, refused +to accept the janitor’s statement, and began to +ply him with a series of cross questions which +finally extracted the statement from him that +there really was a possibility he had made an +error because he was fully thirty feet away from +the person he had seen in the building, and the +only light he had was a lantern. +</p> +<p> +As these facts were brought out, the boys who +formed the investigating committee exchanged +significant glances. +</p> +<p> +But their surprise was to be still further increased. +</p> +<p> +With an unexpectedness that made them gasp, +Dawson exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“I want you to tell me, Tony, if it isn’t in connection +with this identification business that Pud +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106'></a>106</span> +and Elmer came over here to pay you some +money?” +</p> +<p> +Too amazed to speak, the janitor and the boys +with whom he had been talking when the others +entered the tobacco shop, glanced at one another. +</p> +<p> +And their action was accepted by the other +boys as a tacit admission that the amazing charge +made by Dawson was true. +</p> +<p> +“Well, why don’t you tell me?” repeated the +leader of the Kappa Phis who had been acting as +spokesman. +</p> +<p> +“Because it is a matter that does not concern +you,” retorted the janitor. +</p> +<p> +“But you can’t deny it was about this laboratory +business, now, Tony, can you?” pursued his +interrogator. +</p> +<p> +“I haven’t been given any money by those +boys,” protested the janitor. +</p> +<p> +“But your wife said you were expecting some +from them,” declared Dawson, stretching the +truth, that he might make his point more effective. +</p> +<p> +“They haven’t given me a cent,” whined the +Italian. “They backed out!” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107'></a>107</span><a name='chXVIII' id='chXVIII'></a>CHAPTER XVIII—HARRY ARRANGES FOR A SETTLEMENT</h2> +<p> +Aware that they had been discovered in their +underhand work, Pud and Elmer worked their +way toward the door while Dawson was quizzing +the janitor, and when they heard his statement +that they had gone back on their bargain, they +made a bolt to get outside. But Jerry blocked +them. +</p> +<p> +“No, you’ll have to stay here until this matter +is settled once and for all,” he exclaimed, his +face growing white and his hands clenching. +</p> +<p> +Realizing that resistance was futile, the two +boys slunk back from the door and awaited the +further action of Dawson and his companions. +</p> +<p> +“Why not let them go?” suggested Harry. +“Mr. Farelli’s words and their actions have vindicated +the Pi Etas, and it seems to me very poor +policy to bring any scandal to Rivertown High.” +</p> +<p> +“But you forget that Princy has assessed a fine +of seventy dollars on the Pi Etas,” protested +Dawson. “While I’m perfectly willing to let the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108'></a>108</span> +matter drop, I see no reason why the boys who +are members should be compelled to pay out +money for something for which they were not +responsible in any way.” +</p> +<p> +Although Harry’s suggestion had met with +murmurs of approval from the other boys when +it had been made, the senior’s statement had +brought back to their minds the cost of such procedure, +and they were equally enthusiastic for the +latter plan. +</p> +<p> +The thought that he could get himself out of a +situation which had become decidedly embarrassing, +since his schoolmates had discovered him in +conference with the janitor and the bully of Rivertown +High made Elmer come forward. +</p> +<p> +“Suppose I agree to pay the seventy dollars +and let the matter rest? Is that agreeable to you +fellows?” he asked. +</p> +<p> +“We ought to know how the trick was +planned,” declared Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“Especially as it is Harry against whom the +insinuation is the most serious,” added Paul. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, never mind about me,” exclaimed our +hero. “The only thing to be considered is what’s +best for the Pi Etas and for Rivertown High.” +</p> +<p> +This stand of the new student appealed to the +rest of the boys, and at a sign from Dawson, they +withdrew to a corner of the cigar store for a +conference, leaving Harry, the janitor, Snooks +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109'></a>109</span> +and Elmer leaning against the glass showcase. +</p> +<p> +The entire proceeding had been distasteful to +the janitor, who had filled his position for so +many years and, believing that it would be best +for him to propitiate the boy for whom the other +students had taken up the cudgels, he riveted his +eyes upon the new member of the Pi Etas. +</p> +<p> +“Do you know, I think I was wrong, sir, when +I told Mr. Larmore that you were the boy I had +seen in the building.” +</p> +<p> +“You most certainly were!” returned Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, well, in a time of excitement, any man is +apt to be mistaken,” interposed Elmer, lightly, +“and so long as no harm has been done, if I am +willing to pay the expense, I don’t see why the +matter should go any farther.” +</p> +<p> +At this statement, Harry looked at the rich boy. +</p> +<p> +“So you don’t think it’s any harm to have such +a charge made against you when you are practically +unknown to the school authorities, and to the +people of the town in which the school is located?” +he asked. +</p> +<p> +At the question, Elmer flushed and before he +could think of a reply that was adequate, Dawson +and the boys with whom he had been talking, +moved over towards them. +</p> +<p> +“We’ve decided that if Watson is willing to +overlook the affront that has been put upon him, +for the good of the Pi Etas and Rivertown High, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_110'></a>110</span> +we will allow you to pay the seventy dollars, +Craven, and let the matter drop.” +</p> +<p> +“Very well, I will go to Mr. Larmore in the +morning,” announced Elmer, his relief at the solution +of the difficulty evidenced by the look which +settled on his face. +</p> +<p> +“No, that won’t do,” returned Dawson. “Mr. +Larmore appointed me as collector of the assessment, +and if the matter is to be arranged as you +suggested, you must give the money to me. I will +pay him. In that way, no one but ourselves need +know of the real facts.” +</p> +<p> +“But I shall need time in which to raise the +money,” protested Elmer. +</p> +<p> +“How long?” asked the boy who had been +acting as spokesman. +</p> +<p> +“A month, I should say.” +</p> +<p> +“And we’re to stand for the Pi Eta society +room being closed for that length of time just to +accommodate you,” demanded Jerry, stepping +toward Elmer. +</p> +<p> +As though fearing an assault from his schoolmate, +the rich boy drew back. +</p> +<p> +“Well, I might be able to get the money in +two weeks,” he announced. +</p> +<p> +“That won’t do, either,” said Dawson. “Knowing +you as I do, it is my opinion that you have +the money right in your pocket this minute.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111'></a>111</span> +</p> +<p> +“But think of the sum, seventy dollars,” protested +Elmer. +</p> +<p> +“Which is nothing to you, if the stories that +come from Lumberport and Springtown are true,” +returned the senior, “and besides, I can tell from +the way Snooks is acting that he has some money +in his pocket. +</p> +<p> +“Now you two boys might just look the matter +squarely in the face. You have deeply wronged +Harry Watson—for reasons best known to yourselves. +Watson is a member of the Pi Eta and +a scholar in Rivertown High and is willing to +overlook your actions, provided you clear the society +from all odium. +</p> +<p> +“I don’t mind telling you frankly that it was +only because I insisted upon it that the rest of the +boys who came over with me consented to such an +arrangement. +</p> +<p> +“But unless you pay the money at once and to +me, I shall withdraw my objections to the true +state of affairs being told to Mr. Larmore—and +you all know what the result of such action would +be.” +</p> +<p> +The tones in which the senior spoke were bitter +and, fully as much as the words, they made Craven +understand that he could not count upon the +sympathy or support of the other Greek letter +men. +</p> +<p> +And even Snooks, who had never been able to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112'></a>112</span> +gratify his dearest ambition of becoming a Pi Eta, +felt their sting. +</p> +<p> +“I’ve got fifteen dollars,” the bully announced. +“If you have the rest let’s pay it, Elmer.” +</p> +<p> +This statement that the butcher’s son had any +money in his pocket was a distinct surprise not +alone to Elmer but to the other boys, and deeming +that it would make the burden upon him just so +much the lighter, Craven put his hand in his +pocket. +</p> +<p> +“Very well. I have fifty dollars. With Pud’s +fifteen that will make sixty-five. If the rest of +you will raise the remaining five dollars among +yourselves, I will pay it in the morning.” +</p> +<p> +In his talk, Dawson had been more or less bluffing, +for he had not thought that even as rich as +Elmer’s father was, he allowed him any such +amount of money; and when he had heard the boy +announce that he had fifty dollars in his pocket, +he could scarcely restrain the exclamation of surprise +that rose to his lips. But he managed to +dissemble his feelings. +</p> +<p> +“All right. You place your money on the +showcase, Elmer, and you put yours down, Pud.” +</p> +<p> +Quickly, the two boys obeyed and, after verifying +the count, Dawson turned to the others. +</p> +<p> +“It’s up to us to make up the other five dollars. +Come on, shell out?” he exclaimed. +</p> +<p> +“I have fifty cents,” and producing the coin, he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113'></a>113</span> +laid it down on the showcase beside the other +money. +</p> +<p> +The rest of the boys, however, not being accustomed +to carrying money about with them, fidgeted +nervously, then put their hands in their pockets, +and the sum total they produced did not +amount to over fifty cents more. +</p> +<p> +Enjoying their embarrassment, Elmer’s face +suddenly lighted. +</p> +<p> +“You fellows have driven hard terms with me, +and if you can’t make up the other five dollars, +then I withdraw my offer to stand the brunt of the +cost.” +</p> +<p> +In dismay, Dawson and his friends looked at +one another, but just as they were on the point of +admitting they could not carry out their agreement, +Harry took out an envelope from his pocket. +</p> +<p> +“I have five dollars,” he announced. “And +for the sake of the Pi Etas and Rivertown, I +should be glad to put it into the fund.” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114'></a>114</span><a name='chXIX' id='chXIX'></a>CHAPTER XIX—UPHOLDING THE HONOR OF RIVERTOWN</h2> +<p> +Even Elmer and Snooks could not but appreciate +the magnanimity of this offer, aware as they +were of the straightened circumstances of the new +student. +</p> +<p> +“Good boy!” exclaimed the others. “We’ll +make it up to you just as soon as we get back to +Rivertown.” +</p> +<p> +Such strong dislike, however, had he conceived +for Harry, that Elmer could not bear the thought +of being under obligations to him to the slightest +extent, and with an angry movement he thrust his +hand in his pocket, pulling out a five dollar bill. +</p> +<p> +“Here! Take this,” he snarled at Dawson. +“I was saving it out to get home on, but it doesn’t +amount to anything to me, and I suppose that five +dollars Watson has is his spending money for the +year.” +</p> +<p> +The wanton brutality of the remark brought an +angry flush to Harry’s face, and clenching his +hands, he started toward the rich youth. But with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115'></a>115</span> +no desire to have any trouble in the town across +the river, Dawson, Paul and Jerry quickly placed +themselves between the two boys, while the senior +took the extra money from Elmer and wrapped it +with that which he had, giving back to Harry the +bill which our hero’s aunt had presented to him. +</p> +<p> +At first, the new member of the Pi Eta society +was disposed to resent the act. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t be foolish,” exclaimed Dawson. “Craven +and Snooks were the ones who smashed the +apparatus—I don’t know exactly how—but you +never would find them willing to pay a cent unless +they were guilty; and it is perfectly right that Craven +should pay all the money he can rake or +scrape together.” +</p> +<p> +At this stinging comment, Elmer opened his +mouth as though he intended making a retort; +but second thought showed him the futility of so +doing, and buttoning up his coat, he nodded towards +Snooks and left the store with the bully. +</p> +<p> +As soon as they were gone, the senior turned +upon the janitor. +</p> +<p> +“Tony, I never thought to find you in such a +mess as this.” +</p> +<p> +With tears in his eyes, the Italian spoke to the +boys: +</p> +<p> +“I didn’t want to, but my little girl, she is sick, +and I need some money; and so when Elmer and +Pud come to me and tell me they would give me +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116'></a>116</span> +fifty dollars if I will say Watson broke the stuff, +I talked it over with my woman, and she say take +it.” +</p> +<p> +This confession of the janitor’s, substantiating +the idea which the boys had formed of the incident, +together with the thought that his temptation +had come from the fact that his child was ill, +caused them to forego any further cross-questioning +of the janitor, and they took their departure +from the cigar store. +</p> +<p> +The return to Rivertown was much in the nature +of an ovation for Harry, for not long was it +after the committee appointed by the Greek letter +societies started out than word of their purpose +spread among the scholars. +</p> +<p> +With the letting out of school for the noon recess, +the girls who were members of the Gamma +Gammas and the Lambda Nus learned of the action +of the boys, and forthwith they decided to cut +classes for the rest of the day. +</p> +<p> +Particularly caustic in their comments upon the +action of the principal were Viola and Nettie; but +as the older girls counseled a waiting policy, the +two freshmen were prevented from doing anything +that would further complicate the unfortunate +case. +</p> +<p> +The action of the girls depleted the ranks of +the school still further. It was with difficulty the +instructors could maintain any sort of discipline +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117'></a>117</span> +during the afternoon, and when the last session +was over for the day, the boys and girls hastened +down to the river, put on their skates and started +across to the town of Lumberport. +</p> +<p> +Before they had reached the other side of the +river, however, they met Dawson and the other +boys returning, and as they saw the happy expression +on their faces, their curiosity was +aroused to a high pitch. +</p> +<p> +But though they plied them with questions, they +were unable to extract any more satisfactory explanation +from them than that the matter had been +settled. +</p> +<p> +Loud were the protests at this terse announcement +and the various friends of the boys who had +gone across the river had drawn them aside and +were striving their utmost to learn the real facts, +when there was a loud shout from up the river. +</p> +<p> +Turning, the members of the Rivertown High +beheld the red and white banners which were the +colors of the high school at Springtown, and almost +simultaneously with the recognition of the +identity of the approaching crowd, they heard the +artillery like rattle of the school cheer. +</p> +<p> +“What’s the matter with Springtown? What’s +up now?” exclaimed several of the boys. +</p> +<p> +“Give them the Rivertown cheer. All together +now, everybody! Act as though you were alive,” +shouted Dawson, and swinging his arms in lieu of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118'></a>118</span> +a baton he led the cheer, whose volume rolled up +the river, breaking with defiance in the ears of +the down-coming horde of skaters. +</p> +<p> +“The quickest way to find out what’s doing is to +go up to meet them,” announced Jerry. +</p> +<p> +And without more ado, he and a few of the +other boys started off up the river. +</p> +<p> +Massed together as though they were defenders +of a town repelling a hostile attack, the other boys +and girls assumed a compact mass, watching the +members of their own school as they sped toward +the phalanx of the neighboring town. +</p> +<p> +No sooner had they noted the movement of the +leaders among the members of Rivertown High, +than the Springtownians checked their advance, +and after a few moment’s hesitation, they sent part +of their number to meet the delegation from Rivertown. +</p> +<p> +The parley between the two groups was short; +then the Rivertown members turned on their +skates and started back to their schoolmates at +top speed. +</p> +<p> +“Springtown’s come down for a race,” one of +the boys announced. “Shall we give it to them?” +</p> +<p> +For years the schools in the neighboring towns +were rivals in all branches of athletics, and though +the percentage of victories had been with the +scholars at the head of the river, there never was +a time when they could propose any game that the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119'></a>119</span> +boys and girls of Rivertown were not eager to +take up the challenge. +</p> +<p> +Accordingly when the member of the high +school on the bluff asked if his mates wished to +accept the challenge of the Springtownians there +was a mighty shout of “Yes.” +</p> +<p> +“But who’ll represent us?” exclaimed three or +four of the seniors. +</p> +<p> +“Craven isn’t in the bunch, Longback has a +grouch, and Snooks is missing too,” exclaimed +Misery. “Why not call the boys’ race off, and +let Annabel represent Rivertown?” +</p> +<p> +“Now don’t get funny,” admonished Dawson. +“There are plenty of us here who can uphold old +Rivertown.” +</p> +<p> +“Who?” demanded several voices. +</p> +<p> +“Jerry and Paul—and Watson,” added another +voice. +</p> +<p> +“How about it. You fellows want to make a +try?” +</p> +<p> +“Who are we going up against?” +</p> +<p> +“The very best men in Springtown.” +</p> +<p> +“Do they race fair?” asked Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> +<p> +“Can’t you get anyone else to go against them +in my place?” +</p> +<p> +“It doesn’t seem so. You heard what Misery +said.” +</p> +<p> +This parley was interrupted by the arrival of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120'></a>120</span> +the advance guard of the scholars who had come +down to challenge their rivals at Rivertown. +</p> +<p> +“Are you going to let us win by default?” +asked one of the boys from Springtown. +</p> +<p> +“Not so you’d notice it. When it comes to +count the winners, Springtown won’t have a look +in!” returned Dawson. +</p> +<p> +His words brought a cheer of encouragement +from his schoolmates. +</p> +<p> +“Then let’s get busy and start the races right +away,” announced the spokesman for the Springtownians. +</p> +<p> +“All right. Bring the men out. We have only +three. How long is the race going to be?” +</p> +<p> +In response to this question various were the +exclamations of opinion; some clamored for two +miles, others asserting that one was enough. When +they could come to no definite conclusion, several +of the leaders from each of the schools got together +to try to settle the distance. +</p> +<p> +Their attempt, however, was as unsuccessful as +had been those of the scholars en masse; and finally +Socker Gales exclaimed: +</p> +<p> +“Let’s toss a coin!” +</p> +<p> +The suggestion met with instant approval from +both of the opposing forces. +</p> +<p> +Quickly Dawson drew a coin from his pocket, +balancing it on his thumb and forefinger. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121'></a>121</span> +</p> +<p> +“I’ll toss. Springtown, you call!” he exclaimed. +</p> +<p> +High in the air he spun the coin, and as it +whirled over and over, the leader of the Springtownians, +shouted: “Tails!” +</p> +<p> +With a sharp click the bit of money struck the +ice, and then as though driven by perverseness, it +rolled some twenty feet, finally striking a depression, +into which it fell. +</p> +<p> +The instant the coin had struck the ice and +started on it’s runaway career, the boys who had +been watching the tossing, set after it; but fleet as +they were, it managed to elude them and had settled +in the ice crevice before they had overtaken +it. +</p> +<p> +“Which is it?” called the others, as two of the +Rivertown boys reached the spot. +</p> +<p> +“Heads,” they replied. +</p> +<p> +“That means you lose, Springtown!” chorused +the rest of the Rivertown scholars. +</p> +<p> +But the challengers from up the river refused +to accept the fall of the coin as an omen. +</p> +<p> +“Which distance are you going to take?” demanded +the leader of the visitors. +</p> +<p> +“Wait until I talk with the boys who are going +to race,” announced Dawson. +</p> +<p> +“We’ll make it two miles!” he finally exclaimed, +after a brief consultation. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_122'></a>122</span> +</p> +<p> +This announcement met with varied exclamations +from the Rivertown students. +</p> +<p> +“Paul and Jerry never can stand that distance +in the world,” shouted several of their mates. +</p> +<p> +“Never mind, that’s Watson’s pet race, and all +we want to do is win it,” declared Misery. “This +isn’t a meet where we have to have points to win.” +</p> +<p> +But despite his confident announcement, there +were many of the scholars who scoffed at the +thought that the boy who had so lately come to +Rivertown would be able to defeat the man who +had twice won the race for Springtown. +</p> +<p> +Realizing what was in their minds, several of +the seniors skated about among the Rivertown students. +</p> +<p> +“Don’t sulk!” they exclaimed. “Show some +life! We chose the two miles, and it’s up to you +people to give some support to the boys who are +going to race! Don’t act as though you thought +we were beaten already. Come on now, rip out a +cheer!” +</p> +<p> +Under the lash of the words, the boys and girls +of Rivertown let out cheer after cheer, winding +up the various school cries with the names of the +boys who were to represent it’s honor. +</p> +<p> +Valiantly, Springtown came back, but not +enough scholars had come down the river to produce +a volume as great as that of the home town, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123'></a>123</span> +and they finally abandoned their efforts to out-cheer +their rivals. +</p> +<p> +The preliminaries having been arranged while +the battle of voices was being fought out, the +student leaders had drawn a line on the ice from +one of the old landmarks which had been used on +the river for the races between the two schools +for generations, while three or four others started +up the ice to stand the stakes at the finish line, +which was also indicated by long established posts. +</p> +<p> +As soon as the latter had taken their position, +the contestants were lined up. +</p> +<p> +Having lost the choice of distance, according +to the traditions of the races between the two +schools, the task of starting the race fell to +Springtown, and Dick Wenzel, the captain of the +baseball team, was proclaimed the man to give +the word. +</p> +<p> +Separating into groups which lined up, each +about their representatives, the scholars again +gave vent to cheers, and when they finally subsided, +Wenzel warned the racers to be ready, then +sent them away. +</p> +<p> +During the time that they were waiting, Paul +and Jerry had posted Harry as well as they could +on the tricks of their opponents; and the three +boys had come to the conclusion that inasmuch as +the race was to be for two miles, it would be best +to let the visitors set the pace. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124'></a>124</span> +</p> +<p> +The boys from the head of the river, however, +quickly fell to the game and slackened their speed. +</p> +<p> +“Wake up! Put some ginger into it. This +isn’t a walking match!” shouted the boys and girls +who were following the contestants, irrespective of +the schools to which they belonged. +</p> +<p> +During the first few hundred yards, Harry had +sized up his opponents closely, noting from the +short strokes they took, that while they could +maintain a high rate of speed for a short distance, +they were more than likely to exhaust themselves +before they could go the two miles; and when he +heard the taunts of his schoolmates, he decided +to take a chance of being outskated by the rivals +of Rivertown. +</p> +<p> +All six of the boys were skating along leisurely, +when of a sudden Harry put on a burst of speed, +shooting to the front; and before the others had +realized what had happened he had opened a +space of fifty feet between him and his competitors. +</p> +<p> +“After him! After him! Don’t let him get +too much of a lead on you,” warned the Springtown +students, dismayed to think anyone could +make such a gain on their representatives. +</p> +<p> +The glee of the Rivertown scholars was in proportion +to the anxiety of their rivals. +</p> +<p> +But though the representatives of Springtown +responded to the demands of their mates, Harry +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125'></a>125</span> +had a flying lead and, exert themselves as they +would, the boys from up the river could not gain +on him. +</p> +<p> +His arms and feet swinging in perfect rhythm, +Harry sped over the smooth ice, the shouts of his +schoolmates ringing in his ears. +</p> +<p> +“You’ve got a good lead, slow up!” shouted +those of his mates who were nearest to him, while +others cautioned him to take it easy, in the fear +that he could not last the full distance. But the +boy knew himself better than they, and kept on at +his top speed, unmindful of their advice. +</p> +<p> +Hard behind him came a Springtown skater, but +could not cut down his lead appreciably. +</p> +<p> +Barely able to hold their own with the others, +Paul and Jerry struggled along, and as they saw +that their chum had so great an advantage they +devoted their energies to coaching him. +</p> +<p> +“You’ve got them all puffing, and there’s only +a quarter more to go! There isn’t one of them +who can spurt! Just take care of yourself and +don’t fall!” they shouted from time to time. +</p> +<p> +As the cries reached his ears, Harry raised his +head, looked for the finish line, and to his delight +saw it even nearer than he supposed. +</p> +<p> +The sight made him feel so happy that he determined +to give a still greater exhibition of his +speed; and striking out as though he were perfectly +fresh, instead of having skated more than a mile +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_126'></a>126</span> +and three-quarters, he raced over the ice, opening +farther and farther the distance that separated +him from his Springtown rivals. +</p> +<p> +His spurt had been greeted with gasps of surprise +from his schoolmates, and many were the +shouts hurled at him to be careful lest he exhaust +himself and get beaten out at the finish. When +they saw he was skating strong and steadily, however, +the Rivertown boys and girls gave vent to +the wildest glee, and howled and cheered, breaking +their schools yells with rhythmic chants of: +</p> +<p> +“Watson! Watson! Watson!” +</p> +<div class='figcenter' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i005' id='i005'></a> +<img src="images/illus-004.jpg" alt="“WATSON! WATSON! WATSON!”" title=""/><br /> +<span class='caption'>“WATSON! WATSON! WATSON!”</span> +</div> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127'></a>127</span><a name='chXX' id='chXX'></a>CHAPTER XX—HARRY RECEIVES BAD NEWS</h2> +<p> +As Harry dashed across the line, victor, pandemonium +broke loose among the scholars; and +when they overtook him he was given an ovation +that entirely drove from his mind the unpleasant +incidents of the morning and early afternoon. +</p> +<p> +Foremost in congratulations was Viola, and +after his friends had thanked him for upholding +the honor of Rivertown, and wresting the victory +of the annual race from their old time Springtown +rivals, Harry and Viola started down the +river together. +</p> +<p> +They had covered about half the distance, when +Elmer and Pud put in their appearance. Disagreeable, +indeed, were the comments which the +rich boy made when he saw the one member of +the Rivertown High School he most detested +skating with the girl he liked the best. +</p> +<p> +In vain Viola pretended not to hear the remarks +passed by the bully and his companion, but +they brought a flush of anger to her cheeks, and +noting it, Harry let go her hands. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_128'></a>128</span> +</p> +<p> +“If you’re tired, Miss Darrow, suppose we +wait till the others come up. Then you can skate +away with your friends,” suggested Harry. +</p> +<p> +A moment the girl looked at him: “I’m not in +the least tired, Mr. Watson!” she exclaimed; +“and I don’t mind what those two boys are saying, +if you don’t.” +</p> +<p> +“But I do,” returned Harry, “on your account. +For that reason I think it’s best that you join +your friends.” +</p> +<p> +“But you’re <em>my</em> friend, aren’t you?” +</p> +<p> +“I hope so, that is, I should like to be.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, I certainly consider you so,” returned +the girl, and again taking hold of hands, they +skated away, laughing and chatting merrily; and +continued to skate together till it was time for +them to go to their homes to supper. +</p> +<p> +Light of heart to think he had been cleared of +the charges of depredations in the physical laboratory, +and successful in defeating the skaters from +Springtown, Harry was in a happy frame of mind +as he mounted the steps of his aunt’s house, and +went in to supper. But one sight of his aunt’s +face drove all his joy away. +</p> +<p> +“What is it, Aunt Mary? Have you heard +about the trouble at the school? Don’t worry, +because there’s nothing in it.” +</p> +<p> +The thought that her nephew had been concerned +in some difficulty of which she was ignorant struck +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129'></a>129</span> +still further grievance to the woman. +</p> +<p> +“No, I haven’t heard about it. What is it, +tell me?” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, it doesn’t amount to much. Merely that +some apparatus was broken in the physical laboratory +and they thought that I did it.” +</p> +<p> +So distressed was the woman that, unmindful +of how the words would sound, and the impression +they would convey, she asked in a tone that was +harsher than she would have used if she had been +entirely herself. +</p> +<p> +“You didn’t do it, did you?” +</p> +<p> +In surprise, Harry looked at her for several +moments. +</p> +<p> +“No, indeed,” he finally replied. +</p> +<p> +“Thank goodness. We have trouble enough +without that.” +</p> +<p> +Never before had the boy seen his aunt so upset, +and her asperity was all the more striking because +of her usual kindly humor. +</p> +<p> +“What’s the trouble? Tell me, Aunt Mary, +please?” he finally asked. +</p> +<p> +“It’s bad news, Harry.” +</p> +<p> +Instantly the boy became as solemn and serious +as his aunt. His face grew white and the lines +about his mouth grew deep. +</p> +<p> +“You mean you’ve had bad news from +father?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_130'></a>130</span> +</p> +<p> +“Poor dad! I guess I’d better give up school +and go back to Lawrenceburgh,” announced the +boy. “If Elmer and Pud ever hear about it, +they’ll make my life unbearable; and besides, it +isn’t right for me to be such a drain on father.” +</p> +<p> +“You won’t be a drain on him. You mustn’t +look at it that way!” exclaimed his aunt. “You +know you are just as dear to me as though you +were my own son, and I want you to stay with +me <em>now</em>.” +</p> +<p> +“But somebody ought to go down to Lawrenceburgh. +It can’t be true. There’s something +wrong somewhere.” +</p> +<p> +“Somebody <em>is</em> going down to Lawrenceburgh!” +announced a shrill voice. +</p> +<p> +And looking up, Mrs. Watson and her nephew +beheld the kindly face of old Jed Brown, whose +usual happy smile had given way to an expression +of solemnity. +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean?” asked Mrs. Watson. +</p> +<p> +“That I’m going down to Lawrenceburgh for +a few days. I’ve been wanting to go for a long +time. Just been looking for an excuse and now +I’ve got it. I’ve known Amos since he was a kid +in knickerbockers, and I know there isn’t a mean +or crooked hair in his head. It’s all a mistake—and +and I’m going to set it right.” +</p> +<p> +“Oh, Mr. Brown! If you only could!” exclaimed the widow, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131'></a>131</span> +as the old veteran ceased +speaking. +</p> +<p> +“And I can. Don’t worry,” he returned. “It +may take some time, but I shall find out who’s at +the bottom of it, and even if Jed Brown is a cripple +and poor, he is honest, and he can fight just +as in the days when he followed the flag through +the campaign in the Wilderness.” +</p> +<p> +So deeply moved were the aunt and nephew, +they dared not speak in the fear that they would +be unable to control their voices, and they expressed +their appreciation of the old veteran’s +words by shaking his hand cordially. +</p> +<p> +Sad, indeed, was the little household during the +rest of the day, and as soon as Harry could find an +excuse he went to his room and to bed, where, +after forming various plans for the undoing of +his father’s enemies, he finally dropped asleep. +</p> +<p> +“Now you must try to forget that things are +not as they always were,” whispered his aunt +in the boy’s ear as he started for school the next +morning. “Just appear your usual self, and do +not let any of your friends know that you are not +happy.” +</p> +<p> +“It isn’t my friends I’m afraid of; it’s the fellows +who don’t like me,” returned Harry. +</p> +<p> +“All the more reason why you should keep a +stiff upper lip,” declared Mrs. Watson. And, +promising to do his best, the boy set out for the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_132'></a>132</span> +bluff on which the Rivertown High School was, +situated. +</p> +<p> +But it seemed as though Fate had conspired +against Harry! +</p> +<p> +As he entered the main hallway, Elmer stepped +up, having evidently been on the lookout for him. +</p> +<p> +“See here, Watson, I saw you skating with +Viola Darrow yesterday afternoon!” he exclaimed. +</p> +<p> +“Well, what of it?” +</p> +<p> +“Just this much—don’t do it again!” +</p> +<p> +“Why not, pray?” +</p> +<p> +“Because I tell you not to, that’s all!” +</p> +<p> +“Well, you’ve got to give me some better reason +than that, Elmer Craven,” flashed the sorely +troubled boy. “If Miss Darrow is willing that I +should skate with her, I don’t see that it is your +business or anyone else’s, as far as that is concerned.” +</p> +<p> +“You’ll find it is, though. I tell you, you’ve got +to stop going with her! You remember the laboratory +business? Well, it will be just as easy to +put a stop to your going with Viola as it was to +frame that up on you. So just take my advice +and leave her alone!” +</p> +<p> +So vicious did the rich boy’s face become as he +uttered his threat that Harry could scarcely believe +he was talking with a fellow member of Rivertown +High. For the moment, he thought of resenting the boy’s +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133'></a>133</span> +words with his fists; but the +sound of footsteps and the voice of the principal, +from behind, caused him to abandon the idea. +</p> +<p> +“Well, are you going to take my advice?” demanded +his enemy, sullenly. +</p> +<p> +“I’m going to do just as I please, Elmer Craven. +Neither you nor anyone else can stop me!” +retorted Harry. And turning on his heel, he +stalked away to his classroom. +</p> +<p> +But though he had maintained a defiant manner, +at heart he was sick. Coming as it did on +top of the news from his father, the thought that +he would now be obliged to guard himself against +underhand attacks from his rival, with whom he +had held many angry words, made him deeply +anxious, and again the idea which had come to him +on the previous night when his aunt had made +her announcement,—that he should leave school,—recurred +to him. +</p> +<p> +A happy nod and smile from Viola, who +chanced to be passing through the hall on her way +to one of her recitations, however, decided the day +for Harry. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll not let Elmer Craven make me give up +my friendship for Viola!” he told himself. And +with this resolve, he proceeded to his various duties. +</p> +<p> +Having no recitations after the noon recess, +Paul suggested that Jerry, Harry and he should +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134'></a>134</span> +take a sail on his new iceboat <em>Lightning</em>, which +had just been delivered to him. +</p> +<p> +Glad of any diversion that would take his +mind from his troubles, Harry readily accepted +and the boys went to their several homes for dinner. +</p> +<p> +Angry that he had failed to scare his rival, Elmer +had brooded all the morning over some means +of making good his threat, and at last, unable to +think of any scheme that would be both adequate +and feasible, he dropped into the village butcher +shop to consult his friend, Pud. +</p> +<p> +To his amazement, he found the bully laughing +and in high spirits, in striking contrast to the surly +gloom he had maintained since the eventful day +in Lumberport. +</p> +<p> +“What’s making you feel so gay?” demanded +Elmer. +</p> +<p> +“The fact that I’ve got Harry Watson now +just where I want him!” +</p> +<p> +His eyes big with incredulity, the richest boy +in Rivertown stared at the bully. +</p> +<p> +“What on earth do you mean?” he finally +asked, when he found that Pud made no move to +explain his statement. +</p> +<p> +“Just this!” returned the bully. And he tapped +a newspaper which was spread out over one of the +chopping blocks. +</p> +<p> +“But I don’t understand?” persisted Elmer. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135'></a>135</span> +</p> +<p> +“Then listen to this!” and Pud read the following: +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;margin-right: 2em;'> +“‘Amos Watson’s appeal was denied by the +court and he will now be compelled to serve five +years in prison to which he was sentenced for forgery.’” +</p> +<p> +“Well?” exclaimed Elmer, still mystified. +</p> +<p> +“What’s the matter with you? Have you suddenly +lost your senses?” stormed the bully. +</p> +<p> +“But I don’t see what that has to do with that +young cur.” +</p> +<p> +“You don’t, eh? Well, it has just this to do +with it—Amos Watson is Harry’s father!” +</p> +<p> +For several minutes the rich boy stood silent, +as though endeavoring to grasp the magnitude +of the news which had come to him—and then, +with a sudden cry of delight, he struck Pud a resounding +whack on the back. +</p> +<p> +“That’s great—provided it’s true!” he exclaimed. +</p> +<p> +“True? Of course it’s true. Isn’t it in the +paper?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes, but where did you get the paper?” demanded +Elmer, picking it up and looking at the +name and date line. +</p> +<p> +“Uncle Briscoe always sends it up from Lawrenceburgh +to my mother. She used to live down +there, you know.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_136'></a>136</span> +</p> +<p> +“No, I didn’t, but the paper seems straight +enough, so I suppose it’s all right.” +</p> +<p> +“You bet it’s all right. And now come on, +we’ll spread the news—and if Harry Watson +doesn’t wish before night he’d never been born, +I’ll miss my guess!” +</p> +<p> +And together the two boys who hated Harry +so bitterly set out to scatter the news of his +father’s misfortune broadcast. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137'></a>137</span><a name='chXXI' id='chXXI'></a>CHAPTER XXI—ELMER BAITS HIS RIVAL</h2> +<p> +Good care did the two boys who were bent on +the downfall of our hero take to tell the story of +Harry’s father being a forger only to those who +were not particularly friendly to the lad—with +the result that it found ready credence, and was +soon being repeated with all manner of exaggerations. +</p> +<p> +“I don’t believe a word of it!” declared Viola, +when the report reached her. “Harry Watson is +a splendid chap. I——” +</p> +<p> +“But this isn’t Harry, it’s his father whose +appeal from a prison sentence has been refused,” +laughed a girl who had told the malicious tale. +</p> +<p> +“It makes no difference, I don’t believe Harry’s +father is a man who would stoop to any such act!” +retorted Viola, hotly. And, putting her arm +through Nettie’s, the richest girl in Rivertown +High went off with her chum—for the story had +hurt her more than she cared to have her schoolmates +see. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_138'></a>138</span> +</p> +<p> +Though in high spirits at the amazement their +announcement caused among their schoolmates, +Elmer and Pud were disappointed that the boy +whose father they were traducing did not put in +an appearance. +</p> +<p> +“Where do you suppose he is?” asked Socker, +after they had discovered Harry’s absence. +</p> +<p> +“Probably afraid to show his head,” commented +Misery. “I don’t think I’d care to exhibit +myself to my school-fellows under such conditions.” +</p> +<p> +“But Jerry and Paul aren’t here, either,” asserted +another boy. +</p> +<p> +“The three of them are off together somewhere, +I suppose,” suggested Pud. +</p> +<p> +“Or else they’re waiting until school begins, +to sneak in,” commented Elmer. +</p> +<p> +But in ignorance of all the cruel things that +were being said about him, Harry was at the +river with his chums, busily helping Paul rig up +his iceboat. +</p> +<p> +Being new, there was no end of fussing and +readjusting to be done before the <em>Lightning</em> was +ready for her initial spin; and the three lads were +in the act of making a final test of her ropes, when +a crowd of the boys and girls rushed down to the +river for their daily frolic on the ice after school—and +among them were Elmer and Pud. +</p> +<p> +“Who’s iceboat is that?” demanded the bully, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139'></a>139</span> +as he caught sight of the rangy looking craft, +some half mile up the river. +</p> +<p> +“Must belong to some one from Lumberport +or Cardell,” returned Elmer. “It’s a new one, +that’s easy to see. Let’s skate out and look her +over. If she’s any good, I’ll rig up the <em>Glider</em> +and we’ll have some races.” +</p> +<p> +Readily the other boys agreed to the suggestion, +and as soon as they had adjusted their skates, +they dashed out over the smooth, clear ice. +</p> +<p> +Not far had they gone, however, before Pud let +out a whoop of glee. +</p> +<p> +“That’s Paul Martin; and he’s got Jerry and +Watson with him!” he shouted. “Come on, we’ll +have some fun with the forger’s son!” +</p> +<p> +The evident viciousness of the bully did not +meet with the approval of some of the fellows, +however, and they were not slow to let Snooks +know it. But the thought that he had a lever with +which to make his enemy unhappy made him impervious +to any comments of his schoolmates. +</p> +<p> +Ere the boys had covered more than half the +distance which separated them from the iceboat +they saw that unless something were done instantly +to delay the start, they would arrive too +late, for Paul and his companions were stretching +themselves along the runners, preparatory to getting +under way. +</p> +<p> +“Hey there! Wait a minute!” yelled Elmer, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140'></a>140</span> +putting his hands to his lips that he might make a +funnel that would carry the sound farther. +</p> +<p> +Surprised at the hail, the three boys rolled from +the iceboat, looking expectantly at the fellows +hastening toward them. +</p> +<p> +“What’s wanted?” shouted Paul, as the others +came within easy speaking distance. +</p> +<p> +“I just wanted to tell you that the fellow you’re +chumming with and going to take on your boat +is the son of a prison-bird!” exclaimed Elmer. +“I thought you ought to know it.” +</p> +<p> +As he heard the brutal statement, Harry’s face +grew deathly pale, and he clutched one of the +guide ropes with his hand as though to keep himself +from falling, while Paul and Jerry looked +from his accuser to him, bewildered. +</p> +<p> +“Wha—what do you mean?” finally stammered +Paul. “Who’s the son of a prison-bird?” +</p> +<p> +“Harry Watson!” chorused Elmer and Pud. +</p> +<p> +“That’s not true!” cried Harry, in a quavering +voice. +</p> +<p> +“It is! My mother received a paper from +Lawrenceburgh this morning, and it says that +Amos Watson is going to prison for five years +for forgery!” announced the bully, gloatingly. +</p> +<p> +“And Amos Watson is your father, isn’t he?” +demanded Elmer of Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Yes. But there has been some dirty work +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141'></a>141</span> +somewhere. My father is as innocent of the +charge as you are, Elmer Craven!” +</p> +<p> +“Evidently the judge didn’t think so—or he +wouldn’t have refused his appeal,” sneered the +rich tormentor. “Before you get chummy with +any more fellows, I advise you to make sure who +they are, Paul. And you remember it was you +who introduced this son of a prison-bird to Viola.” +</p> +<p> +At the mention of the girl’s name, Harry +seemed suddenly to galvanize into action. +</p> +<p> +“You leave Miss Darrow’s name out of this, +Elmer Craven!” he cried, hotly. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, is that so? Well, I reckon it will take +more than a forger’s son to tell me what I shall +do and what I shall not. Paul, you’ve either +got to apologize to Viola for introducing this +chap to her—or——” +</p> +<p> +“Or what?” demanded Harry, fairly leaping +on his skates toward the boy who had been baiting +him until he had goaded him beyond endurance. +</p> +<p> +Something there was in the tormented boy’s +eyes that alarmed his rich enemy, and the fellow +gave ground, working himself toward the spot +where Pud Snooks was standing, as though seeking +the protection of the bully. +</p> +<p> +Harry, however, was too quick for him and, +with a sudden turn cut off Elmer’s attempt, forcing +the boy to face him. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142'></a>142</span> +</p> +<p> +“Or what?” he demanded a second time. +</p> +<p> +Finding escape impossible, the rich fellow +glared into the white, tense face before him. +</p> +<p> +“Or he’ll have to settle with me!” Elmer finished, +but his voice was so low that it carried none +of its former bravado. +</p> +<p> +“You’re wrong there, Craven. He’ll be obliged +to settle with me if he does apologize. I may not +be as rich as you, nor my father as yours, but +we’re just as honest!” +</p> +<p> +“That doesn’t seem to be what the judge +thought!” repeated Elmer. “I——” +</p> +<p> +But the limit of insult that Harry could endure +had been reached. +</p> +<p> +After the repetition of the remark about the +opinion of the jurist who had denied Mr. Watson’s +appeal, the boy had drawn back his right +arm—and the next moment, his tormentor lay +stretched on the ice! +</p> +<p> +“Coward! Why don’t you take a fellow of +your size!” cried Pud, skating toward Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Why don’t you?” demanded Paul and Jerry, +throwing themselves between the hulking bully +who overtopped their chum by three or four +inches. +</p> +<p> +“What are you doing in this? Get out of my +way!” snarled Snooks. +</p> +<p> +But the two boys refused to budge and, realizing +that he would not be a match for the pair of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143'></a>143</span> +them, the bully skated away, growling to himself. +</p> +<p> +In the meantime, Elmer had gotten to his feet. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll fix you for this, you see if I don’t!” he +snarled with a look of fierce hatred at the boy +who had knocked him down. +</p> +<p> +“I wouldn’t, if I were you, Elmer. You only +got what you deserved!” returned Paul. “Come +on, Harry, if we’re going to have our sail on the +<em>Lightning</em>, we’ve got to hurry.” +</p> +<p> +“Much obliged—but I don’t think I’ll go this +afternoon,” exclaimed our hero; and despite the +protests of his chums, he skated to the shore and +then for home. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_144'></a>144</span><a name='chXXII' id='chXXII'></a>CHAPTER XXII—DARK DAYS</h2> +<p> +On his way to his aunt’s house, Harry met +Jed Brown, hobbling along, a valise in his hand. +</p> +<p> +One look at the boy’s white face told the veteran +that some new trouble had come to him, and +he solicitously inquired its cause. +</p> +<p> +Harry, however, was not disposed to share his +grief with anyone. +</p> +<p> +“Going away?” he asked, warding off the question. +</p> +<p> +“Yes, down to my sister’s at Lawrenceburgh. +You know I told you and Mrs. Watson the other +night that I was going down—and this afternoon +we were talking it over and decided that if I was +to do any good, I ought to start without delay.” +</p> +<p> +For a moment Harry was silent as he strove to +master himself sufficiently to speak about his +father’s dilemma. +</p> +<p> +“I—I hope you’ll be able to find out something, +Jed,” he said, but his voice quavered pitifully and +as he heard it, a light of understanding broke +over the aged cripple. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145'></a>145</span> +</p> +<p> +“Have the boys found out about the business?” +he asked. +</p> +<p> +“Yes.” +</p> +<p> +“How?” +</p> +<p> +“Pud Snooks saw the announcement of the +court in a paper that is sent to his mother from +Lawrenceburgh.” +</p> +<p> +At the mention of the source of the information, +the veteran’s brow clouded. +</p> +<p> +“That Snooks had better watch out!” he +snapped. “I—” then he evidently thought better +of his intention to say anything further concerning +the bully; and taking Harry’s hand, he exclaimed: +“Just keep good courage in your heart, boy. +Things will come out all right. Go about your +study and play exactly as though nothing had happened. +I’ll let you hear from me in a few days. +And now I must go or I shall miss my train.” +</p> +<p> +And giving the boy’s hand another hearty shake, +the crippled veteran started again on his way to +the railroad station. +</p> +<p> +Not more than a few steps had he taken, however, +then he felt a hand on his valise, and turning +quickly, in the fear that it might be some of +the boys who delighted to play tricks on him, he +had a snarl on his lips, when he saw that it was +Harry. +</p> +<p> +“I’ll go down to the station with you, Mr. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_146'></a>146</span> +Brown,” he announced. “Just let me take your +valise.” +</p> +<p> +Glad of the assistance, for he had found his +bag heavier than he thought, the veteran held the +conversation to cheerful topics, and not again was +the unfortunate matter, so close to the hearts of +both, mentioned. And waiting until the train +departed, Harry took his way home. +</p> +<p> +But he was not as bereft of friends as he had +thought. +</p> +<p> +No sooner had he taken his departure from the +river than the boys who had gathered about the +iceboat took up the discussion of the affair. +</p> +<p> +“Well, even if Mr. Watson does go to jail, +that doesn’t mean we should throw Harry down!” +announced Paul, resolutely. +</p> +<p> +Quickly several of the other boys reiterated this +opinion, but more of them sided with Elmer and +Pud. +</p> +<p> +“You can associate with him if you want to—but +I don’t think your father will let you,” sneered +the rich lad. +</p> +<p> +“I know mine won’t,” declared the bully. But +instead of his words making the impression he +had intended, they drew a burst of laughter from +Paul and Jerry. +</p> +<p> +“What do you find so funny about that?” demanded +Pud, angrily. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147'></a>147</span> +</p> +<p> +“That your father should forbid your associating +with anyone,” returned Paul. +</p> +<p> +“Say, do you think I ain’t as good as the Martins +or the Posts or any people in Rivertown?” +</p> +<p> +“I’m not saying anything about that. It merely +struck me that a fellow who was only saved from +serious trouble by the kindheartedness of an old +man whom he had tormented in every way possible +ought not to make too many comments about +other people,” exclaimed Paul, coolly, but uttering +each word with deliberation. +</p> +<p> +Instantly the boys realized that Paul had referred +to the incident of the fire which burned Jed +Brown’s home, and they awaited the effect upon +the bully with eagerness. But it was not what +they expected. +</p> +<p> +For a moment, Pud looked into the eyes of the +boy who had taken up the cudgels for his absent +chum; then lowered his own, growled something +that none of his auditors could understand, and +skated away. +</p> +<p> +“Now you go, too, Craven,” advised Jerry. +“If I were you, I’d hire Pud to go round with me—or +else stop talking about Harry Watson.” +</p> +<p> +“What do you mean?” demanded the rich +student. +</p> +<p> +“Didn’t I make myself plain enough? I said +for you to stop talking about Harry Watson.” +</p> +<p> +“Huh, I’d like to see anyone stop me.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148'></a>148</span> +</p> +<p> +“Well, you will, if you don’t watch out.” +</p> +<p> +At the words, Craven skated away from Jerry, +evidently mindful of the blow he had received +from Harry; and with one accord, the excited +crowd of boys broke into small groups whose sole +topic of conversation was the news from Lawrenceburgh. +</p> +<p> +Among the townsfolk as well as the scholars, +the story spread, and in due time Mr. Larmore +and all the teachers heard of it. +</p> +<p> +“I don’t belief it!” announced Prof. Schmidt, +emphatically, when it was told him at supper. +And when he had finished the meal, the kindly old +German put on his fur coat and cap and went +round to call on Mrs. Watson. +</p> +<p> +The coming of the professor was distinctly embarrassing +to both the good woman and her +nephew. But he soon put them at their ease by +announcing that he hoped Harry would not let the +matter keep him from school. +</p> +<p> +“That’s just what we were talking about when +you came, Professor,” declared Mrs. Watson. +</p> +<p> +A ring at the door-bell interrupted her and +when Harry answered it and admitted the principal +of the Rivertown High School, she became +even more confused. +</p> +<p> +Mr. Larmore, however, quickly made it evident +that he had come for the same purpose as +had the genial old German; and after much talking, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149'></a>149</span> +Mrs. Watson finally agreed that her nephew +should continue his studies. +</p> +<p> +But it was a quiet and sober Harry who entered +his classroom the next morning. +</p> +<p> +His friends strove to convey their sympathy +and belief in him by cordial nods. But their kindness +was more than offset by the sneers and grunts +with which his enemies greeted him. So keenly +did the boy feel them that he made his laboratory +work an excuse for not joining his companions +during the recesses. +</p> +<p> +What hurt him most, however, was Viola’s attitude. +Though she had smiled at him when he had +entered the classroom, when he had tried to speak +to her she had skilfully prevented it by moving +away when she saw him approaching. And deeply +did her action cut Harry, so that he vowed to himself +he would not give her another opportunity to +cause him pain. +</p> +<p> +For some time things drifted along, and Harry +continued to be the storm center of the school +world. Some of his fellows shunned him, and +others tried to establish themselves on even a +more friendly footing with him than at first. But +Harry’s attitude was neutral, his only decided +stand being to refuse to appear in the Pi Eta +society room, though his friends endeavored in +every way to persuade him. +</p> +<p> +During that time old Jed Brown did not return +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150'></a>150</span> +to Rivertown, nor did our hero hear from the old +veteran. Harry’s aunt heard from Mr. Watson, +but the news was not encouraging. +</p> +<p> +“They still consider your father guilty,” said +the aunt to the youth. “But we know he is innocent, +and some day the world will know it, too.” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps,” said Harry, sadly. “But, oh, Aunt +Mary, to have him in prison! It is awful! I can’t +bear to think of it!” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151'></a>151</span><a name='chXXIII' id='chXXIII'></a>CHAPTER XXIII—A MILE A MINUTE SPIN</h2> +<p> +“Good morning, Mrs. Watson; is Harry at +home?” +</p> +<p> +Saturday had come, with clear skies, and a cold, +crisp air that gave promise of a fine day’s sport +on the ice for Rivertown’s young people. It was +Paul Martin who had knocked at the door of the +widow’s house, and greeted her with his cheery +smile when she admitted him. +</p> +<p> +“Good morning, Paul!” replied the good +woman, the look of distress on her face giving +way for a moment to one of pleasure at seeing +this loyal friend of her nephew. “Yes, he is in +his den, busy with something. The poor boy seldom +goes out these days; and I’m afraid the constant +grieving will tell on his health.” +</p> +<p> +“That is just why I’ve come around, ma’am, +to try and influence Harry to take a spin with me +on my iceboat,” Paul continued, eagerly. “You +see, we were just going to have a run before, +when Pud Snooks interrupted us with that unpleasant +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152'></a>152</span> +bit of news; and Harry backed out. +We lost all interest in the sport soon afterward, +and I’ve really had little heart for it since.” +</p> +<p> +“It was good of you to think of your friend +in this way, Paul,” the widow said, laying a hand +on the lad’s shoulder, and looking affectionately +into his manly face. “And depend on it, Harry +is worthy of all your regard. I know something +about boys, even though I was never blessed with +one myself; and if ever there lived a clean, brave +and loyal fellow, Harry is one. And Paul, he +must go off with you to get some fresh air. This +staying in, and thinking of all his troubles, is +not the best thing for even his strong nature.” +</p> +<p> +“Then please back me up,” said Paul, “in +case he tries to beg off. I’m going to insist; and +I think I know how to reach Harry’s weak spot. +I’ll give him to understand that if he refuses, it’s +going to spoil all my Saturday morning sport. +Harry will make sacrifices for a chum that he +would never think of doing for himself. And now +I’ll push in on him, if you don’t mind.” +</p> +<p> +As he opened the door of Harry’s little den, +where the boy did his studying, and kept such +traps as boys usually accumulate, he found the +object of his solicitude bending over a table, and +deep in some book. +</p> +<p> +“Hello! here, old book-worm, this is no morning +to bury yourself here indoors like a hermit!” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153'></a>153</span> +cried Paul, as he burst in on his chum like a +breath of the crisp winter air. +</p> +<p> +Harry looked up, and his face was immediately +wreathed in a smile. The very presence of such +a fine, healthy fellow like Paul was enough in itself +to chase away the blues. He sprang to his +feet, and grasped the hand that was thrust out +toward him, wringing it with boyish ardor. For +deep down in his heart he knew full well that Paul +was almost as much concerned over the trouble +that had of late befallen him, as he could be himself. +</p> +<p> +“Glad to see you, Paul!” he exclaimed. “Yes, +it does look like a great day for a Saturday; and +I guess lots of fellows will be glad. The ice +must be fine after that little thaw, and hard +freeze. I haven’t been down to the river you +know, of late. I just seem to feel that I ought +to keep away from my friends, and save them +from embarrassment.” +</p> +<p> +If there was a trace of bitterness in Harry’s +voice, Paul did not notice it. He did catch the +tremor though, that told of a sore heart; and +impulsively he again squeezed the hand of his +chum. +</p> +<p> +“That’s just what brought me here right now,” +he observed, seriously. “You must get out more, +Harry. You know yourself that all this brooding +over your affairs isn’t going to do you a bit of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154'></a>154</span> +good. Things are going to come out all right yet; +but it may take some time. Meanwhile it’s foolish +of you to shun your best friends, and keep +indoors. I’ve come to carry you off to the river +with me, d’ye hear?” +</p> +<p> +Harry sighed, and cast a look of sincere affection +on this staunch friend. They had been utter +strangers only a few months back; and yet so +strong had the ties become that bound them together, +that he fancied he cared as much for +Paul as he could have done for a brother. +</p> +<p> +“Thank you, Paul,” he said, slowly. “I’d +like to go first-rate; but I’ve made up my mind +to keep clear of all the high school young people +until this mystery is solved, and I can look them +in the face without a blush. Understand, I have +the utmost faith in my father; and I <em>know</em> he must +be innocent of the charge brought against him; +but so far old Jed has not sent any cheering word; +and I must wait.” +</p> +<p> +“But I say again, that’s no reason for you to +keep on hurting your health,” Paul insisted. +“Even your Aunt Mary is getting anxious about +you; and Harry, she’s been so good to you, don’t +you think it is a little cruel to add to her burden +in any way?” +</p> +<p> +Harry sighed again, and looked undecided. +</p> +<p> +“Yes, Aunt Mary is as good as gold,” he observed. +“And I certainly wouldn’t want to cause +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155'></a>155</span> +her any unnecessary pain; but Paul, somehow I +haven’t the heart to do the things I used to. I +feel a terrible weight in here,”—putting his hand +on his chest as he spoke—“that hurts. In my present +condition I’d only be a drawback to any crowd +of merry boys and girls; and so I stay away.” +</p> +<p> +Perhaps Paul could understand more than +Harry gave him credit for. Perhaps he guessed +that it was partly the coolness of one particular +girl that helped give his chum this heavy feeling +in the region of his heart. For he knew how +much Harry had come to care for Viola; and it +was difficult for him to understand just why she +should take up again with Elmer Craven, whom +she had once cut dead. +</p> +<p> +“All right,” he said cheerily; “for once, then, +you’ve just got to put that idea out of your head, +and come along with me, Harry. Your aunt +says you must, and insists that I carry you off to +get a few hours of bracing air. And yet, if you’d +rather stay here in your den to being in my company, +why——” +</p> +<p> +“Oh! you know better than that, Paul!” cried +the other lad eagerly, as he looked into the face +of his friend. “I’ve enjoyed many happy hours +in your company; and if it wasn’t for this unfortunate +business——” +</p> +<p> +“That’s enough, Harry,” and Paul in turn +broke in on what the forlorn boy was trying to say +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_156'></a>156</span> +in a trembling voice; “you’ve just got to come +along now, or else all my plans for the morning +will be broken up. I’d arranged for the two of +us, no others, mind, to take my new iceboat, +<em>Lightning</em>, and have a great spin far up the river. +The ice couldn’t be beat; and I’m determined that +it’s just got to be <em>you</em> with me, or no one. That’s +flat. Now, what do you say?” +</p> +<p> +Harry smiled with pleasure. It was almost +worth suffering all that he had endured in these +last few unhappy days, just to learn what a true +friend meant. +</p> +<p> +“Well, you put it up to me in a way that +knocks out all my argument,” he said. +</p> +<p> +“Then you’ll come with me?” demanded Paul, +eagerly. +</p> +<p> +“Sure I will, and mighty glad of the chance,” +Harry replied, as he started to look for his cap, +and his warm sweater to go under his coat; for +he knew that a long ride on an iceboat, going a +mile a minute more than likely, meant chilled +bodies, unless care was taken to supply warm +clothing. +</p> +<p> +Once he had decided on his course, Harry +seemed somewhat like his old self. Mrs. Watson, +as they passed through the outer room, smiled, +and nodded to Paul. +</p> +<p> +“I’m glad to see you managed to coax him to +go, Paul,” she remarked; and both lads waved +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157'></a>157</span> +her good-bye as they left the door, walking briskly +down the street of Rivertown. +</p> +<p> +Paul’s father had a boat-house on the bank of +the river just outside the town limits, where in +Summer the boys often gathered in order to enjoy +the sports of the season. There was a new shed +attached to this, in which Paul kept the iceboat +he had had built recently, but which had as yet +hardly been tried out. +</p> +<p> +In a short time the two lads were busily engaged +getting the frail craft out of its quarters, +and down on the ice. The mast had to be stepped +every time Paul wished to make use of the flier; +since the shed was too low to admit of its being +stored as it stood. But this proved a job of small +moment. +</p> +<p> +“I guess you know a heap about these kind of +boats, Harry?” remarked the owner of the +<em>Lightning</em>, as he watched the deft manner in which +his new chum handled the various ropes connected +with the up-to-date craft built for ice use. +</p> +<p> +At that Harry laughed, the first little burst of +merriment that had escaped his lips for days; and +which made his friend feel that he had done well +to coax the grieving lad outdoors, where he could +get the invigorating influence of the ozone to be +found in the crisp wintry air. +</p> +<p> +“Oh! yes, I suppose I might say I have, without +seeming to boast,” he answered, as he bent +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_158'></a>158</span> +down to make sure that everything was adjusted, +and the wire stay that held the mast in place as +taut as the turnbuckle could make it. “We used +to have a boat down at Lawrenceburgh, and somehow +they got to making me the skipper; last winter +we won every race we entered for. But Paul, +that boat wasn’t in the same class as this new one +you’ve got, I tell you that.” +</p> +<p> +“Then you think the <em>Lightning</em> is apt to go +some?” inquired the owner, eagerly. +</p> +<p> +“Do I?” echoed Harry, quickly. “Unless +I’m away off in my judgment, she’s bound to beat +everything along the river. I never saw such +fine lines; and best of all, I don’t think the builder +has sacrificed anything in the way of staunchness +to speed. Mark my word, Paul, she’s going to +turn out a crackerjack!” +</p> +<p> +“I’m mighty glad to hear that, Harry!” declared +Paul, “for a good many reasons. A fellow +likes to have a clipper boat, you know, one +that isn’t going to take dust from any other chap’s +racer. And then, it would just give me heaps of +fun if I could leave the old <em>Glider</em> far back in +the lurch.” +</p> +<p> +“That’s Elmer’s iceboat, isn’t it?” asked +Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Sure. He hasn’t had it out this winter, I understand, +because for two years now it’s just run +away from everything there was; and Elmer said +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159'></a>159</span> +he was tired of making circles around the rest of +us. But three times now he’s asked me when I +expected to get my new boat running; and as much +as told me he was waiting to add it to the has-beens +he’s beaten.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, don’t you believe he’s going to have an +easy job walking away from this dandy thing on +runners,” Harry observed. “I’m ready to say +that you’ve got the very last word in iceboats +here in the <em>Lightning</em>. And before another hour +has passed you’ll feel that you made no mistake +when you gave her that name. Now, if you’re +ready, let’s make a start.” +</p> +<p> +Harry was anxious to be off. He had noticed +that several boys and girls were heading toward +them, having skated up from below. And in his +present state of mind he would rather avoid +meeting any of his school companions if it could +be arranged. +</p> +<p> +“How about the wind?” asked Paul, as they +started to take their places on the thin but strong +planks of the iceboat, which had been padded +with folded blankets, so as to make it more comfortable +for those who had to stretch out at full +length while managing the running craft. +</p> +<p> +“It seems to be everything we could want this +morning,” Harry replied. “In fact, I don’t think +there ever was a day here on the Conoque River +better fitted for a try-out of a new iceboat than +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160'></a>160</span> +this same Saturday morning. And I’m glad now +that I came with you, Paul.” +</p> +<p> +“Bully for you, Harry! That’s all I wanted +to hear. And now, let’s cut loose before all those +fellows get in our way.” +</p> +<p> +Longback, Socker Gales, and Misery Jones +were among those coming full tilt for the spot +where they had discovered the new boat on the +river’s edge. +</p> +<p> +They gave vent to various whoops and cries +when they saw that Paul and Harry were starting +off without waiting for their arrival. +</p> +<p> +“Hi! aint you goin’ to let us have a look-in at +the new boat, before you smash her with that +Jonah aboard?” +</p> +<p> +“Listen, Paul! Just you keep right on up the +river, and my word for it you’ll get yours before +you come back!” +</p> +<p> +“Wow! look at her go, would you? Say, fellers, +she’s all to the mustard, you c’n tell me what +you please about the <em>Glider</em>. Paul knew what he +was doing when he gave the order for that dandy +contraption. Gee! don’t I wish I was on her +right now!” +</p> +<p> +These last words just barely reached the ears +of the two who lay flattened out on the delicate +flooring of the ice yacht. Harry heard his chum +chuckling, as if somehow the last remark had +given him a good feeling. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161'></a>161</span> +</p> +<p> +The skaters started after them, but were speedily +left far behind, and presently gave the chase up +as useless. And now the whole river lay before +the two iceboat chums, with not a single person +to interfere with their sport; since it was as a +rule farming country above Rivertown, on both +sides of the watercourse. +</p> +<p> +Few rivers offered better fields for this sport +than the Conoque. While not of any great depth, +it was as a rule quite wide; and in places presented +a magnificent spread of smooth, clear ice, over +which the sharp runners glided like magic, as the +favoring breeze filled their sail, and urged them +on at tremendous speed. +</p> +<p> +Then again, once in a while they would come +to a neck where the going was quite different, +since the ice was rougher, and they had to look +out for airholes. In the Summer season, when the +water was lower, these places were called the +“rips”; being in reality small rapids, where the +water rushed with noisy volume, and the fishing +was considered prime. +</p> +<p> +“Well, what d’ye think of that?” called out +Paul, after they had been booming along in this +manner for a little while, passing a couple of the +narrow places, where considerable care had to +be exercised to avoid trouble. +</p> +<p> +“Splendid! Never went like this before! +You’ve got a wonder here, Paul, and don’t you +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162'></a>162</span> +forget it,” answered Harry, whose face was now +rosy with the action of the keen wind and the +cold air; while his eyes sparkled much as they +had been wont to do before this trouble came +upon him, to crush his young spirits so completely. +</p> +<p> +“That pleases me a whole lot, Harry,” laughed +the owner of the craft. “And say, I’ve been +watching the way you handle that tiller. Elmer +Craven boasts of being the best iceboat sailor on +the river; but I’m ready to put you up against +him any old day. Why, you manage things so +that she seems to be next door to human. No +matter what sort of wind strikes us, you’ve got a +way of setting her with it, that just suits every +time. If this boat’s a wonder, Harry, you’re the +fellow that can get every ounce of speed out of +her.” +</p> +<p> +“Here, that will do for you, Paul,” answered +Harry; though naturally the words of genuine +praise made him feel happy, as he had been up +against so many hard knocks lately, at the hands +of those who bore him so much ill will. “I’d just +like to try her against some other boat of the same +class. That’s the only way to get a pointer on her +speed and cleverness, you know.” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps we may, and this very morning,” +remarked Paul, mysteriously, but with a grin accompanying +the words. +</p> +<p> +“What makes you say that?” demanded his +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163'></a>163</span> +companion, who had to keep his eyes on the +alert pretty much all the time, since a flaw of wind +might swoop down on them at any second, and if +he failed to be quick with the rudder, in order to +ease up on the sudden strain, an upset was likely +to follow. +</p> +<p> +“Didn’t you hear what Misery Jones shouted +after us?” Paul went on, answering one question, +Yankee fashion, by asking another. +</p> +<p> +“Was it Misery who called out for you to listen; +and then said something about you ‘getting +yours’ if you kept on up the river?” Harry continued. +</p> +<p> +“Sure, that was Misery. He’s never so happy +as when acting as a prophet, and predicting all +sorts of trouble ahead for other people. That’s +why the boys call him Misery; he sees all kinds +of accidents looming up, even if they hardly ever +come along. But Harry, I don’t think the fellow +had any accident in store for us that time, when +he said I would get mine up here to-day.” +</p> +<p> +“Then what did he have in mind?” asked +Harry, his curiosity aroused. +</p> +<p> +“I’ve been thinking it over,” Paul went on, +“and decided that Misery must know Elmer is out +this morning with his <em>Glider</em>; and somewhere up-river +way. What he meant was that if we happened +to run across his hawser, I would find my +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_164'></a>164</span> +new iceboat as badly left in the lurch as my old +one was last year.” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps,” laughed the one who handled the +tiller so dexterously; “all things are possible, you +know, Paul; but I wouldn’t worry over that, if I +were you. Just let Elmer show up, and we’ll see +what the <em>Lightning</em> was built for.” +</p> +<p> +“There’s a bunch of fellows coming down the +river,” said Paul, a minute later. “They live +some miles up at a village called Rushville. Several +of our high school scholars come down from +there every day on the train, you know. I was +going to say that if we could shut off some of +our tremendous speed, and draw in closer to them, +I might find out whether Elmer really did go up-river.” +</p> +<p> +“All right,” responded Harry, readily; “that’s +easy enough done.” +</p> +<p> +He manipulated the tiller, and watched the +way the wind spilled out of the big sail as he ran +partly across the ice field, heading so as to intercept +the skaters. These boys, seeing that those +on the fine new iceboat wished to speak with them, +only too gladly came to a standstill, and watched +the clever way in which Harry managed to bring +his craft up in the teeth of the wind close beside +them. +</p> +<p> +“Hello! Paul, that your new boat?” cried one +of the up-river fellows, as he advanced to get a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165'></a>165</span> +closer look at the now still <em>Lightning</em>. “Well, I +must say she’s got lines to go some, and then not +half try. Give you my word I never saw such a +trim and dandy iceboat; and I wish I had a chance +to take a spin on her with you.” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps you may, some of these fine days, +Hank,” remarked Paul with a grin; for he had +always been friendly with the Rushville student +at school. “Just now we’re out on the warpath, +looking for scalps, you see, and want to be on the +fly.” +</p> +<p> +The three boys looked at each other as though +hardly catching the true meaning of what Paul +said. But a moment later Hank laughed aloud +as the significance of the words appealed to him. +</p> +<p> +“Ho! I get it all right now, Paul!” he exclaimed, +nodding his head while speaking. “You +want to find something to whack your new boat +up against, eh? Well, what’s the matter with the +<em>Glider</em>? Elmer didn’t do a thing to you last winter, +if I remember right; and the spirit of revenge +must be rankling in your heart. Is that it?” +</p> +<p> +“Perhaps a little that way,” answered Paul, +frankly. “You know he’s got a nasty way of rubbing +it in every time he does anything; that stings +worse than the defeat itself does. I’ve never +heard the last of that race, and how nicely he +trimmed me. And to tell the honest truth, that +was why I went to all the trouble and expense +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_166'></a>166</span> +of having this new craft built to order. I want +to turn the tables on him in the worst way.” +</p> +<p> +“Couldn’t have a better day for it!” nodded +Hank. +</p> +<p> +“Oh! the weather is all to the good,” declared +Paul, impatiently; “but see here, you fellows +have come down several miles—have you seen +anything of another iceboat between here and +Rushville?” +</p> +<p> +“Have we, fellows?” asked Hank, turning to +his two companions and winking. “Was that a +real iceboat that went whipping past us just after +we started out; or might it have been just a shadow +when a cloud passed over the sun? Yes, I +rather guess it did look like the sassy thing Elmer +used to cut circles with around all the other boats +on the river last two years.” +</p> +<p> +“Which way were they going did you say?” +asked Paul, giving his chum a significant look, as +if to say: “What did I tell you; didn’t I remark +that this was going to be a red letter day with me, +since it would wipe out the sting of that old defeat +at the hands of Elmer Craven, which I’ve never +heard the last of?” +</p> +<p> +“Oh! up-river like a streak of light,” replied +Hank. “No use talking, that <em>Glider</em> can go to +beat the Dutch; and Elmer knows how to sail her +too, the best ever; but I like the looks of this new +craft, Paul, and from the way Harry handles the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_167'></a>167</span> +tiller I opine now that you’re just bound to give +Elmer the time of his life when you challenge him +to a race.” +</p> +<p> +“That’s what we intend to do, Hank,” returned +Paul. “Much obliged for telling us about him. +We can keep going now till we scrape his acquaintance. +He’s been begging me for some time +to get out and let him rub some of the rust from +his runners. To-day suits me all right. And +Hank, mark my words, the thirteenth of the +month, you notice, is going to be a mighty unlucky +day for Elmer Craven, if I don’t miss my guess. +It’s skidoo for him, as sure as you’re born. So-long, +boys!” +</p> +<p> +Harry threw the sail around and immediately +the <em>Lightning</em> shot away with a sudden bound. +They opened a big gap between themselves and +the three boys standing there on the ice; but Paul, +looking back could see Hank and his comrades +waving their caps and sending out cheers that +came but faintly to the ears of those who were +speeding so rapidly up the river. +</p> +<p> +As a rule the Conoque ran due north and +south, though there were places where abrupt +turns were the exception. And as the breeze was +almost due west this allowed of almost unlimited +possibilities in sailing, with a craft so sensitive to +the slightest breath of air as an iceboat on a +smooth, mirror-like surface. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_168'></a>168</span> +</p> +<p> +It took them but a short time to reach and pass +the village of Rushville, situated on the left bank +of the Conoque River. Of course quite a number +of persons were enjoying the skating at this point; +and the moment the <em>Lightning</em> came into view +around the bend half a mile below, loud shouts attested +to the interest taken in her appearance. +</p> +<p> +Again did Harry slow up, as Paul wished to +ask questions of these boys. The news received +was to the effect that some time before Elmer +and Pud Snooks had passed up, and incidentally +come near running over a little child, as they +purposely swung in as if to show just how close +they could come to anyone without hitting them. +The Rushville boys were quite indignant, and +talking about it when the second iceboat hove in +sight. +</p> +<p> +“On again, Harry,” sang out Paul, after they +had learned all they wanted to know. “We’ll +run across them somewhere above; and perhaps +Elmer Craven will be in for the surprise of his +life. Somehow I just feel that this is my day; and +I want to make the most of it. Let her go, fellows; +and thank you for telling us.” +</p> +<p> +Harry had for the time being quite forgotten +all about his troubles; and this was just what his +chum desired most of all. Indeed, perhaps it was +more to accomplish this than anything else that +he sought a meeting with Elmer; though, of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_169'></a>169</span> +course, boy-like, he did want to even the old score, +and pay up his debt. +</p> +<p> +“You’ve never been up this far before, I +reckon?” he remarked, after they had left Rushville +several miles behind. +</p> +<p> +“That’s a fact, Paul,” came the reply. “And +I never dreamed that the Conoque was such a +dandy stream for this sort of thing. Why, in +places it’s fully a quarter of a mile from bank to +bank. Yes, I’m glad I’ve come with you, Paul.” +</p> +<p> +“And perhaps you’ll be more than glad before +the morning passes,” Paul was saying to himself; +for he knew just how matters stood between +Harry and Elmer; and that if they could manage +to humiliate the proud, boastful spirit of the rich +man’s son, it must be more or less of a satisfaction +to Harry. +</p> +<p> +Two minutes later and Paul gave vent to a cry. +</p> +<p> +“Look yonder!” he exclaimed. “A mile ahead +the Cranberry flows into the Conoque; and unless +my eyes deceive me there’s an iceboat coming +whooping down that smaller stream. Yep, +that’s the <em>Glider</em>, as sure as anything. I ought +to know her build; and Harry, get ready now to +show them <em>a streak of greased lightning</em>!” +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_170'></a>170</span><a name='chXXIV' id='chXXIV'></a>CHAPTER XXIV—HARRY PILOTS THE LIGHTNING</h2> +<p> +“So that’s Elmer’s boat, is it?” remarked +Harry, as he managed to catch a fleeting glimpse +of the tall mast of a rapidly moving craft, that +was sweeping down the ice covered tributary of +the Conoque, now partly hidden behind a clump +of trees, and again passing a fairly open spot. +</p> +<p> +“Head in so as to be ready to follow after him, +whichever way he turns,” advised Paul, his voice +betraying signs of excitement; for he had been +looking forward to this same meeting for many +weeks, and anticipating the pleasures of turning +the tables on his boasting rival of long standing. +</p> +<p> +But Harry seemed as cool as though there were +nothing at stake. He had schooled himself to repress +his feelings when a great emergency arose, +calling for calm judgment, as well as quick action. +</p> +<p> +“I think I’ve got the course we want,” he remarked, +quietly, as the <em>Lightning</em> bore well in +toward the shore, just below the junction of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_171'></a>171</span> +two rivers. “I don’t dare pass too far in, because +you see that high bank, and the bunch of +trees, interfere with the wind, and we’d get blanketed. +There they come, Paul!” +</p> +<p> +Shooting out from the Cranberry like a thing +of life, the rival iceboat made a graceful sweep +and continued up the river. +</p> +<p> +“They did that on purpose!” cried Paul, as +though a bit disgusted at the turn affairs had +taken. “Let him say what he will, I believe Elmer +is afraid of this boat. He came and examined +her the day I rigged her up; and although he pretended +to laugh, I could just see that he was +chewing the rag. Yes, look at Pud waving his +hand at us; and he’s shouting something too.” +</p> +<p> +“All right,” said Harry, without the least show +of worry; “we’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s +all. You know something about the river above; +can we run any distance with the boats?” +</p> +<p> +“Sure!” answered the other member of the +crew; “it’s the most obliging old river you ever +heard tell of. Miles and miles it stretches away, +sometimes narrow, and again broad; but if this +wind only holds out, we can spin along like fun +for more’n an hour. Hit her up, Harry, let’s see +just what the bully contraption carries up her +sleeve. After ’em with a hot stick now!” +</p> +<p> +Really, Harry needed no urging. The spirit of +sport had been fully aroused in his breast. Forgotten +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_172'></a>172</span> +for the time being, were all those grim +troubles that had of late been making life so miserable +for the boy. He only seemed to remember +that once more his hand grasped the tiller of a +staunch ice flier; and that a derisive challenge had +floated back from the boat ahead. +</p> +<p> +And possibly, the fact that the two fellows +who manned the <em>Glider</em> were his most bitter and +unscrupulous enemies, had more or less to do with +Harry’s determination to beat the rival boat. He +would not have been human had he felt otherwise; +and while Harry possessed many fine attributes, +he was after all, only a boy at heart. +</p> +<p> +The <em>Lightning</em> had, of course, lost considerable +of her headway when the skipper ran in so +close to the high bank; but she was gradually +veering further away now, with every second. +</p> +<p> +On the other hand, the opposing boat had come +out of the Cranberry under a full sail; and shifting +her course, was running up the Conoque with +a speed that opened quite a gap between the rival +craft. +</p> +<p> +Then in turn Harry and Paul saw that they +were getting opposite the mouth of the smaller +stream, where the wind would be wholly unobstructed. +No sooner had this occurred than they +jumped ahead as though some unseen power had +taken the boat in tow. +</p> +<p> +“How about it now?” asked the skipper, wishing to have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_173'></a>173</span> +Paul report progress; as he had about +all he could do in taking care of the skimming ice +craft, watching how the wind acted on the sail, +keeping a cautious eye out for any obstruction in +the way of a branch of a tree frozen in the ice, +or possibly an air hole which, if not avoided, +might spell disaster to the pursuing boat. +</p> +<p> +“We are sure holding our own, Harry!” exclaimed +Paul, delightedly. +</p> +<p> +That was an experience new to him; for up to +now the <em>Glider</em> had mocked all efforts to equal +her extraordinary speed. But Harry knew that, +as yet, he had not put the new boat to her “best +licks,” as he termed it. She was capable of better +things. +</p> +<p> +This was just the time and opportunity for one +who knew all about the tricks which an iceboat is +capable of developing, to coax her to show her +fine points; and that was what Harry was now +starting to do. +</p> +<p> +Perhaps the boats were about equal in merit. +Possibly, had the crews been reversed, Harry and +Paul could have overtaken the <em>Lightning</em>, given +time with the older craft. In other words, it was +a case of superior knowledge and ability on the +part of the skipper of the <em>Lightning</em>, rather than +the possession of a better boat; for the <em>Glider</em> +was certainly what she had always been called, a +“marvel.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_174'></a>174</span> +</p> +<p> +“Wow! we’re gaining, I do believe, Harry!” +announced Paul, a minute later; and there was a +touch of actual doubt in his voice, as though the +fact might be almost too good to be true. +</p> +<p> +“Are we?” answered his chum, just as though +it were nothing more than he had been expecting +right along. +</p> +<p> +“Yes, as sure as anything we must be,” Paul +went on excitedly. “I’m trying to judge distances +with my eye; and honest now, I believe +we’re not so far behind as when we first passed +the mouth of the Cranberry! Oh! it’s great! +Keep her moving just as she is, Harry! Do you +think you can? That wasn’t only a spurt, I +hope!” +</p> +<p> +“She can do even better than that, Paul. Watch +me now, for I’m on to a new little dodge. Keep +an eye for blow-holes, and branches frozen in +the ice. And Paul, shift your weight just a trifle +this way. I believe the balance will be more +even.” +</p> +<p> +Another short interval followed. Then Paul +gave vent to his delight again. +</p> +<p> +“You did something then that just made her +hump herself. Why, Harry, we’re clawing up on +the old <em>Glider</em> hand over fist! Look at ’em moving +around, will you? They’re getting scared, +that’s what! Elmer never yet saw another boat +creeping up after him when he was doing his level +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_175'></a>175</span> +best to fly. Bully! Bully! Oh, ain’t we just +humming along, though!” +</p> +<p> +It was no easy matter to speak while they were +cutting through space at such a tremendous pace +and Paul would have done better to have saved +his breath; but he had waited and hoped for this +great day so long, that he just could not bottle up +his delight. +</p> +<p> +Not a sound could they hear around them save +the whistle of the wind through the ropes above, +or the sharp humming music of the runners spurning +the smooth ice. Pud had long since ceased to +shout derisive cries back at the pursuers. His +scorn and mocking gestures had changed into +nervous movements, as he tried to increase the +speed of the <em>Glider</em> by altering his position from +time to time. +</p> +<p> +When another five minutes had passed, though +it seemed an hour to the impatient Paul, they had +gained so much upon the other boat that the two +were now within easy speaking distance. Yet +strange to say, those on the <em>Glider</em> maintained a +dead silence, that was quite unusual to their buoyant +natures. It makes considerable difference +whether one is on a winning or a losing craft. +</p> +<p> +Paul, however, could not keep still. This experience +almost set him wild with delight. And +where could you find a boy who would decline to +rub it in a little, given the chance? +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_176'></a>176</span> +</p> +<p> +“Hey! you there!” he hallooed, using his hands +as a megaphone; “get out of the way, and give +us room. We’re going to pass you, and let you +take our dust! Sheer off to one side, and let us +have the middle of the river! We’ve earned the +right of way. Lively now, Elmer! You’re a +back number after this, with your out-of-date boat! +To the scrap heap for yours!” +</p> +<p> +Perhaps it was hardly kind of Paul to add to +the humiliation which Elmer must naturally be +feeling, as he thus saw that the <em>Glider</em> was plainly +playing “second fiddle” to the new iceboat; but it +must be remembered that for years now, the son +of the richest man in Rivertown had lost no opportunity +to sneer at Paul, and humiliate him when +he had the chance. +</p> +<p> +Apparently the two who crouched there on the +<em>Glider</em> were at their wits’ ends to discover some +means for increasing their speed. They seemed to +be exchanging warm sentences, and Harry even +thought he heard Elmer’s rasping voice raised in +anger, as though he might be trying to lay the +burden of the blame on the bully, whose extra +weight might be just the cause for the difference +in speed of the two boats. +</p> +<p> +Pud could also be heard answering back, and it +sounded as though he were telling his comrade +that the fault lay in his lack of skill in managing +the <em>Glider</em>, rather than the handicap of weight. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_177'></a>177</span> +</p> +<p> +“Can we pass ’em, d’ye think?” gasped Paul, +as they drew still closer to the leading boat, on +which a dead silence had now fallen. +</p> +<p> +“Easy enough, unless Elmer chooses to play +some trick on us,” replied Harry. +</p> +<p> +“Oh! would he dare do that, when we’re spinning +along at this mad clip?” demanded the owner +of the new boat. +</p> +<p> +“You know him better than I do, Paul,” replied +Harry. “I don’t like the look on his face. +He keeps turning his head, then grinning in a +nasty way; after which he looks ahead, just as if +he was sizing up some desperate chance. I think +he means to foul us up if he can; and anyhow it’s +going to be a hard thing to pass him up here, +where nobody can see any dirty play.” +</p> +<p> +Paul seemed to consider. No doubt discretion +urged him to call the race off; but on the other +hand he disliked very much to quit just when he +had his rival where he had wanted to see him so +long. +</p> +<p> +A fisherman never calls a trout his own until +he has the prize in his hands; even though he may +humanely throw the speckled beauty back into the +water again. And in a race it does not really +count, unless you actually pass your adversary. +</p> +<p> +So Paul, with boyish recklessness, determined to +take the chances for trouble, and pass the <em>Glider</em>, +come what might. He knew Elmer to be somewhat reckless; +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_178'></a>178</span> +but found it hard to believe that +the other would risk having his own bones broken, +just to smash the successful boat of his rival. +</p> +<p> +But Paul counted wrongly. Elmer, when he +became enraged, was not the same cool, calculating +schemer that he had the name of being under +normal conditions. And, urged on by the sarcastic +sneers of the ugly Pud, as well as his own keen +disappointment at seeing his pet iceboat fairly +beaten, he might even take chances which at another +time would have appalled him. +</p> +<p> +“That’s too bad!” Paul heard Harry exclaim. +</p> +<p> +“Oh, what’s happened?” Paul cried, in sudden +alarm. “Are we going to lose out, after all that +magnificent gain? But Harry, see, we’re still +creeping up! Only twenty feet more, and we’ll be +on even terms! What do you mean?” +</p> +<p> +“Look far ahead!” answered Harry. +</p> +<p> +“I see that the river narrows again,” the other +boy replied instantly. “Is that what you mean?” +</p> +<p> +“Yes. We’re going to have to try and pass, +while in that narrow stretch!” Harry sent across +to his reclining chum; for their heads were only a +few feet apart. +</p> +<p> +“But there’s plenty of room for both! I remember +that cut well, Harry! I had my canoe +upset there once, shooting the rapids when the +river was low in Summer. Yes, it’s sure wide +enough for even five boats abreast!” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_179'></a>179</span> +</p> +<p> +“If they’re piloted by honest fellows, who mean +to deal squarely with each other,” said Harry, +significantly. +</p> +<p> +Paul was conscious of the fact that his chum +was putting the decision squarely up to him. He +felt a little uneasy. What if they should meet +with a serious accident in trying to pass the +<em>Glider</em> in such confined quarters? Was it right +for him to drag Harry into this peril? +</p> +<p> +“What ought we do, Harry?” he demanded, +quickly; for they were rushing toward the place +where the banks of the Conoque drew closer together, +and fast overtaking the rival boat. +</p> +<p> +“Are you willing to take the risk?” came the +immediate reply. +</p> +<p> +“Yes; but how about you?” asked Paul. +</p> +<p> +“I’m with you, Paul,” the pilot sent back, impetuously. +“The chance is too good to be lost. +And perhaps I can find a way to outwit him, if +he tries any funny business. Be ready to do your +part like lightning, if I give the word.” +</p> +<p> +“I’m on! Go it, for all you’re worth, Harry!” +</p> +<p> +There was really no time for further words. +They had now reached the beginning of the narrows, +and at the same time found themselves close +up with the tail end of the other iceboat. +</p> +<p> +Paul, sending one nervous glance that way, +could see Pud Snooks glaring at them as though +he could eat either of the two alive. There was +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_180'></a>180</span> +an expression on his heavy face that bordered on +desperation; and Paul became more than ever +convinced that Elmer and his crony must have +made up their minds to attempt some crooked +play, in the hope of balking the efforts of the +<em>Lightning’s</em> crew to pass them. +</p> +<p> +All this while Harry had been studying his +chances. He had purposely come up from behind, +and had chosen the leeward side of the +boat in advance. This was done with a distinct +purpose. If, as he expected, Elmer altered the +course of the <em>Glider</em>, and attempted to block +their way, Harry meant to suddenly shift his +helm and shoot up on the windward side. +</p> +<p> +This movement he calculated to make so suddenly +as to momentarily confuse the opposing pilot. +And when Elmer could collect his senses enough +to follow suit he would be just so many seconds +too late; for by that time possibly the <em>Lightning</em> +might be on even terms; and the big sail would +blanket the <em>Glider</em>, shutting off the wind that was +so essential to her forward progress. +</p> +<p> +Then perhaps, before she could recover from +this staggering blow, the <em>Lightning</em>, which would +not have lost her headway for even a second, +might be out of reach, and rapidly leaving her outwitted +rival in the lurch. +</p> +<p> +At such a time as this it requires an active +brain to hatch up a scheme that carries with it a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_181'></a>181</span> +chance of success. Fortunately Harry was built +that way. He saw his opportunity, and grasped +it without hesitation. +</p> +<p> +Paul, as yet, had not the remotest idea just how +his chum meant to work the deal. He recognized +the fact that those on the other boat would try +to get in the way, regardless of accidents, and +block their passage. Thus Elmer would always +claim that he had never been passed by any other +iceboat, and if both craft were reduced to kindling +wood by the collision, little he cared in his present +reckless frame of mind. +</p> +<p> +But Paul had the utmost confidence in his comrade. +He had seen Harry in action before now, +and recognized the fact that he was gifted with a +bright mind, capable of grasping the situation, +and turning even a little thing to advantage. +</p> +<p> +And so he just lay there, holding on for dear +life, ready to “take his medicine,” as he termed +it, should there be a spill; and also keeping himself +in readiness to do his little part should the +skipper give a quick order; for it was Paul’s duty +to look after the sail, and handle the sheet if they +had to tack during their run, with the wind heading +them off. +</p> +<p> +Now they were nosing up, so that the fore part +of the <em>Lightning</em> seemed but a yard or two behind +the rudder of the opposing craft, once called the +“Queen of the Conoque,” but apparently destined to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_182'></a>182</span> +yield up that proud title to the later +model owned by Paul Martin. +</p> +<p> +“Ha!” +</p> +<p> +It was Paul himself who gave utterance to this +exclamation. Apparently he had been holding his +breath for half a minute past, in anticipation of +what was to come; and this signified that the +startling event was being put into play. +</p> +<p> +Elmer had shifted his tiller just enough to +change the course of his boat, and veer slightly to +leeward. Of course this necessitated a change in +the running of the pursuing craft, otherwise the +<em>Lightning</em> must immediately strike the stern of the +leader. +</p> +<p> +Harry followed suit, and for a moment both +boats continued on that slant. But it could not +last, of course. The shore was too close by; and +if they continued to veer to leeward both must +go aground, to the utter demoralization of the +delicate craft. +</p> +<p> +Paul could see that leering face of Pud almost +within reach of his hand. It seemed as though +the bully might be asking what he was going to +do about it; and giving him to understand that he +might as well cut his halyards, and let his sail +drop, because he and Elmer were grimly determined +that no iceboat should ever sail past the +<em>Glider</em>, come what might. +</p> +<p> +So Paul set his teeth hard, expecting a spill of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_183'></a>183</span> +some sort when the bow of his boat struck the +stern of the other, while going at this amazing +speed. Perhaps his face was white, which fact +could hardly be wondered at under the circumstances. +But there was no sign of fear there. +Paul proved game when the test came, just as +Harry had known would be the case. +</p> +<p> +A foot—why the distance between the two +boats must be measured by inches now, so rapidly +had it been cut down by the rush of the pursuing +craft. +</p> +<p> +Just as Paul gave a gasp, expecting to feel the +shock of the collision, and perhaps be tumbled +headlong over the smooth ice, he felt Harry make +a sudden move. +</p> +<p> +The skipper of the <em>Lightning</em> had waited until +the very last second, and then swung the tiller +around! +</p> +<p> +Instantly obeying the rudder, the able boat +changed her course. She no longer headed to +leeward, but swung in the other direction, aiming +for the windward bank of the river. +</p> +<p> +“Oh! bully! bully! bully!” cried Paul, as the +plan of his chum flashed across his mind; and at +the same time he occupied himself in tugging at +the sheet in order to shape the bellying sail to the +new course of the rapidly-driven boat. +</p> +<p> +Apparently Elmer was taken quite by surprise +by this movement on the part of his rival. His +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_184'></a>184</span> +mind was not quite equal to grasping the full significance +of it, and responding so rapidly that he +might still have a chance of bringing about a disastrous +collision. +</p> +<p> +When he swung around, Pud was also slow to +do his duty with the rope governing the sail. He +had been altogether wrapped up in setting himself +for the anticipated shock of an upset; so that +it took him several seconds to grasp the new conditions. +</p> +<p> +When they did succeed in changing their course, +just before bringing up on the lee shore, it +seemed as though it might be too late, for the able +<em>Lightning</em> had improved her opportunity in a +glorious manner. +</p> +<p> +Elmer was seized with a fit of blind fury. He +realized that he had been beaten at his own game, +and by the boy whom he had always felt that +sense of unjust hatred ever since the day Harry +Watson first came to the Rivertown High School, +and carried off the honors of that bob-sled dash +down the hill. +</p> +<p> +The one thing he wanted to do now was to +smash into the <em>Lightning</em>, regardless of consequences. +Elmer believed in the “rule or ruin” +policy. If his boat was no longer to be the fastest +on the Conoque, he would at least never allow +another to carry off the honors. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_185'></a>185</span> +</p> +<p> +And so the reckless boy deliberately headed for +the rival craft, his aim being to come down upon +the port quarter of the frail <em>Lightning</em> with such +an impetus that the other boat must be utterly +demolished. +</p> +<p> +Paul saw what was impending. His quivering +words of delight ceased to flow; for again he +feared that this implacable and unscrupulous foe +was in a position to carry out his quickly-conceived +scheme of revenge. +</p> +<p> +But Harry knew better. His quick and experienced +eye judged distances better than that of +his chum. True, he edged in a bit closer toward +the nearby shore; but that may have been for a +double purpose. It gave him a trifle longer to +make the pull; and at the same time rendered the +possibility of Elmer and Pud coming to grief a +<em>certainty</em>. +</p> +<p> +Five seconds is not a very long stretch of time; +and yet there may be times in the experiences of +some people when it seems next door to an eternity. +And Paul was now feeling something that +way. +</p> +<p> +He saw the oncoming <em>Glider</em> rushing down at +them—he could mark the strained faces of the +two desperate fellows who sprawled there on the +thin planking that served as a deck to the runners—and +he caught his breath with a queer little +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_186'></a>186</span> +click as he wondered whether after all Harry was +going to carry his clever game through to a successful +end; or if the new boat was destined to be +smashed then and there on its first glorious cruise. +</p> +<p> +Then the crisis came. +</p> +<p> +In changing his course so much, in order to +strike the <em>Lightning</em> squarely in the port quarter, +Elmer had failed to realize that he was heading +up in the teeth of the wind more than his rival. +And in this way he was handicapped so far as +keeping up his pace was concerned. +</p> +<p> +So the <em>Glider</em> swept to the rear of the new boat, +just comfortably missing her. The victory had +been won, since the <em>Lightning</em> had thus forged +ahead, and passed her rival! +</p> +<p> +Paul started to give a whoop of delight. Then +he stopped, for there was heard a sudden loud +smash as the boat of the baffled plotters struck the +shore. +</p> +<p> +“She’s done for! Gone to flinders, Harry! +Oh, what a race, and they’ve got just what they +deserve. But I hope neither of them has been +badly hurt!” exclaimed Paul, who, even in the +excitement of victory could think of the defeated +foe. +</p> +<p> +“I feel the same way as you do about it, Paul,” +replied the pilot at the tiller of the now undisputed +champion of the Conoque, as he headed +straight up the narrows toward the wide reach +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_187'></a>187</span> +above; “but I don’t think that cuts much figure in +it, for I’m sure I saw Pud jump to his feet out of +the wreck; while Elmer was crawling out, and +limping around as we turned that bend just below.” +</p> +<p> +“Well, if ever a sly schemer got caught in his +own trap that fellow was,” remarked Paul, his +indignation now getting the better of his sympathy. +“And he sure deserves all he’s got. +We’ll go on a way further, and then turn back. +Perhaps we’ll overtake our two friends, the +enemy, limping along the ice on the way home; +and they may even accept a lift back.” +</p> +<p> +But after all, Paul’s good intentions were fated +never to be put to the test, for although they saw +the wrecked <em>Glider</em> piled up in a shattered heap +on the shore in the narrows, nothing of the two +unlucky skippers was discovered on the way down +the river; and they concluded the boys had made +their way ashore, to hire some farmer to drive +them all the way back to Rivertown. +</p> +<p> +When the story of the eventful race was told +to the boys of Rivertown most of them declared +that Elmer and Pud had been paid in their own +coin; and few sympathized with them when they +appeared on the streets with sundry strips of court +plaster decorating their faces, and with decided +limps. +</p> +<p> +“At any rate,” said Paul, as he separated from +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_188'></a>188</span> +his chum at the Watson gate, “we <em>did</em> have a +great time of it; and I reckon it’s done you a heap +of good, Harry,” in which opinion the other certainly +shared; and declared that he was glad he +had accepted the invitation to try the new iceboat. +</p> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_189'></a>189</span><a name='chXXV' id='chXXV'></a>CHAPTER XXV—“ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL”</h2> +<p> +Keeping more and more to himself, Harry +finally gave up the pleasure of skating with his +friends after school, preferring to go on long +runs alone. +</p> +<p> +As he was gliding over the ice on one of these +occasions, he saw a girl and a boy skating well +out toward the middle of the river, so far from +him that he could not recognize them. +</p> +<p> +For two days before, there had been a decided +thaw and the ice in the middle of the river was +not considered safe by the majority of the skaters. +Accordingly, when Harry beheld the two figures, +he was amazed. +</p> +<p> +“Must be from Lumberport or Cardell,” he +told himself. “None of our people would be foolish +enough to go out there. Guess I’ll see who +it is.” +</p> +<p> +And without delay, he started toward the +couple. +</p> +<p> +“Good gracious! It’s Viola and Craven!” he +gasped, when he was near enough to get a good +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_190'></a>190</span> +look at them. For a moment, the boy was uncertain +what to do. The girl had been keeping more +and more aloof from him, and correspondingly +more and more in the company of the rich student; +and well he knew that Elmer would resent his advice +in some insulting manner. +</p> +<p> +To his relief, however, the couple seemed to be +so engrossed in one another that they did not see +him, and after watching them for several minutes +he was on the point of turning away when he saw +them both sink, and then heard terrified screams +for help. +</p> +<p> +The cries also reached some of the other boys +and girls farther down the river, and they set out +to the assistance of the struggling skaters. But +none of them had the speed of Harry. +</p> +<p> +With a swiftness that was astounding, the boy +rushed over the ice toward the hole that was +constantly growing larger. +</p> +<p> +Badly frightened, both Viola and Elmer +clutched frantically at the edges of the ice, only +to have them break away, sometimes in small +chunks, again in large pieces. +</p> +<p> +“Let Viola hang onto the edge by herself. Go +farther down, you Craven!” shouted Harry as he +dashed toward them. +</p> +<p> +But instead of obeying, having found a piece +that would hold, the rich boy clung to it, allowing +Viola to be carried past him. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_191'></a>191</span> +</p> +<p> +“Oh, if I were only in the water with him, I’d +fix the coward!” cried Harry. “I only wish the +others were near enough to see what he did.” +</p> +<p> +Thanks to his speed, our hero was so close to +the hole that he was obliged to exercise caution +lest he, too, break through. +</p> +<p> +“Here, give me a hand. That ice’ll hold +you!” shouted Elmer, as his rival approached. +</p> +<p> +But Harry seemed not to hear him. +</p> +<p> +“Hey, you fool, get me out of this; then we +two can get Viola.” +</p> +<p> +His pleading, however, was without avail. +Straight along the edge of the hole Harry skated +until he was abreast of the girl of whom he was +so fond. +</p> +<p> +“Just keep hold of that ice cake a few moments +longer,” he called encouragingly. “I’ll have you +out in no time.” +</p> +<p> +“But I’m too far from the edge. You never +can reach me!” sobbed Viola. And as she saw +the firm ice so close to her, she made a frantic +effort to swim out, with the result that she lost +her hold on the floating ice cake. +</p> +<p> +Harry had been hoping that the current would +carry the girl in toward a part of the river where +it would not be so difficult for him to get to her. +But the instant he saw her hands slip from the +cake, he sprang into the water. +</p> +<p> +Being a good swimmer, it required only a few +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_192'></a>192</span> +strokes for him to reach the side of the girl, but +as he did so his troubles began. +</p> +<p> +Handicapped by his clothes and his skates, +when Viola seized him in the despairing clutch of +a drowning person, he was almost drawn under. +</p> +<p> +“No, no, you mustn’t grab me around the +throat, Viola!” he gasped. “Put your hands on +my shoulders. If you don’t, you’ll drown us both. +I won’t let you sink—and if you’ll only do as I +tell you, I’ll have you safe and sound in a jiffy.” +</p> +<p> +Something there was in the tone in which the +boy spoke that not only soothed the frenzied girl, +but gave her confidence, and though she did not +remove her hands from around Harry’s neck, she +ceased her struggles, permitting him, by means +of the ice cakes, and treading water, to make his +way toward the firm ice. +</p> +<p> +The other boys and girls who were hastening +to the assistance of their schoolmates had watched +the rescue eagerly, and when they saw the boy +half roll, half lift the girl out onto the solid ice, +they cheered lustily. +</p> +<p> +But in saving Viola, Harry had overtaxed his +strength. Indeed, it had only been by putting +every ounce of his power into the effort that he +had been able to raise the girl from the water; +and the instant he saw her safe, he sank back. +</p> +<p> +The realization that she was on sound ice, however, +restored the girl to her senses; and as she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_193'></a>193</span> +beheld the boy who had saved her from the icy +waters lose his hold, she spun about; and with a +quick move, caught his coat sleeve as his arm +went up in the air. +</p> +<p> +To the task of pulling Harry from the water, +however, Viola was not equal. +</p> +<p> +“Hurry! Hurry! Help me!” she shouted to +the leaders of the other would-be rescue party. +“I can’t hold him much longer!” +</p> +<p> +“Hey, you, come and get me first! I’ve been +in the water longer!” yelled Elmer. +</p> +<p> +But fortunately for Harry, it was Paul and +Jerry who were in the van of the skaters, and at +Viola’s cries, they put on every ounce of speed +they had, relieving her of her hold just in the nick +of time. +</p> +<p> +Harry, however, was more used up than the +others had believed, and it was several minutes before +he opened his eyes. +</p> +<p> +“Is—is Viola safe?” he gasped. +</p> +<p> +“Indeed, I am, Harry!” returned the girl, +bending over him. And there was a light in her +eyes that thrilled the boy who had rescued her. +</p> +<p> +When he tried to get up, Harry found he had +no strength. +</p> +<p> +“Somebody go get a sled,” commanded Longback. +</p> +<p> +“And let him lie here cold and wet, while you’re +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_194'></a>194</span> +going for it?” stormed Viola. “Pick him up +and carry him, some of you.” +</p> +<p> +Instantly Paul, Jerry, Dawson and another boy +seized Harry, and half supporting, half carrying +him, they got him to the shore, while Nettie and +the other girls helped Viola, leaving Elmer to +the tender mercies of Pud and Socker, who had +finally arrived in time to drag him from the water. +</p> +<p> +But even they wasted few words on him, +ashamed as they were to think that he should have +sought to save himself at the sacrifice of Viola. +</p> +<p> +Straight to bed did Mrs. Watson put Harry +when he was brought to the house, giving him +warming drinks; while his chums rubbed his benumbed +arms and legs. But he did not respond +to their treatment as quickly as he should, and in +alarm, his aunt finally sent for a doctor. +</p> +<p> +Grave, indeed, did the man of medicine look +after he had completed his examination of the +boy. +</p> +<p> +“If he’d been exposed for another half hour, I +doubt if we could have brought him around,” he +announced. “As it is, it will be several days before +he will be up and about.” +</p> +<p> +But the physician was mistaken—his days were +weeks. +</p> +<p> +His nervous system overtaxed because of his +worry in regard to his father, Harry’s physical +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_195'></a>195</span> +condition had run down, and the chill he received +caused him to go off into pneumonia. +</p> +<p> +Harry’s illness, however, served one good purpose—it +caused a reaction in the feelings of his +schoolmates. When it became noised around +that he had endangered his life to rescue the girl +who was skating with his implacable enemy, the +boys and girls of Rivertown High realized that +he was made of good material. And their change +in feelings was shown by calls they made to ask +about his condition, and the delicacies they sent in. +But only Paul, Jerry and finally Viola were allowed +to see him, though they were forbidden to +talk to him. +</p> +<p> +Little, indeed, did he talk, and then only to ask +if word had come from Jed Brown. And as his +aunt was forced, day after day, to declare that she +had heard nothing, the boy seemed to lose all interest +in getting well. +</p> +<p> +But the crippled veteran, though silent, had +not deserted the boy who had rescued him from +the bully. +</p> +<p> +Arrived in Lawrenceburgh, he had vainly +pleaded with several influential men to arrange for +a stay in the execution of sentence upon Harry’s +father. But one and all, they turned a deaf ear +to his pleadings, and Mr. Watson was forced to +go to prison. +</p> +<p> +But on the very day he entered upon his term +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_196'></a>196</span> +of punishment, old Jed stumbled upon a clue +which was to prove his innocence. +</p> +<p> +Chancing to drop into a tobacco store which +was kept by one of his war comrades, he was +amazed to find still another member of his old +company dressed in handsome clothes and wearing +a diamond ring. As the man had always been a +ne’er-do-well, the change in his circumstances +puzzled Jed, and when the fellow had taken his +departure, he asked the shop-keeper what had +caused it. +</p> +<p> +“That’s what I’d like to find out,” returned +the tobacconist. “For the last six months, Bill +has been going around with his pockets full of +money. He’s living at the Ransom House, too.” +</p> +<p> +This being one of the chief hotels in Lawrenceburgh, +the fact still further emphasized the turn +in the veteran’s fortunes. +</p> +<p> +“Ever give you any idea how he got the +money?” asked Jed. +</p> +<p> +“Says he done it by writing. Bill always was +a good writer, you know. Don’t you remember +how he used to forge pass orders for some of the +boys when they wanted to leave camp?” +</p> +<p> +The words sent an idea to Jed’s mind, and bidding +the shop-keeper a hasty good-bye, he hied +himself to the Ransom House, where he made +many inquiries about the former soldier. At first +he made little headway; but just as he was giving up +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_197'></a>197</span> +in despair, he saw another old comrade. +</p> +<p> +“Say, what’s the matter with you Rivertown +folks?” asked this man. “Have you come down +to see Bill Hawkins, too? Ned Snooks visits him +about once a month.” +</p> +<p> +At the mention of the Rivertown butcher, the +crippled veteran gasped. Then he remembered +that bad feeling had sprung up between the +butcher and Mr. Watson over a real estate deal +in which the former maintained that he had been +swindled—and Jed immediately concluded that +Ned Snooks was at the bottom of the charges +against Harry’s father. +</p> +<p> +But it was one thing to believe this, and quite +another to prove it—yet with that perseverance +which had distinguished him as a soldier in the +ranks, Jed set about obtaining evidence; and finally +succeeded in extracting a confession from +Hawkins, that, acting for the butcher, he had +forged the name of Snooks to some checks, and +managed to lay the blame on Amos Watson. +</p> +<p> +Elated, Jed again approached the influential +men who had refused to intercede for their fellow +townsman, and after convincing them of the +truth of the confession, received their aid in obtaining +Mr. Watson’s release from prison, and +subsequent exoneration from the charge of forgery. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_198'></a>198</span> +</p> +<p> +Ignorant of the illness of Harry, the old veteran +did not report on his progress, and the first +news the boy had of the change in his father’s condition +was when a telegram was brought to him. +</p> +<p> +With trembling fingers he opened it, then uttered +a faint cry of joy, as he read: +</p> +<p style='text-align:left; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em;;'>“Harry Watson,</p> +<p style='text-align:left; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em;;'>Rivertown.</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;margin-right: 2em;'> +Charges against me proven false. I want you +to come to Lawrenceburgh to spend Sunday with +me. +</p> +<p style='text-align:right; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-right:2em;;'><span class='sc'>Father.</span>”</p> +<p> +Better than any tonic or care was the news to +Harry, and though he was not able to go to his +father, Mr. Watson came to him, bringing good +old Jed Brown with him, and happy, indeed, was +the reunion. +</p> +<p> +Despite his villainy, Mr. Watson refused to +prosecute Ned Snooks; but public opinion was so +aroused against the butcher that he sold his property, +and moved away from Rivertown, while the +man he had so wronged decided to live in the +town, and in due course opened a real estate office. +</p> +<p> +“But didn’t Pud know about this forgery from +the first?” asked Harry, of his parent, one day. +</p> +<p> +“I think not, my son,” replied Mr. Watson. +“Mr. Snooks was a man who kept his affairs to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_199'></a>199</span> +himself. Had Pud known he would have taunted +you long before he did.” +</p> +<p> +“It was grand of old Jed Brown to act as he +did,” murmured our hero. “We owe him a great +deal.” +</p> +<p> +“He is to live with me and your Aunt Mary +after this,” said the father. “He is going to help +me in my real estate business. As he is getting +old, I shall let him take it as easy as he pleases.” +And so it was arranged. +</p> +<p> +When Harry returned to Rivertown High he +was given an ovation that made him blush like a +girl. The only person who remained in the background +was Elmer Craven. He had nothing to +say; and when, during the following Fall, the +Craven family moved to Boston, Elmer was glad +to go along, so he would not have to return to a +school where he was in such bad odor. +</p> +<p> +Harry continued at Rivertown High School for +the full term of four years; and when he graduated +he did so at the top of his class. Then he +went into the real estate business with his father, +and both made money rapidly. His friendship +for Viola ripened into a much more tender feeling; +and it is reported that some day the pair will be +married. But though Harry was successful as a +land dealer he never became tired of talking about +his high-school days. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_200'></a>200</span> +</p> +<p> +“We had some great times,” he said, one day, +to Paul. +</p> +<p> +“We sure did!” replied his chum. “In my +opinion there is no better school in all the world +than Rivertown High!” +</p> +<p> +“Right you are!” responded Harry. “And as +matters have turned out I am very glad that I +came here.” +</p> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:larger;font-weight:bold;'>The Webster Series</span> +</p> +<p> +By FRANK V. WEBSTER +</p> +<div class='figleft' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i006' id='i006'></a> +<img src='images/illus-ad1.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br /> +</div> +<p> +Mr. Webster’s style is very much like +that of the boys’ favorite author, the late +lamented Horatio Alger, Jr., but his tales +are thoroughly up-to-date. +</p> +<p> +Cloth. 12mo. Over 200 pages each. Illustrated. +</p> +<p> +Stamped in various colors. +</p> +<p> +Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid. +</p> +<p> +<b>Only A Farm Boy</b>, <em>or Dan Hardy’s Rise in Life</em><br /> +<b>The Boy From The Ranch</b>, <em>or Roy Bradner’s City Experiences</em><br /> +<b>The Young Treasure Hunter</b>, <em>or Fred Stanley’s Trip to Alaska</em><br /> +<b>The Boy Pilot of the Lakes</b>, <em>or Nat Morton’s Perils</em><br /> +<b>Tom The Telephone Boy</b>, <em>or The Mystery of a Message</em><br /> +<b>Bob The Castaway</b>, <em>or The Wreck of the Eagle</em><br /> +<b>The Newsboy Partners</b>, <em>or Who Was Dick Box?</em><br /> +<b>Two Boy Gold Miners</b>, <em>or Lost in the Mountains</em><br /> +<b>The Young Firemen of Lakeville</b>, <em>or Herbert Dare’s Pluck</em><br /> +<b>The Boys of Bellwood School</b>, <em>or Frank Jordan’s Triumph</em><br /> +<b>Jack the Runaway</b>, <em>or On the Road with a Circus</em><br /> +<b>Bob Chester’s Grit</b>, <em>or From Ranch to Riches</em><br /> +<b>Airship Andy</b>, <em>or The Luck of a Brave Boy</em><br /> +<b>High School Rivals</b>, <em>or Fred Markham’s Struggles</em><br /> +<b>Darry The Life Saver</b>, <em>or The Heroes of the Coast</em><br /> +<b>Dick The Bank Boy</b>, <em>or A Missing Fortune</em><br /> +<b>Ben Hardy’s Flying Machine</b>, <em>or Making a Record for Himself</em><br /> +<b>Harry Watson’s High School Days</b>, <em>or The Rivals of Rivertown</em><br /> +<b>Comrades of the Saddle</b>, <em>or The Young Rough Riders of the Plains</em><br /> +<b>Tom Taylor at West Point</b>, <em>or The Old Army Officer’s Secret</em><br /> +<b>The Boy Scouts of Lennox</b>, <em>or Hiking Over Big Bear Mountain</em><br /> +<b>The Boys of the Wireless</b>, <em>or a Stirring Rescue from the Deep</em><br /> +<b>Cowboy Dave</b>, <em>or The Round-up at Rolling River</em><br /> +<b>Jack of the Pony Express</b>, <em>or The Young Rider of the Mountain Trail</em><br /> +<b>The Boys of the Battleship</b>, <em>or For the Honor of Uncle Sam</em><br /> +</p> +<p> +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York +</p> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:larger;font-weight:bold;'>THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES</span> +</p> +<p> +By WILLARD F. BAKER +</p> +<p> +<em>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors.</em> +</p> +<p> +<em>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid.</em> +</p> +<p> +<em>Stories of the great west, with cattle ranches as +a setting, related in such a style as to captivate +the hearts of all boys.</em> +</p> +<div class='figleft' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i007' id='i007'></a> +<img src='images/illus-ad2.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br /> +</div> +<p> +1. THE BOY RANCHERS +<em>or Solving the Mystery at Diamond X</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Two eastern boys visit their cousin. They +become involved in an exciting mystery. +</p> +<p> +2. THE BOY RANCHERS IN CAMP +<em>or The Water Fight at Diamond X</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Returning for a summer visit to their western cousin’s ranch, +the two eastern lads learn, with delight, that they are to be allowed +to become boy ranchers in earnest. +</p> +<p> +3. THE BOY RANCHERS ON THE TRAIL +<em>or The Diamond X After Cattle Rustlers</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Our boy heroes take the trail after Del Pinzo and his outlaws. +</p> +<p> +4. THE BOY RANCHERS AMONG THE INDIANS +<em>or Trailing the Yaquis</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Rosemary and Floyd visiting their cousins Bud, Nort and Dick, +are captured by the Yaqui Indians. The boy ranchers trail the +savages into the mountains and eventually effect the rescue. +</p> +<p> +5. THE BOY RANCHERS AT SPUR CREEK +<em>or Fighting the Sheep Herders</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Dangerous struggle against desperadoes for land rights brings out +heroic adventures. +</p> +<p> +<em>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue.</em> +</p> +<p> +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York +</p> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:larger;font-weight:bold;'>THE BOYS’ OUTING LIBRARY</span> +</p> +<p> +<em>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full color.</em> +</p> +<p> +<em>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid.</em> +</p> +<div class='figleft' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i008' id='i008'></a> +<img src='images/illus-ad3.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br /> +</div> +<p> +<span style='font-weight:bold;'>The Saddle Boys Series</span> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:smaller;'>BY CAPT. JAMES CARSON</span> +</p> +<p> + The Saddle Boys of the Rockies<br /> + The Saddle Boys in the Grand Canyon<br /> + The Saddle Boys on the Plains<br /> + The Saddle Boys at Circle Ranch<br /> + The Saddle Boys on Mexican Trails<br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-weight:bold;'>The Dave Dashaway Series</span> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:smaller;'>BY ROY ROCKWOOD</span> +</p> +<p> + Dave Dashaway the Young Aviator<br /> + Dave Dashaway and His Hydroplane<br /> + Dave Dashaway and His Giant Airship<br /> + Dave Dashaway Around the World<br /> + Dave Dashaway: Air Champion<br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-weight:bold;'>The Speedwell Boys Series</span> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:smaller;'>BY ROY ROCKWOOD</span> +</p> +<p> + The Speedwell Boys on Motorcycles<br /> + The Speedwell Boys and Their Racing Auto<br /> + The Speedwell Boys and Their Power Launch<br /> + The Speedwell Boys in a Submarine<br /> + The Speedwell Boys and Their Ice Racer<br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-weight:bold;'>The Tom Fairfield Series</span> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:smaller;'>BY ALLEN CHAPMAN</span> +</p> +<p> + Tom Fairfield’s School Days<br /> + Tom Fairfield at Sea<br /> + Tom Fairfield in Camp<br /> + Tom Fairfield’s Pluck and Luck<br /> + Tom Fairfield’s Hunting Trip<br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-weight:bold;'>The Fred Fenton Athletic Series</span> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:smaller;'>BY ALLEN CHAPMAN</span> +</p> +<p> + Fred Fenton the Pitcher<br /> + Fred Fenton in the Line<br /> + Fred Fenton on the Crew<br /> + Fred Fenton on the Track<br /> + Fred Fenton: Marathon Runner<br /> +</p> +<p> +<em>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue.</em> +</p> +<p> +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York +</p> +<p> + <br /> + <br /> + <br /> +</p> +<p> +<span style='font-size:larger;font-weight:bold;'>THE COLLEGE SPORTS SERIES</span> +</p> +<p> +<span class='sc'>By LESTER CHADWICK</span> +</p> +<p> +<em>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in Colors.</em> +</p> +<p> +<em>Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid.</em> +</p> +<p> +<em>Mr. Chadwick has played on the diamond and on the gridiron himself.</em> +</p> +<div class='figleft' style='padding-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='i009' id='i009'></a> +<img src='images/illus-ad4.jpg' alt='' title=''/><br /> +</div> +<p> +1. THE RIVAL PITCHERS +<em>A Story of College Baseball</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Tom Parsons, a “hayseed,” makes good on +the scrub team of Randall College. +</p> +<p> +2. A QUARTERBACK’S PLUCK +<em>A Story of College Football</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +A football story, told in Mr. Chadwick’s best style, that is bound +to grip the reader from the start. +</p> +<p> +3. BATTING TO WIN +<em>A Story of College Baseball</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Tom Parsons and his friends Phil and Sid are the leading players +on Randall College team. There is a great game. +</p> +<p> +4. THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN +<em>A Story of College Football</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +After having to reorganize their team at the last moment, Randall +makes a touchdown that won a big game. +</p> +<p> +5. FOR THE HONOR OF RANDALL +<em>A Story of College Athletics</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +The winning of the hurdle race and long-distance run is extremely +exciting. +</p> +<p> +6. THE EIGHT-OARED VICTORS +<em>A Story of College Water Sports</em> +</p> +<p style='margin-left: 2em;'> +Tom, Phil and Sid prove as good at aquatic sports as they are +on track, gridiron and diamond. +</p> +<p> +<em>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue.</em> +</p> +<p> +CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers, New York +</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Harry Watson's High School Days, by +Frank V. 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