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| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-22 19:05:06 -0800 |
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| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-01-22 19:05:06 -0800 |
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diff --git a/old/66055-h/66055-h.htm b/old/66055-h/66055-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 84a0692..0000000 --- a/old/66055-h/66055-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,10735 +0,0 @@ -<!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" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - - <title> - The Junior Trophy, by Ralph Henry Barbour—A Project Gutenberg eBook - </title> - - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -/* DACSoft styles */ - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - -/* General headers */ -h1 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - page-break-before: always; - clear: both; -} - -/* Chapter headers */ -h2 { - text-align: center; - font-weight: bold; - margin: .75em 0; -} - -div.chapter { - page-break-before: always; 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- text-align: center; - clear: both; -} - -/* Hanging indent. */ -.hang { - text-indent: -2em; - padding-left: 3em; -} - - </style> - </head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Junior Trophy, by Ralph Henry Barbour</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Junior Trophy</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Ralph Henry Barbour</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: August 13, 2021 [eBook #66055]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUNIOR TROPHY ***</div> - - -<div class="figcenter" id="cover"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="cover" title="cover" /> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="noi halftitle">THE JUNIOR TROPHY</p> -</div> - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="adbox"> -<p class="noic adauthor">BY RALPH HENRY BARBOUR.</p> - -<ul> -<li class="hang">The Junior Trophy.</li> -<li class="hang">Change Signals!</li> -<li class="hang">For Yardley.</li> -<li class="hang">Finkler’s Field.</li> -<li class="hang">Winning His “Y.”</li> -<li class="hang">The New Boy at Hilltop.</li> -<li class="hang">Double Play.</li> -<li class="hang">Forward Pass!</li> -<li class="hang">The Spirit of the School.</li> -<li class="hang">Four in Camp.</li> -<li class="hang">Four Afoot.</li> -<li class="hang">Four Afloat.</li> -<li class="hang">The Arrival of Jimpson.</li> -<li class="hang">Behind the Line.</li> -<li class="hang">Captain of the Crew.</li> -<li class="hang">For the Honor of the School.</li> -<li class="hang">The Half-Back.</li> -<li class="hang">On Your Mark.</li> -<li class="hang">Weatherby’s Inning.</li> -</ul> - -<p class="noic">D. APPLETON & COMPANY, NEW YORK.</p> -</div> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<div class="figcenter" id="i_frontis"> - <img src="images/i_frontis.jpg" alt="" title="" /> - <div class="caption"> - <p class="noic"><a href="#Page_75">“‘Be careful,’ cautioned Ben, his teeth chattering.”</a></p> - </div> -</div> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<h1>THE<br /> -JUNIOR TROPHY</h1> - -<p class="p2 noic">BY</p> - -<p class="noi author">RALPH HENRY BARBOUR</p> - -<p class="noi works">AUTHOR OF<br /> -“CHANGE SIGNALS,” “FOR YARDLEY,” “THE HALF-BACK,” ETC.</p> - -<div class="pad4"> -<div class="logocenter" id="logo"> - <img class="logocenter" src="images/logo.jpg" alt="logo" title="logo" /> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noic">ILLUSTRATED</p> - - -<p class="p4 noic adauthor">NEW YORK AND LONDON<br /> -D. APPLETON AND COMPANY<br /> -1913</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p class="noic smcap">Copyright, 1913, by</p> - -<p class="noic">D. APPLETON AND COMPANY</p> - -<p class="p6 noic">Printed in the United States of America</p> -</div> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</h2> -</div> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> -<col style="width: 20%;" /> -<col style="width: 70%;" /> -<col style="width: 10%;" /> -<tr> - <th class="pr smfontr">CHAPTER</th> - <th class="tdl"></th> - <th class="smfontr">PAGE</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">I.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#I">What the Cat Brought In</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">1</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">II.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#II">The Declaration of Independence</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">9</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">III.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#III">Revolt</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">20</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">IV.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#IV">The First Skirmish</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">32</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">V.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#V">Battle Royal</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">48</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VI.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VI">A Rescue</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">65</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VII">Lanny Confesses</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">80</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">VIII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#VIII">The First Hockey Game</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">86</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">IX.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#IX">The Society Meets Again</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">94</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">X.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#X">Kid Makes an Investment</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">104</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XI.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XI">And Starts in Business</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">119</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XII">“Toots” Buys Some Tablets</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">137</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIII">Kid Runs Away</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">160</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIV.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIV">Heroism and a Reward</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">175</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XV.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XV">Lanny Tries High Finance</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">193</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVI.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVI">Kid Finds Himself Famous</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">208</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVII">A Donation to the Fund</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">217</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XVIII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XVIII">Confession and Punishment</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">229</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XIX.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XIX">The Trophy is Presented</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">248</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XX.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XX">Day Wins and Loses</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">264</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXI.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXI">“Hairbreadth” Harry</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">280</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXII">“Toots” Has a Treat</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">290</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdrt">XXIII.</td> - <td class="tdl smcap"><a href="#XXIII">Kid Triumphs!</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">296</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> -</div> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Illustrations"> -<col style="width: 90%;" /> -<col style="width: 10%;" /> -<tr> - <th> </th> - <th class="smfontc">FACING<br />PAGE</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_frontis">“‘Be careful,’ cautioned Ben, -his teeth chattering”</a> <span class="flright"><i>Frontispiece</i></span></td> - <td class="tdrb"> </td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_fp054">“The soft snow thudded and spattered against the -two flying seniors”</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">54</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_fp180">“On came the train, nearer and nearer”</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">180</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl hang"><a href="#i_fp306">“Straining eyes watched as it thumped into Kid’s -big glove”</a></td> - <td class="tdrb">306</td> -</tr> -</table> - - - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span></p> - -<p class="noi title">THE JUNIOR TROPHY</p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="I">I<br /> -<small>WHAT THE CAT BROUGHT IN</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">The train from the west that bore Bert Bryant -to New York was two hours late, for all the -way from Clinton, Ohio, where Bert lived, -the snow had been from four inches to a foot in -depth. Consequently he had missed the one o’clock -train for Mt. Pleasant and had spent an hour with -his face glued to a waiting-room window watching -the bustle and confusion of New York. Now, at -four o’clock, he was seated in a sleigh, his suit-case -between his feet, winding up the long, snowy road -to Mt. Pleasant Academy. In the front seat was -the fur-clad driver and beside him was Bert’s small -trunk.</p> - -<p>It was very cold and fast growing dark. It -seemed to Bert that they had been driving for miles -and miles, and he wanted to ask the driver how -much farther they had to go. But the man in the -old bearskin coat was cross and taciturn, and so<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2"></a>[2]</span> -Bert buried his hands still deeper in his pockets -and wondered whether his nose and ears were getting -white. And just when he had decided that -they were the sleigh left the main road with a sudden -lurch, that almost toppled the trunk off, and -turned through a gate and up a curving drive lined -with snow-laden evergreens. Then the academy -came into view, a rambling, comfortable-looking -building with many cheerfully lighted windows -looking out in welcome. At one of the windows -two faces appeared in response to the warning of -the sleigh bells and peered curiously down. The -sleigh pulled up in front of a broad stone step and -Bert clambered out, bag in hand. The driver lifted -the trunk, opened the big oak door without ceremony, -deposited his burden just inside and -growled: “Fifty cents.”</p> - -<p>Bert paid him, the door closed, the bells jingled -diminishingly down the drive and Bert looked -around. He was in a big hall from which a broad -stairway ascended and from which doors opened -on all sides. Through one of them he caught sight -of four tables already set for supper. The hall was -evidently a living-room as well, for a wood fire -crackled in a big fireplace and easy chairs and -couches were all around, while the floor was spread<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[3]</span> -with a number of rugs of varying sizes whose deep -colors added warmth to the room. Bert waited, -drawing off his coat and gloves. Presently, as no -one appeared, he went to the fireplace and held his -numbed feet to the blaze. Somehow the place -didn’t look like any school he had ever seen and -he began to wonder whether by mistake he had -stumbled into some one’s private house. But from -above came unmistakable sounds; boys’ voices in -laughter and the scurrying of feet. Bert began to -study the many closed doors, intending presently, -if no one came, to knock at one of them. But before -he had made a choice some one did come.</p> - -<p>A door behind him opened suddenly and a girl -of about fourteen burst in, caught sight of the newcomer -and paused in surprise. Bert turned and -for a moment the two observed each other in frank -curiosity.</p> - -<p>What Bert saw was a girl in a sailor suit of -some dark blue material, a girl with a pretty, animated -face, blue eyes and golden-brown hair which -at the back descended to her waist in a long braid. -What the girl saw was a good-looking boy of her -own age with a sturdy figure, a pleasant countenance, -brown eyes and hair and a good supply of -freckles.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[4]</span></p> - -<p>“Hello,” she said finally.</p> - -<p>“How do you do?” responded Bert.</p> - -<p>“You’re the new junior, aren’t you?” she went -on. “I forget your name. Mine’s Nan. Doctor -Merton’s my father.”</p> - -<p>“My name is Albert Bryant. I didn’t see anyone -about——”</p> - -<p>“Daddy’s talking with Mr. Crane in the office, -mamma’s in the village and Mr. Folsom hasn’t come -back yet. I’m all there is, you see, and so you’ll -have to put up with me until daddy’s ready for -you. I guess it was pretty cold driving up from -the station, wasn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“It was, rather,” acknowledged Bert, rubbing -his fingers together. “My train was late in New -York and I missed the train I was expecting to -get.”</p> - -<p>Nan nodded. “Lots of the boys were late. Two -of them haven’t got here yet; Mr. Folsom, too. He -lives in Syracuse and there’s been heaps of snow -up that way. I like snow, though, don’t you? -We’ve got a dandy toboggan slide. Do you like to -toboggan?”</p> - -<p>“I never tried it,” answered Bert. “I should -think, though, it would be good fun.”</p> - -<p>“It’s grand! Did the Pirate bring you up?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[5]</span></p> - -<p>“The Pirate?”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Higgins. The boys call him the Pirate -because he looks like one. I know he did, though, -because he’s put your trunk as near the door as he -could. He says he doesn’t get paid to handle -trunks inside the house. Did you say your name -was Albert?”</p> - -<p>“Yes; Bert, though, usually.”</p> - -<p>“I like that better,” she responded, seating herself -on the arm of a chair and continuing to examine -him calmly. “I shall call you Bert, though -I suppose the boys will find a nickname for you -pretty soon. Funny you came after Christmas recess. -Why didn’t you come in the fall?”</p> - -<p>“I was going to, but I got sick in September, -and when I was well again it was too late. And -mother thought I’d better wait and get quite well.”</p> - -<p>“You don’t look sick now,” she said critically.</p> - -<p>“I’m not. I never was sick before, not really -sick, that is.”</p> - -<p>“You’re to room with Ben Holden. I hope he -will like you. He’s a senior.”</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you hope I’ll like him?” laughed -Bert.</p> - -<p>Nan Merton raised her eyebrows. “Oh, that -isn’t so important. You see, if Ben shouldn’t like<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[6]</span> -you he might make your life a veritable burden.” -(Bert soon discovered that Nan was fond of using -queer phrases which she got out of the stories she -read.) “He—he’s that sort, you know.”</p> - -<p>“Is he? Well, I shouldn’t like to have my life -a burden,” replied Bert with a smile. “How old is -this chap?”</p> - -<p>“Ben? He’s seventeen, I think. He’s one of -the big boys. We have twelve here in the house, -four seniors, two upper middlers, two lower middlers -and three juniors; no, four now you’ve come. -You see, the juniors sort of do what the seniors -and upper middlers tell them to.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Well, suppose they didn’t?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Why—why—” But such a supposition seemed -beyond Nan’s imagination. “They <em>have</em> to,” she -said. There was the sound of a closing door somewhere. -“Mr. Crane’s gone. Come on and I’ll take -you to daddy.”</p> - -<p>She led the way through the door by which she -had entered, past a somewhat formal room furnished -as a parlor, and down a hallway. This, as -Bert guessed correctly, was the family’s part of the -house. The office door was open and Bert followed -Nan inside.</p> - -<p>“Here’s the new boy, daddy,” she announced<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span> -in businesslike tones. A middle-aged gentleman, -grizzled of hair and comfortably stout, arose from -his desk chair and turned to Bert with a kindly -smile and outstretched hand.</p> - -<p>“Glad to see you, Bryant. You had a pleasant -journey, I hope. That was quite a trip for a boy -of your age to make alone. Let me see, now, you’re -fifteen, is it?”</p> - -<p>“Fourteen, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, yes. And you’re going into the junior -class. I remember. Well, Mrs. Merton is absent -and so I’ll ask—hm, I forgot. I’ll show you your -room myself. Later we’ll have a talk together. -Come this way, Bryant.”</p> - -<p>Bert rescued his bag, coat and cap in the hall -and followed the Doctor up the stairs. In front of -a partly opened door the Doctor paused and -knocked.</p> - -<p>“Come in!” called a voice gaily. When they -entered Bert saw five boys lounging about the -room. At sight of the Doctor, however, they -sprang respectfully to their feet.</p> - -<p>“Ben,” announced the Doctor, “this is your -new room-mate, Albert Bryant. Bryant, this is -Benson Holden. And here is Lovell, and Perkins -and Pierce and Waters.” Bert shook hands all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span> -around somewhat embarrassedly. “Make Bryant -at home, boys,” continued the Doctor. “One of you -might give him a hand with his trunk, if you will. -Everything all right, Ben?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, thank you.”</p> - -<p>The Doctor withdrew and Bert was left facing -the curious and critical glances of the older boys. -It was Benson Holden who first broke the ensuing -silence. Ben dropped on the bed, threw out his -hands in utter despair and nodded at Bert.</p> - -<p>“Look!” he wailed. “Look what the cat’s -brought in!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="II">II<br /> -<small>THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">Bert didn’t like Ben. He came to that conclusion -just twenty-four hours after his arrival -at Mt. Pleasant Academy. Ben had -had his room to himself all the fall and resented -Bert’s appearance on the scene. He also resented -having a junior put in with him. To be sure it -was the custom at the academy to have the younger -boys room with the older, but Ben, who had been -there three years and a half, and was the oldest -boy in the house, thought he ought to be exempt -from such annoyances. And he didn’t scruple to -let Bert understand that he was anything but welcome. -Benson Holden was a big chap, big even -for his seventeen years, with a dark, good-looking -and somewhat arrogant face and a masterful manner -where the younger boys were concerned. He -had made up his mind, evidently, that if he must -have Bert with him Bert was to pay in services. -After Bert had been an occupant of Number 2 just -half an hour it began. “Bryant, get my slippers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span> -out of the closet.” “Bryant, throw that towel over -here. And be quick, too, kid!” “Put those shirts -in my second drawer, Bryant, and put the bag in -the closet. Don’t muss ’em up, now!” Bert very -quietly obeyed, but he had already begun to do -some thinking that was to bear fruit in the shape -of action.</p> - -<p>Later that evening the last two boys reached -school. These were juniors, Tom Frye, nicknamed -“Small,” and James Fairchild, alias “Kid.” With -their arrival the roster of twelve pupils was complete. -After supper was over, Bert had his talk -with the Doctor in the office, and met Mrs. Merton, -a sweet-faced woman whom the boys called Mother -and worshiped devotedly. Later, too, he met the -rest of the teaching force, Mr. Folsom and Mr. -Crane, both youngish men, the former short, stout -and pompous and the latter tall, cheerful and jolly. -Before that first evening was past he had made -friends with the three other members of his class, -“Small” Frye, “Kid” Fairchild and Lansing -Grey. He liked them all; and some of the older -fellows were nice to him, notably Steve Lovell, -upper middler. He saw nothing more of Nan that -evening. The next morning studies began in the -schoolrooms which occupied one end of the building.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span> -Besides the twelve boarders there were as -many day pupils who came from Mt. Pleasant and -Whittier and Riveredge, the nearby towns. Altogether -Mt. Pleasant Academy cared for twenty-four -boys. Bert got through the first day of lessons -creditably enough, and at half past three was -free for the rest of the afternoon.</p> - -<p>Young Grey, known as “Lanny” for short, had -taken a fancy to the new boy and after school took -him on a tour of the building and grounds. Bert -saw the gymnasium, above the schoolroom, the -laboratory downstairs, the heating and lighting -plant, the snow-covered athletic field and finally the -two rinks where, by the time they arrived, some -dozen and a half fellows were hard at work practising -hockey.</p> - -<p>“That’s the House Team over there,” explained -Lanny. “Ben’s captain. This is the Day Team. -The captain’s that short, round-faced fellow, Billy -Spooner. The first match comes off a week from -next Saturday. Do you play hockey?”</p> - -<p>Bert shook his head. “No, I never tried it. -Do you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and if Ben was fair he’d give me a -chance on the House Team. I can play a heap -better than Cupples.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span></p> - -<p>“Won’t he let you play?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“No, I’m a junior. All juniors are good for -is to run errands and fetch and carry. It makes -me tired.”</p> - -<p>“I guess it’s going to make me tired, too, pretty -soon,” said Bert. “Seems to me I’ve been on the -go for Holden or Gardner about every minute since -I got here.”</p> - -<p>Lanny nodded. “Yes, they always take it out -of a new fellow. Good work, Dick!” They had -stopped at the barrier beyond which, on the smooth -surface of hard ice, the House Hockey Team was -practising, and Lanny’s shout of praise had been -elicited by a clever stop at goal by Dick Gardner. -“He’s a dandy goal-tend,” explained Lanny. -“Never gets rattled for a minute.”</p> - -<p>“What has he got on his legs?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Leg-guards. That puck is pretty hard when -it hits. There’s Small over there; and Kid, too. -Let’s go over.”</p> - -<p>But at that moment Ben Holden, swinging by, -caught sight of the two boys and skated up to the -boards.</p> - -<p>“Say, Bryant, run up to the room, will you, and -find a pair of hockey gloves on the table. I forgot -them.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span></p> - -<p>“I’m tired, Holden,” replied Bert quietly. -“Send some one else.”</p> - -<p>Ben stared in surprise. Then he frowned and, -leaning over the barrier, seized Bert’s ear. “Tired, -eh? Well, you forget that, kid, and run along and -do as I tell you. You’re much too fresh for this -place.”</p> - -<p>Bert jerked away, rubbed the ear and smiled -sweetly. “I’d like mighty well to know what you -did before I came, Holden,” he said. “I’m wearing -my shoes out running errands for you.”</p> - -<p>“Are you going?” demanded Ben threateningly.</p> - -<p>“No, I’m not!”</p> - -<p>“I’ll get them,” volunteered Lanny Grey.</p> - -<p>“All right,” said Ben, “but get a move on. -They’re on the table or the bureau or somewhere -there. As for you,” he added, scowling at Bert, -“I’ll teach you to do as you’re told before you’ve -been here much longer.”</p> - -<p>Bert turned away without reply and, while -Lanny sped back to the house, walked around the -rink to where the other two juniors, Kid and Small, -were standing. They greeted him eagerly.</p> - -<p>“What was the row over there?” asked Small.</p> - -<p>“Nothing much. Holden wanted me to run and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span> -get his gloves from the room and I said I was too -tired.”</p> - -<p>The others looked at Bert in mingled amazement -and admiration.</p> - -<p>“Gee!” breathed Kid. “You’ll get it!”</p> - -<p>“What for?” demanded Bert defiantly.</p> - -<p>“For not shacking,” replied Kid with a knowing -shake of his blond head. Small nodded affirmatively -and eyed Bert with sympathy.</p> - -<p>“Why should I?” asked Bert. “I didn’t come -here to shack, as you fellows call it, for every chap -in school. Let them run their own errands!”</p> - -<p>“I wish they would,” sighed Kid. “Stanley -Pierce says I’ve got to work on the toboggan slide -after supper.”</p> - -<p>“We all have to,” said Small gloomily. “And -my hands get so cold and my feet ache so——!”</p> - -<p>“What do you mean?” Bert questioned. “Who -has to work where?”</p> - -<p>“Juniors and lower middlers have to fix up the -slide after supper,” explained Small. “Put snow -on the boards and wet it down so it will freeze -to-night.”</p> - -<p>Bert turned and regarded the slide which began -back of the house and swept down the hill to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span> -the meadow beyond. He shook his head. “I shall -be very busy this evening,” he said. “Sorry.”</p> - -<p>“But you’ll have to!” exclaimed Small in horrified -tones. “It—it’s the rule.”</p> - -<p>“Who made the rule? I didn’t see it in the -catalogue.”</p> - -<p>“Of course not, but it’s a rule just the same. -And it isn’t so hard. In fact, it’s sort of fun—if -the weather isn’t very cold.”</p> - -<p>“Well, the weather is cold to-day,” responded -Bert. “Much too cold for me to go out after -supper.”</p> - -<p>“You’ll go, just the same,” said Kid with a -grin.</p> - -<p>“I think not,” replied Bert quietly. “Not only -that, but I’ve made up my mind that after this I’m -not going to shack for any one.”</p> - -<p>“You can’t help yourself,” said Small. “Of -course, you’re new here and don’t understand, but -the juniors always shack for the seniors and upper -middlers. It—it’s always been done.”</p> - -<p>“Not by me,” replied Bert, cheerfully. “The -rest of you can do it if you like, but I’ve quit.”</p> - -<p>“But—but—” stammered Kid, “they—they’ll -do things to you!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span></p> - -<p>“What sort of things, Fairchild?”</p> - -<p>Kid stared blankly at Small and Small shook -his head at a loss. “I don’t know,” said Kid -finally, “because no fellow has ever—ever——”</p> - -<p>“Mutinied?” suggested Bert with a smile.</p> - -<p>“They’ll fix you somehow, though,” said Small -darkly. At that moment Lanny Grey joined them -and Kid breathlessly told him of the new boy’s -rash resolve. Lanny listened in silence, frowning -the while. Then,</p> - -<p>“Good stuff!” he growled. “They make me -tired. I ran my legs off all the fall and I’m sick -of it. Just now I went all the way to the house -for Ben’s gloves and they weren’t there. And when -I came back and told him so he said I was a ninny. -What <em>is</em> a ‘ninny’?”</p> - -<p>“Idiot,” said Small.</p> - -<p>“Dunce,” said Kid.</p> - -<p>“Let him find his own gloves then,” growled -Lanny. “I’ve a good mind to quit, too.” He -looked doubtfully at Bert.</p> - -<p>“Let’s all quit,” suggested Bert cheerfully. -“Let’s make a declaration of independence. They -can’t punish us all, you know. And even if they -do make it warm for us we can stand it, I guess. -What do you say, you fellows?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span></p> - -<p>There was a moment of silence. Lanny looked -from Small to Kid. Then, although he found little -encouragement in their countenances, he thrust his -hands resolutely into his pockets.</p> - -<p>“I’m with you!” he said.</p> - -<p>“And me!” cried Kid excitedly. Kid was only -thirteen years old but of the stuff of which heroes -are made. Only Small hesitated longer. “What—what -do you suppose they’ll do to us?” he asked.</p> - -<p>Lanny shrugged his shoulders.</p> - -<p>“Pull our ears, probably. Cuff us a bit. I -don’t know, and I don’t care. But Bryant’s right. -If we stand together this shacking business has -got to stop. And to-night there’s the slide to fix, -too.”</p> - -<p>“Bryant says he isn’t going to,” murmured -Small awedly.</p> - -<p>“I’m not,” said Bert. “I have a very delicate -constitution and the night air is extremely bad for -it.” Lanny grinned.</p> - -<p>“Me, too. The doctor has told me to stay indoors -after dark.”</p> - -<p>“Do you fellows really mean it?” asked Small -doubtfully.</p> - -<p>“We do,” answered Lanny. “Are you with -us?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span></p> - -<p>Small’s eyes grew very big and round with contemplation -of the awfulness of what he was pledging -himself to, but he answered promptly, even if -his voice shook a little, “Yes!”</p> - -<p>“Good!” said Bert. “Now let’s go back to the -house and draw up a proclamation. We must do -this thing right, you know.”</p> - -<p>When, an hour later, darkness drove the House -Team from the rink and they came stamping into -the hall the proclamation, imposingly inscribed on -a sheet of cardboard, confronted them from the -mantel. It was George Waters who first saw it -and, having perused the first paragraph, broke into -a laugh.</p> - -<p>“Hi, fellows! Come over here!” he called. -“Read this. It’s killing!”</p> - -<p>The others gathered around in front of the -fireplace and this is what they read:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p class="noic">PROCLAMATION!</p> - -<p>Know all men by these Presents that we, the -Junior Grade members of this Academy, in solemn -conclave gathered, hereby declare and resolve that -all men are created free and equal; that the custom -of shacking so long extant in this institution is<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span> -unjust, unwise and degrading; that said custom -or practice is a base survival of an undemocratic -custom pertaining to the educational institutions of -Great Britain, whose yoke we so gloriously renounced -in 1776; that hereafter shacking shall be -abolished in this school.</p> - -<p>For the support of this Declaration we mutually -pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and -our Sacred Honor. God defend the right!</p> - -<p class="right smcap">Albert Payson Bryant,<br /> -Lansing Stone Grey,<br /> -Thomas Kirkwood Frye,<br /> -James Fairchild.</p> - -<p>P.S. After this when you fellows want anything -done you’ll have to do it yourself.</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="III">III<br /> -<small>REVOLT</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">“It’s that young Bryant that’s at the bottom -of it,” growled Ben Holden. “He’s the freshest -kid I ever saw.”</p> - -<p>“Young rascals!” laughed Steve Lovell.</p> - -<p>“I guess we’d better find them,” observed Dick -Gardner grimly, “and convince them of the—er—error -of their way.”</p> - -<p>“Rather!” said Waters. “Come on. I guess -they’re upstairs.”</p> - -<p>“Wait a bit,” counseled Stanley Pierce. “The -best thing to do is to make believe we haven’t seen -this at all. Just leave it here and let on we don’t -know anything about it. Then, when we go up, -each of us will think of something we want done. -See? I left my algebra in the gym. I’ll send Kid -for it. When he comes back one of you fellows -send him for something else. We’ll keep them busy -until supper time and nip this—this revolt in the -bud.”</p> - -<p>“All right,” agreed Ben doubtfully. He was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span> -always a bit doubtful, or seemed so, of advice not -given by himself. So they all trooped upstairs, -all save Sewall Crandall and Harold Cupples, who, -being lower middlers and but lately emancipated -from the iron heel of upper-classdom held a sneaking -sympathy for the mutineers.</p> - -<p>“Plucky kids, eh?” whispered Crandall, with a -grin.</p> - -<p>Cupples agreed, adding, however, “They’re -making a lot of trouble for themselves, though.”</p> - -<p>Meanwhile the four seniors and the two upper -middlers had climbed the stairs. To their surprise -none of the mutineers were to be found. Every -room was empty. “Try the gym,” suggested -Pierce, and the gymnasium was tried without results. -Likewise the schoolroom. Then the search -was given over. “They’ll have to come back some -time,” said Holden. “And then we’ll get ’em.”</p> - -<p>One of the places they didn’t look was the -parlor. Had they walked in there after reading -the proclamation they would not only have found -the four missing juniors but would very likely have -upset the equilibrium of Mr. James Fairchild, who, -against the remonstrances of his fellow conspirators, -held his ear to the keyhole.</p> - -<p>After the tyrants had stamped upstairs, Bert,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span> -who during the momentous period had reclined -calmly on the brocaded divan, sat up, thrust his -hands into his pockets and frowned thoughtfully. -“I guess we made a mistake, fellows,” he said. -“We ought to have been upstairs. They’ll think -now that we’re afraid of them. And we aren’t.”</p> - -<p>“Not a bit!” declared Lanny stoutly, glancing -apprehensively at the hall door.</p> - -<p>“N-no,” murmured Small nervously.</p> - -<p>“So let’s go up now and face them, eh?” Bert -said.</p> - -<p>Dead silence greeted this suggestion. Lanny -whistled softly and seemed to be giving the plan -careful consideration. Small became deeply interested -in the snow-covered and lamp-lighted -drive and Kid, catching Bert’s eye, winked mischievously.</p> - -<p>“Sure,” he said, “let’s go up and defy them!”</p> - -<p>“That’s all well enough for you,” said Small. -“You’re such a little fellow that they won’t hurt -you!”</p> - -<p>“I’m only a year younger than you are,” replied -Kid warmly, “and I’m ’most as big. You’re -afraid, that’s what’s the matter with you!”</p> - -<p>“Cut it out, you two,” said Lanny. “What -time is it?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span></p> - -<p>Bert peered at the ornate clock on the mantel. -“’Most six,” he answered. “We’ve got to go up -pretty soon, whether we want to or not.”</p> - -<p>That couldn’t be denied.</p> - -<p>“Perhaps we’d better go now,” said Lanny. -“It will look better. I kind of wish, though, we -hadn’t added that postscript at the last; it sounds -awfully cheeky.”</p> - -<p>“Well, whose idea was it?” demanded Small. -“I told you not to do it.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, we might as well be killed for sheep as -lambs,” remarked Bert cheerfully. “Come on, fellows; -brace up; they can’t kill us. But remember, -now, no shacking!”</p> - -<p>“Let’s talk about something on the way up,” -said Lanny. “It—it’ll sound as though we weren’t -scared.”</p> - -<p>“Talk about me,” chirped up Kid pertly. “I’m -awfully interesting.”</p> - -<p>“Talk about the skating races Saturday,” said -Lanny. “There’s a race for juniors, you know. -Who’s going in for it?”</p> - -<p>With that Bert opened the door and the four -crossed the hall with a bit of a swagger and -mounted the stairs, talking volubly but very much -at random.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span></p> - -<p>“It’s a quarter of a mile,” said Lanny, “and I -think that’s too short, don’t you?”</p> - -<p>“I must have my skates ground,” said Kid.</p> - -<p>“Why don’t they have a handicap race?” asked -Bert.</p> - -<p>“The mile is sure to go to Ben,” said Small. -“He’s a peach of a skater.” Small’s voice was -unnecessarily loud and Bert turned to him with a -frown.</p> - -<p>“Quit swiping, Frye,” he hissed, adding in an -equally penetrating voice: “I shouldn’t think -Holden could skate much; he looks so awkward.”</p> - -<p>Small shuddered. Then they parted to seek -their own rooms.</p> - -<p>“Well, where have you been?” growled Ben -as Bert entered Number 2. “I’ve been waiting for -you for half an hour.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, just around,” replied Bert vaguely.</p> - -<p>“Well, find my slippers for me.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, no,” answered Bert. “We’re not doing -that any more. It’s out of fashion.”</p> - -<p>Ben glared fearsomely. “We’ll see whether it’s -out of fashion, my fresh young kid!” He arose -and started around the table after Bert. Bert held -his ground, although I’m not pretending that he -was quite easy of mind.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span></p> - -<p>“You touch me, Holden,” he said evenly, “and -I’ll kick your shins. I’ve given you fair warning.”</p> - -<p>Then Ben seized him, Bert kicked him and there -was a very pretty little fracas for a minute or two, -from which Bert emerged somewhat breathless and -unscathed and Ben with one painful contusion on -his left shin. For Ben, in spite of his bullying -proclivities, was not cruel, and had only sought -to tweak Bert’s ears. Still, it wouldn’t do to acknowledge -defeat, and so as he drew off he said in -a fierce tone: “Now, then, find those slippers!”</p> - -<p>But Bert shook his head. “Can’t, Holden; I’ve -joined the union. Didn’t you read the proclamation?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t care about any proclamation,” replied -Ben wrathfully. “<em>You get those slippers!</em>”</p> - -<p>“No, I won’t. What’s more, Holden, I’m -through running errands and waiting on you. I -didn’t come here to be any fellow’s servant.”</p> - -<p>“It’s the—the custom here, Bryant, and you’ve -got to do it!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t approve of the custom,” answered Bert -coolly. “It’s a very silly one. Why should I wait -on you any more than you on me?”</p> - -<p>“Because you’re a junior and I’m a senior. -I’m older than you, and——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span></p> - -<p>“If you’re older you’re also stronger,” said -Bert, “and so you’re better able to do things than I -am. Anyway, I’m through. And so are the others. -We’ve struck.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll see about that, you fresh kid! Once -more, now; I shan’t ask you again; will you get -those slippers?”</p> - -<p>“For the last time, Holden, I won’t.”</p> - -<p>“Very well. You’ll be mighty sorry, though.” -Ben took refuge in dignity. “It isn’t likely that -we’re going to stand for having a new boy come -in here—and disrupt the school. We—we’ll deal -with you later.”</p> - -<p>Bert, without replying, washed for supper, and -a moment later the bell rang. Ben went down to -the dining-room in his shoes. The twelve boys sat -at two tables, the seniors and upper middlers at -one, presided over by Mr. Folsom, and the lower -middlers and juniors at the other, under the supervision -of Mr. Crane. Doctor Merton, with his wife -and daughter, occupied a small table at the end -of the room. Whispering was not countenanced, -and so the mutineers could not compare notes. -Lanny looked flustered and defiant, Kid excited -and happy and Small worried. Once Bert encountered<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span> -Nan’s eyes across the room and received a -look that he couldn’t fathom, not knowing that Nan -had learned of the mutiny and was doing her best -to convey to him that she was just terribly excited -and was dying to hear all about it. Then Mr. -Crane, helping the last portion of cold roast beef, -remarked:</p> - -<p>“Well, you boys want to eat plenty, you know. -There’s hard work ahead this evening.”</p> - -<p>This pleasantry elicited no response and he pretended -to be surprised. As a matter of fact, Mr. -Crane had found the proclamation on the mantel, -had laughed over it with Mr. Folsom and had subsequently -taken it to Doctor Merton.</p> - -<p>“Eh?” he went on. “Isn’t this the night we -fix the slide, Crandall?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, I believe so,” replied Crandall.</p> - -<p>“I thought so. Well, there’s plenty of snow. -Last year you had rather hard work, if I remember.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, we did.”</p> - -<p>“How are you with a snow shovel, Bryant; -pretty husky?”</p> - -<p>“Only fair, sir. No good at all after dark.”</p> - -<p>“How’s that?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span></p> - -<p>Bert shook his head. “I hardly know how to -explain it, sir,” he replied, “but I can’t seem to -hold a shovel in the evening.”</p> - -<p>“Dear, dear! Quite remarkable, Bryant. You -must have a new sort of disease.” Kid was grinning -delightedly. “Well, you haven’t any trouble -of that sort, have you, Fairchild?”</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid I have,” piped the boy. “The -thought of a snow-shovel makes me quite ill, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Good gracious! The disease is catching! -And you, Grey? Are you experiencing the symptoms, -too?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” muttered Lanny.</p> - -<p>“What? Why, this is—is surprising! I must -ask the Doctor to look into it. Frye, you—don’t -tell me you have it, too!”</p> - -<p>Small looked at his plate and nodded silently. -Mr. Crane leaned back in his chair astounded.</p> - -<p>“Well, well! But let’s learn the worst, Crandall?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” replied Crandall with a grin.</p> - -<p>“Ah! And Cupples?”</p> - -<p>“Not yet, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Good! There is hope! But what about the -slide? You don’t think, Bryant, that you could—ah—overcome -this—this aversion?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span></p> - -<p>“No, sir,” answered Bert cheerfully. “It has -a firm hold on me.”</p> - -<p>“Really! And I can see by your countenance, -Grey, that you, too, are past recovery. And Frye, -and Fairchild. Why, it looks to me as though Crandall -and Cupples would have to do all the work. -That’s too bad.”</p> - -<p>“I’m willing to do my share,” said Crandall, -“but I don’t propose to go out there and cover that -slide alone.”</p> - -<p>“But you’ll have Cupples to help you.”</p> - -<p>“Not much, Mr. Crane. What’s the matter -with the upper grade fellows doing it?”</p> - -<p>“Tut, tut, Cupples! You surely wouldn’t propose -that seriously? Why, they might get their -feet cold!”</p> - -<p>“I guess they have the same disease we have,” -said Kid.</p> - -<p>“Um; maybe; perhaps another form of it. -Well, things look bad for the slide, don’t they? -Perhaps the Doctor and Mr. Folsom and I will -have to attend to it this time.”</p> - -<p>Kid grinned at the idea. “I’d like to see you,” -he said.</p> - -<p>After supper, in the hall, Pierce remarked pleasantly:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, juniors and lowers, this is the night we -fix the toboggan slide, you know.”</p> - -<p>“Do you?” asked Kid interestedly. “May I -come and watch you, Dick?”</p> - -<p>A roar of laughter greeted this, even Ben being -obliged to smile.</p> - -<p>“You may come and get busy with a shovel -and pail, little smarty,” responded Gardner. “And -all the rest of you. Now get a move on, for you’ve -only got about an hour before prayers.”</p> - -<p>But Kid shook his head. “No, thanks. It’s too -cold out there, Dick. The doctor said I must be -very careful of my health and avoid night air.”</p> - -<p>Gardner frowned and glanced inquiringly at -the others. Ben came to his support.</p> - -<p>“You fellows think you’re awfully smart, I suppose,” -he said, “but you’re making fools of yourselves. -Either you go out and get that slide ready -or you keep off it altogether. It’s either work or -no tobogganing for you chaps.”</p> - -<p>“I’d like to know when we’d get a show at it, -anyway,” said Lanny. “You fellows would be -using it all the time. It would be just like the rinks. -A lot of fun we juniors get there!”</p> - -<p>“You’re entitled to use the rinks whenever we -aren’t practising,” said Ben.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span></p> - -<p>“What of that? You always are practising!”</p> - -<p>“Then you can use the slide,” said Steve Lovell. -“Come on, Lanny, don’t be silly.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, we aren’t going to fix that slide,” responded -Lanny, emphatically. “We aren’t going -to do any more errands for anyone, or any more -shacking.”</p> - -<p>“You mean you won’t fix that slide?” demanded -Ben.</p> - -<p>“That’s what I mean!”</p> - -<p>“We’ll be glad to go out and help,” remarked -Bert calmly, “if you fellows will do your share. -That’s fair enough, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“You’ll do it all or it won’t be done,” snapped -Ben.</p> - -<p>“Then it won’t be done,” said Bert.</p> - -<p>The upper grade fellows went into secret session -in front of the fireplace. Crandall and Cupples -attempted to persuade the youngsters to give in, -but without success. Then Ben announced the -ultimatum.</p> - -<p>“We are going to fix that slide ourselves,” he -said sternly, “and if we catch any of you juniors -sliding on it we’ll wallop you good and hard. Come -on, fellows!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="IV">IV<br /> -<small>THE FIRST SKIRMISH</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">The war was on.</p> - -<p>The juniors may be said to have won the -first skirmish, for the upper grade fellows, -assisted by the two lower middlers, labored the -better part of an hour that night, shoveling and -carrying snow to the wooden part of the toboggan -slide and subsequently sprinkling it with water so -that it might freeze over night into a good foundation -for further improvements; and this without -help from the mutineers, who from the darkened -windows of Small’s room, watched the work in -warmth and comfort.</p> - -<p>“First blood for our side,” murmured Kid -gleefully.</p> - -<p>When the workers returned with benumbed fingers -and ice-coated boots it was evident that their -attitude toward the offending juniors was to be -one of silent contempt. Bert, Lanny, Small and -Kid were absolutely ignored by all save Cupples -and Crandall, who, so far, observed a difficult<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span> -neutrality. During study hour Bert and Ben sat -at opposite sides of the green-topped table and exchanged -never a word, Bert deciding ruefully -toward the end of the evening that much of that -sort of thing would probably become very tiresome.</p> - -<p>In the morning the revolutionists gained a convert. -The convert was Nan. Nan was greatly -excited and very enthusiastic. And she assured -Bert and Lanny, who had gone out after breakfast -to slide down the short coast afforded by the -sloping driveway, that she was heart and soul with -the Cause. They must never give in, she declared. -She also said many other things about Tyranny, -the Despot’s Heel, Right and Justice and Suffering -for a Principle. The latter phrase misled Lanny -until Nan explained that she was not referring to -her father. Her words sounded very fine and the -two boys were quite heartened. They had not -thought of the thing as a Cause before and now -Lanny began to look quite noble and heroic, or as -noble and heroic as it is possible to look with a -green plaid Mackinaw jacket and ear-muffs.</p> - -<p>“What you must do, though,” continued Nan, -sinking her voice to a sort of frozen whisper, “is -to form a Society!”</p> - -<p>“What sort of a society?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span></p> - -<p>“Why, a—a Society for Mutual Help and Protection.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” murmured Lanny, much impressed. -“How would you do it?”</p> - -<p>“Just—just do it, silly! I tell you what; come -to the stable after morning school and organize. -And meanwhile I’ll think up a good name for the -Society. You must bring Small and Kid, too, you -know. And you must have a password and—and a -grip.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll have the grippe all right if we sit -around the stable long,” said Lanny. “It’s as -cold in there as—as——”</p> - -<p>“A barn,” suggested Bert. “All right, we’ll be -there, Miss Merton, right after school.”</p> - -<p>“What do you call her Miss Merton for?” -asked Lanny after Nan had hurried indoors again. -“Her name’s Nan; except when you want to get -her mad, and then it’s Nancy.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I don’t know her very well yet,” answered -Bert in excuse. “She seems a pretty good -sort.”</p> - -<p>“She is. She’s all right—for a girl. Girls -always want to stick their noses into things, though. -Just as though we couldn’t get up a society without -her help!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, we wouldn’t have thought of it, I guess. -And I’m glad she did. It’ll be rather fun, won’t -it?”</p> - -<p>“Sure. It must be a secret society, too. And -we’ll vote for officers.”</p> - -<p>This settled, they went on with the matter in -hand, which was to start at the corner of the house -and see how far they could make their sleds go -around the corner into the road.</p> - -<p>At ten minutes past twelve the four crept into -the stable with appropriate stealthiness and found -Nan already there. She led the way into the harness -room, closed and locked the door and took -command of the situation. There was a stove in -the harness room, but as there was no fire in it it -couldn’t be said to help the situation much. It was -undoubtedly cold and Small remarked sarcastically -that he didn’t see why the hall wasn’t good enough.</p> - -<p>“Because,” replied Nan scathingly, “you can’t -form a Secret Society with the whole world hearing -every word you say. You’d be surrounded by your -enemies in the hall.”</p> - -<p>“I’d be surrounded by some heat, anyway,” -muttered Small ungraciously.</p> - -<p>“Dry up, Small,” commanded Lanny. “Now, -then, what’s the first thing, Nan?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span></p> - -<p>“Choose a name. I’ve thought of several that -might do. What do you think of ‘The League of -Emancipators’?”</p> - -<p>“Um,” said Bert. “But I think something -shorter would be better.”</p> - -<p>“Well, then, there’s ‘The Secret Four.’”</p> - -<p>“What’s the matter with ‘The Four’?” asked -Small.</p> - -<p>“‘The Junior Four’ sounds pretty well,” Bert -suggested. And the rest agreed that it did, Nan -concurring and nobly striving to hide her disappointment -over the fact that her names had been -rejected.</p> - -<p>“‘The Junior Four’ it is, then,” said Lanny -briskly, breathing on his fingers to warm them. -“Now what?”</p> - -<p>“A password,” said Nan. “I couldn’t think of -anything very—very striking.”</p> - -<p>“Justice!” suggested Lanny.</p> - -<p>“No surrender!” said Small.</p> - -<p>“Non plus ultra!” piped Kid.</p> - -<p>“You’re a goose,” laughed Nan. “That means -‘None better.’”</p> - -<p>“I know what it means,” replied Kid. “I guess -I’ve studied as much Latin as you have.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span></p> - -<p>“I guess you haven’t!” responded Nan indignantly. -“The idea!”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got a good one,” interrupted Lanny, who -had been scowling ferociously at the stove. “‘All -for one, one for all!’”</p> - -<p>“You got that out of ‘The Three Musketeers,’” -charged Small. “And, anyway, it’s ‘One for all -and all for one.’”</p> - -<p>“It is not! Is it, Bert?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, but it sounds all right. ‘One -for all and all for one.’”</p> - -<p>“It’s fine!” declared Nan. “Now you must -have officers.”</p> - -<p>“What kind of officers?” asked Kid.</p> - -<p>“Why, a—a president and a vice-president, I -should think, and a secretary, and—and——”</p> - -<p>“A sergeant-at-arms,” said Small.</p> - -<p>“I think Bert ought to be president,” declared -Lanny, “because he started it all.”</p> - -<p>That was agreed to, and finally Lanny was -made vice-president, Small sergeant-at-arms and -Kid secretary.</p> - -<p>“I think,” said Bert, “we’d ought to make Miss—make -Nan a member.” Nan clapped her hands, -but her face fell the next instant.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span></p> - -<p>“I couldn’t be, though, because, don’t you see, -the name is The Junior Four. And I’m not a -junior, and I’d be the fifth.”</p> - -<p>“You could be an honorary member,” said -Lanny. And so Nan was duly elected and with a -flattering unanimity. After that Small thought -they ought to have a grip and showed them three -he knew of. Then Lanny demonstrated one he -liked and there was much handshaking and confusion -for several minutes. In the end Small won -and they all learned his grip. And as by that time -the hour for dinner was near at hand the first meeting -of The Junior Four was adjourned, subject -to the call of the secretary. Kid, still smarting a -little under Nan’s aspersion on his knowledge of -Latin, wanted to adjourn sine die and had the -pleasure of explaining that sine die meant “without -day.” Small said it sounded more like “without -sense” and refused to adjourn in any such -manner. Nan cautioned them that it would be -best to avoid suspicion, and to this end they left -the stable one by one, at minute intervals; all except -Small, who, left the last, refused to freeze to death -for any principle or cause and sneaked out long -before his time was up.</p> - -<p>All this was on Thursday, and for the rest of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span> -the day The Junior Four stayed very close together, -not knowing at what moment the upper grade fellows -might tire of their present attitude of contemptuous -silence and indulge in violence. By the -time afternoon school was over the day students -had learned of the situation and had already begun -to take sides, and by the next noon the school was -sharply divided into camps. The rivalry between -house students and day students was for the time -forgotten and upper grade fellows hastened to the -support of Ben and his cohorts and lower grade -boys flocked to the standard of Bert and Lanny -and the others. Being at last forced to choose -sides, Cupples and Crandall threw in their lots -with the revolutionists, and with their enlistment -the last semblance of peace vanished. Every room -was divided against itself, for every room was occupied -by an upper grade fellow and a lower grade -fellow. The second floor of the house these evenings -was strangely quiet. To be sure, when study -hour was over the lower grade fellows managed -to get together somewhere, while Stanley Pierce’s -room became the regular meeting place for the -enemy. But as these meetings were generally councils -of war the usual chatter of voices and ring of -laughter were missing. The first real engagement<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span> -of the opposing forces occurred on Friday afternoon -and resulted in a victory for the revolutionists, -as you shall see.</p> - -<p>Small resided in Number 5 with George -Waters. Waters had been, from the first, in favor -of strong methods and the heavy hand in dealing -with the mutiny, and on this occasion his patience -deserted him. Hurrying upstairs after school, he -found Small struggling into a sweater. Waters was -after an extra skate strap, and, after searching -everywhere in vain, he charged Small with having -hidden it. Small denied it indignantly, and Waters, -having worked himself into a fit of bad temper, -insisted that Small should help look for it. -Small, inwardly quaking, refused. There was a -wordy war, and in the end Waters took the key -from the inside of the door.</p> - -<p>“You’ll stay here until you find that, Small,” -he declared from the doorway. “We’ll see whether -you’ll do as you’re told!”</p> - -<p>With that Waters departed, locking the door -after him and pocketing the key. Left imprisoned, -Small merely grinned and shrugged his shoulders. -He had promised to go skating on the creek with -the other juniors and Nan, but he much preferred -a warm room and a book to read. Ten minutes<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span> -later, his feet on the radiator and a rattling good -book in his hands, Small had quite forgotten Waters, -his imprisonment, the Cause and all else. -Half an hour passed unheeded and then voices -called from outside:</p> - -<p>“Small! O you Small!”</p> - -<p>Small, unheeding, read on. The hero was cutting -his way through the jungle of South Africa -closely pursued by a band of head-hunters.</p> - -<p>“<em>Small! Where are you, Small?</em>”</p> - -<p>This time Small heard and looked out of the -window. Down below in the snow stood Lanny and -Bert, come in search of him. Small opened the -window.</p> - -<p>“Hello,” he said. “I can’t come out. Waters -has locked me in.”</p> - -<p>Bert and Lanny thrilled. Here was war to the -knife!</p> - -<p>“Did he take the key?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know; I guess so. It’s all right, -though; I don’t mind staying here.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you worry,” cried Lanny, “we’ll get -you out.”</p> - -<p>They hurried into the house and upstairs. The -second floor was deserted. Every key they could -lay their hands on was tried, but none fitted. From<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span> -beyond the door Small begged them not to trouble, -assuring them that he was quite resigned.</p> - -<p>“One for all and all for one!” cried Lanny, -undismayed. “Keep up your courage. We’ll get -a ladder.”</p> - -<p>“Bully!” said Bert.</p> - -<p>“But I don’t want—” began Small. It was -quite lost, however, for the others were already -halfway down the stairs. Luckily the room was -on the back of the house, out of sight of the rink; -although it is probable that Waters was much too -busy playing hockey to notice what might be happening -at the house. It was only a minute’s work -to carry the long ladder from the basement and set -it up outside Small’s window, one end in a rhododendron -clump and the other against the sill. Small -viewed it doubtfully.</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to climb down that thing,” he -demurred. “I might fall.”</p> - -<p>“Hurry up,” Bert commanded. “They may -come back. Get your sweater and cap.”</p> - -<p>“But—but I tell you——”</p> - -<p>“Say,” interrupted Lanny impatiently, “you -don’t want those fellows to say that they got the -better of us, do you? Get a move on, can’t you? -Gee, I never saw such a slow-poke!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span></p> - -<p>At that moment Nan and Kid, having waited -some time for the return of Bert and Lanny, appeared -on the scene.</p> - -<p>“Hello,” cried Kid, “what’s the fun, fellows?”</p> - -<p>The matter was hurriedly explained, while -Small frowned down from the open window rebelliously.</p> - -<p>“What ho! A rescue!” cried Kid. “Let me -go up and carry him down, will you, Lanny?”</p> - -<p>Nan was visibly excited. “It’s perfectly lovely!” -she declared. “Think how chagrined they -will be when they come back and find—find the -prey has escaped them! Oh, hurry, Small, hurry!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to hurry,” growled Small. “I -don’t intend to break my neck getting down that -old thing.”</p> - -<p>“But you’ve got to,” said Bert. “How are we -going to rescue you if you don’t?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t want to be rescued!”</p> - -<p>“You’ve got to be,” declared Lanny. “Out you -come, now. If you don’t we’ll go up there and get -you. I’m not going to have a perfectly good rescue -spoiled by you.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, please do,” begged Nan.</p> - -<p>“A rescue! A rescue!” chanted Kid shrilly, -dancing around in the snow. Small debated with<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span> -himself a minute and finally disappeared in search -of sweater and cap.</p> - -<p>“You fellows make me tired,” he growled when -he returned to the window. “Why can’t you let me -alone? I don’t want to be rescued. I don’t want -to go skating. I don’t want——”</p> - -<p>“Cut out the regrets and hurry the job,” advised -Lanny.</p> - -<p>Small cautiously climbed over the sill and set -one foot tentatively on the ladder. Then he looked -down. It seemed an awfully long way to the -ground. “Some one hold it,” he grumbled. Lanny -and Nan obeyed. Small tried the second rung, -found that it held and that he was still alive, and -essayed the third. His head was below the window -sill now and the rescue was progressing famously. -At that instant Kid harkened to the voice of the -Imp of Mischief.</p> - -<p>“Small,” he called, “try that next round with -your foot before you put your weight on it. It -looks weak.”</p> - -<p>Small turned and cast a horrified look at the -rung in question, and clung desperately to the -ladder.</p> - -<p>“It—it’s cracked, I think,” he stammered. “I—I -guess I’ll go back.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span></p> - -<p>“It isn’t cracked; it’s all right,” said Bert. -“Kid, you keep your mouth shut.”</p> - -<p>“I was just warning him,” muttered Kid. “Of -course, if you fellows want to see him fall and hurt -himself, all right. But I don’t want any man’s -blood on my soul. I——”</p> - -<p>“Shut up!” yelled Lanny. “Come on down, -Small; it’s perfectly safe.”</p> - -<p>“It is, is it?” chattered Small. “Then what’s -he talking that way for? I’ll l-l-lick him when I -g-g-get down!”</p> - -<p>“You ought to be ashamed, Kid,” remonstrated -Nan. “How would you like it if——”</p> - -<p>But at that moment Small put the weight of one -foot on the rung, there was a slight <em>creak</em>, he gave -a cry of fright, tried to take his foot off again and -scramble up the ladder and lost his footing entirely.</p> - -<p>“Look out!” yelled Bert. Lanny and Nan -jumped aside and Small, yelling lustily, came down -the ladder like a shot, his feet waving wildly and -his arms wrapped around the sides. He reached -the ground in a heap. Bert hurried to him and -picked him up.</p> - -<p>“Are you hurt, Small?” he asked anxiously.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know,” answered Small weakly, feeling -himself inquiringly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh, I’m so sorry!” cried Nan. Small, very -white of face, concluded that no harm had been -done. Then his eyes fell on Kid. That irrepressible -youth was seated in the middle of a clump -of rhododendrons doubled over with laughter.</p> - -<p>“It was all his fault!” cried Small, and dashed -at Kid. But Kid recovered very suddenly from his -laughter and rolled and scrambled out the other -side of the shrubs just as Small came crashing -through. Then ensued a race that presently took -pursued and pursuer out of sight around the -building.</p> - -<p>“It’s lucky he didn’t hurt himself,” said Bert, -laughing. “I say, he left the window open. The -room will be as cold as Greenland when Waters -gets back.”</p> - -<p>“And serve him right,” said Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Couldn’t you go up and close it?” asked Nan.</p> - -<p>“I guess I will.” So Lanny ran up the ladder. -When he reached the top, instead of closing the -window, he disappeared into the room and was -gone several minutes. Finally he came out again, -drew the window shut and slid down the ladder. -“I left the Sign of the Four,” he explained, grinning. -At that moment Small and Kid returned, -evidently reconciled, and the five went back to the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span> -creek to resume their skating. When an hour or -so later, Waters, who had quite forgotten the prisoner, -tried to open his room door and found it -locked he was quite surprised until he recalled the -earlier events. Then, a little conscience stricken, -he unlocked the door and entered the darkened -room.</p> - -<p>“Find that strap yet, Small?” he asked gruffly.</p> - -<p>There was no answer and Waters lighted the -gas and gazed in bewilderment about the empty -apartment. Then he looked under both beds and -in the closet, declaring in a loud voice that Small -might as well “come out of that now” because he -knew just where he was. But Small didn’t appear, -and Waters, passing the study table, caught sight -of a sheet of paper. On it was what was evidently -intended for a skull and crossbones, and under -that was printed:</p> - -<p>“<em>One for All and All for One!</em>”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="V">V<br /> -<small>BATTLE ROYAL</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">The toboggan slide was in fine shape, and as -soon as supper was over the upper grade -boys hurried out to it. Bert had never tasted -the joys of tobogganing and so was quite indifferent -to the fact that he was not to be allowed on -the slide, but Lanny and Small were inclined to be -rueful.</p> - -<p>“I wish now,” said Small, “that we’d fixed it -for them.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see why we can’t use it if we want to,” -said Kid. “It’s the school slide and not Ben’s and -Sam’s. I guess if we asked Mr. Crane——”</p> - -<p>“That would be a babyish thing to do,” said -Lanny. “Let’s go out and see them, anyway. Maybe -they’ll let us go down a few times.”</p> - -<p>“They’ve got all the toboggans,” said Small, -as they scattered for their sweaters and jackets. -“Aren’t you coming, Bert?”</p> - -<p>“No, I guess not. I don’t want to stand in the -snow and watch those fellows slide down hill.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh, come along,” begged Lanny. “Maybe we -can have some fun.”</p> - -<p>So Bert accompanied them and they went out -and stood at the foot of the incline and watched -the more fortunate ones come scooting down the -ice-covered planks and go, rising and dipping and -rising again, down the long trough of snow until -lost in the darkness of the meadow. Their feet -were beginning to get cold and Bert had already -announced his determination to return indoors -when Cupples and Crandall, drawing a fine new -toboggan that the former had received as a Christmas -present, arrived at the foot of the incline and -started up the steps. It was Ben who saw them -and raised a warning shout to the others, who included -three day students from the village.</p> - -<p>“Keep those fellows off!” cried Ben.</p> - -<p>Four or five upper grade boys barred their -way.</p> - -<p>“We helped make this slide,” said Cupples indignantly, -“and you can just believe we’re going -to slide on it.”</p> - -<p>“Nothing doing,” declared Ben. “You two -fellows have joined with the juniors. That bars -you out.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span></p> - -<p>“It does, eh?” Cupples tried to push by. -“We’ll see about that! Come on, Cran.”</p> - -<p>But the others were too many for them, and, in -the end, Crandall and Cupples, protesting angrily -and vowing vengeance, retreated to the ground.</p> - -<p>“Wouldn’t they let you slide?” asked Lanny.</p> - -<p>“No, but they can’t help themselves. We’ll wait -until they’ve all coasted down,” said Cupples.</p> - -<p>But it was soon evident that the enemy had -other plans, for they timed their descents so that -there always remained four or five fellows at the -start. This effectually held Cupples and Crandall -at bay, but it made the tobogganing pretty slow, -since it was necessary to wait until one couple had -started back from the meadow before the next -couple started down.</p> - -<p>“I tell you what,” said Bert. “You two can -get one slide anyway.”</p> - -<p>“How?” asked Cupples.</p> - -<p>“Wait until those three day chaps go down together. -Then, before they’re back, two more will -go down. That only leaves four up there. We’ll -rush the slide and you two chaps get started before -the others come up again.”</p> - -<p>“All right,” said Crandall. “And we can take -another down you know. Want to go?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span></p> - -<p>But Bert shook his head. “Take Kid,” he said. -“The biggest of us had better stay behind to cover -your retreat.”</p> - -<p>“To cover our own retreat, you mean,” said -Small. “I’m not going up there.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you are,” said Lanny. “There go the -three chaps. Now, when they reach the bottom two -more will start. Then we’ll try it. I hope Ben -goes down next.”</p> - -<p>And Lanny had his wish, for after some two -or three minutes had elapsed and it was safe to -presume that the three day students were well on -their way back, Ben and Stanley Pierce started -down. As soon as they had flashed past the group -at the bottom of the incline Cupples gave the word -and the six boys started up the steps. On the -platform at the top stood Waters, Gardner, Lovell -and Perkins, and as soon they saw the enemy approach -they started down to meet them.</p> - -<p>“On the run!” cried Cupples and, with the -toboggan bumping along behind, he and Crandall -leaped up the steps, slipping and stumbling on the -ice and snow. Behind them went Bert and Lanny, -Small and Kid, Small greatly against his inclinations -and Kid screeching joyously. They met the -defenders halfway up the steps. Cupples and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span> -Sam Perkins came to grips, lost their footing and -created so much confusion on the narrow stair that -Crandall, passing the toboggan rope back to Kid, -gained the platform and Bert and Lanny followed. -Lovell only laughed, leaving for the moment the -repulsing of the invaders to Waters and Gardner, -who proved unequal to the task. Cupples and -Perkins finally found their feet and joined the -others.</p> - -<p>“We’re going down,” declared Crandall, trying -to get the toboggan in place, “and you can’t stop -us.”</p> - -<p>“Can’t we?” asked Perkins. “You watch.”</p> - -<p>The ten boys pushed and scuffled on the small -platform, Cupples and Crandall striving to get -their toboggan ready for the start and the enemy -kicking it out of place again. At last, however, -Bert, Lanny, Small and Kid, engaging the attention -of the defenders fiercely, Cupples got the -toboggan in place, yelled to Crandall and started -down. Crandall stumbled over someone’s foot -and threw himself after the toboggan, just managing -to grasp the rail on one side. All the way -down the incline he trailed behind, bumping against -the side board, but at the bottom, as the toboggan -struck the ground, he managed to pull himself on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span> -to it. And away they went, Cupples sending back -a shrill shout of triumph.</p> - -<p>Meanwhile, not willing to trust to the mercies -of the enemy, the four juniors were in full retreat -down the steps, pursued by Perkins and Gardner. -The latter gave up the pursuit before the bottom -was reached and the juniors drew off to a safe -distance, Kid sending back cries of defiance and -insult. Then the three day students trailed past -with their toboggan, yelling as they neared the -incline; “Who was that just went down, fellows?”</p> - -<p>“Cupples and Crandall,” was the reply from -Perkins. “They rushed us, they and those kids -down there.”</p> - -<p>“Get your toboggans ready,” advised one of -the day fellows, “and we’ll all down and catch -them.”</p> - -<p>“Good scheme,” answered Gardner. “Come -on, fellows!” Down shot Gardner and Lovell, -while Perkins pushed his toboggan into position -for descent. The three day students rushed up the -steps.</p> - -<p>“Snowball them!” whispered Lanny, kneeling -and hurriedly fashioning his missiles. The others -followed his example, armed themselves with four -or five snowballs and waited for Perkins and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span> -Waters. They came. Four arms were raised and -shot forward and <a href="#i_fp054">the soft snow thudded and spattered -against</a> the faces and bodies of <a href="#i_fp054">the two flying -seniors</a>. The juniors threw first as soon as the -enemy was within range and managed to get in -a second fusillade before they were out of shot. -Angry remonstrances floated back on the night air. -At the top of the incline, the three day boys had -failed to see the attack and came down unsuspectingly. -Again the snowballs sped to their marks -and again the cries of the victims arose as the -toboggan rushed away down the slope.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" id="i_fp054"> - <img src="images/i_fp054.jpg" alt="" title="" /> - <div class="caption"> - <p class="noic"><a href="#Page_54">“The soft snow thudded and spattered against the two -flying seniors.”</a></p> - </div> -</div> - -<p>“Fine!” laughed Bert. “We got in some good -ones. But they’ll make it hot for us when they -come back.”</p> - -<p>“I wonder if they’ll catch Harold and Sewall,” -said Lanny. “There’s someone coming now.”</p> - -<p>Into the dim radiance of the two lights on the -platform came two boys dragging a toboggan. They -were Ben and Stanley Pierce.</p> - -<p>“I say,” whispered Bert, “let’s get up there -ahead and keep them off. We can do it. Take -all the snowballs you’ve got, fellows.” And Bert -started for the steps on the run. Had the others -had time to reflect they might have hesitated. As -it was, they followed at once and had gained the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span> -platform before Ben and Pierce had reached the -foot of the steps. When they did reach them a -snowball, sent with beautiful accuracy, banged -against Ben’s woolen cap and another hummed -past Pierce’s head. The seniors stopped and held -a council of war.</p> - -<p>“Quit that, you kids,” shouted Ben threateningly.</p> - -<p>“We’ll come up there and give you fellows a -good licking,” added Pierce.</p> - -<p>“Come on!” jeered Lanny, the joy of battle -thrilling him. “Try it!”</p> - -<p>They did try it, but such a shower of snowballs -met them as soon as they set foot on the steps that -they thought better of it. For a minute or so they -fashioned missiles and retaliated, but throwing up -at the platform was difficult work and their snowballs -either sailed harmlessly overhead or wasted -themselves against the boards. Then two boys -with a toboggan came into sight, running hard, and -Ben hailed them.</p> - -<p>“Come on, you fellows! The kids have got the -slide!”</p> - -<p>The newcomers paused without answering.</p> - -<p>“It’s Cupples and Crandall,” whispered Bert -joyously. At that moment the meaning of the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span> -pause was explained. Ben and Pierce found themselves -attacked from a new quarter, while from -the platform came a pitiless shower of snowballs. -Discretion proved the better part of valor. Ben -and Pierce scampered away and, with a shout, -Cupples and Crandall rushed up the stairs and -joined the invaders at the top.</p> - -<p>“Did they get you?” asked Lanny. “The -whole crowd went down to catch you.”</p> - -<p>“No, we saw them first,” panted Crandall with -a grin, “and ran like the dickens. They’re after -us, though. Come on, Harold, let’s go down again -before they catch us.”</p> - -<p>“If you do that they’ll get you sure,” said Bert. -“Stay up here with us and we’ll stand them off. -We can do it easily. There are some of them -now.”</p> - -<p>Four figures came out of the darkness and were -joined, at a respectful distance from the platform -by Ben and Pierce.</p> - -<p>“They’ll try to rush us,” muttered Bert. “Got -plenty of snowballs, fellows?”</p> - -<p>“What do you say, Harold?” asked Crandall.</p> - -<p>“Oh, we’ll stay and help the kids,” answered -Cupples, beginning to make snowballs as fast as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span> -he could. “Pull the toboggan up, Cran, and put -it across the top of the slide there. We can get -behind it if we need to. Say, fellows, there isn’t -much snow up here. First thing we know we’ll be -out of ammunition.”</p> - -<p>“Kid, you gather all the snow you can find,” -directed Bert, “and pile it back of the toboggan.”</p> - -<p>“I want to fight,” demurred Kid.</p> - -<p>“Well, you can fight, too. Go ahead. I’ll help -you until they start for us.”</p> - -<p>“They’ll wait until the other three fellows -come,” said Cupples. “We’ll have to shoot straight, -fellows. Don’t waste your shots now.”</p> - -<p>“We won’t,” muttered Lanny. “Don’t you -worry.”</p> - -<p>“There are the rest of them,” said Crandall, -patting a fine, soggy snowball into shape. “Get -ready, fellows.”</p> - -<p>“Hooray!” shrieked Kid, “paste them, paste -them!”</p> - -<p>The enemy, nine strong, started across the snow -toward the foot of the incline. On the platform the -defenders lined up and waited. Fortunately for -them the attackers were forced to come up in single -file, since the steps were only about eighteen inches<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span> -wide. Ben led the way, Perkins at his heels and -the others behind, yelling fearsomely.</p> - -<p>“Wait till they’re on the steps,” counseled Cupples, -“and then give it to ’em! Now!”</p> - -<p>Six snowballs sped down at the enemy, three -of the number taking effect on Ben. Ben shook -his head angrily and came on. Then a lucky shot -by Lanny struck him square on the chin, he faltered, -slipped against the railing, and Perkins took -his place. By that time the shots were falling thick -and fast and there was a steady stream of snowballs. -To advance in the face of such a fire was -out of the question, and Perkins, ducking his head, -turned and crowded back, putting the line into confusion. -One of the day boys slipped and went to -the bottom on his back. Ben, too, was in flight, -and in a moment the enemy had withdrawn again -to a safe distance.</p> - -<p>“Hurrah!” shrieked Kid, jumping about on -the platform. “We gave it to ’em!”</p> - -<p>“Hurry up, fellows!” called Cupples. “More -snowballs. They’ll be back in a minute.”</p> - -<p>“We can keep them off all night,” said Bert, -“as long as they come up one at a time. That was -a dandy shot of yours, Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“They’re coming again,” said Small nervously.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span> -“Let’s make terms with them before it’s too late, -Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“Make terms!” cried Lanny. “Never!”</p> - -<p>Then they came toward the slide again, but -more cautiously this time, halting just out of accurate -range and then, at a signal, rushing for -the steps and up them, Ben again in the lead. Up -and up they came, slipping and faltering under -the rain of missiles, but doggedly winning the -ascent. Now there was a scant ten feet between -Ben and the platform. Behind him, Pierce and -Perkins and the others were crowding, their faces -and bodies blotched with snow. They were angry -clear through and met every broadside of shot -stoically, stubbornly determined to gain the summit -and wreak revenge on the foe. The garrison behind -the toboggan fought furiously. Snowballs slammed -down upon lowered heads and sped past protecting -arms to spread against necks and faces. The invaders -made no effort to retaliate, since it was difficult -enough to make the ascent as it was; to have -attempted to throw snowballs would have invited -utter disaster.</p> - -<p>“Let ’em have it!” cried Cupples, stooping for -more ammunition and discovering that only a few -snowballs remained behind the breastworks. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span> -file still came on, Ben a mass of white where the -snowballs had struck and clung to his head and -body.</p> - -<p>“Who’s got any snowballs?” gasped Lanny.</p> - -<p>“All gone,” answered Bert, desperately searching -the icy boards for snow. Small and Kid, at the -other side of the platform, farthest from the steps, -were still firing, Small wildly and ineffectually. -Lanny ran across and pushed him aside. Kid -shouted shrilly and got in a splendid shot against -Perkins’s ear that made that youth stagger against -the railing.</p> - -<p>Then the firing diminished and consternation -seized the garrison. Their ammunition was gone! -Ben gave a roar of triumph and plunged up the -few remaining steps, and it would have been all -over with the defenders then and there had not -Bert been visited by a brilliant idea. Seizing the -toboggan, he swung it around to the steps and, -holding the rope, sent it swiftly down. It caught -Ben unawares and swept his feet from under him. -He clutched wildly at the railing, saved himself -from an actual fall, but kicked Pierce so savagely -that the latter emitted a shriek and fell to his -knees. Perkins stumbled, slipped, and spread the -wildest disorder. The last of the snowballs were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span> -fired, a final volley that decided the fortunes of -the battle. The enemy wavered, turned. Ben, -recovering his equilibrium, strove to hold his regiment, -but all in vain. Down the steps they fled, -and Ben, finding himself deserted, followed.</p> - -<p>The garrison gave a shout of triumph. Kid -jumped and squealed. And then Small, venturing -too near the edge of the slide, turned the retreat -into a veritable rout. Losing his footing, he sat -down suddenly and forcibly just over the edge, -and, with a shriek of despair, shot down the ice-covered -trough on his back, legs waving, hands -grasping at the empty air and voice raised in wild -cries. The enemy heard and supposing that the -entire garrison was hot upon their heels, plunged -down the rest of the incline in mad flight and scattered -over the snow below just as Small, going -now at a good twenty miles an hour, flew by!</p> - -<p>At the top of the slide the rest of the garrison -leaned weakly against the railing and laughed until -the tears came. Kid was so overcome that he -slipped to the floor and rolled over and over, -emitting strange, gurgling sounds. Far down the -slide, Small, an indistinct figure in the darkness, -crawled over the bank of the slide, struggled to his -feet, and, with one brief glance in the direction of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span> -the enemy, streaked across the snow toward school. -Three figures gave chase and presently Small was -in the hands of the enemy and Ben advanced toward -the slide, one mittened hand held aloft.</p> - -<p>“Flag of truce, fellows!” he called.</p> - -<p>“All right,” answered Cupples. “What do you -want?”</p> - -<p>“We’ve taken Small prisoner,” announced Ben, -“and we’re going to wash his face with snow unless -you give in.”</p> - -<p>A howl of protest from Small pierced the air.</p> - -<p>“We’ll yield with all the honors of war,” announced -Cupples after a hurried conference.</p> - -<p>“What’s that?” asked Ben.</p> - -<p>“You fellows are not to touch us,” said Cupples, -“and we’re to have the use of this slide whenever -we want it.”</p> - -<p>“We won’t touch you,” replied Ben, “and you -and Crandall can slide here. But those other little -ruffians must keep off.”</p> - -<p>Cupples looked inquiringly at Crandall. The -latter shook his head. “Tell him they must let the -juniors slide too.”</p> - -<p>Cupples did so. Ben conferred. Small, captive -between two of the day boys, waited anxiously. At -last Ben turned toward the platform again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span></p> - -<p>“All right,” he said. “We agree. But you’ve -spoiled our fun and you must let us have the slide -the rest of the time to-night.”</p> - -<p>“That’s all right,” agreed Bert and Lanny in -a breath.</p> - -<p>Cupples graciously informed Ben that the terms -were satisfactory.</p> - -<p>“Then you fellows come down,” said Ben.</p> - -<p>“You release your prisoner,” said Cupples.</p> - -<p>An instant later Small was scooting homeward -again as fast as his legs would carry him. Then -the garrison evacuated, Bert, Lanny and Kid -marching gravely down the steps and Cupples and -Crandall flying down the slide on their toboggan. -The three juniors encountered the enemy at the -foot of the incline. Ben scowled wrathfully.</p> - -<p>“You kids think you’re mighty smart, don’t -you?” he sneered.</p> - -<p>Bert and Lanny smiled sweetly, but forebore to -make reply as they turned homeward. Kid, however, -irrepressible even in the face of danger, executed -a weird dance in the snow.</p> - -<p>“Io triumphus!” exulted Kid.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Mr. Folsom was standing in front of the fireplace -in the hall, watch in hand, when they entered.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span></p> - -<p>“Ha!” he said. “A close shave, Grey. It is -thirty seconds past nine. Where are the others?”</p> - -<p>“On the slide, sir. May I call them? I—I -guess they don’t know how late it is.”</p> - -<p>“No,” said Mr. Folsom, grimly, snapping his -watch shut, “I will attend to them myself.”</p> - -<p>“Gee,” whispered Lanny as the teacher went -in search of his hat and coat, “that means house -bounds to-morrow morning for all of them! My, -won’t they be peeved!”</p> - -<p>“O joy! O glee!” cried Kid. “We’ll have -the slide to ourselves!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="VI">VI<br /> -<small>A RESCUE</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">And a bully time they had that next forenoon. -To be sure, a few day students appeared at -the slide, but the four juniors had things -pretty much to themselves for all of that. They -had their pick of the school toboggans and the added -satisfaction of knowing that the hated enemy -was envying them. For Lanny’s prophecy had -proved true, and the offending upper grade fellows -had been sentenced to house bounds for the entire -morning.</p> - -<p>Nan, in a fetching white blanket coat with red -border and a white and red toque, joined them at -their invitation, and, in order to show no partiality, -alternately went down with Bert and Kid and -Lanny and Small. Small was in high feather this -morning, and talked a good deal about how he had -scared the upper grade fellows into fits by hurling -himself down the slide after them. Small finally -actually got to believe that he had really performed -that sensational feat on purpose.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span></p> - -<p>It was a cloudy Saturday, but crisp and cold, -and the slide was very fast. Starting at the platform, -there came a breath-taking rush down the -icy boards, then a little bump as the toboggan took -the ground, then a slackening of speed for a moment -over the level ground, then a long dip down -the meadow hill, a little rise, and another and -steeper descent and finally a gradual lessening of -speed in the fields above the river, the whole trip -over almost before one could really settle down to -appreciation of it. Then came the long tramp back, -cheeks crimson and hearts merry. There was only -one spill all that morning, and that came when -Lanny, yielding at last to the imploring of Small, -allowed that youth to occupy the back of the toboggan. -They had Nan with them that trip, and -just after they had reached the level Small managed -in some way to shift his position so that the -toboggan plunged over the bank and sent them -all sprawling in the soft snow. Nan declared, as -she shook the snow off, that upsetting was lots of -fun, and thereafter went down each time with the -hope that the toboggan would overturn!</p> - -<p>But it never did again, and dinner time came -all too soon. Not, however, that they were lacking -in appetite. Bert declared that he could eat wire<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span> -nails, while Kid, not to be outdone in picturesqueness -of language, maintained that a “raw dog -would suit him finely!” Their appetites contrasted -strongly with those of the upper grade fellows who -had been mooning around indoors all the morning, -and Cupples, watching Lanny eat, sighed enviously.</p> - -<p>At two o’clock the big sleigh came to the door -to take those who wished to ride down to the river -where the annual ice carnival was to be held. A -few of the older boys went on snowshoes, and Kid -started off alone with his sled, but the others piled -into the sleigh, which had a seat running lengthwise -at each side. Everyone went, even the Doctor and -Mrs. Merton; and Nan, of course. The river was -frozen a good five inches and save where, here and -there near shore, a snow-field hid the surface, was -in the best of shape for the races. A fire was -started on the bank and the Doctor and Mrs. Merton -made themselves comfortable with robes from -the sleigh. Everyone else, including Mr. Crane -and Mr. Folsom, who had the affair in charge, -donned skates and took to the surface. Most of the -day students were on hand, and by half past two -practically all of Mt. Pleasant Academy was there, -one of the few absentees being Kid. But Kid arrived -in time to see the finish of the two-hundred-yard<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span> -dash, panting and puffing and pulling his -beloved sled behind him.</p> - -<p>Spooner, one of the day boys, a short, round-faced -chap who looked like anything but a fast -skater, won the first event. Spooner, in spite of his -appearance, was a wonder on skates, and by reason -of that ability had won the captaincy of the Day -Hockey team. Other races followed; a quarter-mile -event for seniors and upper middlers, a race -of the same distance for lower middlers and -juniors, a half-mile handicap and finally a rescue -race of a quarter of a mile. Ben Holden distanced -the entire field of five in the senior quarter-mile -event, Cupples captured the next, with Lanny a -close second, and the half-mile handicap, which -started with sixteen entries, went to a day student, -while Sam Perkins fought every foot of the distance -and managed to finish only some six yards -behind. There were prizes for first and second -places, in each case a small pewter mug with the -date and event engraved on it and a place for the -winner’s name. Those mugs were highly prized -and some of the seniors, during their three years -at Mt. Pleasant, had managed to make a very -creditable collection of them. Mr. Crane was kept -pretty busy hustling the events off, while Mr. Folsom,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span> -looking as serious as ever, timed each event. -As not even a school record was broken that day -the time need not interest us.</p> - -<p>Bert had entered in the handicap, but had finished -a poor sixth, much to his chagrin since, -although he was no hockey player, he rather prided -himself on his skating. But the distance was too -short for Bert to show up at his best, and when, -after the rescue race was over, the two-mile handicap -was announced Bert gave his name to Mr. -Crane.</p> - -<p>Before this, however, the rescue race had occasioned -not a little excitement and a great deal of -mirth. A quarter of a mile up the river from the -starting place four small juniors, Kid, Small and -two day students waited each with his ankles bound -together with a skate strap. They wore no skates. -At the word from Mr. Crane, Pierce, Waters, Lovell -and a day student named Tucker dashed off up -the ice. The first to arrive at the end of the course -was at liberty to pick his boy, and, as Kid was several -pounds lighter than any of the other three, the -contestants all wanted Kid. Waters got him, beating -the others by a few yards. Then the task was to -return to the starting place with the rescued boy. -They could carry him, pull him or push him; the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span> -only thing was to get him back. But the mode -generally adopted was to get the rescued boy in -front, seize him by the elbows and push him, the -burden slanting his body back and sliding along on -his heels. Of course, the rescued boy was required -to aid to the extent of keeping his body stiff and his -feet straight ahead. But it wasn’t so easy. Now -and then one or other would double up, or his feet -would swing aside, or his rescuer would lose his -hold. In either case the result was usually a spill, -with the rescuer and rescued ludicrously mixed up -on the ice. Kid, in spite of his light weight, proved -a troublesome burden, for he seemed unable to keep -his feet straight for the goal and was forever swinging -to one side or the other, occasioning Waters -much trouble, two upsets and a loss of temper. -Waters insisted afterwards that Kid did it on purpose. -As for the justice of that charge I decline -to give an opinion. Kid was Kid, and a law unto -himself!</p> - -<p>In the end Steve Lovell won with Small, who -behaved beautifully all the way, and Pierce was -second, Waters finishing a very bad fourth. During -that race the upsets were not confined to the competitors, -for most of the spectators skated along -the edge of the course, applauding and encouraging -and laughing, and more than one, unable to laugh<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span> -and skate too, abandoned skating and decided to -view the finish from a recumbent position.</p> - -<p>There were only three entries for the final event, -the two-mile handicap, Ben Holden, Stanley Pierce -and Bert. Holden was placed at scratch, Pierce -was given eighty yards and Bert two hundred, -more, as subsequent events proved, than his ability -entitled him to. The course was up the river for -a mile to the upper end of Candle Island, a low -sand-bar near the shore, around the island and back -to the starting line. This was approximately a -mile and the distance was to be skated twice.</p> - -<p>Lanny and Nan skated up the river with Bert -and Mr. Crane to Bert’s starting mark. Then Mr. -Crane returned to post Pierce and give the word.</p> - -<p>“Oh, I do hope you’ll win, Bert!” said Nan.</p> - -<p>“So do I,” agreed Lanny, “if only to beat Ben. -You’d better let him make the pace for you as soon -as he catches up with you.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t let him catch up,” said Nan. “Skate -just as hard and fast as ever you can, Bert! And -please be careful at the island. You know Mr. -Crane said you must keep above the snag because -the ice is weak there.”</p> - -<p>“He’s a regular old woman about thin ice,” -said Lanny.</p> - -<p>“But it’s so, Lanny, and I know it. The ice is<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span> -always weak at the end of Candle Island. The—the -current or something does it. So you must -keep beyond the snag, Bert.”</p> - -<p>“What sort of a thing is this snag?” asked -Bert, taking a tighter hitch in his belt and keeping -his eye down river for the signal.</p> - -<p>“Why, it’s an old dead tree that sticks up -through the ice about—about twenty yards beyond -the further end of the island,” explained Nan. -“And you must—”</p> - -<p>“Get set,” interrupted Lanny. “He’s going to -start you.”</p> - -<p>Then down the river Mr. Crane dropped the -hand holding his cap and Bert’s skates bit into -the ice and he was off. A two mile race, whether -on foot or on skates, is a thing of endurance and -soon Bert slowed down to an even, swinging pace -that took him along quite fast enough. Ben started -out with the idea of catching Pierce and he did it -in the first quarter of a mile, while back at the -starting line the watchers cheered lustily. Ben -wasn’t bothering about Bert. He would let Pierce -make the pace as long as he would and then pass -him. He believed that a mile would see the junior -out of the race. Bert reached the farther end of -Candle Island quite alone, swung around the snag<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span> -which poked itself through the ice like a gaunt -brown arm, and swung homeward. As he passed -the middle of the sand-bar he saw Pierce and Holden, -only three yards apart, on the other side. Pierce -was looking flurried already, Bert thought. So far -Bert had maintained his lead, and he meant to do -his very best to keep it. But on the return journey -Ben awoke to the fact that Pierce was slowing up -and that the third competitor had a very dangerous -lead. So he left Pierce behind soon after the lower -end of the island was passed and increased his -speed. By the time the starting place was reached, -where a barrel set on end did duty as a turning -mark, Bert’s lead had been cut down to a scant -hundred yards and Ben was still gaining. The -spectators cheered and waved as the two boys made -the turn and began the second lap, and Bert heard -Lanny’s voice high above all others:</p> - -<p>“All for one and one for all!” shouted Lanny. -Nan, a blur of red and white, waved wildly. Half -way to the island again Bert heard Ben’s skates -ringing on the ice close behind. For nearly a -quarter of a mile the two boys skated twenty yards -apart, although from the start it was difficult to -guess the distance that divided them. Then Ben -spurted, as the lower end of the island was reached,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span> -and Bert let him by without a challenge. Meanwhile -Pierce was out of it and was sitting by the -fire nursing a painful attack of cramps.</p> - -<p>Around the head of the island the two skaters -went, Bert right on Ben’s heels. Ben had obeyed -Mr. Crane’s injunction before, but now, hoping -perhaps to steal a few yards on Bert, he swung -around close to the end of the sand-bar, well inside -the snag. After a moment of hesitation, which lost -him several yards of distance, Bert followed.</p> - -<p>“If that ice will hold him it will hold me,” -thought Bert.</p> - -<p>Near shore the ice was worn by the action of -the current as it swept against the bar and open -water showed in places. But Ben’s course seemed -to bear him safely away from the weak places, -although still some distance inside the dead tree. -Bert followed in his tracks some six yards behind. -Then, suddenly, there was a cracking sound, an -exclamation from Ben and that youth wheeled half -around and went through the ice. Bert strove to -stop, wheeling to the right, felt the ice giving beneath -him and threw himself face down and went -sliding toward the snag and safety. Then he was -on his knees, rather dizzy and frightened, peering<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span> -anxiously back for Ben. Ben, clinging to the edge -of the ice, was keeping himself afloat.</p> - -<p>“Got anything you can throw me?” he asked -Bert coolly. “I can keep afloat here for a week but -the ice won’t hold, I guess.”</p> - -<p>Bert pulled off his sweater, unstrapped his belt -with shaking fingers and knotted the latter to a -sleeve of the sweater. Then he wriggled forward -at full length.</p> - -<p><a href="#i_frontis">“Be careful,” cautioned Ben, his teeth chattering.</a></p> - -<p>“I will,” answered Bert. “I’m lighter than -you, Ben. I think I can get pretty nearly out there.”</p> - -<p>And he finally did, and then strove to throw the -sweater where Ben could reach it. But the thing -seemed possessed of the imp of perversity. Time -and again Bert’s attempts put the sweater just outside -Ben’s reach, and once the latter, struggling to -get hold of it, lost his clutch on the edge of the ice -and almost sank again. But finally his fingers -caught the edge of the woolen garment. Then, -getting a firm grip of it, he began to break the weak -ice with his fist, while Bert, wriggling away, took -up the slack by inches. At last hard ice was -reached and then, taking the sweater between his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span> -teeth, Ben attempted to lift his body out of the -water. It was hard work, and time and again when -success was almost attained he went back. But -finally, kicking and thrashing and struggling, with -Bert pulling as hard as the slippery surface of the -ice would allow, Ben got out, dripping and chilled. -He wriggled over to where Bert lay, not daring yet -to trust himself on his feet and scarcely in condition -to stand up, for that matter, and sat panting -and shaking.</p> - -<p>“B-b-better put your sweater on again,” he -chattered.</p> - -<p>“Not me,” said Bert. “You put it on, and hurry -up with it. If you don’t you’ll have a chill.”</p> - -<p>“I g-g-guess I’ve got one now,” answered Ben. -“That w-w-wat-er was f-f-fierce!”</p> - -<p>“Can’t you stand up?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Yes.” But it wasn’t easy and Ben had to cling -to Bert in doing so. Then Bert got his sweater over -Ben’s, which was wringing wet, Ben protesting all -the while and weakly striving to resist.</p> - -<p>“I d-d-don’t need it,” he chattered. “You’ll -c-c-catch cold, Bryant.”</p> - -<p>“I won’t, but you will,” replied Bert, rescuing -his belt and putting it on again. “Now come on. -Can you skate?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span></p> - -<p>“No, I—I’d rather sit down a minute, I -g-g-guess.”</p> - -<p>“You can’t! You mustn’t! Come on, Ben, and -get warm. Skate as hard as you can. We’ll race -back.”</p> - -<p>Ben made a feeble effort, swayed, clung to Bert -and shook his head.</p> - -<p>“All right, then,” said Bert. “We’ll make this -a rescue race and I’ll slide you back.” He laughed -and Ben tried to smile.</p> - -<p>“N-n-no, wait a m-m-minute,” said Ben. “I’ll -b-b-be all right. It’s m-m-my legs, Bryant; they’re -like ice.”</p> - -<p>“Stamp around, Ben! Stretch them. That’s it. -Better? Now see if you can’t skate.”</p> - -<p>Ben tried and succeeded in getting started. Very -slowly they made the turn around the end of the -island and started back. But every movement -helped and soon Ben’s blood was stirring again in -his chilled body and the color began to creep back -into his cheeks.</p> - -<p>“That was a fool thing to do,” he said. “But -I thought the ice was thick enough to hold anyone. -Gee, if you hadn’t been there I’d—I’d been frozen -by this time! I could keep afloat all right, but the -water was awful!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span></p> - -<p>“Skate faster,” said Bert, “and don’t talk.”</p> - -<p>By the time the starting line was in sight Ben -was making good time and to the spectators it -looked as though they were to see a wonderfully -close finish, for the two boys were side by side. -There had been some uneasiness because of the -delay and the watchers breathed sighs of relief -when the two skaters came into sight again. Caps -waved and voices urged them on.</p> - -<p>“Come on, Ben! Hit it up! You aren’t half -skating!”</p> - -<p>“Beat him, Bert! Beat him! Skate! Skate!”</p> - -<p>Kid danced about and turned circles on his -skates, all the time yelling shrilly, and Nan, her -pink cheeks rosier than ever from excitement, -clapped her hands and “rooted” for Bert. Down -to the line came the two skaters, skating fast but -evidently quite tuckered out and showing a lot of -effort. The spectators skated to meet them, and -then it was that Ben’s wet clothes were noted and -questions fell fast. Bert had no thought of the -race. He wanted to see Ben wrapped up warmly -and started on his way back to school. And he -wanted to get there himself, for he felt decidedly -weak and sick, and every few moments a shiver -went over him. And so he never noticed when Ben<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span> -slowed down almost at the line and never noticed -that he himself had skated across it and had won -the race until Lanny smote him on the back, almost -sending him on his face, and shouted:</p> - -<p>“You won, Bert! He didn’t cross! He didn’t -finish!”</p> - -<p>But Bert paid no heed. He shouldered his way -to Mr. Crane who was stretching out his hand in -congratulation.</p> - -<p>“Ben went through the ice, sir,” he said, “and -he ought to be taken home right away. And I guess—I -guess you’d better take me, too.”</p> - -<p>Whereupon Bert sank against Mr. Crane and -fainted dead away.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="VII">VII<br /> -<small>LANNY CONFESSES</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">Bert lay in bed with the remains of a satisfactory -if simple repast on a tray at his side. -He was feeling a little languid, but aside -from that quite his usual self. The Doctor had -diagnosed his case as nervous exhaustion following -excitement, overexertion and a chill, and had -mixed him a dark brown, nasty tasting concoction -in a tumbler and sentenced him to bed for the rest -of the day. Ben had been dosed thoroughly, but -had not been put to bed, and so had gone down to -his supper like any ordinary person.</p> - -<p>Bert could hear the fellows pushing the chairs -away from the tables in the dining-room below, and -a moment after there was a knock at the door and -Lanny, Small and Kid came in. Kid pounced on -the foot of the bed with a whoop of glee and was -sternly reprimanded by Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you know how to behave when a fellow’s -sick, Kid?” Lanny demanded. “Get off there and -sit in a chair.” Kid grinned unabashed and took<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span> -the Morris chair. “I sneaked an apple for you, -Bert; want it?” continued Lanny.</p> - -<p>“You bet!” Bert hid it under his pillow for -future reference.</p> - -<p>“How are you feeling now?” asked Small.</p> - -<p>“Fine and dandy,” said Bert.</p> - -<p>“You’re going to get the mug for winning the -race,” piped Kid jubilantly. “Mr. Crane asked -Ben if he wanted to protest the race and Ben said -no, he didn’t, and Mr. Crane said then he’d give you -the mug and Ben said he hoped he would.”</p> - -<p>“The Doctor said your behavior was a credit -to the school,” said Lanny, with a grin. “You’d -have thought to hear him that he’d told you just -what to do.”</p> - -<p>“Small says he thinks Ben meant you to win -the race,” said Kid. “He says Ben didn’t finish -on purpose. I guess he forgot about it.”</p> - -<p>“No, he didn’t,” Lanny defended. “I saw him. -He just meant that Bert was to cross and be the -winner. You can say what you like about Ben, but -he—he’s fair and square!”</p> - -<p>“Treason! Treason!” exclaimed Kid, kicking -his feet up. “Lanny’s deserted to the enemy!”</p> - -<p>“No, I haven’t,” responded Lanny, “but—but -I’ve got to tell you something.” He paused and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span> -glanced a bit shamefacedly at the others. “When—I -came up to the room after we got back Waters -said, ‘Lanny, I wish you’d pull these boots off,’ -and I—I didn’t think anything about it—really I -didn’t!—and so I—I pulled them off!” He ended -a trifle defiantly. There was silence. Bert nodded -thoughtfully, Small looked a little embarrassed and -Kid began to whistle softly through his teeth. At -last,</p> - -<p>“I—I shacked, too,” muttered Small. “George -Waters—”</p> - -<p>“Me too!” piped Kid. “I wanted to. I’m tired -of not having anything to do and having the fellows -pretend not to see me and—and all that!” -And Kid’s countenance dared them to do their -worst!</p> - -<p>“I feel that way too,” said Lanny. “After all, -I guess it doesn’t do us youngsters any harm to—to -wait on the older fellows a bit, Bert. Maybe -it—it’s good whatdoyoucallit—discipline.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and when we are upper grade fellows -somebody will have to do it for us,” added Kid -blithely.</p> - -<p>“I think you’re right,” said Bert. “You see, -it makes a difference whether you like a fellow or -not whether you want to do things for him, you<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span> -know. I—I didn’t like some of the big fellows at -first. I do now. I like them all. I—I guess shacking -isn’t going to hurt us, fellows.”</p> - -<p>“Besides,” began Small, “we showed them that -we—”</p> - -<p>There was a knock at the door, Bert cried -“Come!” and Nan put her head in.</p> - -<p>“Mamma said I might come up and see how -you are, Bert,” she announced. “May I come -in?”</p> - -<p>“Of course,” said Bert. “Kid, give Nan that -chair.”</p> - -<p>Kid obeyed with a flourish. Nan seemed just -a wee bit disappointed at finding Bert was not -going to be an interesting invalid for a few days. -After his condition had been discussed and it was -quite apparent that he would be up and about the -next morning, Nan exclaimed; “Just think! We’re -all here, the Junior Four. We might have a meeting, -Lanny!”</p> - -<p>Lanny grinned sheepishly. “I guess there -won’t be any more meetings, Nan. It’s all off!” -Whereupon they explained to her and Nan was -quite cast down.</p> - -<p>“Just when we had such a beautiful society!” -she grieved.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, we don’t have to bust up the Junior -Four,” said Kid. “Let’s keep it going.”</p> - -<p>“What’s the use?” asked Small.</p> - -<p>“Lovely!” cried Nan, clapping her hands. -“We’ll just find a new—new purpose!”</p> - -<p>“What?” asked Small.</p> - -<p>“Why, let me see.” Nan frowned thoughtfully -for a moment. Then, “I know!” she exclaimed. -“Good fellowship!”</p> - -<p>“Good fellowship!” echoed Bert.</p> - -<p>“Good fellowship!” cried Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Here’s to the Junior Four!” shouted Kid. -“Long may it wave!” He seized a half-empty -tumbler from Bert’s tray and flourished it. “One -for all and all for one!”</p> - -<p>The next evening Bert and Ben sat on opposite -sides of the study table in Number 5. Ben, raising -his eyes from his book, glanced across at his roommate.</p> - -<p>“Bert,” he said casually, “I wish you’d find my -Latin dictionary for me.”</p> - -<p>Bert laid his pencil on the volume before him -and pushed back his chair. “All right,” he said -cheerfully. The dictionary was on the mantel and -he crossed the room and got it, laying it at Ben’s -elbow. “There you are, Ben.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span></p> - -<p>“Thanks.” Ben raised his head again and -smiled up at the other. “How is it going?” he -asked.</p> - -<p>“Hard,” replied Bert, casting a rueful glance at -his book.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll be through here in about ten minutes -and then I’ll help you with it.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="VIII">VIII<br /> -<small>THE FIRST HOCKEY GAME</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">On the following Saturday afternoon House -and Day met in the first game of the series -to settle the school hockey supremacy. The -Day Team was credited with being better than the -House. Last winter it had won two straight games -without much trouble and borne off the pewter mug -which Mr. Crane and Mr. Folsom had donated as -a trophy two years before. The mug was to go -finally to the team winning two out of three series, -and so far both Day Team and House Team had one -win to its credit and the present series would settle -the ownership of the trophy.</p> - -<p>There were three star performers on the Day -Team: White, who played center; Grimshaw, who -played cover-point, and Morgan, who was the goal-tend. -Billy Spooner, the captain, was an excellent -skater, but was not a very certain performer with -the stick. The rest of the Day Team were only fair -players. For the House, Ben Holden was the star -performer. Ben played center and was truly an<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span> -adept with the hockey stick. Dick Gardner, at goal, -was another brilliant player, and Pierce, rover, and -Lovell, point, were capable of good work. Cupples, -at right wing, was rather weak, and the same may -be said of Waters, on the other end of the line, and -of Perkins at cover-point.</p> - -<p>On the whole, the day pupils had rather the -better of it as regards material, and if they failed -to carry off the coveted trophy it would be largely -because of lack of practice. They had as much -right to use the school rinks as the house students, -and Spooner tried his level best to get his team to -remain after school and practice. But it was -hard work. Every day one or more of the day -pupils deserted for some reason or other, leaving -the team short. Sometimes Spooner conducted -practice with only four players out of seven!</p> - -<p>It was right there that Ben and his House Team -had the advantage. His fellows didn’t have to run -home after lessons were over and he almost always -had enough players at hand to make a full team. -Crandall, who was a poor skater but a hard worker, -was usually on hand as a substitute, while Lanny -looked on enviously from the side of the rink and -almost daily petitioned Ben to let him play.</p> - -<p>Mr. Folsom and Mr. Crane acted respectively<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span> -as referee and timekeeper. The audience consisted -of a handful of boys from the village, several of -them day students, the four juniors and Nan. Kid, -first indicating Small and then himself, declared -that the gathering was “small, but select.” Lanny, -dressed for play, but at the moment impersonating -a spectator, deftly introduced some particles of ice -down Kid’s neck and warned him against punning. -During the subsequent confusion Mr. Folsom -tossed the puck onto the ice and blew his whistle -and the game began.</p> - -<p>“Which side do you want to win?” asked Nan -of Bert.</p> - -<p>“Our side, of course.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I suppose you do,” she sighed. “But I’m -in a very difficult position because, you see, both -teams are made up of Mt. Pleasant boys, and I -ought to be—be strictly impartial.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see how you can be,” replied Bert, leaning -over the boards to watch Waters try a shot at -goal. “Besides, I don’t see what difference it -makes.”</p> - -<p>Waters made a miserable shot and the puck -skimmed over the barrier and into the snow, and -Small dug it out with a spare hockey stick.</p> - -<p>“It’s the principle of it, I think,” responded<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span> -Nan. “In some ways I’d like our side—I mean -House to win, but it wouldn’t be quite fair to the -Day boys, would it?”</p> - -<p>“Wouldn’t it?” Nan’s ethics was too deep for -Bert, and he was glad that Ben shot a neat goal at -that moment so that he could abandon the subject. -“Fine, Ben!” he shouted. “That’s the stuff!” -He clapped Lanny on the back and was in turn -pummelled by the enthusiastic Kid, who yelled, -“Hooray for the House! Kill them, Ben!” at the -top of his lungs. Nan maintained a discreet silence, -her only evidence of emotion being the raising and -lowering of herself on her toes. As it was a very -cold afternoon, however, she may have done it only -to keep her feet warm.</p> - -<p>After that the tide of battle turned deplorably -and Day made three goals, one right after another. -Perkins was almost useless at cover-point and Lovell -was eluded without much difficulty. Gardner -made several good stops, but the Day Team hammered -at him savagely and thrice the puck got by -him into the net. House scored again two or three -minutes later when Ben, capturing the disk in front -of his own goal, skated with it the length of the -ice and passed to Pierce in front of the enemy’s -net. Pierce fooled Turner, point, and banged the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span> -puck between Morgan’s feet. The half ended a -minute or so after, the score 3 to 2 in favor of the -Day Team. It was still anybody’s game, and Nan -said she hoped it would end in a tie so that both -sides would be satisfied. Lanny hooted at that.</p> - -<p>“Satisfied nothing! Gee, that would be as bad -as being beaten! Besides, it wouldn’t do any good; -we’d have to play the game over again.”</p> - -<p>“If it’s a tie,” said Kid, “they’ll play another -period. They did last winter, Stanley says.”</p> - -<p>As it turned out, however, a third period was -not necessary. Day started the next half with a -rush that for a moment almost swept House off -their feet. Two tallies were scored before House -could settle down and break up the attack. Waters -had an unfortunate mix-up with White, of the opposing -side, and retired with a gashed lip. Crandall -took his place, much to Lanny’s disgust, and -from thence on to the end the game was extremely -one-sided. The only time when Fortune smiled on -the House Team was when, after Morgan had -stopped a shot from Pierce’s stick, the puck was -pushed into the net by Turner quite by accident. -The disk didn’t get far in before Morgan swept it -out again, but Mr. Folsom blew his whistle and declared -it a goal, and the House supporters howled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span> -their glee. Even Nan emitted a shrill cry of delight -and blushed rosily when Bert turned to laugh at -her.</p> - -<p>“I don’t care!” she said. “They’re so far behind -that I’m glad they scored.”</p> - -<p>Kid jeered scathingly. “Oh, sloppy work! -Scored against yourselves! You’re a nice lot of -hockey players, you are!” Kid danced up and down -in the snow and hurled insults until Lanny threatened -to roll him in the snow. But that lucky goal -was the final tally for House, and when the game -came to an end Day’s victory was a decisive one, -the score 7 to 3. Ben was disgusted and chagrined -and when Kid, thinking to console him, enumerated -a few of the things they would do to the day pupils -in the next game Ben spanked him with the flat of -his hockey stick and told him to shut up and not get -fresh. Kid, surprised and hurt, consoled himself -by shying a snowball at the retreating forms of -the Day Team players and, as he boasted later with -much elation, scoring against the back of White’s -head.</p> - -<p>The contest was discussed before the big fire -in the hall before supper, and Ben announced that -beginning Monday there would be morning as well -as afternoon practice for the House Team. “We<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span> -have almost an hour between school and dinner,” -he said, “and we might as well put in the time -practicing. Those fellows don’t get more than half -the practice that we do, and they played all around -us to-day. So we’ve got to take a brace, fellows. -Lanny, I’m going to try you Monday. You think -you can play. Go ahead and show me.”</p> - -<p>Lanny, tongue-tied by much joy, grinned. Kid, -who was trying to roast some chestnuts he had -been treasuring since autumn, gurgled with delight. -“They won’t do a thing to Lanny, will they? He’s -so small they’ll just pick him up and—” He paused -and fixed Lanny with a rapturous gaze. “Say, -Lanny, wouldn’t it be funny if they mistook you for -the puck?” he cried.</p> - -<p>Lanny pounced on him and there was noise -and confusion until the older fellows parted them. -Then everyone trooped into supper, deliciously hungry, -and fell upon the repast like a flight of devastating -locusts. Luckily defeat doesn’t spoil appetites.</p> - -<p>In spite of Ben’s plans, there was no morning -practice on Monday, for a mantle of snow hid the -ice and the time that was to have been devoted to -skating and stick work was spent with snow-shovels -in hand. There was practice in the afternoon, but<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span> -that night it again snowed and Ben viewed the rink -the next day with deep disgust. The only consoling -thought was that the Day Team was no better -off. Again shovels were brought into play and by -the time the ice was cleared the barriers about the -rinks were surrounded by deep banks of snow. Bert -learned to be an expert with the wooden shovel, for -he, like the rest of the under-class fellows, had to -work hard those days. But it was all in a good -cause and he didn’t mind it a bit. The spirit of -mutiny was quite quelled now. The snow made the -tobogganing better and there were some rare times -on the slide. Having won the right to the use of -the slide the juniors were no longer debarred from -it, but it must be acknowledged that they were -somewhat restricted and often had to wait a good -while for a chance to go down. Kid alone, however, -voiced rebellion. It seemed as if, having -once tasted the joys of independence, he could not -reconcile himself to slavery. But he found no encouragement -from the other members of the Junior -Four and his protests were wasted on the winter -air.</p> - -<p>“You just wait until I’m an upper middler,” -he threatened. “Maybe I won’t bully the juniors! -Wow!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="IX">IX<br /> -<small>THE SOCIETY MEETS AGAIN</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">A week later the Junior Four met in extraordinary -session. Strange to relate, it had -been the Honorary Member who had issued -the call for the meeting, but instead of resenting -what looked like usurpation of authority the others -welcomed the summons.</p> - -<p>It was a Saturday morning and a dull one. A -February thaw had set in, the snow was fit only for -snowballs, the rinks were awash and the second -game of the hockey series had been postponed for -another week. The day had stretched ahead of -them featureless and unpromising, and the summons -to the meeting had reached them at a moment -when life seemed tame and somber.</p> - -<p>Having brought about the gathering, it was -Nan’s place to explain the purpose of it, and this -she was doing from the only chair the harness room -afforded. (It was really a stool with one broken<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span> -leg, but by careful balancing it was possible to keep -seated.)</p> - -<p>“It seems to me,” Nan was explaining, “that -when you’ve got a perfectly good secret society like -this you ought to—to do something with it. We -started it to—to resist the tyranny of the upper -classes—”</p> - -<p>“All for one and one for all!” droned Kid in a -sing-song voice.</p> - -<p>Nan frowned down the interruption and proceeded. -“And now that we have accomplished -that—that purpose—”</p> - -<p>A muffled giggle from Kid. The others looked -elaborately unconscious.</p> - -<p>“—I think we ought to find another purpose, -something—something worthy and noble.”</p> - -<p>“Let’s turn it into an athletic club,” suggested -Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Or a debating society,” offered Small, who was -the literary member of the coterie.</p> - -<p>“Let’s make it an eating club like they have in -college,” said Kid. “We could have some dandy -feeds out here.”</p> - -<p>“What were you thinking of, Nan?” Bert -asked.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, how would it do to have it a Benevolent -Society?”</p> - -<p>“What’s that?” asked Lanny finally after prolonged -silence.</p> - -<p>“A Benevolent Society,” explained Nan vaguely, -“is a society that—that does good to people.”</p> - -<p>“Who?” asked Kid suspiciously.</p> - -<p>“Why, anyone. You present beds to hospitals -or endow something, you know. Any worthy -cause—”</p> - -<p>“That takes money, doesn’t it?” asked Small.</p> - -<p>“Of course. We save our money—”</p> - -<p>“That’s a silly game!” jeered Kid. “Save -your money! Gee, I don’t have enough now.”</p> - -<p>“Or we can earn it,” continued Nan. “That -would be more fun, wouldn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“How could we earn any money?” Bert inquired.</p> - -<p>“Oh, lots of ways! We must think up ways, of -course.”</p> - -<p>“Earn money and then give it away to a hospital!” -exclaimed Kid. “I guess not!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t say to give it to a hospital,” said Nan -indignantly. “I only said that was one way to do -it. We could find something else to give it to. We<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span> -might—might present a set of books to the school -library. That would be a kindly deed, wouldn’t it? -And it would say on the front of every book that -it had been presented by the Junior Four.”</p> - -<p>“Would we have to read them?” asked Kid -dubiously.</p> - -<p>“Of course not, not unless we wanted to. Reference -books would be best, I suppose. Succeeding -generations of students would appreciate our -gift and thank us.”</p> - -<p>“Hm.” This from Lanny. “The succeeding -generations don’t make much of a hit with me, Nan. -What’s the matter with doing something for the -present generation?”</p> - -<p>“Why, we would be! We’d use the books, too, -Lanny. I only said that about succeeding generations -to—to show that the gift would endure in -usefulness.”</p> - -<p>“If we made it an eating club,” said Kid, “we’d -get some fun out of it ourselves.”</p> - -<p>“There’s nothing noble about an eating club,” -declared Nan severely. “I only thought it would -be nice for us to—to embark on some noble enterprise -and—and do good in the community. Of -course, if you boys don’t care for my plan—”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span></p> - -<p>“We haven’t said we don’t,” interrupted Bert -hastily. “We—we’re only considering it, eh, fellows?”</p> - -<p>“Sure,” replied Lanny. “I—I think it sounds -pretty good, only I don’t see where the money’s -coming from.”</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” said Bert. “There aren’t very -many ways a fellow can make money in school, I -guess.”</p> - -<p>“It’s easy enough to spend it, though,” philosophized -Small. “I had a whole two-dollar bill a -week ago, and now I’ve got about twenty cents. -And there’s no more coming for another week!”</p> - -<p>“Pshaw, making money’s easy enough.” Kid -beat a tattoo with his heels against the grain bin -and looked as much like a captain of industry as he -knew how.</p> - -<p>“I’d like to see you make any!” exclaimed -Small.</p> - -<p>“Bet you I could!”</p> - -<p>“Bet you you couldn’t! Not unless you got it -from home.”</p> - -<p>“That wouldn’t be making it,” replied Kid. -“That would be finding it! I bet you I could -make—” he paused and studied a moment—“make -ten dollars in a week if I tried.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span></p> - -<p>Small hooted and Bert and Lanny smiled -amusedly. Only Nan took the boast seriously.</p> - -<p>“Could you really, Kid?” she cried delightedly. -“Why, ten dollars would be almost enough to -buy the books!”</p> - -<p>Kid, flattered, nodded nonchalantly. “Pretty -near, I guess. It wouldn’t be hard.”</p> - -<p>“How would you do it?” asked Nan eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Oh—” Kid smiled carelessly—“I know a way. -I dare say I could make more than ten if I really -tried; maybe fifteen or twenty!”</p> - -<p>“Maybe you’d make twenty cents!” Lanny said -sarcastically. “You’re a silly little goat!”</p> - -<p>“Is that so?” Kid smiled in a superior manner -and looked dreamily out the window. “Just because -you can’t make money you think nobody else -can. Bet you I can make ten dollars in a fortnight -easy.”</p> - -<p>“You said a week!” exclaimed Small. “And -it was fifteen or twenty you were going to make!”</p> - -<p>“I said if I wanted to. I don’t want to.”</p> - -<p>Small jeered contemptuously. “Maybe I could—if -I wanted to; but I don’t want to!”</p> - -<p>“I suppose we could all earn a little money if -we tried,” observed Bert thoughtfully. “It would -be rather fun to try, wouldn’t it? To see which<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span> -could earn the most in a week or a month? Then -we could put it together and buy something and -give it to somebody.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell you what we might do,” said Lanny. -“We might save enough or earn enough to buy -a trophy of some sort for the baseball clubs.”</p> - -<p>“How do you mean?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Why, get a mug, you know, something like the -one Mr. Folsom and Mr. Crane got for the hockey -championship. We could offer it to the school to -be played for by the House and Day teams, the -team winning it three times to have it for keeps. -We might call it the Junior Four Cup.”</p> - -<p>For the first time during the meeting genuine -enthusiasm reigned. I think Nan would have -preferred the books, but she was fond of baseball -and the cup idea caught her fancy too. They discussed -the plan at length, Small begging to be allowed -to draw a design for the trophy. “Crossed -bats, you know,” he explained, “with a wreath of -laurel and the inscription underneath.”</p> - -<p>“‘Presented to Mt. Pleasant Academy by the -Junior Four,’” added Lanny. “It would look fine, -wouldn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“What’s the matter with having our names on -it, too?” asked Kid. “Just so they’d know who the -Junior Four were, you see.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span></p> - -<p>“Why not?” This from Bert. “And the fellow -who contributed the most money to the fund -could have his name first, and the fellow who contributed -the next most could have his name second, -and so on.”</p> - -<p>“That puts my name at the head,” observed -Kid gravely.</p> - -<p>“I know a fellow who saved over seven dollars -with a dime bank,” announced Small.</p> - -<p>“How long did it take him?” Lanny inquired. -Small thought a moment. Then,</p> - -<p>“About nine months, I think,” he answered.</p> - -<p>“Nine months!” exclaimed Bert. “We’ll have -to get the money by the first of May at the latest. -Besides, dime banks aren’t any good. I’ve tried -them. You get hard up and then you open them -and take everything out. If there was any way of -earning some money——”</p> - -<p>“Well, we’ll just have to think of a way,” said -Nan. “I’m just certain sure we can do it if we -give our minds to it. And it will be perfectly lovely, -won’t it? We’ll be public benefactors!”</p> - -<p>“We’ll be patrons of sport,” said Lanny. -“Won’t the other fellows be surprised?”</p> - -<p>“And pleased?” added Nan. She clapped her -hands. “Let’s begin at once!”</p> - -<p>“How?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span></p> - -<p>Silence ensued. Finally,</p> - -<p>“We could—we could begin by saving,” faltered -the Honorary Member.</p> - -<p>Lanny shrugged his shoulders. “I haven’t got -anything to save,” he said dolefully. “That’s why -I didn’t go into town this morning. I’m flat broke -and Haley told me last week he wouldn’t trust me -for another penny. And I owe a quarter to the -Pirate besides.”</p> - -<p>“Who’s the Pirate?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Old Higgins, the fellow who drives the carriage,” -Lanny explained. “I didn’t have much coin -when I got back after Christmas and so I told him -to charge it. And every week he writes me a letter -and threatens to go to the Doctor.”</p> - -<p>“He <em>is</em> a pirate,” agreed Nan. “Hasn’t anyone -any money to start it with?” She looked at -Bert. Bert smiled and shook his head.</p> - -<p>“But I’ll have some in a day or two, Nan. I’ll -have two dollars and I guess I could save fifty cents -of it.”</p> - -<p>“How about you, Kid?”</p> - -<p>Kid smiled sweetly and thrust a hand in his -pocket. When it was withdrawn and opened for -inspection it held two nickels, three pennies and a -piece of chewing gum. Bert made a grab for the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span> -gum, but Kid was too quick for him. Nan looked -a trifle discouraged.</p> - -<p>“And I haven’t any money myself,” she grieved. -“We’re all dreadfully poor, aren’t we?” Then she -brightened. “But we’ve got three months, haven’t -we? If we all do our very best I’m sure we’ll succeed!”</p> - -<p>“Can’t fail,” said Kid. “You can count on me -for ten sure. Making money’s one of the easiest -things I do!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="X">X<br /> -<small>KID MAKES AN INVESTMENT</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">After the meeting had adjourned Kid retired -to his room, which he shared with Stanley -Pierce, a senior, and stretched himself out -on the window-seat to think things over. Stanley -was out and Kid was glad of it, for the problem confronting -him demanded a lot of study. How was -he to make some money? He had read or heard of -boys who earned money and he tried to remember -how they had done it. Usually, it seemed to him, -they sold papers or ran errands. There were no -papers to be sold at Mt. Pleasant Academy and nobody -wanted any errands run except the upper class -fellows, and Kid’s wildest imaginings failed to picture -them paying for such service. If you didn’t -run the errands, he reflected ruefully, you got paid -all right, but it wasn’t with money! He tried to recall -how the heroes of the various stories he had -read had risen to fortune. In the Alger books the -hero, having been left behind in the great city<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span> -through some astounding combination of circumstances, -had a pretty hard time of it until he dashed -in front of a pair of runaway horses and rescued the -beautiful daughter of the wealthy banker from certain -death. After that it was plain sailing. But -Kid didn’t quite see how he was to rescue any bankers’ -daughters. He abandoned that idea with a -sigh, for he rather fancied himself as a hero.</p> - -<p>He had heard that boys sometimes made money -selling books or subscriptions to magazines, and -after he had considered and rejected various other -schemes he went back to the canvassing plan and -thought it over again. Of course, there weren’t -many folks here at school who would be likely to -subscribe. Even if he was successful with the Doctor -and the two instructors, Mr. Crane and Mr. Folsom, -he would still be a long way from that ten -dollars. Perhaps he might persuade one of the -older fellows to subscribe; Stanley, for instance, or -Steve Lovell; Steve was good natured to a fault; -but that was very doubtful. So that meant that -he would have to try his fortunes in the nearby villages, -Mt. Pleasant, Riveredge and Whittier. Then -he wondered how much you made on a subscription -and what magazines he had best honor with his support.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span></p> - -<p>He tumbled off the window-seat and rummaged -about the closet shelf until he had found an old -number of a magazine which Stanley had brought -from home. It wasn’t a very high-class publication, -but Kid had read the entire contents of it and approved. -He nestled down amongst the pillows -again and turned to the advertising pages. Bathtubs, -breakfast foods, bonds, furniture, patent medicines, -agents wanted. Ha! He would be an agent! -Kid scanned the columns eagerly. Somebody wanted -an agent in every town to sell a suction cleaner -and promised 150 per cent. profits. Another concern -had a razor strop that folks bought on sight, -but the profit was only 100 per cent. and Kid passed -it over. A family needle-case sounded more promising, -the profit being estimated at from 200 to -500 per cent. Kid liked that until he discovered -that an initial outlay of twenty-five cents was necessary. -Kid only possessed thirteen cents. Another -advertiser assured him that he could make -“big money” silvering mirrors in his spare moments, -but as the advertiser neglected to state what -he considered “big money” Kid sniffed suspiciously -and read on.</p> - -<p>The difficulty was that those who guaranteed -large results demanded from twenty-five cents to a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span> -dollar, while those who were willing to send samples -without cost were cruelly silent on the subject -of profit. But at last Kid found something that -promised well. Tinkham’s Throat-Ease was plainly -a wonderful discovery. It—or they, since they -were tablets “put up in attractive boxes to fit the -pocket”—was—or were a certain cure for hoarseness, -sore throat, quinsy, tonsilitis, bronchitis, canker -of the mouth, cough, gumboils and many other -afflictions. Agents had made as much as forty dollars -a day. The demand was terrific. They sold -themselves. And all you had to do was to send -ten cents in stamps or silver to the Tinkham Chemical -Company, Waterloo, Illinois, and receive two -dozen boxes of the tablets. You then sold the tablets -for twenty-five cents a box, remitted two dollars -to the company and kept the balance. Kid seized -a pencil and figured rapidly, with frowning brow, -on the margin of the magazine. Why, that was six -dollars! And two dollars out left four dollars! -That was—how much per centum was it? It took -some time to figure that, but he finally decided that -it was nearly two hundred. And if he sold a box -to every fellow in school he would have four dollars -in no time! Then, of course, he could buy forty-eight -more boxes, which would—more figuring—leave<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span> -him with eight dollars. And eight dollars and -two dollars—no, four dollars—made twelve dollars! -He had only agreed to earn ten. He would -have two whole dollars for spending!</p> - -<p>Kid rushed to the table and indited the following -epistle then and there:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p class="noi smcap">Tinkham Chemical Co.,</p> - -<p class="smcap">Gentlemen:</p> - -<p>Please send me immediately one agent’s outfit like -you advertise to send in Puffer’s Popular Monthly for -ten cents. Here’s the ten cents. Please send it immediately -to Mr. James Fairchild, Mt. Pleasant Academy, -Mt. Pleasant, New York, and oblige,</p> - -<p class="noic">Respectfully,</p> - -<p class="right smcap">James Fairchild.</p> - -<p>P. S. I haven’t got a dime and I send you two -nickels which I trust will be agreeable to you.</p> - -<p class="right">J. F.</p> -</div> - -<p>I must acknowledge that it took a good deal of -resolution on Kid’s part to drop those two nickels -in and seal them up. They looked very large and -desirable just then. And after he had sealed the -letter he was strongly tempted to recover his money -and postpone embarking in business until after the -receipt of his next remittance from home. But to -his credit be it said that he nobly resisted the temptation -and, lest his resolution might not hold out,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span> -hurried downstairs and dropped the letter irrevocably -in the post box outside the front door. Then, -somewhat excited by the prospect of so much -wealth, he returned to the window-seat and with -pencil and paper carried on his business in imagination -to a point where he had disposed of some ten -dozen boxes of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease and was -rich beyond the dreams of avarice. He would have -been still richer if the dinner bell had not sounded -just then.</p> - -<p>After that there was nothing to do but wait for -the tablets to arrive. Kid tried to bear himself -modestly, but the thought of so much riches couldn’t -fail to reflect itself on his countenance and in his -bearing. Stanley Pierce asked him what the trouble -was and Kid, smiling knowingly, said “Nothing, -thank you.”</p> - -<p>“You look like the cat that swallowed the canary,” -growled Stanley. “You’ve been up to some -mischief, that’s what, Kid. What you been doing?”</p> - -<p>“Nothing,” replied Kid virtuously.</p> - -<p>Stanley viewed him suspiciously. “Well, don’t -try anything on me, Kid, or I’ll tan your hide for -you. No more mutinies, either. Run over and tell -Sam I want to borrow his lexicon; left mine in -hall.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span></p> - -<p>The next day Small appeared with his design -for the trophy. As the school at large was to know -nothing about it until the presentation was made, -Small had to be very careful with his design, and it -was only exhibited when none of the older fellows -were about. That is why Small hung around Kid’s -room until Stanley took offense and put him out. -Later, though, Small, having watched through the -crack of his door for Stanley’s departure, returned -stealthily and Kid was accorded a look at the -drawing.</p> - -<p>“If anyone comes,” whispered Small, “shove -it out of sight quick. Here, you’ve got it upside -down!”</p> - -<p>“Oh, have I?” Kid viewed it earnestly. “I -thought it was going to be a mug,” he ventured at -last.</p> - -<p>“We—ell, mugs are so common, I thought I’d -make it a vase. Don’t you think that’s a very graceful -shape? Nan’s tickled to death with it.”</p> - -<p>“What’s all this?” Kid pointed to the embellishment. -“What’s that thing?”</p> - -<p>“That’s a wreath of laurel leaves,” replied -Small a trifle exasperatedly. “And those are -crossed bats, and that’s a ball. The inscription will<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span> -be underneath there; see? I didn’t put that on -because I don’t letter very well. Do you like it?”</p> - -<p>“I guess it will do,” replied Kid, “but I don’t -know that I just like the shape of it. It looks -too much like a water pitcher, doesn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“No, it doesn’t! If you knew anything about -art you’d know that that is a very beautiful shape. -It—it’s Etruscan.”</p> - -<p>“Is it? Well, just the same it looks like a -pitcher and I may decide to have it changed.”</p> - -<p>“<em>You</em> may decide to have it changed!” Small -laughed hoarsely. “What have you got to say -about it? I’m the one that’s doing this, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I’m the one that’s paying for it, ain’t I?”</p> - -<p>“Why—why, you’re paying some, maybe,” faltered -Small. “But you haven’t any more say about -it than the rest of us.”</p> - -<p>“I guess if that mug’s ever made it’ll be my -money that pays for it,” replied Kid calmly. “The -rest of you fellows haven’t any more idea of earning -money than—than—than nothing at all! I’m -the only one that will have any when the time comes -and I guess I’ll have to pretty much foot the whole -bill.”</p> - -<p>Small laughed again, quite insultingly this time.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span> -“Gee, you hate yourself, don’t you, Kid? To hear -you talk anybody’d think you were a John D. -Rockefeller—until he thought again! I’ll bet I’ll -have more money than you, Kid!”</p> - -<p>Kid smiled patiently. “Piffle! A couple of -piffles! You wait and see, Small; that’s all I ask -you to do; just wait and see! I may not be any -John D. Rockefeller, son, but I’ve got more business -head than you ever thought of having.”</p> - -<p>“Huh! You! Give me my drawing! You -make me tired, you do!” Small was plainly incensed -and Kid suddenly recalled the fact that it -wouldn’t do to have Small angry if he was to be -asked to purchase a box of the celebrated Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease.</p> - -<p>“Well, you needn’t get huffy,” said Kid. “I -didn’t say anything, did I?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you did! You said this looked like a -water pitcher!”</p> - -<p>“Well, aren’t water pitchers all right, Small? -Can’t there be—be beauty in a water pitcher? I -didn’t say I didn’t like your drawing, did I?”</p> - -<p>“You said maybe you’d have it changed, didn’t -you?”</p> - -<p>“Can’t you take a joke? Gee, you’re getting -touchy! I guess it’s the artistic temper in you,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span> -Small. Artists are always touchy. I didn’t say I -didn’t like it. I couldn’t say that, because I do -like it—awfully.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you do!” growled Small, mollified nevertheless.</p> - -<p>“I do, honest! Cross my heart, Small! I think -it’s a dandy drawing. Wish I could draw like that.”</p> - -<p>Small viewed him suspiciously, but Kid’s cherubic -countenance seemed without guile. Small, -much flattered and highly pleased, stammered that -it wasn’t much and that he could show Kid how -to do it if he, Kid, wanted him to. Kid thanked -him and promised to give the matter thought. -Then,</p> - -<p>“Say, you’ve got a cough, haven’t you?” he -said.</p> - -<p>Small looked surprised. “Who? Me? No, I -haven’t any cough.”</p> - -<p>“Then what are you coughing for?” demanded -Kid.</p> - -<p>“I’m not! I haven’t coughed all winter.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Then I suppose I imagined it. You want -to be careful of a cough this time of year. First -thing you know you’ll have tonsilitis or—or pneumonia -or something.”</p> - -<p>Small looked concerned and promptly coughed.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span> -The cough surprised him and when Kid kindly -thumped him on the back and asked where it hurt -him, Small went into a regular paroxysm of coughing -that left him crimson-faced and alarmed.</p> - -<p>“Gee,” he exclaimed, when he could get his -breath, “I didn’t know I had any cough! Funny -how things kind of—kind of creep up on you, ain’t -it?”</p> - -<p>“Insidious, that’s the word for it,” replied Kid -sympathetically. “Insidious. They say a cough’s -the worst sort of a symptom. It leads to other -things, you see, things like quinsy and diphtheria -and bronchitis, Small. If I was you I’d take good -care of myself for a while. Don’t ever get your feet -wet, Small.”</p> - -<p>“I guess they’re wet now,” muttered Small, feeling -of his shoes. “They are! I guess I’ll get ’em -off.” He coughed again, a truly alarming, hollow -cough that produced a sad shake of the head from -Kid.</p> - -<p>“Haven’t anything you can take, have you?” -he asked solicitously. Small, unhappy, shook his -head.</p> - -<p>“What—what’s good for it?” he asked huskily.</p> - -<p>Kid reflected. “Well, if it was me, I’d most<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span> -certainly take some Tinkham’s Throat-Ease. -They’re the very best things I know of, Small, and -they’re only a quarter a box.”</p> - -<p>“Have you got any, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“No, I always mean to have some on hand, but -I’m all out of them just now. Maybe you might get -some in the village, but I don’t know. They don’t -have many up-to-date things there, and Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease is a—a new remedy, a modern discovery.”</p> - -<p>“I suppose something else would do,” reflected -Small. “Sam Perkins has some licorice pastilles -that are dandy——”</p> - -<p>“Keep away from them!” advised Kid, with -a shake of his head. “They’re good to taste, Small, -but they have no—no healing virtues. I tell you. -I’ve sent for some Tinkham’s and they ought to be -here in a day or so, and then I’ll let you have -some.”</p> - -<p>“Thanks,” said Small gratefully.</p> - -<p>“Twenty-five cents a box is all they are,” continued -Kid.</p> - -<p>“Oh!” Small swallowed. Then he coughed. -“Much obliged,” he murmured.</p> - -<p>“That’s all right. I’d do it for you any day, -Small. And they are large boxes, too. A quarter’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span> -worth will last you a long time and cure the most -stubborn cough. Meanwhile, though, you want to -be awfully careful of yourself. If I was you I -wouldn’t go out much, and I’d eat as little as I -could—especially sweets.”</p> - -<p>“I guess it ain’t that bad yet,” murmured Small.</p> - -<p>“You can’t tell,” said Kid darkly. “Lots and -lots of folks have neglected a cough or a cold and -been terribly ill. And over-eating is one of the -worst things you can do. If I was you—”</p> - -<p>“If you were me,” interrupted Small querulously, -“I suppose you’d eat nothing but milk toast -and give your puddings and preserves and things -to the other fellows! Well, you don’t get ’em!”</p> - -<p>Kid looked virtuously indignant. “I don’t want -your pudding, Small; and if you think I do, why -you go right on and eat it and see how sick you’ll -be. Then don’t say I didn’t warn you; that’s all; -don’t say I didn’t warn you, Small!”</p> - -<p>“What’s the use of making so much fuss? I -haven’t coughed but once since I came in here.”</p> - -<p>“Three times, Small!”</p> - -<p>“Well, all right; but I’m not coughing now, -am I?”</p> - -<p>“You’re going to,” responded Kid with uncanny -certainty.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span></p> - -<p>“Bet you I don’t!”</p> - -<p>“Bet you you do! You’re trying not to, but -you can’t keep it in for long, Small.”</p> - -<p>“I’m not trying not to! I don’t want to cough; -I couldn’t cough if I tried!”</p> - -<p>“Then stop holding your breath. I don’t care -if you want to be ill, Small; you don’t need to get -waxy with me about it. Besides, a cough’s nothing -to be ashamed of. If I wanted to cough I’d cough!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t <em>want</em> to cough, I tell you!” cried Small -exasperatedly.</p> - -<p>“And, anyhow,” went on Kid imperturbably, -“I’ve heard it’s injurious to try to—to restrain -coughter—I mean coughing.”</p> - -<p>“I tell you—oh, you make me tired!”</p> - -<p>“Go on, Small; let it out.”</p> - -<p>“Let what out?”</p> - -<p>“That cough. You’re only hurting your lungs.”</p> - -<p>“There isn’t any cough!” Small shrieked. “If -you say cough to me again——”</p> - -<p>He stopped there, not for lack of words, but because -he was suddenly seized with a paroxysm of -coughing that rendered speech impossible. Kid -turned away, apparently with a delicate consideration -for the other’s embarrassment, but in reality -to grin triumphantly and wink wickedly at the doorknob.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span> -Small, with one hand clutching convulsively -at his chest and the other accusingly outstretched -toward Kid, rushed from the room, coughing and -sputtering.</p> - -<p>“Don’t forget!” admonished Kid. “Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease! Twenty-five cents a box! <em>Accept—no—substitutes!</em>”</p> - -<p>Kid had to yell the latter part of the injunction -since Small’s footsteps were dying away down the -corridor. Then came the sound of a slammed door—and -silence. Silence, do I say? No, for, faint -yet unmistakable above the silence of a Sunday -afternoon, came the evidences of Small’s awful -malady!</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XI">XI<br /> -<small>AND STARTS IN BUSINESS</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">The Junior Four met again on Wednesday -after morning school. The thaw had passed -and the winter world was frozen hard again. -Icicles hung from the gutters and the porches and -even now, in the middle of the day, only an occasional -drop pattered down under the faint ardor -of the sun. In the harness room it was particularly -cold. The sunlight created a little warmth by the -window and Kid thoughtfully suggested to Lanny -that it might be well if he changed places with -Small.</p> - -<p>“Let him have the sun on his back, Lanny. -You don’t mind, do you? Go on, Small, sit over -there; it’s warmer.”</p> - -<p>So Small, by this time convinced that he was -an object of pity and interest, took the upturned -feed-pail with a sigh and coughed a hollow cough. -Kid viewed him anxiously.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span></p> - -<p>“I don’t like the sound of that, Small,” he observed, -with a shake of his head. “Does it still -hurt you?”</p> - -<p>“Not much,” Small replied with an air of Christian -fortitude. “Just a little here sometimes.” He -laid a mittened hand on his chest. Kid nodded -understandingly. It was evident to the rest that -in spite of Small’s attempted cheerfulness he was -suffering. Nan was deeply affected and was for -throwing her ulster about his shoulders. But Small -gallantly refused and Bert, remembering seeing a -carriage robe in the Doctor’s buggy, fetched it and -drew it solicitously about Small’s pathetic form. -Small declared that he was quite warm and the -meeting got down to business. The president requested -information as to the present condition of -the fund. Lanny reported fifty cents, Small a quarter, -Nan thirty-five cents, Kid nothing and Bert -himself a dollar.</p> - -<p>“Two dollars and ten cents,” said Nan delightedly. -“Why, it won’t take us any time at all to -get the money, will it?”</p> - -<p>“How much is the mug going to cost?” Lanny -inquired.</p> - -<p>“We don’t know that,” Bert said. “We’ve got -to approve the design first and then send it to someone -who makes such things.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[121]</span></p> - -<p>“I move that the design submitted by Small be -approved and accepted,” said Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Second the motion,” said Kid. Small looked -across at him gratefully.</p> - -<p>“It is moved and seconded,” announced Bert, -“that the design be accepted. All in favor will -signify it by saying Aye.”</p> - -<p>There was a small chorus of Ayes.</p> - -<p>“Contrary, No. It is a vote. Now the question -is whether the cup is to be made of silver or -pewter.”</p> - -<p>“That’ll depend on how much money we raise, -won’t it?” asked Lanny. “I think, though, it ought -to be silver.”</p> - -<p>“Of course it ought,” declared Nan. “We -wouldn’t want to present a pewter cup, would we?”</p> - -<p>“The hockey cup is only pewter,” said Bert.</p> - -<p>“I know, but we wouldn’t want to present anything -to the school that we’d be ashamed of,” responded -Nan. “Besides, a silver one wouldn’t -cost more than ten or twelve dollars, would it, -Bert?”</p> - -<p>“I shouldn’t think so. It would depend on how -big it was. How big had you figured it to be, -Small?”</p> - -<p>Small shook his head. “I didn’t think about that. -I guess it could be any size.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[122]</span></p> - -<p>“About six inches high?” suggested Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Eight would be better,” said Bert. “Let’s say -eight, shall we? We can get a—an estimate on it -right away and then we’ll know how much money -we’ll need. How’s that ten dollar contribution of -yours getting on, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“I’ll have it when you’re ready for it,” responded -Kid calmly. “You can count on that all right. -If the rest of you fellows do half as well we won’t -have any trouble.”</p> - -<p>“Kid, you never can get ten dollars,” said Nan -reproachfully, “and you know it. Why, how could -you?”</p> - -<p>“You leave it to me, Nan,” replied Kid with a -swagger. “I’ve said I’d get it. All you’ve got to -do is to sit tight and wait. Pull that rug around -you, Small.”</p> - -<p>“Well, somebody ought to send the drawing -somewhere and find out how much it’s going to be. -I suppose that’s the secretary’s job, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>Kid viewed Lanny reproachfully. “I wasn’t -elected corresponding secretary,” he said. “I’m -just plain secretary.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, you’re plain enough, all right.”</p> - -<p>“Of course it’s your place to do it,” said Bert. -“Don’t be so lazy. Here, you take the drawing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[123]</span> -and get busy. We ought to get an estimate by this -time next week surely.”</p> - -<p>“But where’ll I send it?” demanded Kid. “I -don’t know anyone who makes silver cups.”</p> - -<p>“Well, find out; ask someone. Mr. Crane can -tell you, I guess.”</p> - -<p>“Who’s going to pay for the postage stamp?” -asked Kid.</p> - -<p>“It will be paid for out of the fund, of course.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, all right.” Kid looked about inquiringly. -“Come across, someone. Two cents, please.”</p> - -<p>“Haven’t you got two cents?” asked Lanny disgustedly.</p> - -<p>Kid cheerfully shook his head. “I have not. -And if I had I wouldn’t waste it on stamps.”</p> - -<p>Bert supplied two pennies and Kid dropped -them into his pocket. “You see that you buy a -stamp with them, though, and not candy,” admonished -Lanny. Kid grinned.</p> - -<p>On Thursday a small package arrived by mail -for Kid. The other fellows evinced a good deal -of curiosity regarding it, and Harold Cupples asserted -that he smelled candy. Kid declared that -Harold was mistaken, and was finally allowed to -bear the package away. He was a little bit disappointed -in the size of it. He had unconsciously<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[124]</span> -expected it to arrive by express and be more of -the dimensions of a packing case. As Stanley was -in the room, Kid bore the bundle downstairs to -the laboratory, which was empty at that hour, and -opened it. First of all there was a whole lot of -advertising matter; a banner which when unrolled -was nearly a foot and a half long and proportionately -wide, a dozen circulars and an equal number -of cards, all extolling the merits of Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease. The banner was enticingly colored -in black and red and its legend was: “Take a Tablet—Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease Never Fails—Cure -That Cough Now.” The circulars contained many -testimonials which Kid postponed reading for the -present. The cards held the picture of a little black -imp tickling the throat of an agonized gentleman -with a straw and the inscription: “Stop that Tickling! -Use Tinkham’s Throat-Ease! Fifty Tasty -Tablets for Twenty-five Cents! All Druggists -Everywhere! If You Can’t Find Them Write to Us! -Tinkham Chemical Co., Waterloo, Ill.”</p> - -<p>The tablets were put up in little square pasteboard -boxes, and in Kid’s judgment lacked attractiveness. -He pushed open one box and viewed the -contents. The tablets were very tiny, dark brown -in color, and smelled like a drug store. Selecting<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[125]</span> -one, Kid tasted it tentatively. It was distinctly unpleasant.</p> - -<p>“All the better, though,” he reflected. “A fellow -always thinks more of a medicine that tastes -ugly. Gee, those things ought to scare a cough to -death!”</p> - -<p>He replaced the tablet in its box, carefully putting -the damp side down, and considered the advertising -matter. The black and red banner ought to -be hung prominently somewhere, but where? Over -the mantel in the hall would be the best place, but -he was sure that they wouldn’t allow it to remain -there. Why not in the gymnasium, then? Brilliant -idea!</p> - -<p>Luckily it was possible to get to the gymnasium -from the laboratory without passing through the -hall. Kid secured a tack and ascended the stairs. -The gymnasium was empty and it took but a moment -to hang the banner on the wall under the -clock, reaching the place by climbing onto the dumb-bell -rack. Jumping down, he viewed it critically. -It certainly looked well there and added a much-needed -note of color to the room. Then he distributed -a few circulars about and retired. He managed -to get the tablets up to his room without being -seen by anyone, and was relieved to find that Stanley<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[126]</span> -had gone out, probably for hockey practice. In -fact, the sleeping floor seemed utterly deserted, and -Kid decided that he could have no better opportunity -for disposing of his cards. So he went from -room to room and placed a card in plain sight on -every bureau, usually leaning it against a hair -brush. That done, he put six boxes of the tablets -in his pocket and started out on the track of his -prey.</p> - -<p>The hockey teams were hard at work on the -rinks, and Small, Bert and Lanny were watching -the House players. Kid drew Small aside.</p> - -<p>“You’d better button your coat up around your -throat,” he advised him. Small obeyed. “How -are you feeling? Is the cough any better?” Small -coughed so that Kid might judge for himself. Evidently -Kid found the cough not at all reassuring, -for he looked troubled. “Feet warm?” he asked -next. Small assured him that they were, likening -their condition to toast. As a matter of fact, since -Small had been standing in the snow for twenty -minutes, his feet were decidedly cold and numb, -but he wasn’t going to acknowledge it for fear that -Kid would bully him into returning indoors. -“Well, you’ll be all right now,” said Kid, brightening. -“They’ve come.” He slapped Small reassuringly -on the back.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[127]</span></p> - -<p>Small immediately went off into another fit of -coughing. When he could speak he demanded: -“Who’s come?”</p> - -<p>“The Tinkham’s Throat-Ease,” returned Kid -triumphantly. “They came half an hour ago.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Was that what was in the package you -got?”</p> - -<p>Kid assented. “They didn’t get here any too -soon, either,” he said. “That cough of yours is getting -pretty bad, Small. Well, here you are.” He -pulled forth one of the boxes. “Take one tablet -every half hour until relieved.” Then he had a -better idea. “The best way, though, is to take one -whenever you feel that you want to cough. Take -plenty of them. They won’t hurt you. They’re -quite harmful.”</p> - -<p>“What!”</p> - -<p>“I mean harmless. Here you are.”</p> - -<p>Small accepted the box and viewed the contents. -Then he smelled of it and made a face. -“Gee, but they smell awful, don’t they?” he asked.</p> - -<p>Kid nodded. “Sure. That’s the drugs in them. -That’s what does the business. Better take one -now, Small.”</p> - -<p>Small selected one of the little tablets, viewed -it distastefully and finally put it into his mouth. -Kid watched interestedly. For a moment Small<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[128]</span> -gazed blankly across the rink. Then, with a gurgle -of disgust he spat the tablet into the snow.</p> - -<p>“What are you doing?” cried Kid. “Don’t -waste them like that!”</p> - -<p>“Gee, they’re awful, Kid! I can’t eat those -things! I—I’d rather have the cough!”</p> - -<p>“What did you think?” demanded Kid indignantly. -“You don’t expect medicine to taste like -candy, do you?”</p> - -<p>“No, but I don’t expect it to taste like that, -either. Why, they’re the worst things I ever put in -my mouth. I’d rather go on coughing.” He thrust -the box back at Kid. Kid refused to see it.</p> - -<p>“Yes, go on coughing and get pneumonia or -something like that and die,” he said disgustedly. -“Don’t be a silly chump, Small. Why, those things -aren’t anything to what you may have to taste -if you don’t cure that cough! I wish you could -taste the stuff they gave me when I had scarlet -fever last year! These things are fine compared -with that, Small!”</p> - -<p>“I’d rather take those licorice pastilles -that——”</p> - -<p>“I dare say you would! But they won’t help -you a bit. They just taste good, that’s all. You -might as well eat sweet chocolate or gum drops!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[129]</span> -These things will cure you, don’t you see? Go on -now, Small, be sensible, can’t you? Try another -one. Honest, after you’ve got used to them you’ll -like them awfully!”</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe I need ’em,” muttered Small, -viewing the box doubtfully. “My cough’s a good -deal better than it was, and——”</p> - -<p>“Better! It’s a whole lot worse, Small. I’ve -been noticing it. You think it’s better, I dare say, -but that’s just one of the symptoms. Why, folks -that have tuburcu—tub—that have consumption -don’t ever realize how sick they are, Small! They -keep on thinking all the time that they’re getting -better.”</p> - -<p>Small looked genuinely uncomfortable. He -laughed a hollow laugh and coughed.</p> - -<p>“Quick!” cried Kid. “Now’s the time! Take -one!”</p> - -<p>Small made a wild dash at the box, spilled several -of the tablets in the snow and finally got one -into his mouth. Almost at once, after a few choking -sounds, the coughing stopped. Small looked at -Kid in alarm.</p> - -<p>“Gee!” he muttered hoarsely. “I swallowed it -whole!”</p> - -<p>Kid was equal to the emergency. “Fine!” he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[130]</span> -exclaimed. “You get the effect quicker that way. -Have another!”</p> - -<p>But Small shook his head and hastily dropped -the box of tablets in his pocket. “I don’t believe -I want any more just yet,” he said.</p> - -<p>“Well, it’s a good plan to keep one dissolving -in your mouth all the time.”</p> - -<p>“You said I was to take them only when I felt -like coughing,” charged Small.</p> - -<p>“I know, but it stands to reason that the more -often you take them the sooner they’re going to -cure you, don’t it?”</p> - -<p>That sounded reasonable, and Small had to -agree. So he put another one into his mouth and -proceeded to make faces at the landscape. Kid -stifled a chuckle.</p> - -<p>“Well, I must be going,” he said. “I want to -see Lanny. Have you got that quarter with you, -Small?”</p> - -<p>“What quarter?” asked Small innocently.</p> - -<p>“For the tablets. They’re a quarter a box. I -told you that. Don’t you remember? They’re -cheap, too. If you had to have a doctor he’d charge -you a dollar just for looking at you and then your -medicine would be extra.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” Small became very intent on the practice<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[131]</span> -game. “I haven’t got it right now, Kid, but -I’ll give it to you soon.”</p> - -<p>Kid shook his head. “I’m willing to trust you, -Small, but you see I have to pay cash for these. -You’d better give me that quarter in your pocket -and then you won’t have to think about it again.”</p> - -<p>“What quarter?” asked Small blankly.</p> - -<p>“Why, the quarter you saved for the Fund. -You know you told us you had a quarter, Small.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I know, Kid, but I can’t give you that! -That’s—that’s owing to the Fund!”</p> - -<p>“I know, but you won’t have to pay up for a -month or more. You give me that quarter and put -the next one into the Fund; see?”</p> - -<p>Small didn’t seem to see at first, and it took a -lot of eloquence on Kid’s part to separate Small -from his twenty-five cent piece. But finally persistence -prevailed and Kid strolled off, the quarter -jingling cheerfully against a hitherto lonely penny -in his trousers pocket, leaving Small to scowl upon -his retreating back and surreptitiously remove the -remains of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease tablet from his -mouth.</p> - -<p>Lanny was the next victim marked for despoliation. -Kid took up a position beside him and -watched practice for a minute. Then,</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[132]</span></p> - -<p>“Gee, Lanny,” he said, “aren’t your feet frozen?”</p> - -<p>Lanny acknowledged that they were, and, being -reminded of physical discomforts, took out a handkerchief -at the cost of much trouble, and applied -it to his nose. “Did you see that goal of Ben’s a -minute ago, Kid?” he asked with a sniffle. “It was -a peach!”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” Kid nodded gravely. “Say, you’re getting -a cold, aren’t you?” he asked more solicitously.</p> - -<p>“No, I guess not. George is skating a good -deal better than he did the first of the winter, isn’t -he?”</p> - -<p>“Lots. The trouble with me is that when I get -to sniffling like you are my throat feels funny. Sort -of raw and—and scrapy. Does yours get that -way?”</p> - -<p>Lanny experimented with his throat and nodded. -“Yes, it feels sort of that way now.”</p> - -<p>“I thought it did. I can tell. I’ve got something -that’s wonderful for sore throat, Lanny. Ever -use Tinkham’s Throat-Ease?”</p> - -<p>“Ever use what?”</p> - -<p>“Tinkham’s Throat-Ease. They’re tablets and -you just hold them in your mouth, you know, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[133]</span> -they make your throat feel fine. They’ll cure -hoarseness or cough or most anything like that.”</p> - -<p>“Never heard of them. Taste good, do they? -Where do you get them?”</p> - -<p>“Any first-class drug store. Of course, you can’t -get them around here, though.”</p> - -<p>“What’s the good of talking about them then? -Did you say you had some?”</p> - -<p>“I think so.” Kid searched laboriously in his -pocket. “I think I’ve got a box left somewhere, -if I can find it. Here it is.” He held it out and -Lanny accepted it. Trustingly he pushed the box -open, took out a tablet and put it into his mouth. -Kid edged away.</p> - -<p>“<em>Jee-rusalem!</em>” Lanny swung around and -gazed menacingly at Kid. “What are they made -of?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, but they’re the best remedy there -is for sore throat. You can have that box, Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“Hm; much obliged.” Lanny sucked at the tablet -and scowled. “Maybe they’re good for your -throat, but they’re mighty unpleasant to your taster, -Kid. I guess they’ve got wild cherry in them, -haven’t they?”</p> - -<p>“That’s one of the things,” answered Kid.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[134]</span> -“Wild cherry and—and paregoric, I think. Paregoric’s -a very powerful drug, you know. Puts -you to sleep if you take too much of it.”</p> - -<p>“I know.” Lanny nodded wisely. “And wild -cherry’s awfully good for throats. They don’t taste -very nice, but you can tell they’re powerful. Much -obliged, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t mention it. Maybe I can get another -box. They’re only twenty-five cents, you see.”</p> - -<p>Lanny started. “What’s twenty-five cents?” -he demanded.</p> - -<p>“Why, those tablets. Twenty-five cents a box. -There are fifty in a box and they last a long -time——”</p> - -<p>“Look here, Kid, do you mean you expect me -to pay you a quarter for these things?”</p> - -<p>“Sure! That’s the regular price. I’m not trying -to cheat you, Lanny, honest!”</p> - -<p>“But I thought you were giving them to me!” -Lanny searched hurriedly for the box which he had -dropped into a cavernous pocket of his ulster. “I -don’t want them that bad.”</p> - -<p>“I’d give them to you in a minute,” said Kid -warmly, “but I just can’t afford to, Lanny. Anyhow, -you needn’t pay me now. To-morrow’ll do -just as well.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[135]</span></p> - -<p>“Pay you! Pay you a quarter for these nasty -things? I guess not! Here, you take them back, -Kid.”</p> - -<p>But Kid shook his head. “They’re no good to -me now,” he said sadly. “It isn’t a full box, you -see. You’ve eaten one of them. Of course, if I’d -known you didn’t want to pay for them——”</p> - -<p>“You didn’t say anything about paying for -them,” remonstrated Lanny crossly. “You said -you had a box I could have——”</p> - -<p>“For a quarter.”</p> - -<p>“You didn’t say anything about any quarter!”</p> - -<p>“You didn’t ask me, Lanny. If you’d asked -me——”</p> - -<p>“You offered them to me!”</p> - -<p>“I thought of course you’d want to pay for -them. I had to. Anyhow, there’s no hurry. Any -time’ll do, Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“I hope you choke on one of them!” Lanny dug -down in his trousers pocket and fished up some -small coins. Angrily he selected two dimes and a -nickel and thrust them at Kid. “There’s your old -quarter! And there—” he sent the box of tablets -spinning off into the snow—“there’s your old nasty -medicine! Now get out of here before I rub your -face with snow!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[136]</span></p> - -<p>Kid shook his head sorrowfully over the other’s -display of unreasonable anger, but didn’t tarry. -Lanny had a way of keeping his promises!</p> - -<p>As he went his right-hand trousers pocket gave -forth a cheerful jingle.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[137]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XII">XII<br /> -<small>“TOOTS” BUYS SOME TABLETS</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">“What’s Tinkham’s Throat-Ease?” demanded -Ben Holden in hall that evening -before supper.</p> - -<p>“That’s what I’d like to know,” said Sam Perkins, -with a laugh. “I found a card about it in my -room a while ago. What’s the joke?”</p> - -<p>“Ask Kid,” said Lanny grimly.</p> - -<p>Kid, perusing the absorbing adventures of -“Hairbreadth Harry, the Gentleman Scout,” in a -far corner of the hall, went on reading. To all appearances -Kid was improving his mind with a large -volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the story -paper being held out of sight against the open -pages. Such fiction as “Hairbreadth Harry” was -not countenanced at Mt. Pleasant Academy, and it -behooved Kid to use discretion.</p> - -<p>“Kid!”</p> - -<p>“Huh?” Kid dragged his eyes from the text -and looked over the top of the volume.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[138]</span></p> - -<p>“What’s Tinkham’s Throat-Ease?” demanded -Stanley Pierce.</p> - -<p>“The best remedy for coughs, colds, pneumonia, -sore throat——”</p> - -<p>“Also good on bread,” interpolated Dick Gardner.</p> - -<p>“Bronchitis, tonsilitis and all affections of the -throat and repsi—” Kid floundered—“repsi—repsitory -organs.”</p> - -<p>“Fine! But what about it?” asked Steve Lovell. -“Why do I get a card on my bureau? What’s -the idea?”</p> - -<p>Kid closed the encyclopedia carefully, so that -no tell-tale edges of the story paper were visible, -and laid it aside. He was sorry to abandon Hairbreadth -Harry in the gulch surrounded by a horde -of shrieking redskins, but business was business!</p> - -<p>“I put the card there, Steve. I’m the agent in -this territory for Tinkham’s, you see.”</p> - -<p>“You! What for? Who said so?”</p> - -<p>“Well, here’s how it is.” Kid looked grave. -“I—I have to make a little money, fellows. You -see, my folks don’t—don’t send me much of an allowance -now.” He paused and looked thoughtfully -into the fire. The smiles faded on the faces of the -others. Kid gulped and went on. “Of course, I<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[139]</span> -can’t—can’t be self-supporting—yet, but I thought -I could make enough to—to help, you know.” His -voice trailed off into silence and there was a -sympathetic silence around the fireplace. At -length,</p> - -<p>“Do you mean that you are going to sell the—the -stuff?” asked Ben Holden.</p> - -<p>“Yes. The tablets are only twenty-five cents a -box. Of course that isn’t all profit, not by any -means, but I make a little on each box. I don’t expect -to sell many here at school, but maybe in the -village and over at Riveredge and Whittier I can -do pretty well.”</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid you’ll never get rich that way,” said -Steve Lovell kindly. “But you may make a little. -Are the things really any good, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“Fine! I’ve got some unsolicited testimonials -I’d like you to read, Steve. I’ll get you a copy if -you like.”</p> - -<p>“No, never mind. Got any of the pills with -you?”</p> - -<p>Kid fished in his pockets doubtfully and seemed -quite surprised when three boxes rewarded his -search. He passed one to Steve, doing his best to -avoid the indignant gaze of Small. Lanny was -viewing him doubtfully, suspiciously, but it was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[140]</span> -Small that Kid feared might spoil the impression -he had created. And so Kid, recalling that someone -had once said that the way to make war was to -start first was quite prepared. Steve sniffed at the -tablets and made a face.</p> - -<p>“Well, they smell bad enough,” he said.</p> - -<p>“If you think they smell bad, you ought to -taste ’em!” broke forth Small. “They’re the nastiest -tasting things I ever——”</p> - -<p>“But they cured your cough, didn’t they, -Small?” interrupted Kid eagerly. “He just took -one of them, fellows, and I don’t believe he has -coughed since! Have you, Small? He had a fierce -cough too; you fellows know how bad it was. I was -getting real worried about him.”</p> - -<p>Small gazed at Kid with open mouth, and Kid -almost held his breath for fear that Small’s emotion -would precipitate a spasm of coughing. But it -didn’t. The temptation to be for a moment a person -of importance was too much for him. He -closed his mouth and nodded gravely.</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” he said. “I took one of the tablets—swallowed -it whole—and it stopped my cough -at once. I don’t think I’ve coughed since then. You -haven’t heard me, have you, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“No, I haven’t. It was marvelous the way they<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[141]</span> -worked with you, Small. And you certainly did -have a mean old cough, didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“It was awful,” replied Small solemnly. -“Sometimes at night I thought I’d never get to -sleep!”</p> - -<p>“Funny I never noticed it,” said Sam Perkins, -his roommate.</p> - -<p>“It was usually after you’d gone to sleep,” said -Small hastily. “And then the way it hurt me!” -He laid a hand cautiously over the top button of his -waistcoat as though the gentlest touch was excruciating -pain. The assemblage was impressed. That -is, most of it was. Lanny still looked suspicious, -and Bert, although his face was quite serious, somehow -gave the impression of being secretly amused -by something.</p> - -<p>“What made you think of throat tablets?” asked -Ben Holden. “Seems to me something else would -have sold better.”</p> - -<p>“Well, at this time of year,” replied Kid, “almost -every fellow has a cough or a cold or a scrapy -throat. I guess most of us have one now, if we -stopped to think about it.” Several fellows cleared -their throats experimentally. “We don’t notice at -first, but after a while we wake up some morning -with tonsilitis or—or quinsy or diphtheria or something.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[142]</span> -It’s taking a little medicine in time that does -the business. That’s where Tinkham’s Throat-Ease -comes in, you see. The first time you feel the least -bit scratchy in your throat you just dissolve one of -these in your mouth and you don’t have any more -trouble. They’re great little things!”</p> - -<p>“Gee, you talk like a patent medicine almanac!” -declared Ben admiringly. “Here, I’ll take a box -of them, Kid. And here’s your quarter.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you.” Kid gravely handed him a box -of the tablets and as gravely accepted his quarter. -Then he turned away as though to go back to his -reading, as though the idea of further sales didn’t -occur to him. But Steve Lovell was already hunting -for the price of a package of the invaluable -Tinkham’s Throat-Ease. And after Steve had purchased -Dick Gardner fell into line. And after Dick -came Stanley Pierce, and then Kid had to climb the -stairs to get more of the remedy. George Waters -only had fifteen cents with him and Sam Perkins -had only a dollar bill which was so badly torn that -Kid balked at it. Kid said politely that he would -trust them both. Whereupon Harold Cupples and -Sewall Crandall said they’d each take a box too if -Kid didn’t mind waiting a few days for payment. -Kid secretly did mind, but declared he didn’t.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[143]</span></p> - -<p>“Well, you’ve done pretty well, Kid,” said Steve -Lovell when the final transaction was over. “How -many boxes is that you’ve sold?”</p> - -<p>“You haven’t sold any to Lanny or Bert,” said -George Waters. “Get after them, Kid. What’s -the matter with you, Lanny? Loosen up and patronize -home industries.”</p> - -<p>“He bought a box this afternoon,” said Kid -hastily. “He liked them very much, didn’t you, -Lanny?”</p> - -<p>Kid’s look was so imploring that Lanny nodded. -“Pretty good,” he said. “Taste beastly, but I guess -they’ll do you good, all right.”</p> - -<p>“Well, here’s Bert yet,” insisted George. -“Why don’t you take a chance, Bert?”</p> - -<p>“I—I’m flat broke,” replied Bert.</p> - -<p>“Well, that’s all right. Kid’ll trust you, won’t -you, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“Of course.” Kid held a box of tablets toward -Bert. As that youth made no move to take them -Stanley Pierce kindly relayed them to him. “I’ll -be very glad to trust him,” said Kid. “There’s no -hurry, either; to-morrow or next day will do, Bert.”</p> - -<p>Bert scowled formidably, but dropped the box -in his pocket. And then the supper gong sounded -and twelve hungry boys trooped into the dining-room.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[144]</span> -Kid and Small sat next to each other at Mr. -Crane’s table, and it wasn’t long before Kid noticed -that Small wasn’t much more than trifling with his -food.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want your apple sauce?” whispered -Kid. Small shook his head and pushed it over to -him. Later Kid came in for Small’s cake and -Small watched the transfer with scowling brow. -“Thanks,” Kid murmured.</p> - -<p>“You can thank those beastly tablets,” Small -growled. “My mouth’s all drawn up and everything -tastes like—like paregoric! I hope that cake -chokes you!”</p> - -<p>After supper Bert waylaid Kid on the stairs. -“Here they are,” he announced, seeking to thrust -a box of Tinkham’s tablets into Kid’s elusive hand.</p> - -<p>“What?” asked Kid in surprise.</p> - -<p>“Why, those old tablets. You didn’t think I -wanted them, did you?”</p> - -<p>Kid looked pained. “Why not? They’re the -best things you could have, Bert, and if you start -in taking them now your cold will be all gone by -morning.”</p> - -<p>“I haven’t got any cold,” denied Bert.</p> - -<p>“Then why do you keep blowing your nose all -the time?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[145]</span></p> - -<p>“What nose? I mean——”</p> - -<p>“I suppose you did it unconsciously,” said Kid. -“Probably you didn’t notice it, but at the supper -table——”</p> - -<p>“I didn’t! And I’m not going to get stung -a quarter for these pesky things. So you can just -take them back.”</p> - -<p>“Well, of course, if you don’t want them I will, -only——”</p> - -<p>“Only what?” Bert demanded crossly.</p> - -<p>“Only—well, maybe you’d better keep them, -Bert, just for—for appearances. You see, the other -fellows have all bought tablets, and if you didn’t -they might think you were stingy, don’t you see? -Of course, I might give you the tablets and pretend -that you’d paid for them, but that would be telling -a lie, wouldn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“I guess it wouldn’t hurt you after the fibs -you’ve told already to-night,” said Bert scathingly.</p> - -<p>“Fibs I’ve told?” Kid was pained and indignant. -“What fibs did I tell, I’d like to know!”</p> - -<p>“Why—why, you made the fellows think that -your folks had met with trouble and that you -weren’t getting any money from home.”</p> - -<p>“I said nothing of the kind,” retorted Kid -warmly. “I only said they weren’t sending me<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[146]</span> -<em>much</em> money now, and they aren’t. Why, whenever -I want an extra dollar I have to write and say -that I must have a hair cut. Honest, Bert, my hair’s -been cut three times this month! I’m awfully -afraid it’ll get discouraged and not grow any -more!”</p> - -<p>“Well, you made them think you needed the -money——”</p> - -<p>“So I do! Didn’t I promise to give ten dollars -to the Fund for the trophy, Bert? Ten dollars -isn’t so easy to make, either. Of course I don’t want -your quarter if you begrudge it to me—”</p> - -<p>“Well, I do,” growled Bert.</p> - -<p>“But I’d hate to have to say that you’re the only -fellow in House who hasn’t helped me.” And Kid -smiled sweetly.</p> - -<p>Bert glared at him a moment. Then his sense -of humor came to his rescue and he grinned. -“You’re a wonder, Kid!” he exclaimed. “Well, -all right, I’ll take your old smelly tablets and I’ll -give you a quarter for them some time. But I’ll -get even with you, Kid, some day, don’t worry.”</p> - -<p>“It’s only a quarter,” said Kid soothingly, “and -you know you have a whole dollar saved—”</p> - -<p>“I have, eh? Well, you don’t get any of that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[147]</span> -dollar, Kid. You’ll just wait now until I get some -more money, you—you little Shylock!”</p> - -<p>The next day it became known to the day pupils -that Kid Fairchild was selling throat tablets to pay -his tuition at school and support his starving family. -By evening Kid had disposed of the last of -his boxes and had five dollars and seventy cents -rattling around in the bottom of a collar-box in his -bureau drawer. He was still thirty cents short because -Bert persisted in owing him and one of the -day boys had passed a Canadian twenty cent piece -on him in lieu of a quarter. But Kid was well satisfied -with the results of his excursion into trade. -The only fly in the ointment of his contentment was -the realization that if he purchased a further supply -of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease he would have to -go to the village to sell it. Those of the fellows -who had given the tablets a fair trial were anything -but enthusiastic over their taste and Kid despaired -of securing reorders. Meanwhile that five dollars -and seventy cents was occasioning him a good deal -of uneasiness. It wasn’t that Kid feared having it -stolen. The trouble was that he had never been a -believer in the hoarding of wealth. In Kid’s judgment -money was meant to spend, and to go to bed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[148]</span> -night after night with all those quarters and dimes -and nickels lying idle in the bureau drawer was -excruciating torment to him. Of course he fully -meant to send two dollars of it to the Tinkham -Chemical Company to pay for the tablets, and he -also meant to add twenty cents for another four -dozen boxes of the remedy, but if Kid hated to see -the money lying there idle he hated even more to -see any part of it devoted to such base ends as the -payment of just debts. And while he still hesitated -Fate took a hand and the matter was decided -for him.</p> - -<p>On Saturday morning Doctor Merton summoned -Kid to his office and complimented him. He -had heard, he explained, of the unfortunate trouble -that had overtaken James’s family and hoped -sincerely that their embarrassment would prove -only temporary. Meanwhile he thought James was -showing much courage and enterprise in seeking to -aid them by the sale of—was it Tinker’s Hair Balsam? -No? Ah, Tinkham’s Throat-Ease! Well, in -any case, he congratulated James on his thoughtfulness -and was sure that his parents—and he was -going to write to them and acquaint them with the -circumstances—would be touched by the manly -course James was pursuing. And—er—if James<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[149]</span> -had any more of the excellent liver pills he would -gladly purchase a package. Kid regretted that he -hadn’t and embarrassedly withdrew. Outside, Nan, -who had been waiting for him, slipped a quarter -into his hand.</p> - -<p>“Oh, Kid,” she whispered, “I think you’re just -splendid. Mr. Folsom told us all about it last evening. -You’re just as—as brave and—and manly as -can be! And I want some of the—the medicine -things, too, Kid and there’s my quarter! And——”</p> - -<p>“I ain’t got any more,” sighed Kid sadly, looking -longingly at the coin. “So I guess you’d better -take this back——”</p> - -<p>“But you’re going to send for some more, aren’t -you?”</p> - -<p>“Maybe,” replied Kid doubtfully. “I don’t -know.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, but you must! Why, just think how well -you’ve done already! Mr. Folsom said you’d sold -dozens and dozens of bottles or boxes or whatever -it is, Kid! You keep that and when you get some -more of it you can give me one. I <em>do</em> so want to -help, Kid!”</p> - -<p>To Kid’s credit, be it said, he refused the money. -It pained him to do it, but he did. It had also pained -him to be unable to get the quarter offered by the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[150]</span> -Doctor, in view of the fact that the Doctor was about -to get him into a peck of trouble by writing home -to his parents and commiserating with them on -their sudden loss of fortune. Yes, Kid strongly -wished that he had two more boxes of the tablets. -But necessity is the mother of invention. Kid put -his mind on the problem and by the time he had -floundered through a history recitation—Mr. Folsom -proving very gentle with him because of his -troubles—he had evolved a plan.</p> - -<p>“Say, Stanley,” he asked his roommate while -that youth was brushing his hair for dinner, “did -you like those tablets?”</p> - -<p>Stanley viewed him coldly. “Like them! -They’re punk!”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you want your box, then?”</p> - -<p>“I do not.”</p> - -<p>“May I have it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, if you swallow them all,” replied Stanley -venomously.</p> - -<p>Kid didn’t agree to do that, but he got the box. -It lacked just one tablet. In the course of the next -half-hour Kid had gained possession of four other -boxes by similar methods, and it was only the work -of a minute to make three full boxes from the -four. Then he waited on the Doctor and Nan and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[151]</span> -returned fifty cents richer. The sight of Mr. Crane -on the porch suggested more dickering, for Mr. Folsom -had purchased and Mr. Crane had not, owing -to the supply of tablets having given out before -his application had been entered. By the end of -afternoon school Kid had given pleasure to Mr. -Crane by selling him a box of Tinkham’s, too, and -Kid’s assets had gone up to six dollars and forty-five -cents.</p> - -<p>But, as is so often the way, wealth did not -bring happiness. Kid was troubled. To use his -own phraseology, there was going to be an awful -row when his father received that letter from Doctor -Merton. For a while Kid wished that the baseball -trophy had never been thought of. Also, all -enthusiasm for the merits of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease -had passed. He would settle with the people -for what he had had and the fund would have to -be satisfied with four dollars and forty-five cents -instead of ten dollars. He was through with merchandizing!</p> - -<p>And doubtless he would have stuck to that resolution -if he had not, on the way to the rink in -the afternoon to see the hockey game, by chance -kicked up the box of tablets that Lanny had thrown -away. Kid did not recognize at first the snow-covered<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[152]</span> -object that his foot had struck, but examination -revealed forty-nine perfectly good tablets, -and Kid brushed the crust of snow from the -box and dropped it into his pocket. Just one of -those tablets would make complete the box he had -in his room, and, thoughtfully, Kid turned and retraced -his steps, although Mr. Crane was at that -instant blowing the whistle to start the game. But -Kid’s errand was soon completed and he was back -at the rink, sandwiched in between Small and Bert.</p> - -<p>That was a good game. The House Team, by -hard practice, had secured a degree of team play -that very nearly offset the playing of the Day -Team’s individual stars. The first half ended with -the score a tie at 4 to 4, and house students and -day students, players and onlookers alike, were -keyed up to a state of wild enthusiasm. Lanny, -who had played hard and brilliantly and somewhat -heedlessly, at right wing in place of Cupples, -joined his classmates at the barrier, struggling into -his sweater and panting for breath. He perched -himself on the top of the boards and examined -proudly a set of skinned knuckles. Bert was concerned, -but Kid, constantly oppressed by the knowledge -of coming calamity, chose to be sarcastic.</p> - -<p>“How’d you cut you? Burn you?” he asked.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a>[153]</span> -“Say, Lanny, it’s a wonder you wouldn’t have them -take you to the infirmary with that awful wound.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t get fresh,” responded Lanny scowlingly. -Kid smiled his sweetest.</p> - -<p>“You’re fresher than I am, Lanny; you’ve been -on the ice most of the time! Hasn’t anyone ever -explained to you that it’s part of the game to stay -on your feet?”</p> - -<p>Lanny maintained a dignified silence.</p> - -<p>“Also,” proceeded Kid thoughtfully, “if you -stay back of the puck you may get a chance to make -a shot, Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“Cut it out, Kid! Lanny played a mighty good -game.” Bert frowned his disapproval.</p> - -<p>“Not bad, for a beginner,” responded Kid, -sauntering away. Morgan, known familiarly as -“Toots,” was the goal-tend on the Day Team. -“Toots” was one of the few day pupils who had -not aided Kid’s starving family by purchasing a -box of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease, and Kid, spying -“Toots” tightening his leg-guards at the end of -the rink, decided that the omission ought to be -corrected.</p> - -<p>“Hello, ‘Toots.’”</p> - -<p>“Hello, Kid! How are you?” grunted “Toots,” -giving a final tug to a strap.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a>[154]</span></p> - -<p>“So, so. Going to beat us, ‘Toots’?”</p> - -<p>“Surest thing you know!”</p> - -<p>“I dare say.” Kid was quite evidently distrait -and depressed, a state so far removed from his -usual condition that even “Toots” took notice. -Then he remembered that Kid’s father had gone -bankrupt, that the old home was to go under the -hammer and that Kid—plucky little duffer!—was -selling some sort of cough medicine to aid the fallen -fortunes. Kid, apparently looking sadly about the -rink, shot a glance at “Toots” and uncannily followed -his thoughts. “Did you try those throat tablets, -‘Toots’?” he inquired.</p> - -<p>“Toots” colored faintly. “I—I didn’t get any, -Kid. I didn’t have any money with me yesterday.”</p> - -<p>Kid nodded as though in dismissal of the subject. -“Toots” cleared his throat and watched Kid’s -pathetic listlessness during a moment’s silence. -Finally,</p> - -<p>“I heard you’d sold out, Kid,” he said hopefully.</p> - -<p>“All the fellows were very kind,” answered -Kid, with an evident effort to be brave in the face -of adversity. “I only had twenty-four boxes of -them.”</p> - -<p>“Well—er—if you ever get any more, Kid, I’ll -be glad to buy one.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[155]</span></p> - -<p>Kid smiled gratefully. “They’re mighty good -things,” he said. “Fine to hold in your mouth -when you’re playing; keeps your mouth from getting -dry, you know.”</p> - -<p>“That so? A fellow’s mouth does get awfully -‘cotton-woolly’ sometimes. Well, if you have any -more come and see me, Kid. I—I was sorry to -hear that—that your folks——”</p> - -<p>Kid slowly, abstractedly pulled a box of the tablets -from his pocket and view it regretfully. Then -he held it out to the surprised “Toots.” “You can -have this, I guess,” said Kid generously. “I was -keeping it for myself, but I guess I need the money -more than the tablets. I’m glad I saved it now, -because you’re pretty nearly the only fellow who -hasn’t got any of them.”</p> - -<p>“Toots” took the box, turned it this way and -that, cleared his throat, flushed and yielded. “I—I -haven’t any money in these clothes, Kid,” he -muttered, “but I’ll pay you to-morrow sure.”</p> - -<p>Kid nodded. “That’ll be all right, ‘Toots.’ -Any time to-morrow before noon will do. I’m sending -some money away to-morrow, or I wouldn’t ask -you to pay so soon.”</p> - -<p>“Toots” placed the box at a corner of the net, -having no pocket on him, thumped the ice with his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[156]</span> -stick, smiled bravely and turned away. Kid, outwardly -disconsolate, inwardly triumphant, sauntered -off.</p> - -<p>The second half began with a fine exhibition of -individual playing by Spooner and White and a -speedy goal to the credit of the Day Team. After -that the fortunes of the opponents see-sawed back -and forth and there was no more scoring for a good -ten minutes. Finally Ben Holden got the puck in -the middle of the rink, the offense lined up quickly -and, with the rubber darting back and forth like -a shuttle, the House players rushed down the ice. -Grimshaw, the Day Team’s cover-point, darted at -the puck too late. A quick dribble on the part of -Waters fooled him. The point made a wild dash -with a slashing stick, but in vain, and Stanley -Pierce, skating up from behind, secured the disk -and slammed it into the net. After that Day fought -desperately and only the excellent work of Gardner -at goal kept them from swamping their opponents. -There were five tries before Grimshaw, stealing the -puck near his own goal, skated the length of the -rink and passed to O’Connell, who scored. A minute -or two later a lucky “lift” by Perkins scored -the House’s sixth goal and the score was again -tied. With less than a minute to play now all<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[157]</span> -the indications pointed to an extra period. Ben -Holden and White faced off, the whistle shrilled -and the sticks slammed helter-skelter. Science, -team-play, all the niceties of the game were forgotten. -Each team, excited and reckless, fought -wildly for that deciding goal.</p> - -<p>In front of the Day Team’s net “Toots” Morgan -watched the puck and the players warily. He -would be glad when the game was over, he told -himself, for he had had plenty of work and some -hard knocks, and his mouth was as dry as the inside -of a bake-oven. Suddenly remembering the -box of tablets and Kid’s recommendation he -glanced down to where it lay snuggled against the -corner of the net. The play was far up the rink. -Stooping, he reached the box, spilled several tablets -out with his gloved hands and finally managed -to pop one into his mouth. There was no time -then to put the box back in a place of safety, for -the whole field of players was rushing down upon -him, so he tossed it behind him, gripped his stick, -thrust his guarded legs together and awaited the -onslaught. But Cupples overskated and there was -a moment’s delay while Pierce hooked the puck, -swept across the rink with it and, eluding a day -player, started ahead again.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[158]</span></p> - -<p>“Toots” was aware that something unpleasant -was happening to him but was too intent on the -game and too excited to realize for a moment that -the unpleasantness was in his mouth. Then, when -he did realize it, “Toots’” thoughts ran something -like this:</p> - -<p>“Holden’s got it!... Great Scott, what a -nasty taste!... Oh, check him, Dave, check him!... -Missed him!... Wonder what this thing’s -made of! Ugh!... Here they come! Play back, -Grim!... I can’t stand this! I’ll have to spit it -out!...”</p> - -<p>And then, with the play only twenty feet away -in front of goal, “Toots” turned his head for an -instant and the obnoxious tablet of Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease dropped to the ice. And at the same -instant there was a sudden cry of “<em>Look out! -Shot!</em>” something sang through the air waist-high -and “Toots,” sighting it only when it was almost -at him, plunged wildly to the left. But, alas, out -went his feet, down went “Toots,” and the puck -fell with a soft thud to the ice at the back of the -net! And House had won, 7 to 6!</p> - -<p>Let us draw a veil over the incidents of the next -few minutes. Billy Spooner was disappointed and -vexed and some of the things he said to the unfortunate<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[159]</span> -“Toots” were doubtless quite unjust. We -will let them pass unheeded—even if “Toots” -didn’t. House shouted its glee, waved its sticks -and cavorted, and Lanny, who by rare chance had -shot the winning goal, was seized by admiring team-mates -and conveyed, shoulder-high, to the barrier, -where, owing to the fact that someone let go too -soon, he toppled into a snow bank! High above all -other sounds of rejoicing piped Kid’s shrill voice -in a pæan of triumph:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“<em>Day Team, Day Team, your playing’s rocky!</em></div> - <div class="verse indent1"><em>Better go home and learn some hockey!</em>”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[160]</span></p> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XIII">XIII<br /> -<small>KID RUNS AWAY</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">Kid’s home was in New York City—worse -luck!—and if the Doctor had written, as he -had intimated, on Saturday, why, then by -Tuesday at the latest the cat would be out of the -bag and Kid would be trying to explain to the -principal how the rumor had got around that his -father had met with financial reverses. And Kid -didn’t know, couldn’t think for the life of him how -he was going to explain. It meant that Mr. James -Fairchild was destined to punishment. Kid wondered -just what form the punishment would take. -Probably he would be put “in bounds,” for one -thing, and that meant that he wouldn’t be allowed -to go to the village. Kid didn’t like that, for the -village had attractions for him. There was a quite -remarkable shop in Mt. Pleasant where they sold -all sorts of enticing things in the stationery, bakery -and confectionery line. Kid thought sadly of the -chocolate éclairs which, when consumed with the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[161]</span> -aid of a glass of root beer, were quite the best -things life afforded. He also recalled the cocoanut -bars. Pink and white they were and exceedingly -toothsome. He had only to close his eyes and see -them reposing in the little flat glass tray just crying, -“Eat me! Eat me, Kid!” No more of those -for a while after Tuesday, he thought regretfully. -Life looked pretty dark just then, and the wealth -reposing in the collar-box was as dust in his mouth.</p> - -<p>Kid mooned through Sunday, miserable and dejected. -He could face trouble when it arrived with -an admirable equanimity, but trouble in anticipation -was too much for him. He found the name of -a firm who manufactured silver mugs and other -trophies and wrote to them on Sunday afternoon, -enclosing Small’s design. But his heart was not -in it. To add to his depression he realized that he -had allowed “Toots” Morgan to fool him, for -“Toots” had agreed to pay him that quarter for -the tablets “to-morrow.” And “to-morrow” was -to-day, and to-day was Sunday; and of course -“Toots” didn’t come near the school on Sunday! -(I may as well state here that “Toots” never did -pay that quarter. Not only did he decline firmly -and emphatically to do so, but he unreasonably laid -the blame for losing that second game on Kid!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[162]</span> -Was anything ever so unjust and unfair? Kid said -as much, but “Toots” would not reconsider. The -only thing he would do was to indicate as nearly -as possible the place where he had thrown the remaining -forty-nine tablets.) But to-day Kid was -spared the knowledge of this defection, which was -just as well, since he was low enough in spirits without -it.</p> - -<p>I fancy that it must have been some time during -Sunday evening—I trust it wasn’t during -prayers—that the idea came to Kid to have one -final fling before the sword fell; in short, to meet -Nemesis satiated with pleasure. All day Monday -there was a reckless gleam in Kid’s eyes, and just -as soon as school was over in the afternoon, he -ascended to his room, emptied the contents of the -collar-box in his trouser’s pocket—weighting them -evenly—and departed for the village.</p> - -<p>To trace Kid’s career that afternoon between -four and six would be monotonous. Suffice it to -say that at ten minutes to six he drove up to the -door in Mr. Higgins’s sleigh surrounded by packages -and palpably weary. His advent occasioned -both surprise and indignation. House in general -gathered on the porch while Kid paid his quarter -to the Pirate, emerged from the sleigh with an<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[163]</span> -effort and then deliberately and with criminal extravagance -tipped that worthy ten cents!</p> - -<p>“Well!” ejaculated Ben Holden. “You’re a -nice help to your folks, you are! Driving around -in sleighs and throwing tips at the Pirate! What -have you got in those bags?”</p> - -<p>Kid walked nonchalantly, almost disdainfully, -to the foot of the stairs. There he turned and faced -the outraged House and, protruding his tongue for -an instant, remarked succinctly:</p> - -<p>“Find out!”</p> - -<p>Kid didn’t eat any supper that evening and displayed -no interest in the evident fact that he was -in disgrace with his fellows. He was cheeky and -altogether insufferable and would answer no questions. -He merely sat and stared sleepily at his -food, eating not nor talking.</p> - -<p>When Stanley Pierce came in from tobogganing -at a little before nine he found Kid in bed, very -pale in the face and moaning feebly. The doctor -reached the scene twenty minutes later and took -command. Unfortunately he was accompanied to -the room by Mr. Folsom, and it was Mr. Folsom -who discovered six cream-cakes (very oozy), a -dozen bananas, four apples and three pears, two -pounds of candy, some chewing gum, two pickled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[164]</span> -limes and three cakes of sweet chocolate. All these -things Mr. Folsom heartlessly appropriated. But -Kid was much too miserable to care at the time. -Life was at a very low ebb with Kid.</p> - -<p>The doctor gave it as his opinion that if Kid -abstained from food for a day and took the medicine -prescribed he would pull through. Kid, listening -uninterestedly, assimilated the sense of the verdict -and sincerely hoped the doctor might prove mistaken. -He didn’t want to live. Life held no pleasures -for him. He wanted them to leave him alone -to die.</p> - -<p>But in the morning he felt quite differently -about it. The sun was shining in at the window -and a beam was dancing on Stanley’s nose with -interesting and amusing effect. Kid was surprised -to find that he could smile. But when he moved -the smile fled. All was not well with him yet and -it was only by keeping still that he could be comfortable. -When, finally, Stanley stopped snoring, -tossed back and forth a few times and awoke with -a start, Kid closed his eyes and simulated slumber. -He wished to avoid conversation. Stanley tiptoed -over and looked at him anxiously, appeared satisfied, -dressed and stole out as quietly as possible. -Then Kid, luxuriating in the privilege of staying<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[165]</span> -in bed through morning prayers in spite of his -discomfort, set his mind at work. By noon, he decided, -he would be well enough to get up. The -New York mail would arrive at ten or thereabouts. -As long as he remained ill the Doctor wouldn’t -say anything to him. Neither would the fellows. -If he could stave off the evil hour until dinner time -all might be well, for as soon as everyone was in the -dining-room he would unostentatiously depart. He -was firmly convinced that as soon as the fellows -found out that his family had not met with financial -reverses they would demand their money back -and make it very unpleasant for him. Of course, -he had not absolutely told them that his father had -gone into bankruptcy; they had jumped to that -conclusion themselves; but he felt that they would -be incapable of calm reasoning. No, the best place -for him was away.</p> - -<p>Just where he would go he had not decided. He -had always entertained a secret desire to be a sailor -and it was perhaps possible that the moment to -satisfy that desire was at hand. But the first thing -was to get quietly away from school. At the cost -of much uneasiness around the pit of his stomach -and many groans, he managed to reach out and -drag his trousers to him. The subsequent search<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[166]</span> -of the pockets was disappointing. Only a dollar -and twelve cents remained of his fortune. But a -dollar was a lot of money if used carefully, and it -would stand between him and poverty for at least -two days. By that time—well, he might be a cabin -boy on a merchantman! Kid’s spirits rose. Life -which last evening had seemed full of gloom and -sorrow began to be tinged with the roseate hues -of adventure.</p> - -<p>The scraping of chairs in the dining-room below -indicated that breakfast had begun. Kid wondered -disgustedly how fellows could be such slaves to -their stomachs. Kid didn’t want to eat a bit! And -when, half an hour later, Mrs. Merton came with a -bowl of thin gruel and milk, Kid viewed it distastefully -and turned away his head. But of course -he ate it finally—or some of it; fellows always -did as Mother asked sooner or later. She fussed -with his pillow, smoothed his bed clothes, laid a -firm, cool hand on his forehead, gave him his medicine, -replenished the water glass and informed him -that he was to remain in bed all day. Kid said -“Yes’m” very meekly and looked as much like an -innocent cherub as he could; and with his round -face, china-blue eyes and yellow-brown hair Kid’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[167]</span> -impersonation of a cherub wasn’t at all bad. Mrs. -Merton said very kindly that she would be up to -see him again after a while and went off, bearing -the remains of the gruel. Just before school time -Stanley stole noiselessly in, so noiselessly, in fact, -that Kid didn’t have time to make believe he was -asleep. But Stanley asked no embarrassing questions -and did not demand the return of his quarter. -He asked in bated breath how Kid was and Kid -told him in a weak, enfeebled voice that he was -much better, thanks. Then Stanley produced a -book.</p> - -<p>“Nan sent this to you,” he explained in his best -sick-room manner. “There’s a note in it somewhere, -unless I dropped it out.”</p> - -<p>“Thanks.” Kid listlessly satisfied himself that -the note was still there, and dropped the volume -from a nerveless hand. Stanley declared he was -awfully sorry and hoped Kid would be better soon. -Kid thanked him again in tones that promised -scant hope of recovery and Stanley embarrassedly -backed out of the room. Kid could almost hear -his sigh of relief as the door closed behind him.</p> - -<p>Kid turned his attention to Nan’s note. It was -folded in the proper cocked-hat shape and bore the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[168]</span> -inscription, “James Fairchild, Esq., Kindness of -Bearer.” Kid unfolded it with difficulty and read -the contents.</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p>Oh, Kid [she had written], how could you be so -silly and wrong? You have disappointed us terribly -just when we thought you so noble and courageous. -But I should not admonish you now that you are in -dire tribulation. Please get well and all will be speedily -forgiven and forgotten. I send you a book to read. -It is a dandy one. I have read it three times. I hope -you will enjoy it as much as I have. Perhaps mama -will allow me to go up and see you this afternoon. I -am so sorry you are ill, Kid, and no matter what anyone -says I shall continue to believe that you are more -sinned against than sinning.</p> - -<p class="noic">Always your friend,</p> - -<p class="right smcap">Nan Merton.</p> - -<p>P. S. Some of the boys say that you cheated them -out of the money, but I know that it was a mistake and -that you will make restitution.</p> -</div> - -<p>Kid dropped the note with a scowl and took -up the book. The title, “Sally Lund’s Christmas -Party,” didn’t impress him at all favorably, nor -did a hurried perusal of the first page, the twenty-fifth -page and the last page better his first impression. -And the pictures were only mildly interesting. -It was palpably a girl’s story, and Kid never -could stand girl’s stories. He wished, as he discarded<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[169]</span> -Nan’s offering, that he could get hold of -“Hairbreadth Harry” without painful effort. -Whereupon the appalling knowledge flashed upon -him that “Hairbreadth Harry” was reposing between -the leaves of the fifth volume of the Encyclopedia -Britannica in the hall library! In the -excitement of disposing of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease -he had quite forgotten the story-paper! Well, he -was already a criminal and one more crime would -matter but little. Besides, he would be far, far -away by the time “Hairbreadth Harry” came to -light. Nevertheless he decided to ask Stanley to -rescue him if possible. Later, when he had an -address Stanley could mail the story-paper to him. -He disliked the thought of going through life without -ever knowing just how the hero extricated himself -from the embarrassing situation in which he -had left him.</p> - -<p>He’d be sorry to leave Stanley, too. Stanley -had always been mighty nice to him. And he’d be -sorry to leave old Lanny, as well; and Small and -Bert and Nan. Nan was a real good sort for a -girl. She had ought to have been a boy by rights. -And—and, why, yes, strange as it seemed, he was -absolutely affected by the thought of leaving the -school! He had had some pretty good times since<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[170]</span> -September and had grown more fond of the place -than he had ever realized before. Well, life was -doubtless full of partings, and regrets were idle. -To-day he was to put aside childish things and face -the World. Therefore he resolutely winked back -the tears that had begun to leak around the corners -of his eyes and told himself sternly to “be a man, -Kid!”</p> - -<p>He listened for sounds from below. They were -having arithmetic now, Bert and Lanny and Small -and Nan. Then came history. Kid was glad he -was where he was, for his lessons were not well -prepared to-day. On Saturday Mr. Folsom had -been very lenient with him, having learned of his -trouble, but Kid shuddered to think what it would -have been like to-day down there! The morning -passed laggingly but not uninterestingly. He had -much to think of. Of course, the place to strike -for would be the Hudson River, for, although it lay -almost forty miles north and east, it seemed likely -that he might find passage on a steamer to New -York. Even a canal boat might do. Once in New -York, being careful to avoid the vicinity of his -home, he would make for the docks. He wondered -whether cabin boys received any wages. Or did -they just serve for the experience? At all events,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[171]</span> -he knew that by shipping as a cabin-boy he would -be starting in the approved manner, for he vividly -recalled a book entitled, “From Cabin Boy to Captain,” -which dealt with the fortunes of a fellow who, -like he, had run away from school. The only thing -that caused Kid to hesitate about adopting the seafaring -life was the fact that he was usually seasick -on the very slightest provocation. However, -he had heard it said that you get over that in -time, and probably by the time the ship reached -Singapore—he hoped it would go to Singapore, -for that place had always fascinated him—he would -be a hardened old salt. He wished that it were -possible for him to sneak into the house in New -York long enough to secure “From Cabin Boy to -Captain” and “The Boy’s Book of Sailing,” each -of which, he thought, would be a great aid to him -at the start of his nautical career.</p> - -<p>Along toward twelve o’clock he felt considerably -better, having dutifully taken his medicine -every half hour—when he had thought of it. He -was able to sit up and even move around without -that sinking feeling in his insides and without his -head being dizzy. So he reached the table and got -paper and pencil. He had decided to leave a note -of farewell in which he would forgive everyone and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[172]</span> -ask them to judge him as leniently as possible. But -after four attempts he gave it up. What he finally -did write was only this:</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p><span class="smcap">Dear Stanley</span>: Please look in the Encyclopeda -Britancus and get the story I left there Friday about -Hairbreadth Harry. I don’t want the Doc to find it. I -am going away forever. Some day I will send you my -address which will likely be Singapore and you can -send me the story. And if you want me to I will send -back that quarter after I have made some money, but -don’t expect it too soon for I will probably have a hard -struggle for a while all by myself. Maybe by that time -you won’t want it. Tell the other fellows the same, -only after all a quarter isn’t very much. Wish you -were coming along with me, Stanley. You and I have -always gotten along mighty well, haven’t we? I will -stop now with best wishes for your happiness.</p> - -<p class="right">J. F.</p> -</div> - -<p>Kid tucked the note between the leaves of the -book which he knew Stanley to be reading in his -leisure moments and crawled back into bed just in -time. Mrs. Merton entered with a bowl of chicken -broth and some very dry toast. Kid was hungry -and the broth tasted very well. Also the toast, -but he did wish there had been butter on it. After -Mrs. Merton had gone again he half wished that -Stanley would come up. But he didn’t. And after<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[173]</span> -a while the fellows went in to dinner and the time -for action had come. Kid dressed as quietly as -possible so that no one underneath would hear him -moving around and suspect anything. He would -like to have put on his best clothes, but commonsense -told him that he would stand a much better -chance of being engaged as cabin-boy if he wasn’t -too well dressed. A few small belongings he tucked -in his pockets, deciding to be burdened with no -baggage. An old red sweater went on over his -waistcoat and his ulster he hung over his arm. A -last look about the room, with a sort of choking -sensation deep down in his throat and a mistiness -in his eyes, and he went out quietly, closing the -door behind him and stole down the front stairs. -From the dining-room came the cheerful clatter -of dishes and the hum of voices. Kid’s courage -almost deserted him then and he hesitated on the -landing, invisible hands seeming to drag him back -toward the security and warmth of his bed. But -with something that sounded suspiciously like a sob, -Kid trampled upon his weakness, dodged across the -hall until out of sight of the diners and so gained -the front door.</p> - -<p>He took a last glance about the place and his -gaze fell on the bookcases along the wall. “Hairbreadth<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[174]</span> -Harry!” Why not rescue him now? But -even as Kid took the first step toward the books -a chair scraped in the dining room and in a panic -Kid pulled open the front door and passed out into -the cold world.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[175]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XIV">XIV<br /> -<small>HEROISM AND A REWARD</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">I said “cold world” because it sounded appropriate. -As a matter of fact the world was -anything but cold to-day. The sun seemed -warm enough for April, the paths in places were -inches deep in slush and water and from the eaves -of the building there fell a miniature Niagara. -Kid thought wistfully of his arctics, reposing uselessly -in his closet upstairs, as he hurried down the -drive, plowing through snow and slush. By the -time he was out on the road his shoes were very -wet, his old red sweater too warm and the ulster -over his arm too heavy. Half a mile from school -he was thinking distastefully of the forty long miles -stretching between him and the Hudson. He didn’t -feel nearly so well as he had in bed; at the end of -the first mile, while he was skirting the village, he -became weak and dizzy and had to sit down on a -stone wall. The dizziness passed, however, and -presently he took up his journey again. But already<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[176]</span> -the first enthusiasm was gone. The world -looked extremely large, much too large for a small -boy with two very wet feet and a “goneness” in -his tummy. The shortest way to the river was by -the railroad, whose single line of track ran almost -due east, and so Kid, once beyond Mt. Pleasant, -climbed up the embankment and began walking the -ties. For a while the novelty interested him. Then, -the ties having been laid all wrong for such short -legs, he tried walking on the rails.</p> - -<p>About that time he approached a group of -workmen and pulled his cap down further over his -face as he passed. One sang out to him in Italian -and Kid hurried his steps. They were not a nice -looking lot of men. By two o’clock Kid had done -some three miles. That left only thirty-seven, he -reflected. If he walked ten miles more before dark—his -heart sank. Where was he to spend the -night? Two silver half-dollars, a dime and two -pennies looked horribly small just then. He would -either have to beg or run out of funds long before -he reached the river. He stopped and gazed irresolutely -back toward Mt. Pleasant. He sort of -wished he had waited until he had more money. -Running away to be a sailor was fast losing its -glamour. With a very, very little encouragement<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[177]</span> -Kid would have turned and retraced his steps. But -there was no one there to offer the encouragement; -only the spires of the churches in Mt. Pleasant -which, showing above the trees, seemed to beckon -him. But it was too late now, Kid told himself -with a sigh that was almost a sob; the die was cast; -he must go on! So on he went, his legs getting -tired and tireder and his stomach, weak from his -sickness and empty of food, rebelling more and -more. Progress was slow. A curve in the track -shut off the distant view of the spires and it seemed -to Kid that the last bond had been severed.</p> - -<p>The track here had been cut through the side of -a low hill and the banks of earth arose high on each -side of him so that his footsteps on the wet ties -echoed back and made him feel more depressed and -lonesome than ever. The cut extended for several -hundred feet, always turning gradually around the -base of the hill. On the south side the snow covered -the bank and tiny glaciers had formed, but -across the track the warmth of the sun had melted -the snow and little rivulets of water were wearing -runways into the gravel. Kid had passed the middle -of the cut and the Banks on either side had -diminished in height when he saw that a few yards -ahead one rail was buried almost a foot deep in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178"></a>[178]</span> -sand and gravel and small stones. Kid hurried forward. -There had been a slide of earth from the -bank. Frost and sun had combined to deposit a ton -or so of earth between the bank and the middle of -the track, and the rail on that side for a space of -several feet was hidden deep. Kid was vaguely -troubled. He didn’t know much about such matters, -but it seemed to him that if a train came -along it would have some difficulty getting over it. -Well, he supposed it was no affair of his. The -engineer would see it and stop the train and shovel -it off; that was about what would happen, he supposed. -Only, because of the curve, perhaps the engineer -wouldn’t see it in time. Then there’d be an -awful jounce—worse than when you went over a -curbing in an automobile; Kid had done that once -and knew—and perhaps the wheel might get off the -rail and there’d be an accident. He wished the -track were straighter so the engineer would be certain -to see the obstruction in time. He began to -think that perhaps it was his duty to do something -about it, to tell someone. But who was there to tell? -The track-workers were a mile behind by now and -a train might come long before he could reach them. -Besides, he reflected, since they were Italians, he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179"></a>[179]</span> -wasn’t at all certain he could make them understand!</p> - -<p>Kid sat down on a convenient rock across the -track and frowned over the problem. Of course, as -there was only one pair of rails, trains could only -come from one direction at a time. If he only knew -which direction the next train would come from -he could go that way and warn the engineer. He -tugged at his leather fob and grunted until a small -silver watch slipped into sight. Nearly half past -two. The afternoon train from New York reached -Mt. Pleasant at—why, it was almost due there now! -Kid bounded to his feet and set off down the track -as fast as his legs would take him. He reached the -end of the cut and the track straightened ahead of -him for a quarter of a mile. There was nothing -in sight. Out of breath and tuckered, he stopped -and listened. At first he heard nothing but the -pounding of his heart. Then there came a low hum -from the distance, which might or might not be the -sound of an approaching train. Kid remembered -that if you laid your ear to a rail you could hear -a train a long way off. He tried it, listening only -for a moment. Then he was on his feet, tossing -his ulster to the side of the road and wriggling out<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180"></a>[180]</span> -of his jacket. The jacket went on top of the ulster. -Then off came the old frayed red sweater and at -that very instant there was a screech down the -track and the train, with a white billow of steam -over the engine, slid into sight. Kid seized the -sweater by the arms and sped down the center of -the track, waving it vigorously. <a href="#i_fp180">On came the train, -nearer and nearer</a>, and the rails rang with the -clangor of its wheels. Kid stopped running and -sought a place of safety at the side of the road. -But he still waved the sweater, wondering why the -train didn’t stop. And then, just when he was sure -that his warning was wasted and that the passengers -in the cars were going to have an awful bump, -the engine whistle stabbed the air with short -shrieks, there came a terrific grinding and squeaking -of brakes and the train came to a stop, the -couplings jarring, with the engine almost in front -of Kid.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" id="i_fp180"> - <img src="images/i_fp180.jpg" alt="" title="" /> - <div class="caption"> - <p class="noic"><a href="#Page_180">“On came the train, nearer and nearer.”</a></p> - </div> -</div> - -<p>“What’s the matter, kid?”</p> - -<p>A man with his body half out of the cab window -and another standing where you climbed into the -engine were both asking at once, and Kid, wondering -how they knew his name, and feeling withal -not a little important, pointed ahead toward the cut.</p> - -<p>“There’s a lot of dirt on the rail up there,” he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181"></a>[181]</span> -stammered, being very much out of breath and a -little embarrassed, “and I thought maybe you -wouldn’t see it in time to stop.”</p> - -<p>The conductor, who had run up, seized Kid by -the arm and swung him around. As Kid had not -heard the approach of this formidable-looking man -in blue uniform and brass buttons he was both surprised -and confused.</p> - -<p>“What are you up to?” demanded the conductor -in terrifying tones.</p> - -<p>“N-nothing, please, sir,” stammered Kid. “I—I -didn’t know——”</p> - -<p>“He says there’s a slide in the cut, Tom,” interrupted -the engineer. “Put him on and we’ll run -ahead and have a look.”</p> - -<p>“You come along with me.” The conductor -seized Kid firmly by the arm and pulled him toward -the car steps. “If you’ve stopped us for nothing, -kid, you’ll get into trouble. Get in there.”</p> - -<p>Kid climbed the steps into the arms of a grinning -brakeman. The whistle spoke again and the -train crawled forward. The brakeman was asking -questions. Kid tried to explain but he was so busy -watching for his jacket and ulster along the track -that his explanations were fragmentary at best. -The conductor, leaning from the car steps, was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182"></a>[182]</span> -watching the track ahead. Now they were entering -the cut, for the banks began to appear.</p> - -<p>“I don’t see anything,” muttered the conductor.</p> - -<p>“Sure, he was trying to have a joke on us,” -said the brakeman. “Don’t you know any better -than to do a thing like that?”</p> - -<p>But at that moment the slowly moving train -stopped so abruptly that the brakeman stumbled -against the platform railing. The conductor leaped -to the ground and the brakeman followed him. And -then, as there was no one to stop him, Kid slid -down, too, and followed the others. When he -reached the head of the engine the engineer was -looking grimly at the innocent pile of gravel.</p> - -<p>“If we’d have struck that, Tom,” he said, with -a laugh that somehow didn’t sound real, “we’d been -in the ditch now. Get your shovel, Gus.”</p> - -<p>Passengers joined the group, exclaiming, questioning. -The fireman came back with his coal -shovel and set to work. The crowd gathered about -him and watched. Kid watched, too. It was all -very interesting and exciting. It was the conductor -who spied Kid and made a grab for him through -the crowd. Kid saw him coming, though, and would -have got away if he had not stumbled over the end -of a tie and sprawled his length on the ground.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183"></a>[183]</span></p> - -<p>“Here’s the kid that signaled us,” announced -the conductor, picking him up. “I guess if it -hadn’t been for him we’d have been late getting in -to-night. Much obliged, kid. What’s your name?”</p> - -<p>“You’re welcome, sir. James Fairchild’s my -name.”</p> - -<p>“What? What?” a nervous, officious-looking -little man with bushy side whiskers pushed his way -through the group. “Did I hear you say this boy -saved the train, Conductor?”</p> - -<p>“That’s about what it amounts to, I guess.”</p> - -<p>The bewhiskered man wrung Kid’s hand until -it hurt. The throng—and it seemed now that the -entire train of five cars had emptied itself of passengers—crowded -closer, voicing admiration and -gratitude. Kid, growing more embarrassed and -uncomfortable every moment, strove to back away, -but he was surrounded on all sides. Others began -to shake his hand, and one very large, motherly -looking lady actually kissed him, in spite of his -struggles! The bewhiskered man was talking a -steady stream of words in which the phrase “young -hero” occurred at intervals. Kid didn’t follow his -discourse very closely; for one thing, he couldn’t -because folks kept crowding around and shaking -his hand and asking questions, and for another<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184"></a>[184]</span> -thing he was much too uncomfortable. What he -wanted was to rescue his ulster and jacket and get -away. Evidently the bewhiskered one had ended in -a real burst of eloquence, for something very like -a cheer went up from the crowd. The speaker removed -his derby hat and it began to circulate from -one to another. There came the jingle of coins. -It took Kid a minute to realize that a collection -was being taken up, and when he did realize it he -wanted to get away more than ever. He even muttered -something about his coat and tried to squeeze -through the throng, but there was always someone -to shake him by the hand and tell him what a fine, -brave boy he was. The black derby came into sight -and disappeared again, jingling louder than before, -and the voice of the man with the bushy whiskers -still kept on.</p> - -<p>“Give generously, good people! This is a time -for practical gratitude! Let us show that we fully -appreciate the heroic conduct of this brave lad!” -And so on and on until Kid hated the bewhiskered -one with a great hatred. Finally the hat came back -for good just as the fireman finished clearing the -rail and the conductor summoned them back to the -cars. The bewhiskered man, the derby in one hand -and a firm grip of Kid’s sweater in the other, hurried<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185"></a>[185]</span> -back to the nearest car. At the steps Kid -made a stand.</p> - -<p>“I—I’ve got to go back and get my things,” he -declared.</p> - -<p>“Eh? What things, my boy?”</p> - -<p>“My jacket and ulster. I left them by the track -back there.” Kid nodded toward the end of the -cut. At that instant the whistle summoned the flagman -in.</p> - -<p>“Well, well, never mind,” said the man with -the whiskers, forcibly propelling Kid up the car -steps, “you’ll have money enough to get a new -ulster. Look here!” He displayed a pile of coins -and a few bills in the hollow of the hat. Kid -glanced at them but still struggled.</p> - -<p>“Please, sir, let me go! I must get them!”</p> - -<p>“No, no, my boy, the train will start before you -can get half way there. Come inside and we’ll count -the collection.” Still protesting, Kid was conducted -into the car. The man with the whiskers seated -himself with his derby between his knees and other -passengers again gathered. Someone donated a -felt hat and the bewhiskered man began counting -the money from the derby into the felt.</p> - -<p>“Three—four—five——”</p> - -<p>The train started slowly.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186"></a>[186]</span></p> - -<p>“Six—seven—and two is nine—ten——”</p> - -<p>Kid squirmed from the seat and dashed for the -door.</p> - -<p>“Hey!” cried the bewhiskered man. But Kid -was through the open door and on the platform, -with the train still running slowly. He pulled his -cap down onto his head and—</p> - -<p>“Here, what you trying to do? Break your -neck?” It was the brakeman, and he had a firm -grasp on Kid’s arm.</p> - -<p>“I want my ulster and my jacket!” cried Kid, -struggling to get away. “I—I—Oh!”</p> - -<p>The last ejaculation was filled with surprise and -relief, for over the brakeman’s arm hung Kid’s -garments.</p> - -<p>“These them?” asked the brakeman. “I saw -them by the track as I came in. Here you are.”</p> - -<p>Kid accepted them with a sigh of gratitude and -struggled into his jacket. Then he resignedly allowed -himself to be conducted back to the car. -Everybody seemed to take it for granted that he -wanted to go to Mt. Pleasant and there was nothing -to do now but accept his fate. He heard the -conductor joking with a couple of men across the -aisle about whether a boy who saved a train from -the ditch was allowed to travel free. Meanwhile<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187"></a>[187]</span> -the bewhiskered man, who had lost his count when -Kid dashed through the door and had been compelled -to go over the donations a second time, announced -the result.</p> - -<p>“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, addressing -the car at large, “I find that—ah—we have contributed -exactly seventeen dollars and fifty cents -to our—ah—preserver. I must own that I am a -little disappointed in the amount. It seems to me -that in view of the circumstances some of us might -have given more liberally. Still, the spirit is shown -and doubtless our young hero, to whom we are all -so grateful, will find a commendable use for the -reward. Still, if any of you care to increase your -contributions, or if there are any who—ah—were -overlooked, the purse is still open.”</p> - -<p>No one, however, seemed impatient to take advantage -of the invitation, although the bewhiskered -man waited blandly for a moment.</p> - -<p>“Very well, then. Young sir, in behalf of the -passengers whose lives or limbs you have so heroically -saved, I take pleasure in presenting to you -this slight token of our appreciation and gratitude.” -He made a bow and held the hat toward Kid. Kid -backed away, shaking his head vehemently. “Oh, -come now, we insist! Your modesty becomes you,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188"></a>[188]</span> -my boy, but we shall feel much hurt if you refuse. -Come now, come!”</p> - -<p>“I’d rather not,” muttered Kid. “It—it wasn’t -anything.”</p> - -<p>But Kid’s reluctance accomplished nothing. -The money was scooped from the hat and thrust -into his pockets amidst laughter and he was slapped -on the back many times, while one confirmed joker -amused the passengers by suggesting ways of -spending the reward. Houses, steam yachts and -automobiles were among the things Kid was advised -to invest his seventeen dollars in. And just -then the train began to slow down, the brakeman -called “Mt. Pleasant! Mt. Pleasant! Change for -Riveredge, Greenwood, Tidaholm and all stations on -the Mt. Pleasant Branch!” and in the subsequent -confusion Kid wormed his way through the throng -about the rear door of the car and was one of the -first to alight as the train rolled into the station. -Once on the platform he wasted no time; there was -no knowing what that awful man with the whiskers -might do next if he had the chance; and so Kid -darted through the waiting room, out the opposite -door and gained the street. There he breathed -easier, but kept on going nevertheless, and before -he realized it he was three blocks toward school!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189"></a>[189]</span> -There was a little knife-scarred bench there where -folks waited when they wanted the trolley car for -Whittier and Kid seated himself on it and considered.</p> - -<p>What was he to do now? Scarcely more than -two hours ago he had set forth into the world to be -a sailor, had said farewell to home and school, -had, in short, virtually burned his bridges behind -him! And now here he was back almost where he -had started from! Gee, but it was a funny world!</p> - -<p>Of course, now that his resources were increased -to nearly nineteen dollars, it was the simplest thing -possible to start over again. He could take a train -at about five o’clock that would put him down in -New York City at half past six. Then he could -pay for lodgings—at a sailor’s boarding house, of -course—and in the morning look for a berth. It -was all simple and easy. In fact, it was too simple -and easy. The glamour had gone from it. Anybody -could run away and be a sailor with nineteen dollars -in his pocket!</p> - -<p>On the other hand, with his new wealth he could -return to school with his head up, pay all his debts -and still be a person of affluence. It would be -rather good fun, too. When the fellows came demanding -their quarters returned he could smile<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190"></a>[190]</span> -carelessly and pull a whole handful of silver from -his pocket and pay them. Still, it would be distinctly -unsatisfactory to be a man of means and -have to keep “in bounds” for a month or six weeks. -And the Doctor might think of some even more horrible -method of punishment, too! And if he had -to donate ten dollars of the eighteen-sixty-two to -the trophy fund and pay back all the fellows who -had invested in Tinkham’s Throat-Ease, why, he -wouldn’t be so rich after all. Whereas, if he didn’t -go back he would not only escape punishment but -retain his wealth. It was a good deal of a problem.</p> - -<p>And perhaps he would have sat there a good -deal longer without arriving at any decision if, -at what was a psychological moment, there had not -stolen out to him from the little white-clapboarded, -green-shuttered house behind him an appealing -odor of cooking. Kid sat up and sniffed. It -smelled like stew, probably lamb stew; lamb stew -with onions and carrots and turnips and potatoes -all cut up in it and smothered in a rich, thick white -gravy! Kid’s stomach decided the matter for him. -Kid got up from that bench and, with feet and legs -that were very sore and tired, tramped back to -school.</p> - -<p>On the way he prepared his explanation. He<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191"></a>[191]</span> -need say nothing about running away. If anyone -asked him he need only explain that he had grown -tired of staying in bed and had gone for a walk. -He would be scolded, probably, but scoldings didn’t -hurt. Besides, he had only to thrust a hand into -any one of three pockets to feel the comforting -assurance of wealth. But when he walked up the -drive from the gate to the front door, doing it as -unostentatiously as possible and assuming the -languid, careless air of an invalid out for exercise, -he was both surprised and relieved to find no one -in sight. A moment’s reflection told him that, as it -was still short of four o’clock, all the fellows were -in the schoolrooms. Why, he might even reach his -own room without anyone being the wiser!</p> - -<p>He opened the big front door very cautiously, -very quietly, and stepped inside. The hall was -empty and not a sound reached him save the ticking -of the big clock on the landing of the stairs. He -grinned and moved noiselessly toward the clock, -past it and to his room. With the door closed behind -him he chuckled. Then he looked around him -curiously. Not a thing was changed! Of course -he knew that he had been away less than three -hours, but it seemed more like a week to him! A -great deal had happened in those three hours! He<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192"></a>[192]</span> -emptied his pockets of the money—it almost filled -the collar-box!—removed the few trinkets he had -started away with and then, undressing quickly, got -back to bed. Half an hour later, when Stanley -opened the door cautiously, Kid was fast asleep.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193"></a>[193]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XV">XV<br /> -<small>LANNY TRIES HIGH FINANCE</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">When Kid awoke it was to the feeling that -he was not alone. But a sleepy glance -around the room failed to discover anyone -and it was only when his eyes reached the door -and he saw the portal slowly closing that he was -certain his senses had not deceived him. He sat -up and said, “Hi, there!” and the door reopened, -revealing Mrs. Merton and Nan.</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid we woke you, James,” said the Doctor’s -wife. “I’m so sorry!”</p> - -<p>“I guess I’ve slept enough, ma’am,” said Kid.</p> - -<p>“Nan wanted to pay you a visit and I thought -I’d just look in myself and see that you were all -right. You are better, aren’t you, much better? -You have a very good color now. Perhaps you’ll -be hungry enough to eat some supper after a while.”</p> - -<p>“Yes’m, I’m awfully hungry now. Is it almost -supper time?”</p> - -<p>“Not for an hour. What would you like? Was -the chicken broth good?”</p> - -<p>“Yes’m, but I think I’d rather have some meat<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194"></a>[194]</span> -and potatoes and a cup of cocoa and some toast and -preserves and a piece of cake.” Kid paused. Then, -“or two,” he added.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merton smiled. “I’m afraid you can’t -have all those things,” she replied, “but perhaps a -chop and a baked potato—just a small one—won’t -hurt you if you’re so hungry. And you seem to -be!”</p> - -<p>“Yes’m, I guess it was the walk——” Kid almost -bit his tongue trying to stop.</p> - -<p>“Walk?” echoed Mrs. Merton with a laugh. “I -guess you’ve been dreaming, James.”</p> - -<p>“Yes’m, I think I have,” responded Kid with -gusto. “I—I dreamed I was walking on the railroad -and a train came along—” But he stopped -again. Maybe he had better not overdo it. “And—and -that’s all I remember,” he added.</p> - -<p>Mrs. Merton and Nan laughed.</p> - -<p>“Well, I’ll see that your supper is hearty -enough to satisfy that hunger, James. Shall I leave -Nan here a few minutes? Or would you rather -sleep again?”</p> - -<p>“No’m, I’d like her to stay, please.”</p> - -<p>So Mrs. Merton departed and Nan drew a chair -to the side of the bed. “You are better, aren’t you, -Kid?” she asked anxiously.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195"></a>[195]</span></p> - -<p>Kid nodded. “I’m all right,” he assured her. -“I could eat the roof off the house, I’m so hungry.”</p> - -<p>“That’s nice! I wanted to come and see you -before, but mama thought I’d better wait until now. -Did you like the book I sent?”</p> - -<p>“I—I haven’t read much of it yet,” replied Kid. -“You see, I slept a good deal.”</p> - -<p>Nan nodded. “You will like it when you do -read it,” she said. “You’ll be perfectly crazy about -it! How far have you got?”</p> - -<p>“Not very far,” answered Kid, avoiding her -eyes. “Say, Nan, want to do me a favor?”</p> - -<p>“Of course!”</p> - -<p>“Then you sneak downstairs and look in the -Encyclopedia Britannica and get a story-paper I -left in it, will you? It’s called ‘Hairbreadth Harry, -the Gentleman Scout,’ and if anyone finds it I’ll -get thunder. Will you? I think it’s in the fifth -volume, but you try them all. If you want to, I’ll -let you read it when I’m through.”</p> - -<p>Nan’s nose went up in disdain. “One of those -horrid detective stories,” she said. “Thank you, -but I don’t care for such literature, Kid!”</p> - -<p>“Detective story nothing! It’s an Indian story; -I should think you could tell that by the name! -And, anyhow, it’s a heap more interesting than a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196"></a>[196]</span> -story all filled with girls and dolls and—and Christmas -presents!”</p> - -<p>“For those that like it,” replied Nan in a superior -manner. “You know you’re not allowed to -have dime novels, Kid, and papa said——”</p> - -<p>“It isn’t a dime novel; it’s a half-dime novel, -Miss Smarty!”</p> - -<p>“Well, if you get caught reading it——”</p> - -<p>“I’ll tell them you lent it to me,” declared Kid -with a wicked grin. “So you’d better go down and -get it for me.”</p> - -<p>“If I do you must promise that you won’t read -any more of them in school, Kid.” Nan was very -earnest, and Kid reflected a moment. After all, -he could afford to make the promise for it would -soon be warm enough to read outdoors, and that -wouldn’t be reading “in school.” So he said, “All -right,” and Nan stole downstairs for “Hairbreadth -Harry.” Kid crawled out of bed then and found -the note he had written to Stanley. His first impulse -was to save it, for it had cost him much effort -and it was barely possible that he might decide to -carry out his running away project later. But a -hasty perusal of it showed him that the note -wouldn’t answer at all for another occasion and so -he tore it into little pieces and dropped them behind<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197"></a>[197]</span> -the radiator where they wouldn’t be found for a -very long time. Then he scuttled back into bed -just in time, for Nan knocked a second later and -entered empty-handed.</p> - -<p>“I couldn’t get it,” she announced. “There are -lots of boys down there and as soon as I took one -of the books out Steve Lovell came over and wanted -to know what I was looking up, and I couldn’t think -of anything and so I said ‘Nothing, thanks,’ and -came away. I’m sorry, Kid.”</p> - -<p>Kid nodded. “All right. I guess I can get it -in the morning.”</p> - -<p>Nan sat down again and in doing so kicked -one of Kid’s shoes which he had placed under the -bed. Being an orderly young lady, Nan reached -down to put the shoe in its place again. Then -there was an exclamation of surprise, and she was -holding one wet shoe up and staring at it bewilderedly.</p> - -<p>“Why, Kid, look at your shoe!” she cried.</p> - -<p>Kid looked. “Wh-what’s the matter with it?” -he asked innocently.</p> - -<p>“Why, it’s soaking wet, just <em>soaking</em>! And inside, -too! Kid, you <em>have</em> been out!”</p> - -<p>“Out! Me?” Kid laughed disdainfully.</p> - -<p>“Then how did your shoes get wet?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198"></a>[198]</span></p> - -<p>Kid thought hard. “I suppose,” he observed, -“that I wore them in my dream. I remember it -was very sloppy on the railroad track——”</p> - -<p>“The idea! You don’t expect me to believe -that, do you?”</p> - -<p>“Why not?” asked Kid stoutly. “I did dream -that I was walk——”</p> - -<p>“You’ve been outdoors, Kid, and you know it; -and I know it too, and so there’s no use fibbing -about it. You might have caught your death, and -I’ve a good mind to tell mama——”</p> - -<p>“I don’t see any use in making such a fuss about -it,” he protested. “A fellow can’t stay cooped up -here all day when there’s nothing the matter with -him; he needs fresh air; every doctor says you need -fresh air!”</p> - -<p>“Every doctor doesn’t say you need wet feet,” -replied Nan severely. “Where did you go?”</p> - -<p>“Who go?”</p> - -<p>“You.”</p> - -<p>“Me? Where’d I go? Oh, just—just around.” -Kid waved an arm vaguely toward the north and -east. “Just for a walk. Perhaps—perhaps you’d -better put them over by the radiator.”</p> - -<p>“And have everyone see that they’re wet! -Very well, if you want to get into trouble I will.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199"></a>[199]</span></p> - -<p>“I guess you’d better not,” said Kid.</p> - -<p>“Humph!” Nan placed the shoes carefully on -their sides and as far under the bed as she could -reach and there was silence. Finally, “Of course, -if you don’t want to tell me, all right,” she observed.</p> - -<p>“I will tell you some time,” said Kid. “I can’t -now; it—it’s a secret.”</p> - -<p>“I won’t breathe a word of it to anyone,” said -Nan eagerly.</p> - -<p>But Kid, looking important, shook his head. -“I’d like to, Nan, honest, but—but I mustn’t now. -Some day——”</p> - -<p>“You’ll forget all about it,” she charged.</p> - -<p>“No, I won’t. Not likely!” Kid sighed. “A -fellow doesn’t forget—such things!”</p> - -<p>“What things?”</p> - -<p>“Er—like that.”</p> - -<p>Nan studied him a moment and Kid stood the -ordeal rather well. But Nan wasn’t satisfied. -“You just don’t want to tell me,” she said at last. -“You could if you wanted to. And I think you -might, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“Haven’t I told you it’s a secret?” he asked -testily. “You don’t expect a fellow to—to go back -on his word, do you?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200"></a>[200]</span></p> - -<p>Nan was silenced for a moment. Then, “Well, -is it—is it anything about money?” she questioned.</p> - -<p>“Money? What money?” asked Kid evasively.</p> - -<p>“The money you owe the boys.”</p> - -<p>“Who says I owe them any money?”</p> - -<p>“They say so. They say you made them think -you needed it because your folks had lost all their -money, and then you went down to the village -and spent it all on candy and sweets. That Morgan -boy says you could be—be persecuted for false -pretenses.”</p> - -<p>“I never said my folks had lost their money,” -denied Kid indignantly. “They—they just thought -that themselves. And, anyhow, the tablets were all -right and worth the money they paid for them. I -can show you heaps of testimonials.”</p> - -<p>“Well, they say you ought to take the tablets -back and return their money, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“I’m willing,” replied Kid instantly, looking -quite noble. “Any fellow who has a full box left -can come and get his money any time, and you may -tell them so from me.”</p> - -<p>“But you know very well none of them has a -full box, Kid; they’ve all tried them.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201"></a>[201]</span></p> - -<p>“That’s not my fault. You can’t expect me to—to -take back damaged goods, Nan. No one ever -does that.”</p> - -<p>“I think you ought to,” said Nan sadly.</p> - -<p>“And lose money myself?” he asked. “That -would be fine, wouldn’t it? Any fellow with a full -box——”</p> - -<p>“Oh!”</p> - -<p>“What?” asked Kid suspiciously.</p> - -<p>Nan smiled. “I—I just thought of something.”</p> - -<p>“What is it?” he asked uneasily.</p> - -<p>“Why, one of us can donate a box of tablets -to the others. There are fifty tablets in each box -and no one has eaten more than one of them. That -leaves forty-nine——”</p> - -<p>“Oh, if you want to cheat!” said Kid indignantly.</p> - -<p>“And those forty-nine would fill all the other -boxes, don’t you see?”</p> - -<p>Kid saw, but didn’t seem appreciative. “That’s -dishonest,” he declared warmly. “And no one but -a girl would think of such a—a low, sneaky thing!”</p> - -<p>“It’s not nearly so sneaky as getting money to -help your family and then spending it on candy!” -Nan retorted.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202"></a>[202]</span></p> - -<p>“I didn’t ask for their old money to help my -family. I never said there was anything wrong -with my family!”</p> - -<p>“You must have, Kid. Everyone believed it. -Why, papa was talking about it and saying what -a fine boy you were to—to try to earn money. And -mama was so sorry for your poor mother. And I -thought you were a regular hero, like you read of -in books. And now you’ve gone and spoiled it -all!”</p> - -<p>“I never!” muttered Kid. “And, anyhow, if -they get their money back again I don’t see what -they’ve got to be sore about!”</p> - -<p>“You know you can’t pay them back now, Kid; -you’ve spent all the money, I guess.”</p> - -<p>“I have, have I? That’s all you know about -it! I’ve got plenty of money to pay everyone back—if -I want to.”</p> - -<p>“Where’d you get it, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“That’s my affair,” he replied haughtily. “I’ve -got it.”</p> - -<p>“Is it—is it honest?” she asked anxiously.</p> - -<p>“Of course it’s honest! You make me tired, -Nan. A girl never knows anything about—about -finance, anyway.”</p> - -<p>“And you’ll really pay the boys back, Kid?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203"></a>[203]</span></p> - -<p>“Every one of them. You may tell them so.”</p> - -<p>“I will. They’ll be so glad. And—and I’m -sure you’ll feel better about it, too.”</p> - -<p>Perhaps he would, but he didn’t say so. And -after she had gone he tried to figure out in his -head how many boxes would be returned and how -much his ill-advised and now regretted promise -would cost him.</p> - -<p>As it happened the first boy Nan encountered -was Lanny. Lanny was coming upstairs as Nan -was going down and Nan told him at once how -willing Kid was to make amends. Lanny hearkened -and was struck with a brilliant thought.</p> - -<p>“I wouldn’t say anything to any of the fellows -about it to-night,” he said. “They—they’d just -bother poor Kid, you see, and he isn’t well enough -to stand it yet. If I were you, Nan, I’d wait until -to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“We-ll,” she hesitated. “All right, Lanny. -Don’t you say anything about it, either, will you?”</p> - -<p>“No, indeed,” he answered emphatically. “I -won’t say a word!”</p> - -<p>And he didn’t. What he did do was go up to -his room and count his money. Including the fifty -cents he had promised to the trophy fund, he possessed -exactly ninety-four cents. Luckily for his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204"></a>[204]</span> -purpose, it was mostly in dimes and nickels. He -put the money in his pocket and hurried downstairs -again. Sam Perkins was easily persuaded to give -up his box of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease for five -cents, but George Waters held out for ten and the -deal fell through for the time. Bert wanted to sell, -but explained that he hadn’t paid for his box yet -and thought he oughtn’t to. Small’s box was short -five tablets and he was glad to take a nickel for -what remained. By supper time Lanny was the -possessor of seven boxes of Throat-Ease for which -he had expended the trifling sum of forty cents. -(Fearing a rise in the market, he had paid George -Waters the price demanded.) After supper he -tried to secure more, but the rumor had gone around -that Lanny was buying Tinkham’s and the price -ascended to ten cents and finally to fifteen. He -took over Sewall Crandall’s holdings at ten, and -stopped. By that time the market was pretty nearly -exhausted and Lanny’s only regret was that he had -so foolishly thrown away his own box in a fit of -anger. He still had forty-four cents in capital left -and he hoped to be able to acquire a few more -boxes from day pupils in the morning before it -became known that Kid was willing to buy back at -the original price. Just to be sure that he wasn’t<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205"></a>[205]</span> -wasting his money, Lanny popped his head in Kid’s -door during the evening. Kid was making an effort -to study his Latin. It was something of a -come-down from wafting over the sea on the deck -of a merchantman to grinding over Latin in bed, -and Kid was not happy. He scowled at Lanny’s -face in the doorway and told him to “beat it.”</p> - -<p>“They say you’re going to do the right thing, -Kid,” he observed questioningly, disregarding -Kid’s hostility and smiling brightly upon him.</p> - -<p>“What right thing?” growled Kid.</p> - -<p>“Why, buy back those tablets you sold us.”</p> - -<p>“Well, what if I am? That doesn’t concern -you, does it? You threw yours away.”</p> - -<p>“I know I did. But maybe I found ’em again, -Kid.”</p> - -<p>“Maybe that’s a whopper! I found them myself -and sold them to ‘Toots’ Morgan.”</p> - -<p>“You hadn’t any business to; they were mine!”</p> - -<p>“You threw them away, didn’t you? And I -found them, didn’t I? But if you want a box, -Lanny, I’ll sell you one to-morrow for fifteen cents. -The price has gone down.” And Kid smiled engagingly.</p> - -<p>Lanny returned the smile. “You bet it has!” -he agreed. “Good night, Kid.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206"></a>[206]</span></p> - -<p>Kid stared at the door for a full minute after -it had closed. “Now what did he mean by that?” -he asked himself crossly. “He always talks that -way when he’s up to some mean trick!”</p> - -<p>Of course everyone wanted to know why Lanny -was buying up Tinkham’s Throat-Ease and Lanny’s -replies were so far from satisfactory that he spent -a most unpleasant evening. In the morning he was -around bright and early, waiting for the day scholars -to appear, but Nan was earlier. Lanny managed -to make only two purchases at five cents a -box before the news got around that Tinkham’s -Throat-Ease was quoted at twenty-five cents. Waters -found Lanny and offhandedly offered him -twelve cents for the return of his box.</p> - -<p>“I guess I’d better keep them, Lanny,” he said. -“I might have a cold any time, you see. They’re -nasty, but I guess they’re good for you. What -do you say? Got my box with you?”</p> - -<p>Lanny grinned. “Price has gone up, George, -since you sold. They’re worth twenty-five this -morning.”</p> - -<p>Waters expressed his opinion of Lanny at some -length, but Lanny didn’t wait to hear it all. He -wanted to find Kid. It didn’t seem plausible to -him that Kid had enough money on hand to redeem<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207"></a>[207]</span> -all the Tinkham’s that would be offered, and he -wanted to get there early. But Kid was elusive. -Sam Perkins didn’t know where Kid was and offered -Lanny ten cents for the box of tablets he had -sold the evening before for five. Lanny expressed -his regrets and hurried away. The word that followed -him sounded very much like “Cheat!” Not -discovering Kid indoors, Lanny dashed outside.</p> - -<p>“He’s hiding,” he muttered. “He doesn’t want -to pay up!”</p> - -<p>That, however, was not quite the true explanation -of Kid’s absence from his usual haunts. To be -sure, Kid did not want to “pay up,” but he was -not hiding. He was facing Dr. Merton in the -latter’s office, whither he had been summoned a few -minutes before. No, Kid wasn’t hiding, but he -wished he were!</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208"></a>[208]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XVI">XVI<br /> -<small>KID FINDS HIMSELF FAMOUS</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">“Ah, Fairchild, Doctor Merton would like to see -you in the office, please.”</p> - -<p>Mr. Crane looked at Kid so peculiarly -as he gave the message that had the latter entertained -any doubt as to the reason for the summons -such a doubt would have been instantly dispelled. -Kid experienced a sinking of the heart as he muttered -“Yes, sir,” and turned toward the Doctor’s -sanctum. Well, it had to be faced! Probably the -Doctor had had a reply to that letter and the worst -had come. It was all well enough to tell Nan that -he hadn’t said a word about his people losing their -money, but the story wouldn’t serve with the Doctor, -who drew a very fine line between truth and falsehood, -and who maintained that an untruth could be -implied as well as spoken. Kid’s feet dragged all -the way to the office, and when he was outside the -door, which happened to be closed, he stood there<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209"></a>[209]</span> -for several moments listening to the loud and irregular -thumping of his heart and wishing ever so -hard for the deck of that merchantman! Then he -summoned his courage and knocked. And then, in -response to a cheerful “Come in!” he opened the -door and entered.</p> - -<p>The Doctor was seated at his broad-topped desk, -a shiny mahogany desk it was, piled high with -books and papers and all sorts of business-like objects; -in short, a desk to dispel the last particle -of assurance in the culprit. But Kid, with a supreme -effort, summoned the cherub-look to his -countenance and faced his fate.</p> - -<p>The Doctor, who was reading the Whittier -<cite>Standard</cite>, laid aside the paper and looked across -the desk at Kid. There was nothing formidable in -that look. Rather it was friendly and smiling, and -Kid would have taken courage had he not known -that the Doctor possessed a disconcerting habit of -smiling before he smote. Kid’s round blue eyes -gazed innocently at the Doctor.</p> - -<p>“You—you sent for me, sir?” he asked in a -wee small voice.</p> - -<p>“Yes, James.” The Doctor’s smile vanished and -he frowned portentously across the litter of books<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210"></a>[210]</span> -and papers. “Sit down, please.” He nodded at a -chair, and Kid, wondering, seated himself on the -edge of it. Never before had he been invited to seat -himself in the Doctor’s office. Plainly the interview -was to be both protracted and painful! “Well, -sir,” continued the Principal, “and what’s this -you’ve been doing?”</p> - -<p>Kid tried to retain his look of cherubic innocence, -but it faded away and he lowered his head.</p> - -<p>“I—I—nothing, sir, if you please.”</p> - -<p>“Nothing! So you call it nothing, do you? I -should say it was a good deal. Do you perform -these brilliant feats very often, James?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” murmured Kid miserably. “And I -won’t ever do it again, sir.”</p> - -<p>To his surprise the Doctor went off into a peal -of laughter. Kid looked and stared. Of course the -laughter was ironic, but it didn’t sound so. Was it -possible that the Doctor was going to view the -affair in its humorous aspect? Kid found courage -to grin faintly.</p> - -<p>“Won’t ever do it again, eh?” chuckled the Doctor -finally. “Well, I guess that is so. You probably -will never have the chance, James.”</p> - -<p>Kid’s heart stopped beating for an instant. Expelled!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211"></a>[211]</span> -He was to be sent home! What would his -father say? And his mother? The tears began to -creep up toward his eyes; he felt them coming. -And he didn’t care!</p> - -<p>“No, one doesn’t have an opportunity to do a -thing like that more than once, James,” went on -the Doctor, smiling that peculiar smile. “In fact, -James, a good many of us never have the chance -to be a hero even once. Or perhaps we see the -chance and miss it, eh?”</p> - -<p>Kid stared bewilderedly.</p> - -<p>“I suppose your modesty kept you from speaking -of the incident, James? Well, modesty is very -becoming in a hero, my boy. And if I am to judge -by what the paper tells me you were undoubtedly -a hero. How does it feel to be a hero, James?”</p> - -<p>Kid’s mouth was wide open but no sound came -from it.</p> - -<p>“Embarrassing, is it?” the Doctor laughed. -“Well, I’ll spare your blushes. Maybe, though, -you’d like to see what the <cite>Standard</cite> has to say about -you?” The Doctor picked the paper from the corner -of the desk and held it out. Kid took it mechanically -and his eyes followed the direction of -the Doctor’s finger. But for a moment he saw<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212"></a>[212]</span> -nothing. Then, quite suddenly, the black type -leaped at him and he was reading the headlines:</p> - -<p class="noi adauthor">BOY HERO SAVES MANY LIVES</p> - -<p class="noic">JAMES FAIRCHILD FINDS LANDSLIDE<br /> -ON TRACK AND SIGNALS EXPRESS</p> - -<p class="noi works">TWO HUNDRED PASSENGERS PRAISE PROMPT ACTION<br /> -OF TWELVE-YEAR-OLD YOUTH AND SHOW GRATITUDE<br /> -BY LIBERAL PURSE OF MONEY<br /> -FEARFUL ACCIDENT NARROWLY AVERTED</p> - -<p>Kid read no further. He drew a long, long -sigh of relief. Then he looked up at the Doctor.</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe there were as many passengers -as that,” he stammered.</p> - -<p>“No? Well, the papers like to improve on a -good story. Now suppose you tell me just what -happened, my boy.”</p> - -<p>And so Kid, after a moment’s hesitation, told -his story. He didn’t say that he had started to run -away to sea and the Doctor asked no embarrassing -questions; but he told all the rest. And when he -had finished the Doctor said:</p> - -<p>“And this ‘liberal purse of money,’ James; -may I inquire how much it amounted to?”</p> - -<p>“Seventeen dollars and a half, sir.”</p> - -<p>The Doctor chuckled. “Liberal, indeed,” he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213"></a>[213]</span> -said. “I agree with you that the paper’s estimate -of the number of passengers is undoubtedly exaggerated. -Otherwise we must suppose that the passengers -valued their lives at something like eight -and three-quarters cents apiece, and that’s a low -estimate, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>Kid grinned. “Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Still, seventeen dollars is seventeen dollars, -and while you, of course, signaled the train without -thinking of any accruing reward, you are justly -entitled to it. I suppose you will—ah—send it home -to your folks. And that reminds me, James. I -fully intended writing to your father last week and -informing him how you had so pluckily set to work -to make money. I neglected to do it, though. I was -very busy at the time, and afterwards it slipped -my memory. Now, however, I shall have to write -at once. He will be very proud, I’m sure, to learn -what his boy has been doing. We’re proud, too, -James. You’re an honor to the school, sir. Of -course, I cannot commend your conduct in disobeying -instructions and leaving your room yesterday. -That was wrong, wasn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” replied Kid.</p> - -<p>“Yes. Still, in view of your subsequent conduct, -my boy, we will say no more about it. Only<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214"></a>[214]</span> -please remember that heroes obey orders, James. -Will you try to remember that?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. And—and please, Doctor, would you -mind not saying anything to my father about—about -my earning money, sir?”</p> - -<p>“Why—ah—if you feel that way about it, certainly -not. But I shall write him about the rest, -James. You don’t object to that, I trust?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir; thank you, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Yes. Well, that’s all then.” The Doctor shook -hands. “Better run along now. Even heroes have -duties, eh?”</p> - -<p>Kid withdrew, dazed. The Sword of Damocles -which he had imagined suspended over his head had -turned out to be a wreath of laurel! Instead of a -culprit he was a hero! The Doctor had not written -to his father as he had intended and now he -had agreed not to. Neither Mrs. Merton nor Mr. -Folsom had, it seemed, acquainted the Doctor with -the real reason of his illness. And, another favor -from Fortune, only one boy, Comstock, a day pupil, -had presented his box of Tinkham’s Throat-Ease -for redemption! Kid made his way into the hall -with his head held higher than it had been held for -days.</p> - -<p>“Io triumphus!” murmured Kid.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215"></a>[215]</span></p> - -<p>And then, just when he was triumphing, his eyes -encountered the long line of bookshelves across the -hall and the recollection of “Hairbreadth Harry” -spoiled it all. But there was no time to rescue that -daring adventurer, for the classes had already assembled, -and all Kid could do was to throw a longing -look in the direction of the Encyclopedia Britannica -and hurry to the schoolroom.</p> - -<p>The fellows in Mr. Crane’s room were in their -seats when Kid arrived at the swinging doors with -their oval windows and glanced in. The instructor’s -voice died away, there was a rustling as of a -newspaper being folded and a hum and shuffling -of feet from the boys. It was at that dramatic -moment that Kid entered. As the green doors -swung to behind him there commenced a clapping -of hands that increased in volume as he strolled -leisurely across the floor toward his seat. Kid was -hoping that Mr. Crane would rebuke him for being -tardy so that he might explain that he had been -detained by Doctor Merton and so “have one on -the instructor.” But Mr. Crane didn’t do anything -of the sort. Instead he smiled at Kid and clapped -his hands quite as loudly as anyone there. Now, -hand clapping in class room was indulged in only -when a visitor appeared or when, after a baseball<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216"></a>[216]</span> -or football game, some athletic hero entered. So, -naturally, Kid, wondering, turned to see who had -followed him in. Seeing no one, he looked the surprise -he felt, and laughter began to creep into the -<em>pat, pat</em> of hands. And then Kid realized that Mr. -Crane had seen the morning paper, had acquainted -the class, and that the applause was for him, Kid!</p> - -<p>All his sang-froid left him and he scuttled for -his seat with blushing cheeks. As he sank into -it with all eyes upon him, Small, who was his neighbor -on the right, leaned over, grinning, and clapped -his hands almost under Kid’s nose.</p> - -<p>“Aw, cut it out!” muttered Kid with a scowl.</p> - -<p>Then, as Small declined to “cut it out,” Kid -reached over quickly and deftly with his foot and -kicked Small’s shin. Fortunately, the ensuing expression -of grief from Small was drowned in the -diminishing applause.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217"></a>[217]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XVII">XVII<br /> -<small>A DONATION TO THE FUND</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">After school Kid had to tell all about it. -By that time he had grown used to being -a hero and every time he narrated his adventure -the story improved in interest. Mr. Folsom -and Mr. Crane had shaken hands with him, Nan -had become his admiring and willing slave and Mrs. -Merton had beamed upon him. No wonder that -his head had become a little bit turned, then. And -no wonder—considering Kid’s healthy imagination—that -by the time he got to the fifth or sixth -rendition of the story his heroism had attained -marvelous proportions.</p> - -<p>“You said you only ran about a quarter of a -mile,” objected Small.</p> - -<p>Kid viewed him untroubledly. “Only about a -quarter of a mile to the end of the cut,” explained -Kid. “After that it was a good quarter of a mile -to where the train stopped.”</p> - -<p>“Shut up, Small,” censured Ben Holden.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218"></a>[218]</span> -“Don’t you suppose Kid knows how far he had to -run?”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” chimed in Steve Lovell, “who saved -the train, anyhow? Then what happened, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“Then,” continued Kid, warming to his work, -“I saw that they were going to stop and I sank -exhausted at the side of the track.”</p> - -<p>“It was lucky you had that red sweater,” said -Billy Spooner. “Red’s the danger color, you -know.”</p> - -<p>“Sure I know! Don’t you think I thought of -that?” demanded Kid witheringly. “And that’s -funny, too, fellows. Something told me to put that -sweater on when I went out. I didn’t need it, for -it was real warm yesterday, but something seemed -to whisper to me ‘Put on your red sweater! Put -on your red sweater!’ And I did, and I was pretty -glad afterwards, you can bet!”</p> - -<p>“What happened when the train stopped?” -asked Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Why, the engineer leaned out of the engine -and said ‘What’s the matter, Kid?’ and I——”</p> - -<p>“How did he know your name?” asked Small -suspiciously.</p> - -<p>Kid shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know,” -he replied, “but that’s what he said. Then I said<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219"></a>[219]</span> -‘There’s been a slide in the cut and if you go on -you’ll be ditched.’ Then he said ‘Good Heavens!’ -just like that; ‘Good Heavens!’ And then the -conductor came running up and I told him and he -shook my hand and said I’d saved many lives—three -hundred, I think it was——”</p> - -<p>“The paper said only two hundred,” Small objected.</p> - -<p>“Oh, papers never get things right,” said Ben. -“Shut up, Small, and let him tell it.”</p> - -<p>“And after that,” continued Kid, “I got on the -train and told them to go slow and when we got to -the place the fireman got a shovel and we went to -where the dirt was on the rails and we shoveled it -off. Of course, by that time everyone in the train -had heard about it and they all came out of the -cars and insisted on shaking hands with me and -being silly. Then a gentleman suggested taking up -a collection and they did it. I told them I hadn’t -done anything much and wouldn’t accept a reward, -but they insisted——”</p> - -<p>Small here interrupted the narrative by a fit of -choking and had to be thumped on the back by Sam -Perkins. Kid viewed him suspiciously and finally -went on with increased dignity.</p> - -<p>“After the track was clear we went on to Mt.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220"></a>[220]</span> -Pleasant and the gentleman who had started the -collection made a speech and presented the money -to me. Of course, I wasn’t going to take it——”</p> - -<p>Small had a relapse and again interrupted proceedings.</p> - -<p>“But they all insisted and put the money into -my pockets. I didn’t have any say about it at all. -And then—then they gave a cheer and we—we got -into the station and I sneaked off in a hurry because -I’d heard them saying something about introducing -me to the president of the railroad.”</p> - -<p>“The president doesn’t live in Mt. Pleasant, -does he?” asked Sewall Crandall.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know. Perhaps he happened to be -there yesterday, though,” replied Kid. “They -travel around a good deal, you know.”</p> - -<p>“How much money did you drag out of it?” -asked Small.</p> - -<p>Kid frowned. “They <em>presented</em> me with a liberal -reward,” he answered with much dignity. “I -haven’t had time to count it yet, but I guess it won’t -amount to over a hundred.”</p> - -<p>“Phe-ew!” Small whistled expressively and -eyed Kid with envy. Then, “But I thought you -said before it was only about fifty, Kid?” he said.</p> - -<p>“Well, as I say, I haven’t counted it yet. Maybe<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_221"></a>[221]</span> -it will be nearer fifty than a hundred. I’d much -rather they hadn’t given me anything. I—I only -did my duty, you know.”</p> - -<p>“It’ll be quite a feather for the school,” remarked -Ben. “I hope the Maplewood fellows will -read about it. They think over there since they’ve -got an ex-President’s son that they’re the whole -thing! I haven’t heard of <em>him</em> getting out and saving -any lives!”</p> - -<p>After the group had broken up Lanny followed -Kid over toward the bookcase, whither the latter’s -steps led him every now and then.</p> - -<p>“When are you going to take back the tablets, -Kid?” he asked carelessly.</p> - -<p>Kid turned with an abstracted, far-away expression. -“What tablets do you mean, Lanny?”</p> - -<p>“Why the Tinkham’s, of course. You said you’d -pay back a quarter for every box returned, didn’t -you?”</p> - -<p>“Did I?” Kid reflected deeply. “Perhaps I -did. So much has happened——”</p> - -<p>“You said so just last night,” insisted Lanny -with annoyance. “Aren’t you going to?”</p> - -<p>“Why, yes, if the fellows feel that I ought to. -There’s no hurry, is there? Besides, what’s it to -you? You haven’t any of them.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_222"></a>[222]</span></p> - -<p>“Haven’t I? I’ve got ten boxes of them and I -want two dollars and a half for them!”</p> - -<p>Kid stared. “Ten boxes!” he ejaculated -finally. “Where did you get ten boxes, I’d like to -know. I only sold you one and you threw that -away——”</p> - -<p>“I thought I might need them,” answered Lanny -with a grin, “and so I got some of the fellows to -sell me theirs.”</p> - -<p>“You did, eh?” asked Kid disgustedly. “Say, -you’re a regular financier, aren’t you? You and -Rockefeller must look just alike at a distance, eh? -I suppose you told the other fellows you had a bad -cold and they gave their tablets to you?”</p> - -<p>“No, I told them I was hard up and needed them -for my starving family,” responded Lanny sweetly.</p> - -<p>Kid flushed. Then, after a moment’s pause, -“Well, you want two dollars and a half, do you?” -he asked so loudly that the boys across the room in -front of the hearth heard and turned around to -listen.</p> - -<p>“Well don’t yell it,” muttered Lanny. “You -said you’d take the tablets back—”</p> - -<p>“Yes, I agreed to take them back,” Kid replied -loudly. “It seemed only fair, as some of you fellows<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_223"></a>[223]</span> -were dissatisfied. There’s nothing the matter -with them, of course. They’re perfectly good -tablets and they’d do all I said they would. Still, -if you fellows feel that you’ve been cheated——”</p> - -<p>“What’s the row?” asked Ben Holden, sauntering -over, followed by others.</p> - -<p>“Nothing,” replied Lanny, visibly annoyed.</p> - -<p>“Not a thing,” said Kid sweetly. “We were -only talking about the Tinkham’s Throat-Ease. -Lanny says you’re all dissatisfied with them and -wants me to pay back——”</p> - -<p>“You agreed to do it!” exclaimed Lanny -warmly.</p> - -<p>“I am ready to do it, Lanny. Get your tablets. -You say you have ten boxes of them?”</p> - -<p>“That’s why he bought ours for five cents a -box!” exclaimed Sam Perkins. “Of all the underhand -tricks——”</p> - -<p>“Who said we were dissatisfied with the tablets, -I’d like to know?” inquired George Waters. -“Even if we were it wouldn’t be any of your business, -Lanny.”</p> - -<p>“And we’re not, Kid.” This from Ben Holden. -“And you ought to be ashamed, Lanny, to try to -hold up Kid like that.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_224"></a>[224]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh, I’m quite ready to buy them back,” said -Kid nobly. “I don’t want anyone dissatisfied. If -Lanny will get his boxes——”</p> - -<p>“You’ll do nothing of the sort,” retorted Ben -indignantly. “Lanny, if you say another word -about your tablets we’ll take every one away from -you! The idea of bothering Kid with a thing like -that after what he’s done for the school!”</p> - -<p>“You might as well take ’em,” muttered Lanny -glumly. “I don’t want ’em. Kid distinctly said -he’d buy ’em back——”</p> - -<p>“I’m going to!” Kid dived into his pocket, but -Ben seized his arm.</p> - -<p>“No, you shan’t, Kid! It isn’t going to be allowed, -is it, fellows?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir!” said Dick Gardner. “Let it be a -lesson to you, Lanny, not to be sneaky. You heard -Kid say he’d take the things back and instead of -coming and telling us like—like a man you made -believe you liked the things and made us sell you -ours cheap. Now you take your medicine!”</p> - -<p>“If he does he will die,” murmured Bert. “I -wouldn’t take one for fifty dollars!”</p> - -<p>“That’s it!” cried Stanley Pierce. “Let’s -make him eat one, fellows. Come on!”</p> - -<p>But Lanny, with one fearful howl of fright,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_225"></a>[225]</span> -broke through the group, eluding the restraining -hands that reached for him, and fled upstairs. -Above the laughter of those in the hall came -the sound of a slamming door and of a bolt driven -home. Ben turned to Kid, laying a hand protectingly -on his shoulder.</p> - -<p>“Don’t you pay him a cent, Kid. And if he -bothers you any more you come to me.”</p> - -<p>“Thanks, Ben. Still, rather than have him or -anyone else feel that I hadn’t acted square——”</p> - -<p>“No one says that, Kid. The idea! Why, I—I -didn’t half dislike those tablets, honest! <em>We</em> don’t -want you to take them back, do we, fellows?”</p> - -<p>Everyone agreed that he didn’t, Bert louder than -any. Kid shot a reproachful look at him and Bert -grinned.</p> - -<p>“Besides,” added Stanley Pierce, “if you must -spend some of your money, Kid, you’d better spend -it on eats and have a banquet, eh?”</p> - -<p>The idea was hailed enthusiastically by everyone -save Kid. Kid smiled bravely and said it was -a fine scheme, but when the others wanted him to -set a date he was evasive. And before they could -pin him down to a flat promise the dinner gong -summoned them. Lanny came down a little late -and slipped into his seat as unobtrusively as possible.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_226"></a>[226]</span> -And when Kid deftly exchanged his own pat -of butter for Lanny’s, which happened to be larger, -Lanny never said a word. He was thoroughly chastened.</p> - -<p>After school was over for the day Kid encountered -Bert in the corridor upstairs. “When are you -going to pay me that quarter?” inquired Kid.</p> - -<p>“Oh, some day,” Bert replied. “You don’t -need the money now, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“Why don’t I? I need it as much as you do. -Besides, it—it’s a debt of honor, Bert.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I’ll pay it. I said I would, didn’t I? But -a fellow with a hundred dollars doesn’t need——”</p> - -<p>“I haven’t got a hundred dollars,” replied Kid -sadly.</p> - -<p>“Well, then, fifty.”</p> - -<p>“I—I haven’t got fifty, Bert.”</p> - -<p>“You said you had. Now you’re afraid you’ll -have to spend some of it, I suppose.”</p> - -<p>“Honest I haven’t. If you don’t believe me, -Bert, come on and see for yourself.” Bert followed -him into Number 3 and Kid got the collar-box out -and emptied its contents on the bed. “That’s every -cent, Bert, honest injun!”</p> - -<p>“How much?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>“Seventeen and a half. Count it yourself.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_227"></a>[227]</span></p> - -<p>Bert counted it. “There’s eighteen-sixty-two, -Kid.”</p> - -<p>“I had a dollar and twelve cents. I’d forgotten -that. But all they gave me for saving their old -lives was seventeen dollars and a half!”</p> - -<p>“But the paper said—”</p> - -<p>“The paper didn’t know.” Kid viewed the pile -of bills and coins thoughtfully. Finally he counted -out ten dollars of it and pushed it resolutely toward -Bert. “Say, you take charge of that for me, will -you? That’s for the Fund, you know. If I have -it it’ll be gone in a week.”</p> - -<p>“I’d rather not, Kid. Suppose I lost it or it -was stolen.”</p> - -<p>“It wouldn’t be any worse than if I kept it -here,” answered Kid sadly. “It would be gone -just the same. I—I don’t seem to be able to save -money. Besides, Bert, you’re president of the -Junior Four and you ought to take charge of the -funds, anyway.”</p> - -<p>“That’s up to the treasurer, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“We haven’t any treasurer. And if we had -maybe I wouldn’t want to trust him with so much -money. No, you’d better take it. You see, I agreed -to give ten dollars toward the Fund and there it -is.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_228"></a>[228]</span></p> - -<p>“Well—” Bert counted the money, rolled it in -a piece of paper and dropped it into his pocket. -Kid viewed the proceedings wistfully, looking very -much as though on the point of changing his mind. -But he didn’t. He only heaved a deep sigh and -said as the money disappeared from sight: “Perhaps—perhaps, -Bert, you’d better give me some -kind of a receipt for it!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_229"></a>[229]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XVIII">XVIII<br /> -<small>CONFESSION AND PUNISHMENT</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">After Bert had gone, having pledged himself -to secrecy regarding the amount of Kid’s -reward, Kid wandered downstairs. That is, -he appeared to be wandering, but in reality he had -set forth on a very definite errand, which was to -rescue “Hairbreadth Harry” from the Encyclopedia -Britannica. Practically all the fellows were -out of doors, on slide or rink, and Kid, too, was -eager to get his little red sled and go coasting. But -that story-paper must be found first. Having -escaped detection and its unpleasant results so far, -Kid had no mind to get into trouble. In fact, realizing -that Fortune had dealt most kindly with him -of late, Kid was grateful and had firmly resolved -to lead a better life.</p> - -<p>The hall was empty when he came nonchalantly -down the stairs, whistling idly, and, when he had -paused beside the newel post to listen and had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_230"></a>[230]</span> -heard no alarming sounds, he loitered across to the -bookshelves and stretched his hand out for Volume -V of the encyclopedia. Then he stared and his jaw -dropped in dismay. Volume V was gone!</p> - -<p>Attached to the woodwork was a little black tin -box filled with narrow slips of cardboard and it -was the rule that when a book was taken from -the hall the borrower should write his name on one -of the slips and substitute it for the book. The slip -was there and Kid raised it anxiously and read the -name written.</p> - -<p>“Folsom!”</p> - -<p>Kid groaned. Fortune had deserted him utterly. -Mr. Folsom, sternest of disciplinarians, would -find the story-paper, would ask who had left it there -and Kid would have to confess. Of course, as long -as the instructor merely asked <em>who</em> he could maintain -a discreet silence; a fellow didn’t have to incriminate -himself; but Mr. Folsom wouldn’t stop -there. He would begin with Ben Holden and ask -each boy in turn and when it came Kid’s time to -answer he would have to own up. After that the -deluge! Mr. Folsom was notoriously opposed to -the sort of literature represented by “Hairbreadth -Harry.”</p> - -<p>Hoping against hope, Kid ran feverishly<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_231"></a>[231]</span> -through the remaining volumes of the encyclopedia, -but the paper was not there. He seated himself on -the window-seat, burrowed in the cushions and tried -to think calmly. Perhaps it was not yet too late. -Perhaps “Hairbreadth Harry” was still reposing -between the pages. If only he might get at the -book before Mr. Folsom! He would try it! Fortune -is said to favor the brave. Kid determined to -make a bid for favor.</p> - -<p>Mr. Folsom’s door was closed, but Kid’s knock -elicited a genial “Come in!” and he entered to find -Mr. Folsom, looking comfortable and informal in -his shirt-sleeves, in the act of lighting his pipe.</p> - -<p>“Hello, Fairchild,” he greeted. “Come in, my -boy. What can I do for you?”</p> - -<p>Mr. Folsom held the match to the bowl, emitted -a huge cloud of smoke and sighed contentedly. -Kid’s eyes surreptitiously searched the table. There -lay the fifth volume unopened. Kid sighed, too, but -with relief rather than contentment.</p> - -<p>“I saw you had Volume V of the encyclopedia, -sir,” he said. “I wanted to look up something and -so I thought maybe you wouldn’t mind if I borrowed -it a minute if you’re not using it.”</p> - -<p>“Certainly, certainly.” The instructor waved -his pipe at the book. “Help yourself, Fairchild,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_232"></a>[232]</span> -help yourself. I’m glad to see this thirst for information.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, sir.” Kid gripped the book tightly -under his arm. “I won’t keep it but a minute, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, don’t bother to lug it out. Sit right down -there and use it. There’s paper beside you and pen -and ink in front there. No use carrying a heavy -book like that out just for a minute, you know.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir; thank you, sir,” murmured Kid, depositing -the volume in its place again and sinking -into the swivel chair. “I just thought maybe you -wouldn’t want me to bother you. It may take me a -while to find what I want.”</p> - -<p>“Take all the time you want,” replied Mr. Folsom -heartily. He was evidently in a most genial -mood this afternoon. While Kid opened the volume -carefully so as not to display the story-paper, -he looked on benignly and puffed at his pipe. Kid, -frowning, turned page after page, in the hope -that Mr. Folsom would turn his back long enough -for him to pull the paper out. But Mr. Folsom -didn’t turn. He just stood there behind Kid and -his eyes seemed to be boring into the back of Kid’s -head. Kid turned the pages more wildly, seeing -nothing.</p> - -<p>“Maybe I can help you,” suggested the instructor<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_233"></a>[233]</span> -presently. “What is it you’re looking for, Fairchild?”</p> - -<p>“Er—er—” Kid’s mind was a blank. What -<em>was</em> he looking for? “Why—er—” Horrors! He -had almost blurted “Hairbreadth Harry!”</p> - -<p>“Well, well!” Mr. Folsom laughed. “Surely -you haven’t forgotten!”</p> - -<p>“No, sir; I’m looking for—for ‘tristichous’.”</p> - -<p>“For <em>what</em>?”</p> - -<p>“Tristichous, sir.” Somewhere, months ago, -Kid had come across the word and, as frequently -happens, it had stuck in his memory. He hadn’t -the slightest idea as to its meaning and Mr. Folsom’s -surprise caused him an uneasy fear that perhaps -tristichous was something he oughtn’t to know -about.</p> - -<p>“Tristichous,” mused the instructor. “That’s -new to me, Fairchild. Of course we know what a -tristich is—”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” murmured Kid, who hadn’t the least -idea what it was.</p> - -<p>“But tristichous—” Mr. Folsom paused and -frowned. “Perhaps of the nature of a tristich, but -that isn’t entirely satisfactory, is it?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir,” agreed Kid. “That’s what I -thought.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_234"></a>[234]</span></p> - -<p>“How was the word used? Do you recall the -sentence?”</p> - -<p>“N-no, sir, I don’t.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we’ll look it up.” Mr. Folsom advanced -to the table and laid hands on the book. “I’m -curious myself about it. I fancy we’ll find that it -is a scientific term, perhaps used in botany or architecture.”</p> - -<p>Kid was in a panic. If the instructor turned the -pages it was a foregone conclusion that he would -discover “Hairbreadth Harry.”</p> - -<p>“I’ll find it, sir!” exclaimed Kid. He began to -turn the leaves hurriedly, working away from the -front of the volume where the story-paper reposed.</p> - -<p>“Look for T,” murmured Mr. Folsom. “Why, -my dear boy, this isn’t the volume you want! This -is D!”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” Kid stared at the book. “So it is!”</p> - -<p>Mr. Folsom laughed. “How did you think it -was spelled, eh?”</p> - -<p>“I—I guess I was thinking it began with D,” -muttered Kid confusedly. “I—I’ll get the right -volume, sir.”</p> - -<p>He jumped up, seized the book from the table, -and started for the door. But with his hand on the -knob he heard the instructor’s fateful protest.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_235"></a>[235]</span></p> - -<p>“Hold on, Fairchild, you might leave that volume -here. I’m not through with it.”</p> - -<p>Kid paused at the open door. “I—I was just -going to put it back while I took the other one, sir. -You know the rule is you can’t have but one book -out at a time.”</p> - -<p>“I guess that doesn’t apply to me, Fairchild,” -Mr. Folsom laughed. “Still—well, take it along. -As a matter of fact, my boy, I’ve forgotten what I -was going to look up. This tristichous business of -yours has knocked the other thing out of my head!”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir; I’m sorry, sir,” murmured Kid. -Then he closed the door behind him, heaved a deep -sigh of relief, dexterously transferred “Hairbreadth -Harry” to his pocket and scuttled down -the stairs. Two minutes later he was at the rink, -Mr. Folsom and “tristichous” quite forgotten.</p> - -<p>Practice was almost over when he joined the -small audience along the barrier. On the further -rink the Day Team had for once assembled in full -strength and its members were putting in some hard -licks in preparation for the final contest on the following -Saturday. Kid watched them contemptuously -for a while and then turned his attention to -the House Team. Lanny, since his lucky shot in -the last game, had been taken onto the team as a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_236"></a>[236]</span> -regular and was charging wildly around the ice, -slashing and stumbling.</p> - -<p>“Lanny’s getting better all the time,” remarked -Bert.</p> - -<p>“If he gets much better,” Kid responded, “he -will break his neck!”</p> - -<p>This witticism elicited a hearty laugh from his -hearers. Kid was discovering that since he had become -a hero his faintest efforts to be humorous met -with flattering success, and his words were listened -to with a new and almost disconcerting respect. -And Kid was a philosopher and he determined to -make the most of his glory. That is why, when, -presently, the fellows returned to the hall, Kid selected -the most comfortable chair in front of the -big fireplace and stretched his legs out until his -wet shoes rested comfortably on the edge of the -fender. Ordinarily Kid’s place was, with the rest -of the youngsters, outside the circle. But only Dick -Gardner uttered any protest, and that half-heartedly.</p> - -<p>“Well, you believe in making yourself comfortable, -don’t you, Kid?” he inquired dryly.</p> - -<p>“Did you want this chair?” Kid asked politely, -moving as though to relinquish it.</p> - -<p>“No, there are others,” answered Dick, relenting. -“Keep your seat, Kid.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_237"></a>[237]</span></p> - -<p>So Kid kept it and the upper class fellows -ranged themselves beside him, and Bert, Lanny and -Small sat outside the pale and observed him enviously. -Kid felt very content and was wondering -how he could bring the conversation around to the -subject of his heroism without seeming to do so -when Mr. Folsom descended the stairs. He was -making for Doctor Merton’s room when his glance, -sweeping over the group in front of the hearth, -lighted on Kid.</p> - -<p>“Ah, Fairchild!” He stopped and smiled at the -hero. “Did you find that word?”</p> - -<p>“Er—no, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Really? Did you look thoroughly?”</p> - -<p>“I—I didn’t have time. I’m going to look it -up after supper, sir.”</p> - -<p>“No time like the present, my boy. Come -along.”</p> - -<p>So Kid yielded his chair with a sigh and joined -the instructor at the bookcase. And when, five minutes -later, it had been discovered that “tristichous” -meant “arranged on the stem in three vertical -rows,” and when, ten minutes later, Mr. Folsom had -concluded his short lecture on the derivation of the -word and its application to the science of botany, -Kid returned to the hearth to find Sewall Crandall -occupying his chair. And, although Kid was not<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_238"></a>[238]</span> -in the least deficient in assurance, he somehow -found himself unequal to the emergency, and so -sank into a seat in the outer darkness without a -protest.</p> - -<p>It was on Friday morning that Kid got a letter -from his father, and, with it, a shorter note from -his mother. Doctor Merton’s news had reached -them—the Doctor had also sent a clipping from the -local paper—and they were both very proud and -happy. Of course Kid’s father strove to write as -though his son had performed quite an everyday, -ordinary bit of heroism, praiseworthy, to be sure, -but nothing to boast of. But his efforts weren’t -altogether successful, for his pride showed through -here and there. Kid’s mother’s note sounded almost -tearful, and Kid got a little choky himself -when he read it. On the whole, those two epistles -didn’t contribute greatly to his peace of mind. He -felt rather ashamed of himself, in fact. He almost -wished that the Doctor had written about the other -matter, too. The more he considered his recent -efforts to become a merchant prince the more he -was convinced that he had acted dishonestly. It -had all been—been very unfortunate, he sighed. He -hadn’t really meant to deceive anyone; he hadn’t -really meant to go to the village and embark on that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_239"></a>[239]</span> -orgy of candy and pastry and root beer; it seemed -now, as he reviewed the recent happenings, as -though some malignant fate had just simply -dragged him on from one indiscretion to another. -Kid gloomed over the matter until afternoon. Then -he reached a heroic resolve. He would confess!</p> - -<p>But a good half-hour intervened between the -resolution and the act. It wasn’t so easy, after all. -And in the end it was not the Doctor whom he -sought, but Mrs. Merton. Even then it was a difficult -task, and it was some time before he succeeded -in convincing her of his crimes. “I—I thought the -Doctor ought to know,” ended Kid.</p> - -<p>“Of course, James, but why didn’t you go to -him?”</p> - -<p>Kid hung his head and was silent.</p> - -<p>“Shall we go to him now and tell him?” asked -Mother gently.</p> - -<p>Kid nodded readily but with no enthusiasm, and -they made their way from Mrs. Merton’s sitting-room -to the Doctor’s office. There Kid, helpfully -prompted by the Doctor’s wife, made a clean breast -of it all; how, in order to sell his throat tablets, he -had allowed the fellows to think that financial disaster -had overtaken his family, how he had gone -to the village and spent almost all his earnings and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_240"></a>[240]</span> -how he had stolen away from school to become a -sailor. More than once the Doctor turned and -busied himself with a book or a paper to hide the -trembling of his lips, and once Kid, glancing up -suddenly, surprised Mrs. Merton with a broad -smile on her face. But the Doctor spoke very -gravely when Kid had concluded his narrative, and -Kid guessed he must have been mistaken about that -smile. The upshot of it all was that Kid was to -made a clean breast to the fellows and ask their -pardons for the deception he had practiced. Also -he was to remain in bounds for two weeks. Kid -came away from that interview almost happy and -filled with noble resolves to be a better boy. The -punishment was nothing compared to the relief of -getting that load from his mind!</p> - -<p>He rather funked the task that remained, however, -and when the fellows had assembled in the -hall as was customary during the half-hour before -supper he roamed restlessly about for quite ten -minutes before he gained sufficient courage to speak -his piece. And when he did begin his voice was so -low and husky that no one heard his first request of -attention.</p> - -<p>“Say, you fellows,” began Kid again, clearing -his throat.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_241"></a>[241]</span></p> - -<p>“What?” asked Sam Perkins lazily.</p> - -<p>“I—I’ve got something to say,” proceeded Kid.</p> - -<p>“Out with it, then. Been doing any more -blooming heroics?”</p> - -<p>“No, it—isn’t about that—exactly,” Kid faltered. -By this time his audience was attentive, for -it was evident from Kid’s embarrassment that -something was up. “It’s about my—my folks.”</p> - -<p>“Go ahead,” said Ben Holden. “What about -’em, Kid? Haven’t had bad news, have you?” Ben -was gruffly kind and anxious.</p> - -<p>“No. That’s it. I mean——”</p> - -<p>“Stop walking around and let’s hear it,” advised -Stanley Pierce. “You’ve been up to some -prank, I’ll bet!”</p> - -<p>“My folks are all right,” blurted Kid.</p> - -<p>“Glad to hear it. Do you mean that they’ve got -their money back again, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“They—they never lost it.”</p> - -<p>“Oh! Well, what made you think they had?” -asked Ben.</p> - -<p>“I—I didn’t. I just let you fellows think that -so you’d buy those Tinkham things.”</p> - -<p>There was an ominous silence for a moment. -Then Stanley, half rising from his chair, ejaculated: -“You young rascal!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_242"></a>[242]</span></p> - -<p>“Hold on,” said Ben. “Let’s get this right, -Stanley. You mean you told that whopper just to -work on our—our sympathies, Kid?”</p> - -<p>“I—I didn’t really <em>say</em> it,” faltered Kid. “I -just said they didn’t send me much money now, and -you fellows thought I meant——”</p> - -<p>“Cut it out! You meant us to think it, Kid. -Now didn’t you?”</p> - -<p>“I—I suppose so,” Kid murmured.</p> - -<p>“You ought to get a hiding!” exclaimed Stanley.</p> - -<p>“What made you fess up now, Kid?” asked -George Waters.</p> - -<p>“I told the Doctor and he said I ought to tell -you fellows and ask your pardons.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, so you told the Doctor, eh? What did he -do to you?”</p> - -<p>“In bounds two weeks,” replied Kid gloomily.</p> - -<p>“And mighty soft,” said Ben. “He ought to -have put you on probation for a month. After -you’d got us pitying your people and buying your -nasty old tablets to help you you went down to -the village and spent all the money and made yourself -sick. That’s a fine game, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>Kid was silent. Someone chuckled.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_243"></a>[243]</span></p> - -<p>“What’s the joke, young Bryant?” demanded -Ben coldly.</p> - -<p>Bert turned his chuckling into a cough.</p> - -<p>“Better take a Tinkham’s Throat-Ease for -that,” advised Sewall Crandall sotto voce. A smile -went around the circle. Even Ben’s face relaxed -from its frown.</p> - -<p>“Still,” said Sam Perkins, “Kid did save that -train, you know. You can’t get around that.”</p> - -<p>“How do we know he did?” asked Ben. “Maybe -he lied about that, too!”</p> - -<p>“How about it?” demanded Stanley Pierce. -“Did you really save that train, Kid, or was that -more of your—your lively imagination?”</p> - -<p>“That was just like I said,” responded Kid, -“mostly.”</p> - -<p>“Mostly!”</p> - -<p>“I mean—I—I exaggerated a little, maybe——”</p> - -<p>“I knew it!” exclaimed Ben.</p> - -<p>“Well, the paper had it, didn’t it?” asked Sam -Perkins. “Of course he saved the train. You did, -didn’t you, Kid? And got a lot of money for it, -too, eh?”</p> - -<p>“Not—not so much as I let you think,” replied -Kid uneasily.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_244"></a>[244]</span></p> - -<p>“Oh! Well, how much, then?”</p> - -<p>“Seventeen dollars and a half, Sam.”</p> - -<p>There was a laugh. “Do you mean they only -gave you seventeen dollars and a half for saving -their lives?” ejaculated Ben. “Why, the paper -said there were two hundred of ’em!”</p> - -<p>“That’s all they gave me, though,” responded -Kid. “I showed it to Bert. He saw it. You ask -him.”</p> - -<p>“That’s right, fellows; I counted it,” confirmed -Bert.</p> - -<p>“Look here,” said Ben, “let’s get the hang of -this, fellows. Kid, you sit down there and tell the -whole thing just as it happened. And no—no fancy -embroidery, do you understand? What made you -start selling those Tinkham things, in the first -place?”</p> - -<p>So Kid, seated on the edge of a chair and looking -as truthful as one of Raphael’s cherubs, began -at the very beginning and told everything; how he -had agreed to give ten dollars to the Junior Four -Fund and had sent for the Tinkham’s Throat-Ease -tablets to make the money; how, yielding to sudden -temptation, he had fabricated the fiction regarding -his family’s financial losses and how Dr. Merton -had threatened to write to his folks and tell them<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_245"></a>[245]</span> -how plucky he was; how with disgrace staring him -in the face he had resolved to have one grand final -spree in the village before the sword fell; and how -having determined to run away to sea rather than -face the results of his course, he had found the -slide on the railroad track and become a hero and -been brought back willy-nilly to Mt. Pleasant.</p> - -<p>When he had at last finished his narrative it -was Stanley Pierce who voiced the general verdict.</p> - -<p>“Well, Kid,” said Stanley in a voice of reluctant -admiration, “you’re certainly a wonder!”</p> - -<p>“I—I’m sorry,” said Kid earnestly. “And I’ll -give back the money, honest!”</p> - -<p>“What money?” asked Ben.</p> - -<p>“What you fellows paid for the Tinkham’s.”</p> - -<p>“Oh, that! We don’t want the money, I guess. -That part’s all right. In fact—” He paused and -looked about him. “I guess you’ve got what was -coming to you, Kid, already. What do you say, -fellows?”</p> - -<p>“Sure,” responded Steve Lovell.</p> - -<p>“Vote we accept the gentleman’s apologies,” -laughed George Waters.</p> - -<p>“Of course.” This from Sam Perkins. “Kid’s -all right. If it wasn’t for Kid life here would be -one long dull and dreary grind. Besides, ‘Toots’<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_246"></a>[246]</span> -Morgan swears it was one of those Tinkham’s -things that made him miss that puck the other day -and gave us the game.”</p> - -<p>“That’s so,” agreed Ben. “Kid, you’re forgiven, -but you want to behave yourself after this; -hear? No more fibs, my son. Lying isn’t manly.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe Kid meant to lie,” said Stanley. -“Not really, that is. Did you, Kid?”</p> - -<p>Kid shook his head. “No, I never mean to, -Stanley, only somehow—first thing I know—fellows -get—get a wrong impression——”</p> - -<p>There was a howl of laughter. “Well,” Ben -chuckled, “after this, Kid, you look out and see -that we don’t get wrong impressions!”</p> - -<p>“Just the same,” ventured Lanny eagerly, “I -think he ought to be made to buy back those Tinkham’s, -Ben. He promised he would!”</p> - -<p>“Dry up, Lanny! If I hear any more out of -you about your old Tinkham’s I’ll make you eat -’em. Hear?”</p> - -<p>Lanny heard and subsided. And at that moment -the supper bell sounded and House filed into -the dining-room in high good humor.</p> - -<p>The deciding hockey game took place the following -afternoon, and I’d like to be able to record -a brilliant triumph for House, since I am sure your<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_247"></a>[247]</span> -sympathies are with the House Team. But I can’t. -That final contest was never for a moment in doubt -after Billy Spooner slapped the puck into the net -for the first score scarcely a minute after the game -started. Day simply ran away with the game. -Five to one it was at the end of the first half, and -twelve to two when the last whistle blew. All Kid’s -eloquence, all the combined cheering of the House -rooters failed to disturb the equanimity of the Day -Team’s players. They mowed everything before -them and won the grudging admiration of their opponents -by the brilliancy of their work. And -finally they trooped away down the hill, cheering -and exulting and waving their sticks, with the -Hockey Cup borne aloft in triumph.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_248"></a>[248]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XIX">XIX<br /> -<small>THE TROPHY IS PRESENTED</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">A week later the last of the ice had disappeared, -the boards about the rinks had been -stored for another season and the tennis -courts lay exposed where the ring of skates had -sounded on the winter air. Mild weather came -with a jump and almost before one knew it baseballs -had made their appearance and spring was at -hand.</p> - -<p>But meanwhile the Junior Four had held meetings -in the harness room—sometimes with the window -wide open and the warm breath of an early -spring day creeping in to them—and settled the -matter of the trophy. First of all, an estimate had -been received from a manufacturer in New York. -The trophy was to be eight inches in height, of solid -silver, to rest on a little ebony base, and to cost sixteen -dollars. At first this had seemed a prohibitive -price.</p> - -<p>“We can never get that much money,” exclaimed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_249"></a>[249]</span> -Nan in despair. “Why, I haven’t saved -anything yet! I had a quarter, but I—I bought -some of Kid’s tablets with it.”</p> - -<p>“So did I,” said Small.</p> - -<p>“Same here!” laughed Bert.</p> - -<p>Lanny only scowled. Kid smiled sweetly.</p> - -<p>“I guess by the time we have to pay the money,” -he said nonchalantly, “we’ll have enough. Anyhow, -just as a starter——”</p> - -<p>He reached into his pocket and handed a slip -of paper to Nan. She read it to herself and then -aloud for the benefit of the others: “Received from -Kid Fairchild ten dollars for the Junior Four -Fund. Bert Bryant, Treasurer.”</p> - -<p>“Do you really mean it, Kid?” Nan demanded -delightedly. “Are you really going to give ten -dollars?”</p> - -<p>“I’ve already given it,” replied Kid carelessly. -“Bert’s got it—unless he’s lost it.” Kid’s voice had -an anxious tone toward the end, but Bert shook his -head.</p> - -<p>“I’ve got it,” he said. “And I’ve saved seventy-five -cents myself. So all we need now is four dollars -and a quarter. We can get that all right. I -dare say this fellow won’t get the mug made for a -month or so.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_250"></a>[250]</span></p> - -<p>“Of course we can!” declared Nan delightedly. -“Only—only it doesn’t seem quite fair for Kid to -give so much, does it?”</p> - -<p>“He’d better pay his debts with it,” growled -Lanny.</p> - -<p>“Well, he will have his name first on the cup,” -said Small. “That ought to be worth something.”</p> - -<p>“Will this man who makes it put the names -on?” Nan inquired. Bert shook his head.</p> - -<p>“I suppose he would if we wanted him to, but -I think we’d better have it done here. Besides, we -don’t know yet whose name will come next to Kid’s. -And we haven’t settled on—on the inscription.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll do that now, then,” said Nan. “Who has -a pencil?”</p> - -<p>Only Small possessed such a thing and it was so -dull that Nan had to gnaw the point of it before it -would write. Much discussion ensued and it was -some time before an inscription satisfactory to -everyone had been evolved. The final draft read -as follows:</p> - -<p class="noic">JUNIOR FOUR BASEBALL TROPHY<br /> -PRESENTED TO MOUNT PLEASANT ACADEMY TO BE<br /> -CONTESTED FOR BY HOUSE AND DAY TEAMS<br /> -THE GIFT OF—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_251"></a>[251]</span></p> - -<p>“Then will come our names,” said Bert.</p> - -<p>“You mean your names,” amended Nan sadly.</p> - -<p>“Yours too,” replied Bert stoutly. “Don’t you -say so, fellows?”</p> - -<p>They did say so, emphatically, and Nan was so -pleased that she blushed very prettily and declared -that she wouldn’t think of such a thing!</p> - -<p>It was the second week in April when the trophy -actually arrived. It was all they had hoped for -and more. I fancy the maker had improved somewhat -on Small’s design, but no one hinted at such a -thing and Small was decidedly proud. The trophy -was urn-shaped, with two square-shouldered handles, -and held on one side in relief a wreath of -laurel leaves enclosing crossed bats and a ball. The -other side had been left bare for the inscription. -There was a little polished ebony base for it to -stand on and a purple canton flannel bag to keep it -in. Everyone was greatly pleased with it and it -was passed from hand to hand and admired and set -up on the grain-chest and re-admired until Nan -grew fearful that they would wear it out!</p> - -<p>“It’s just superb!” she declared ecstatically. -“That’s what it is, it’s just superb!”</p> - -<p>“Dandy!” agreed Lanny. “And, say, look inside, -fellows; it’s gold inside!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_252"></a>[252]</span></p> - -<p>“Just gold-washed, I suppose,” said Bert. -“Pretty, though, isn’t it?”</p> - -<p>“I tell you what it is,” said Kid suddenly, -“we’ve got to win that ourselves, fellows. We -mustn’t let the day fellows get it, must we?”</p> - -<p>“I should say not!” exclaimed Bert in horror.</p> - -<p>“Why, the very idea!” ejaculated Nan.</p> - -<p>“Well, what’s to keep them from getting it?” -asked Small uneasily. “They beat us last year, -didn’t they?”</p> - -<p>“Did they, Nan?” asked Bert.</p> - -<p>Nan nodded. “Terribly!” she sighed.</p> - -<p>“Then we’ll just have to get busy and practice,” -said Kid. “Gee, we can’t let those dubs get it!”</p> - -<p>“Never!” cried Lanny. “Let’s see Ben and -tell him about it.”</p> - -<p>“Maybe we’d better show it to them now,” suggested -Bert. “Maybe if they saw it they’d work -harder.”</p> - -<p>“No, let’s wait until we’ve had the inscription -put on it,” said Lanny. “Then we’ll have the Doctor -or Mr. Crane announce it, eh?”</p> - -<p>“We could have the inscription put on any time -now, couldn’t we?” Nan asked. “We know what -it’s to be and how the names are going and all.”</p> - -<p>“That’s right,” agreed Bert. “The sooner the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_253"></a>[253]</span> -better. We’ll take it to that jeweler chap in Whittier; -he’s the best, they say; and he ought to be -able to do it in a couple of days. Then we’ll give -it to the Doctor and ask him to show it in class and -make the announcement.”</p> - -<p>“Then the day fellows will know about it, too,” -objected Kid. “And they’ll be as anxious to get -it as our fellows, and——”</p> - -<p>“It wouldn’t be fair to show it to House alone,” -said Bert firmly. “I know I suggested it, but I -didn’t think. After all, we’re presenting it to the -school and not to the house.”</p> - -<p>“I guess that’s so,” Kid murmured. “I wish, -though, that Ben would hurry up and start practice.”</p> - -<p>“He’s going to start Monday,” replied Lanny. -“He told me so yesterday. After that if we don’t -win this it’s up to us, fellows.”</p> - -<p>“Don’t you worry,” said Kid. “We’re going -to win it. You just wait and see!”</p> - -<p>Baseball practice didn’t start the following -Monday for the reason that it began to rain on Sunday -and kept it up for three days. By Tuesday -afternoon disconsolate fellows were wondering how -there could possibly be any more moisture left in -the sky. Kid was exceeding wroth and said so<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_254"></a>[254]</span> -many unkind things about the climate that it is -really quite possible that the rain kept up just for -revenge.</p> - -<p>“If only we had a baseball cage indoors somewhere!” -sighed Ben Holden, who was captain of -the House Nine. It was Tuesday afternoon and -Ben was in Stanley’s room.</p> - -<p>“There wouldn’t be room for one anywhere,” -said Stanley. “I should think, though, that the -battery might practice in the gymnasium.”</p> - -<p>“We tried that year before last. If you have -the lights on you can’t judge the balls at all and -if you don’t have them on you can’t see. Besides, -George heaved a ball through a window and the -Doc made us stop practicing in there. Last year -the day fellows held pitching and batting practice -in the old freight shed down at the station two -weeks before we could get out to do anything. And -I suppose they’re at it again this year.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe so. I haven’t heard anything -about it.”</p> - -<p>“You wouldn’t. They don’t tell much.” He -turned disgustedly to the window and looked out -at the sodden, dripping world. “Even if it stops -raining to-night it will be too wet to practice to-morrow.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_255"></a>[255]</span></p> - -<p>“We’ll put on rubbers,” responded Stanley -cheerfully. “It will be a heap better than staying -indoors. Let’s see that batting list again, Ben.”</p> - -<p>“I haven’t got it here, but I remember it. Steve -first, then you, then me, then Cupples, Crandall, -Gardner, Perkins, Waters and Grey.”</p> - -<p>“It sounds pretty weak in the middle, Ben.”</p> - -<p>“I know, but what can you do? Besides, Cupples -isn’t so bad with the bat sometimes. And this -new fellow, Bryant, may turn out to be something -and I can use him in place of Gardner. Who are -those fellows coming up the road?”</p> - -<p>“Lanny and Bert and Kid. They’ve been to the -village. They look about half drowned, don’t they? -I don’t think it’s raining as hard as it was, though.”</p> - -<p>“It’s raining hard enough,” growled Ben. -“Got anything to read? I’m down to hard-pan.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t believe so. I’m reading ‘Kidnapped’ -for about the sixth time. Maybe Kid’s got something, -though.” He walked around to his roommate’s -side of the table and examined the dozen or -so volumes there. “Hm; ‘Masterman Ready,’ -‘Aid to the Composition of English,’ ‘Student’s -Dictionary,’ ‘Holy Bible,’ ‘Two Years Before the -Mast’—ever read that?”</p> - -<p>“Ages ago. What’s the big book?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_256"></a>[256]</span></p> - -<p>“This?” Stanley pulled it out and looked at -the title. “It’s somebody’s botany; Kid had an -idea last fall that he wanted to study botany, and—hello!” -Something had fallen from the pages -of the big book and Stanley picked it up and unfolded -it. “‘Hairbreadth Harry, the Gentleman -Scout,’” he read. “Well, what do you think of -that young rascal? Supposing someone had found -that!”</p> - -<p>“Let’s see it,” said Ben. “Hm; looks rather -good. Mind if I borrow it?”</p> - -<p>“Help yourself,” laughed Stanley, “only don’t -say you got it from me if it gets pinched!”</p> - -<p>“I won’t. I guess it will help to keep me going -until supper time. Well, so long. Tell Kid I borrowed -this.”</p> - -<p>Stanley replied that he would, but he promptly -forgot all about it, and when, ten minutes later, -Kid came in to change his wet shoes for dry ones -Stanley was deep in “Kidnapped.”</p> - -<p>The next morning in class Doctor Merton made -the announcement regarding the Junior Four Baseball -Trophy. The house fellows had heard rumors -about the cup, but to the rest it was news, and when -the Doctor drew the silver trophy from its purple -bag and set it on the corner of his desk there were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_257"></a>[257]</span> -murmured exclamations of admiration followed by -a hearty clapping of hands. Bert and Lanny and -Small strove to look unconscious when their names -were given as being donors, but Kid beamed and -winked when the fellows turned to regard him. As -they passed out the fellows stopped at the desk -to examine the trophy. The inscription had been -neatly engraved and read as follows:</p> - -<p class="noic">JUNIOR FOUR BASEBALL TROPHY<br /> -PRESENTED TO MOUNT PLEASANT ACADEMY TO BE<br /> -CONTESTED FOR BY HOUSE AND DAY TEAMS</p> - -<p class="noic">THE GIFT OF<br /> -JAMES FAIRCHILD<br /> -ALBERT PAYSON BRYANT<br /> -LANSING STONE GREY<br /> -THOMAS KIRKWOOD FRYE<br /> -NANCY MERTON</p> - -<p>The trophy created a sensation and was the subject -of conversation for the rest of the day. Will -Turner, captain and first baseman of the Day -Team, declared that it was as good as won.</p> - -<p>“Huh,” said Sam Perkins, who had overheard -him, “when you fellows get even one leg of that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_258"></a>[258]</span> -you’ll know it! That little cup has our name all -over it!”</p> - -<p>Ben Holden was delighted and told the juniors -that they were bricks, that he was proud of them -and that the cup would look fine on the hall mantel. -“But I don’t see how you fellows ever got -enough money together to buy a thing like that!”</p> - -<p>“Kid gave most——” began Bert. But Kid interrupted.</p> - -<p>“We worked hard and saved our money,” said -Kid. “And it’s nobody’s business who gave most, -Bert. We all gave.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it’s dandy, Kid. I never saw a handsomer -one. Where’d you get it?”</p> - -<p>“New York. Small designed it, though, didn’t -you, Small?”</p> - -<p>Small nodded in embarrassment. Ben told him -he was a smart kid.</p> - -<p>“And now what we’ve got to do,” continued Ben -resolutely, “is to work hard and win it! Practice -begins at three-thirty sharp this afternoon. Every -fellow put rubbers on, for the ground’s sopping -wet. And every fellow come out. No excuses accepted -to-day!”</p> - -<p>But Ben needn’t have feared for a full attendance,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_259"></a>[259]</span> -for the Junior Four Trophy had awakened -an earnest enthusiasm in house and day pupils -alike and at the appointed time every fellow in -school was on the field.</p> - -<p>There were two diamonds and so both teams -were able to practice at once, and, save that the -outfielders were forced to intermingle, there was -plenty of room for each. With only twenty-four -candidates to pick from, Mt. Pleasant Academy was -handicapped when it came to contesting with other -schools and so only a few outside games were -scheduled each year. The big game was played just -before graduation day with Maplewood School, -which had only a few more pupils than Mt. Pleasant -but which usually managed to win. There were, -besides, games with the neighboring high school -teams in June. But the early season was sacred -to intrascholastic contests in which day students -and house students fought for supremacy. When -all was said the games between House and Day -aroused more interest than the contests with outside -nines. When the question of the school championship -had been settled then the best players of -House and Day forgot their recent rivalry and combined -to form the school team.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_260"></a>[260]</span></p> - -<p>Of course with twelve players only neither -House nor Day could put two full teams on the -diamond, but they managed to get along pretty -well in spite of that fact. One year Day Team had -played a game with Whittier High School and -House had protested. The ruling was then made -that neither team was to take part in any contest -outside the series. As a consequence, when House -and Day met for the first game each nine was decidedly -green and inexperienced, but that fact only -added to the interest and suspense.</p> - -<p>To-day the practice was short, for the field was -like a quagmire and the players’ rubbers, which -Ben had insisted on their wearing, were continually -coming off in the mud. There was some batting -practice and a little throwing to bases, and both -George Waters and Sam Perkins, first and second -choice pitchers respectively, limbered up their arms -a little, but it was no day for hard work and Ben -soon called a halt. But even as it was there were -several sore backs that evening, and Sewall Crandall -proudly displayed a badly swollen finger, the -first honorable scar of the season.</p> - -<p>Kid had given ten dollars to the trophy fund -and had sent two dollars to the Tinkham Chemical<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_261"></a>[261]</span> -Company—after several reminders—in payment -for the celebrated throat tablets. After which he -had had a little over six dollars left. During the -term of his punishment he had been unable to get -rid of much of this balance, although he had sent -fifty cents of it away by mail in the purchase of -what an enticing advertisement had called “The -Magician’s Cabinet of Magic.” The cabinet consisted -of a small paper box containing a pack of -cards and scant directions for performing tricks -with them. Kid had promptly written to the advertiser -and explained his opinion of the cabinet, -but that had ended the matter. But once released -from bounds Kid had succeeded in squandering -three of his remaining six dollars in the village. -And now, during the first week of baseball practice, -Kid went bankrupt in the purchase of a wonderful -fielder’s glove and a bat. The bat had the name -of a celebrated member of the baseball profession -printed on it in large letters, but Kid couldn’t see -that it enabled him to hit the ball any more frequently -than before. Kid was a substitute outfielder, -and, save that he couldn’t begin to get the ball -further than a baseman when throwing it in after -a catch, he performed remarkably well. He really<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_262"></a>[262]</span> -had an eye like a hawk’s when it came to judging -flies and he was fairly certain of holding them if -they struck his glove. On the whole, Kid bade fair -to become in time a very useful member of baseball -society at Mt. Pleasant. Of the other juniors -Bert was a substitute outfielder also, Lanny played -in center and Small was a substitute infielder with -few chances to play. The great trouble with Small -was that when a ball came his way he was too apt -to turn his back to it—if he didn’t absolutely run -away from it!—and stop it by allowing it to bounce -off some portion of his anatomy.</p> - -<p>Small was also official scorer, and he was much -more of a success on the bench with the score-book -on his knee than in the field. However, we can’t -all be Wagners or Doyles!</p> - -<p>April ran its course, half smiles and half tears, -and the merry month of May came in, and with it -the first game in the House vs. Day series. By this -time George Waters’ pitching arm was in fair -shape, Ben Holden’s fingers had become hardened -against foul-tips and Harold Cupples, on third, had -learned to throw across the diamond without missing -Stanley Pierce, at first, by more than six feet. -The first contest was played on the first Saturday -afternoon in May, and, since the batting order for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_263"></a>[263]</span> -that game remained practically unchanged during -the succeeding contests, I will give it here.</p> - -<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Lineup"> -<tr> - <th class="tdl smcap">House Team.</th> - <th class="tdlp smcap">Day Team.</th> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Lovell, 2b.</td> - <td class="tdlp">White, c.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Pierce, 1b.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Turner, 1b.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Holden, c.</td> - <td class="tdlp">O’Connell, c.f.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Cupples, 3b.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Briggs, r.f.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Crandall, s.s.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Grimshaw, 2b.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Gardner, l.f.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Spooner, 3b.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Perkins, r.f.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Tucker, s.s.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Waters, p.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Sibley, l.f.</td> -</tr> -<tr> - <td class="tdl">Grey, c.f.</td> - <td class="tdlp">Morgan, p.</td> -</tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_264"></a>[264]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XX">XX<br /> -<small>DAY WINS AND LOSES</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">Imagine, please, a mild, damp afternoon, -quite windless, with a pale blue sky in which a -half-hearted sun played hide-and-seek behind -a field of lazy, ragged clouds. There was a suggestion -of rain in the air, but the sun was shining -genially enough when, at three o’clock, Mr. Crane, -attired in a faded blue sweater and a pair of disgracefully -worn gray flannel trousers, called -“Play!”</p> - -<p>House had won the toss and had taken the field. -George Waters started in the box for House and in -that first inning only four Day batters faced him. -George had a drop that was a puzzler, a curve that -kept even the catcher guessing and a straight fast -ball that was perhaps harder to hit safely than -either of his other offerings.</p> - -<p>The small audience who watched the game from -the settees along the first base line clapped as the -house players trotted to the bench. Kid, squeezed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_265"></a>[265]</span> -tightly against Small, generously supplying unsolicited -assistance in scoring, cheered shrilly as -Steve Lovell went to bat. Steve allowed two of -“Toots” Morgan’s wide ones to pass unchallenged -and then lighted on a good ball and drove it far -into right field. Briggs, a small, chunky day boy, -did his level best to get under that fly, but Briggs’ -legs were never meant for sprinting and the ball -dented the soft turf while Steve, too excited to -watch the progress of events, slid into third base -feet foremost amidst the amused applause of his -friends and the ironic jeers of his enemies. That -hit appeared to unnerve “Toots,” and Pierce, Holden -and even Harold Cupples hit safely through the -infield. After that Crandall popped a foul to the -catcher, Gardner struck out miserably and Sam -Perkins hit a hot one square at first baseman. It -looked very much as though the latter tried his -best to get out of the way. If he did he wasn’t successful, -for the ball struck him squarely on the -chest, bowled him over and rolled toward the bag. -Morgan raced over, scooped it up and tagged the -bag a yard ahead of Perkins and the inning was -over. But House had gathered three runs and the -world looked bright.</p> - -<p>As may be supposed, there were lots of errors<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_266"></a>[266]</span> -in that game, and a good deal of what I might call, -were I addicted to slang, “bone-head” ball-playing. -But you can’t expect Big League work from a lot -of youngsters playing their first game of the season. -And, besides, the misplays made for interest -and excitement.</p> - -<p>Gardner added his quota to the excitement when, -in the third inning, with two day boys on bases, -he caught a fly and then allowed it to trickle through -his hands. This performance cast such a gloom -over his spirits that for an instant he merely stood -and stared at the ball at his feet and was only recalled -to the duties of the occasion when the rest -of the team began to yell frantically to him “throw -it home!” By the time he had obeyed the runner -on second had scored and the man on first had gone -to third.</p> - -<p>But that lone tally was all that Day managed to -secure for a while, and, on the other hand, House, -now that Morgan had settled down again, could -do no better. In the fourth she got men on all -three bases with only one out and then watched -Waters and Grey perish before Morgan’s fatal -curves.</p> - -<p>It had clouded up ominously by the time the -fifth inning commenced and the House supporters<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_267"></a>[267]</span> -were anxious for their heroes to dispose of the -Day batters before they could add to their score. -But that fifth inning proved strange and wonderful. -In the first place, just to start the chapter of -misfortunes, Waters struck the first man up on the -arm, and, after the injured member had been massaged -by almost the entire Day Team in turn, the -batter took his base. Waters worked one strike on -the next batter and then threw him four balls. A -moment later the runners decided to pull off a double -steal. Ben Holden pegged the ball to Cupples, -at third, but Cupples was apparently quite unprepared -for such an emergency and allowed the ball -to whisk over his head into left field. Gardner -raced in for it, got it on the run and threw to third -just as the second runner rounded that bag. This -time Cupples caught the ball, but his heave to Ben -was yards away from the plate and Day had tied -up the score. Then they began to find Waters and -hits sped hither and yon and the House outfield -raced their legs off while five more tallies came -over! The damage seemed done then, and perhaps -it would have been as well to let Waters remain -in the box and redeem himself, but Ben -thought otherwise, and Sam Perkins was hurried in -from right field to take his place.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_268"></a>[268]</span></p> - -<p>Of course Sam had had no warming up and his -pitching arm was stiff. But in spite of that he -managed to close that half of the inning with only -one more run coming across. The score now was -nine to three and every moment it threatened to -rain and stop further proceedings. But the clouds -held up during the rest of the fifth, while House -managed to send another run across, and the sixth -began with the head of Day’s batting list coming -up. With one out, two bases on balls and an error -by Crandall, at shortstop, filled the bags. Day -howled and danced along the base lines and did all -it could to rattle Perkins. But the luck changed -a bit then. The next batter hit a slow roller toward -third and Cupples and Pierce worked the double. -Encouraged by that, Perkins struck out the next -batter.</p> - -<p>With Ben calling on Pierce to “hit it out, -Stan!” the last of the sixth began. Stanley obeyed -instructions and lined a hot one just over shortstop’s -head and, by taking a chance, reached second -on a close decision. Ben laid down a bunt in -front of the base and Morgan, who fielded it, chose -to throw it to third. Unfortunately, the third baseman -had been coaxed in by the bunt and was yards -off his station when the ball reached him. Pierce<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_269"></a>[269]</span> -was safe and Small scored “fc” after Ben’s name. -Then Ben stole beautifully and House began to -whoop things up. But Harold Cupples could do -no better than arch a fly to shortstop and Stanley -didn’t dare move from his base. Crandall waited -until Morgan had two strikes and two balls on him -and then shot a hard one between short and third. -Pierce and Holden raced home and Crandall reposed -on first. Then the unexpected happened.</p> - -<p>Gardner, who had been playing very ragged -ball, was taken out and Bert went in. Bert struck -at the first delivery, caught it squarely on the nose -and sent it flying far out into deep right field. So -astounded was he that he had to be almost pushed -from the batter’s box before he would begin his -trip to first. As a result, while Crandall came all -the way home from first base, beating the ball by -yards, Bert got only as far as second. Morgan -went up in the air then and Sam Perkins, Waters -and even Lanny Grey made hits, Waters’s being a -two-bagger that scored Bert and Perkins. Then -Lovell, amidst the howls of his eager team-mates, -strode to the plate looking fierce and heroic—and -popped a little foul into the catcher’s mitt! Pierce, -up for the second time in the inning, managed to -send up a Texas Leaguer that might have been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_270"></a>[270]</span> -caught and wasn’t, and Lanny, who could run like -a rabbit, raced around third and headed for home. -The ball got there first, however, and instead of -scoring the tying run he made the third out.</p> - -<p>But with the tallies nine to eight the game was -still not won—if the rain would hold off. House -took the field determined to hold the enemy at bay -for its half of the seventh and then go in and at -least even things up. But with the very first ball -pitched the drops began to fall. Captain Turner -jumped from the bench and demanded that the -game be called. Mr. Crane shook his head. The -first batter went out, third to first, and still the -shower was not much more than a patter. Then -just as the next man had streaked a long hit over -the tips of Perkins’s glove the clouds opened up -and the torrents descended. Such a scurrying as -there was on the part of the spectators! Doctor -Merton—who had come out only an inning before—seized -Mrs. Merton by the hand and scampered -sans dignity for shelter. Nan, gayly encouraging -them to renewed efforts, sped ahead. In a jiffy -the field was deserted and the first game of the -series had gone to the Day Team, the score 9–8.</p> - -<p>The Day Team, unable to get home in such a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_271"></a>[271]</span> -downpour, flocked into the hall, and for a half-hour -the game proceeded verbally. House declared -warmly that if it hadn’t rained it would have -“licked the stuffing” out of Day. (I quote the -language without approval.) Day retorted that it -had just begun to hit the ball when the elements -had so unnecessarily interfered. And so it went, -with the biggest sort of a hubbub indoors and a -wild pelting of raindrops outside. And meanwhile -Small, official Scorer for the House Team, and -“Goldie” Duffield, who held a like position with -the opposing team, were having it hot and heavy, -their score-books spread before them. Except that -they had each reached the same decision regarding -the number of runs tallied, their records were totally -at variance. It was strange how many hits -Small had credited to the House and how few to -its opponents, but not a whit stranger than the -fact that Duffield had reversed the proceeding. -And as for errors! Why, Small’s record credited -Day with ten and House with six, while Duffield’s -book plainly proved that House had perpetrated -eleven and Day only eight! And the strangest -thing of all was that each believed himself ab-so-lute-ly -right!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_272"></a>[272]</span></p> - -<p>By half past five the rain had stopped and -Day went off homewards with a swagger, viewed -gloomily from the porch by House.</p> - -<p>But after the first disappointment House -cheered up and looked on the bright side of things. -It really did believe that had the game run its full -nine innings it would have overhauled the enemy -and defeated it. And that was good grounds for -believing that the next time would tell a different -story. On Monday practice began again and -George Waters, smarting under the slur cast upon -his science by the Day Team, worked like a -Trojan. When George couldn’t be found in the -house you had only to walk around the corner to -discover him “pitching ’em in” to anybody he -could persuade to don a catcher’s glove and stand -up in front of him. Day did a good deal of exulting -that week and told how well the Junior -Four Trophy would look alongside the Hockey -Cup. House let them talk and bided their time.</p> - -<p>But, all the same, Ben Holden realized that -House had a good deal of a task ahead of it. Day -could afford to lose one of the remaining games, -but House had to win them both. He didn’t doubt -but what George Waters could be relied on to -pitch the team to victory in one contest, but he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_273"></a>[273]</span> -didn’t believe that George could do it twice or that -Sam Perkins was capable of presenting a very -strong front to the enemy. But win the next game -they must! And that meant that George must go -into the box. With the series tied at one game -each, there would be time enough to bother about -the third game. And so, for fear that George’s -enthusiasm would lead him to tire himself out in -practice, Ben laid down the law on Wednesday.</p> - -<p>“After this, George, you practice fifty balls -every afternoon, and that’s all. First thing you -know you’ll have a bad arm!”</p> - -<p>Bert, who since his remarkable two-bagger that -should have been a three, had become a keen ball -player, worked hard at the batting net. Up until -Thursday he was plainly discouraged, for, in spite -of that wonderful hit in the game, he couldn’t -locate a ball to save his life. But on Thursday the -unexpected again happened. He landed on two of -Sam’s offerings and cracked them into the field. -After that Bert was encouraged and began to fancy -himself a bit. Kid pestered Ben from morning until -night to be allowed to get into the next game -and Ben finally promised, to get rid of him, that -if they got a safe lead Kid might go into the outfield -for a couple of innings. Whereupon Kid<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_274"></a>[274]</span> -moistened his glove in the inelegant but approved -manner of all great players and begged whoever -was within hearing to “slam him one!” Undeniably -Mt. Pleasant Academy had become baseball -mad.</p> - -<p>And the Saturday came, and it rained all the -morning until half-past eleven. But at twelve the -sun was out hot and at two Mr. Crane telephoned -to Captain Turner in the village that the grounds -were dry enough to play on. Warned by their previous -experience, Mrs. Merton and Nan came to -the game with waterproofs. But, as it turned out, -they didn’t need them. The clouds floated off into -the east and the weather proceeded to give an excellent -imitation of a mid-June day.</p> - -<p>I shan’t burden you with a detailed description -of that second game because, since House won, a -third contest was made necessary and you’ll have -to read about that. Waters pitched a fine game -and Day made only twelve hits off him in nine innings. -On the other hand, Sibley, who started in -the points for the Day Team, was easy for the -enemy and lasted only three innings. Then -“Toots” Morgan came in from left field and took -his place. But by that time House was leading<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_275"></a>[275]</span> -six runs to two, and during the rest of the performance -she managed to hold Day down to a -total of five runs and at the same time amass a -very tidy little bunch of twelve for herself. In -the sixth Perkins relieved Waters on the mound. -Kid played through two whole innings, had two -chances and accepted them both, went once to bat -and was passed to first and stole second by sheer -cheek. That he was finally left on third base was -no fault of his.</p> - -<p>Bert played four innings, had little to do in the -field and secured a scratch hit in the fifth inning, -scoring Cupples from third. The errors on each -side were fewer to-day and both teams played a -steadier game. Flushed with victory, House went -off the field cheering, while Nan, having nothing -else handy, waved her raincoat in ecstasy.</p> - -<p>Day was disappointed. It had firmly expected -to win the series in two games. Now it must play -a third and there was only Morgan to depend on, -for Sibley had proved himself a very simple conundrum -for the enemy. And Ben Holden and -Waters and a half-dozen others, “doping it out” -that evening, found cause for encouragement.</p> - -<p>“They’ll pitch Morgan again next Saturday,”<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_276"></a>[276]</span> -said Ben. “If we can only find him we can win, -fellows. They won’t dare put in Sibley. He -hasn’t a thing.”</p> - -<p>“The best that ‘Toots’ has is that slow ball of -his,” observed Stanley Pierce. “I get fooled on -that every time. It looks so good until you swing -for it!”</p> - -<p>“That’s so, it’s a puzzler and no mistake,” said -Steve Lovell. “But we may get onto it better the -next time. The trouble is that even if you do hit it -it’s dollars to doughnuts you pop up an easy fly!”</p> - -<p>“And you can’t bunt it no matter how hard you -try,” said Waters. “I’d have scored Sam this afternoon -in the fourth if I could have laid down a -bunt along first base line.”</p> - -<p>“Well, we’ll do ’em up brown the next time,” -promised Pierce. “There’s one thing about those -fellows, and that is if we can once get them started -they’ll go up in the air like a kite.”</p> - -<p>“So would we, maybe,” said Cupples.</p> - -<p>“No use trusting to that sort of thing,” Ben -observed. “Hit the ball. That’s the way to win. -Knock ‘Toots’ out of the box in the first inning -or so, the way we did Sibley, and we’ve got ’em -nailed.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t wish Morgan any harm,” sighed Sam<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_277"></a>[277]</span> -Perkins, “but if he caught the mumps or the -measles or something between now and Saturday -it would be an awful help to us!”</p> - -<p>“We might send him a bottle of microbes,” -laughed Lovell. “Who’s going to start the pitching -for us, Ben?”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know yet,” answered Ben Holden. -“What do you think, George?”</p> - -<p>“I’m ready, all right, but I think it would be -just as well to give Sam a chance if he feels fit -when the time comes.”</p> - -<p>“I’d rather you started it, George,” said Perkins. -“Then if we get a few runs to the good I’ll -do my best to hold ’em. Still, I’m perfectly willing -to start it if you want me to.”</p> - -<p>“There’s plenty of time to decide that,” said -Ben. “For that matter, I’m not afraid in either -case. If we can hit Morgan we can win. And so -it’s up to us to get busy this week at the net and -find our batting eye. And we’re going to have -some work on the bases, too, fellows. We’ve been -pretty punk on the bases so far.”</p> - -<p>“Well, look at the coaching we get,” challenged -Cupples. “I could have scored twice from third -this afternoon if Steve hadn’t held me there each -time!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_278"></a>[278]</span></p> - -<p>“You could not!” denied Lovell. “The first -time you didn’t have a ghost of a chance to get -home. The ball was in second baseman’s hands -before you’d made the turn!”</p> - -<p>“Indeed it wasn’t! Second didn’t get the ball -until I’d rounded the bag and you grabbed me!”</p> - -<p>“I’ll leave it to anyone! You saw it, Ben. -Wouldn’t he have been out——”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know, Steve. Anyway, post-mortems -aren’t any good. Besides, there’s no use taking -big chances on bases as long as you’re ahead and -the other team’s playing steady. Once they’re up -in the air, why, then I say steal ’em! The more -you risk the more you bother ’em and the more -you gain. There’s a time for playing it safe and a -time for running wild. Now you fellows beat it; -I’m going to bed.”</p> - -<p>Kid, who had been a silent listener to the discussion, -followed Stanley Pierce across to their -room very thoughtfully. Just before he crawled -into bed he asked:</p> - -<p>“Say, Stanley, if they didn’t have Morgan to -pitch for them next Saturday we wouldn’t have -any trouble winning, would we?”</p> - -<p>“Of course not. We’d drive Sibley into the -cellar in about two innings!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_279"></a>[279]</span></p> - -<p>Later, when the light had been out a good five -minutes, Kid piped up again.</p> - -<p>“Say, Stanley?”</p> - -<p>“Go to sleep!”</p> - -<p>“But——”</p> - -<p>“Well, what is it?”</p> - -<p>“You can’t really get microbes in bottles, can -you, like Steve said?”</p> - -<p>Stanley pulled himself into a sitting posture in -the dark and glared sternly in the direction of his -roommate.</p> - -<p>“No, you can’t! And don’t you go and get any -fool schemes in that silly little head of yours, Kid. -If I catch you up to any tricks——”</p> - -<p>“The idea!” murmured Kid. “Good night, -Stanley.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_280"></a>[280]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XXI">XXI<br /> -<small>“HAIRBREADTH HARRY”</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">House surely got down to hard work on -Monday. Never before perhaps had ten -boys labored more heroically to win a -game of ball. There was batting practice between -morning school and dinner, pitching practice whenever -Waters and Perkins could get ten minutes of -time, and general work in the afternoon. On Wednesday -Ben called in Small and Kid and made up -two teams of six each. Neither team had any outfield -and when a long hit was made the game -stopped while a baseman trotted after the ball. -But the plan worked very well in spite of that. -Perkins pitched for one team and Waters for the -other and the six inning contest gave the fellows -a chance to practice base running. As Bert said -afterwards, it was worth a lot of money to see -Small trying to steal second and being invariably -caught between bases. Since the first game the -Day Team had been holding practice in the village, -a very satisfactory arrangement for them<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_281"></a>[281]</span> -and for their opponents. As may be imagined, -studies suffered these days and only the most dire -threats from Dr. Merton kept the students to any -semblance of labor. House awoke on Friday full -of hope. It retired Friday night filled with gloom -and apprehension.</p> - -<p>Just before morning school was dismissed Mr. -Crane announced that Doctor Merton wished to -see Holden and Bryant in his office at a quarter -past twelve. Uneasy and questioning glances -passed from seat to seat, and in the hall the House -fellows clustered anxiously around Ben, demanding -to know what was up. Ben only shrugged his -shoulders and declared that he hadn’t any idea -what was wanted of him. But he looked a little -worried, nevertheless, and he and Bert made their -way down the corridor to the office at the appointed -time.</p> - -<p>“Boys,” said the Doctor, “what do you know -about this?”</p> - -<p>“This” was a much-tattered story-paper which -the Doctor held to view. Across the top of the -first page ran the legend “Hairbreadth Harry, the -Gentleman Scout.” Bert looked blank, but Ben -flushed. The Doctor viewed them gravely and -waited. As there was no reply he addressed Ben.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_282"></a>[282]</span></p> - -<p>“Holden,” he asked, “is this your property?”</p> - -<p>Ben hesitated for an instant. Then, “No, sir,” -he answered.</p> - -<p>The Doctor turned to Bert. “It was found in -your room this morning, boys. It must belong to -one of you. Is it yours, Bryant?”</p> - -<p>Bert did some hard thinking in a small fraction -of time. Then he nodded without speaking. -Ben shot a look of amazement at him and the -Doctor, watching narrowly, saw and frowned.</p> - -<p>“Hm. You’re quite certain it isn’t yours, Holden?” -he asked again. Again Ben hesitated. -Finally,</p> - -<p>“I—no, sir, it isn’t mine,” he replied.</p> - -<p>“I’m glad to hear it,” said the Doctor. “You’re -an old boy here and you, at least, should know -better than to bring such—such indecent trash into -school. There is perhaps a little more excuse for -Bryant. He has not been with us very long. However, -that is not excuse enough. The rule prohibiting -such literature is well known. You knew of it, -Bryant?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” answered Bert in a low voice.</p> - -<p>“Quite so. Well—” The Doctor hesitated, -turning the pages of the obnoxious pamphlet. “As -this is your first misdemeanor of any sort since<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_283"></a>[283]</span> -you have been in school, Bryant, I propose to be -lenient with you. I want first, however, your -promise that as long as you are with us you will -not again own or read such stuff as this. Very -good. As punishment I will prohibit you from -taking part in the baseball game to-morrow. Another -time you will not escape so easily. That is -all. You may go, boys.”</p> - -<p>Once out in the corridor, Ben turned to Bert. -“Why did you tell him it was yours?” he demanded -in a hoarse whisper.</p> - -<p>“Why not?” replied Bert. “He was after one -of us. It wouldn’t have made it any different if -you’d told him you’d just borrowed it. He’d have -punished you just the same, I guess. It doesn’t -matter if I don’t play to-morrow, but it would -make a heap of difference if you didn’t, Ben. -You’re the only fellow we’ve got who can catch a -little bit.”</p> - -<p>“I know, but—but it isn’t your funeral,” -grumbled Ben. “The thing belongs to Kid and -Kid ought to be the goat.”</p> - -<p>“That wouldn’t do you any good, Ben. You -borrowed it. It was in our room, you see. Besides, -there’s no use in lugging Kid into it. I -don’t mind not playing—much.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_284"></a>[284]</span></p> - -<p>“It’s a shame!” said Ben. “I don’t like it. -It’s up to me and I ought to face the music.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and then we lose the game,” replied Bert -with a shrug. “That’s a bully idea, isn’t it? You -keep quiet and it will be all right. I’m sorry I had -to lie about it, but I hated to see Day get that -trophy!”</p> - -<p>Ben said no more then, but all during dinner -Bert noticed that he was unusually quiet and -worried looking. Afterward, in the hall before -afternoon school, Bert managed to whisper to him:</p> - -<p>“Look here, Ben, don’t you go and do anything -silly about that, will you? It’s all right. I don’t -mind not playing. Besides, maybe you wouldn’t -need me anyhow. Just you keep mum, Ben.”</p> - -<p>Ben nodded, but the nod didn’t seem to promise -much. Still, Bert thought the other looked more -cheerful and that doubtless meant that he had -abandoned any quixotic notions he might have entertained -of assuming the blame.</p> - -<p>But if Bert had followed Ben from the classroom -after school he would not have felt so easy -in his mind, for Ben marched straight to Dr. -Merton’s office and waited there until the Doctor -came in.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_285"></a>[285]</span></p> - -<p>“Ah, Holden!” The Doctor looked a little surprised. -“Want to see me, do you?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, if you please. It’s about ‘Hairbreadth -Harry,’ sir.”</p> - -<p>“About—<em>who</em>?” asked the Doctor bewilderedly.</p> - -<p>“About that—that dime novel, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Oh!” The Doctor frowned. “What about it, -Holden?”</p> - -<p>“Well, sir, you asked if it was mine and I said -it wasn’t. It isn’t mine, but I—I was reading it. -It—it was in my possession.”</p> - -<p>“So? And whose is it?”</p> - -<p>“I’d rather not say, sir, if you please.”</p> - -<p>“But Bryant told me it belonged to him. Ah, -I see. It belongs to Bryant and you were reading -it.”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, it isn’t his, Doctor. He—he hadn’t -anything to do with it. I had nothing to read one -day and somebody had this and I—I borrowed it. -I’m sorry.”</p> - -<p>“And why do you tell me this, Holden?” asked -the Doctor gently.</p> - -<p>“It didn’t seem fair, sir, for Bryant to take the -blame and the punishment. He said it was his for<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_286"></a>[286]</span> -fear you wouldn’t let me play in to-morrow’s game. -You see, there isn’t any one else to hold Waters—”</p> - -<p>“To hold water?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, to hold Waters—George Waters; -that is, to catch him?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, I see. And Bryant was afraid you’d get -beaten. Is that it?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>“And so he told a lie.”</p> - -<p>Ben was silent. The Doctor swung about and -looked through the open window for a minute. At -last, “Well, Holden, I’m sorry about this,” he said, -facing the culprit again. “But what was mete for -Bryant is none too severe for you. In fact, as you -are an older boy, the punishment in your case ought -of right to be more severe. But as you have done -an honest, manly thing in coming and telling me, -my boy, I’ll be as lenient as I may. I’m sorry, but -I don’t think I can let you take part to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir,” replied Ben mournfully. “And -Bert, sir? You’ll let him off, won’t you? He’s just -a kid yet, and——”</p> - -<p>“I’m afraid that is not possible, Holden. His -lie was, perhaps, told impulsively and with the desire -to shield you, but a lie is a lie, Holden, and I -cannot condone untruthfulness. Bryant’s sentence<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_287"></a>[287]</span> -must stand. I’m sorry for you both. I realize that -it will be a great disappointment to you not to be -able to play to-morrow.”</p> - -<p>“I can stand it, sir, but it—it means that we get -beaten.” And Ben gulped. The Doctor nodded.</p> - -<p>“I’m sorry. Was there anything else?”</p> - -<p>“No, sir, thank you.”</p> - -<p>“Thank you, Holden, for coming and telling -me.”</p> - -<p>Ten minutes later it was known that the House -Team would play to-morrow without its captain, -and the gloom hung heavy. Some of the fellows -censured Ben for confessing to the Doctor. There -had been no call for such a silly course, they declared. -Every one agreed that certain defeat -stared them in the face. Ben said very little, but -what he did say was to the point.</p> - -<p>“I can’t play, but I’m still captain. Somebody -else will have to catch and I guess it had better be -Steve. Kid, you run up and get my mitt. We’re -not beaten, yet, so don’t let’s talk like it. Steve, -you and George and Sam come down to the net -with me. You’ve got to learn the signals.”</p> - -<p>The rest of the team, which was to have no work -to-day, followed gloomily and stood around while -Steve Lovell, with Ben’s big catcher’s mitt on his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_288"></a>[288]</span> -hand, stood up in front of the net and let Waters -and Perkins take turns in slamming the ball in to -him, while Ben stood by and explained and coached, -sometimes swinging at a ball with the bat to accustom -Steve to the work before him. It was almost -dark when Ben called a halt and Steve, tired and -nervous, pulled the mitt off with a sigh of relief.</p> - -<p>“I’ll make a fearful mess of it to-morrow, Ben,” -he groaned. “I know I shall!”</p> - -<p>“You mustn’t,” answered Ben grimly. “You -can’t afford to. If you do as well as you’ve done -to-day we’ll get by.”</p> - -<p>“Who’s going to play my bag?” asked Steve.</p> - -<p>“Sam. Kid goes into right.”</p> - -<p>Steve laughed mirthlessly. “Gee, we’re going -to be a wonderful aggregation of ball players, we -are!” he said as he followed Ben up the path. “I -can see Kid when a fly comes his way!”</p> - -<p>“It’s the best we can do,” answered Ben. “And -it can’t be helped now.”</p> - -<p>“Say, Ben,” said Kid in the hall, later, “I’ve -been thinking that maybe if I went to the Doc and -told him that dime novel was mine he might let up -on you and Bert.”</p> - -<p>“He wouldn’t, Kid. You keep your mouth shut -tight.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_289"></a>[289]</span></p> - -<p>“But he might. And I’d be glad to do it, Ben. -He couldn’t do anything to me to hurt the game.”</p> - -<p>“He couldn’t, eh? You’re going to play right -field to-morrow, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“I am? Honest, Ben?” Kid’s eyes grew round -with excitement. “You’re not fooling?”</p> - -<p>“No, I’m not fooling. You’ll play right field -and bat in Perkins’ place. So shut up now and get -out.”</p> - -<p>House spent the evening discussing what was going -to happen to-morrow when their crippled team -met Day. But there was a more hopeful tone apparent -and the fellows who had condemned Ben in -the first flush of disappointment now acknowledged -that he had done the square thing.</p> - -<p>“It took a lot of pluck to do what Ben did,” declared -Steve Lovell, “and I guess if it had been -me I’d have flunked it. And, anyhow, whether we -win or we lose, we’ve got the whitest fellow in school -for captain. Besides, winning games isn’t everything, -I guess.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_290"></a>[290]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XXII">XXII<br /> -<small>“TOOTS” HAS A TREAT</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">“Where are you going, Kid?” called Nan -from the side porch the next morning.</p> - -<p>Kid, half-way down the drive, turned, -waved a hand and replied importantly: “To the -village to buy balls. Ben just found we only had -three. Want to come along?”</p> - -<p>Nan shook her head. “I can’t. I wish I could. -Kid, are we going to get beaten this afternoon?”</p> - -<p>“Beaten! I should say not! Why, I’m going -to play in right field!” And Kid grinned broadly.</p> - -<p>“If we do they’ll take our trophy off with them, -Kid. Won’t that be awful?”</p> - -<p>“Fierce, but they won’t do it! You wait, Nan. -We’ll lick ’em to smithereens; they haven’t got a -chance!” And Kid went on, whistling blithely.</p> - -<p>It was, he told himself, a dandy day, just the -sort of a day for a ball game. And he was going -to play! That was certainly bully. He’d show the -fellows that he could play ball even if he was little!<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_291"></a>[291]</span> -He paused in the middle of the drive and swung at -an imaginary ball with an equally imaginary bat, -and then, still in imagination, watched the ball flying -high and far against the blue Spring sky.</p> - -<p>“I’ll show ’em!” he murmured.</p> - -<p>He had completed the purchase of three new -balls in their neat red and white boxes and was out -on the village street again when he heard his name -spoken.</p> - -<p>“Hello, Kid, what are you doing?”</p> - -<p>It was “Toots” Morgan, “Toots” who still -owed him that quarter, “Toots” who was to serve -them with his puzzling curves and drops that afternoon. -Kid scowled.</p> - -<p>“Picking blueberries,” he replied flippantly.</p> - -<p>“Think you’re smart, don’t you?” returned -Toots with a frown.</p> - -<p>“I think—” began Kid aggressively. Then he -stopped and gazed for a moment thoughtfully at -the adversary. Then, to “Toots’” surprise, he -smiled genially. “I’ve been buying balls, ‘Toots.’ -Ben found we hadn’t enough.”</p> - -<p>“You’ll need a lot when we get at you,” replied -“Toots,” amiably. “What kind did you get?”</p> - -<p>Kid exhibited them and “Toots” approved, explaining -at some length as he lounged along at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_292"></a>[292]</span> -Kid’s side why he preferred that particular make -to any other. “Toots” was in very good humor -this morning, it seemed, and Kid’s brain became -active. He listened most respectfully to the other’s -words of wisdom and viewed him admiringly.</p> - -<p>“I guess you fellows won’t have much trouble -licking us to-day, ‘Toots,’” he said finally. “I suppose -you’ve heard about Ben?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.” “Toots” nodded. “We’d have licked -you anyway, though. It’s a cinch now.”</p> - -<p>Kid nodded sadly. “Yes, they’ve had to put me -in right field. Bert Bryant’s out of it, too, you see.”</p> - -<p>“Toots” grinned. “I’ll let you down easy -when you come to bat, Kid,” he said. “You’re a -pretty good little chap, even if you did lose me that -hockey game.”</p> - -<p>“I’ve always been sorry about that, ‘Toots,’” -said Kid sweetly. “Of course, I didn’t mean to do -it, but I know it was my fault. It—it has troubled -me a whole lot.”</p> - -<p>“Toots” studied the face upturned to his own -suspiciously, but the expression was so frank, so -guileless that “Toots” was touched. “That’s all -right, Kid. You couldn’t tell I was going to put one -of the nasty things in my mouth and lose a stop. I -know that. Maybe I’ll give you a straight, easy ball<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_293"></a>[293]</span> -this afternoon, Kid, and let you get a hit—if we’re -ahead and there’s no one on.”</p> - -<p>“Will you, honest?” asked Kid eagerly. “I -wish you would, ‘Toots’! I’d love to get a hit! -Gee, wouldn’t it surprise those stuck-up chaps who -say I can’t play? But how will I know when to hit -it, ‘Toots’?”</p> - -<p>“Toots” laughed amusedly. “Gee, you’re a -green one, aren’t you, Kid? Well, say, I’ll give you -a signal, see? Like this. When I put my hand up -and wiggle my fingers this way—see?—you take a -swing. I’ll put it over slow and easy for you, Kid. -You’re not a bad sort.”</p> - -<p>“That—that’s awfully kind of you,” stammered -Kid. “I—I—say, ‘Toots,’ let me buy you some -tonic, will you? I’d love to!”</p> - -<p>“Sure,” laughed “Toots.” “Come on over to -Haley’s. I don’t mind having money spent on me.”</p> - -<p>“And maybe they’ve got some of those dandy -éclairs,” mused Kid as he accompanied “Toots” -across the street, “the kind with chocolate on top. -Don’t you love those, ‘Toots’?”</p> - -<p>“They’re not bad, and that’s a fact. You must -have money, Kid.”</p> - -<p>“I’ve got almost a dollar, ‘Toots.’” He didn’t -explain that it was the change from the five dollar<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_294"></a>[294]</span> -bill supplied him by Ben to buy balls with. “And -I’m awfully hungry. Walking always makes me -hungry.”</p> - -<p>“Well, it’s sort of late to eat,” said “Toots” as -he led the way into Haley’s store, “but if they have -any of those éclairs, Kid, I guess I can spoil one.”</p> - -<p>They had, as it proved; a whole tin tray full of -them; and not only were there chocolate éclairs but -vanilla and maple éclairs as well, and “Toots” was -unable to decide which to take.</p> - -<p>“Try a chocolate one first,” advised Kid, jingling -his money loudly, “and then have one of the -others. Those maple ones are great.”</p> - -<p>That seemed a sensible idea and “Toots” followed -it. And they each had a bottle of root beer. -And after the two éclairs were finished Kid suggested -bananas and more root beer. “Toots” declined -the root beer but accepted two bananas. -Meanwhile they sat on stools and swung their feet -and talked baseball. “Toots” told all about his different -deliveries, and about how he had had to practice -months and months before he had mastered that -“fade-away” of his, which, if Kid knew about such -things, he would realize was just like Christy Mathewson’s. -And Kid listened attentively, admiringly, -with open mouth and wide eyes, and called for two<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_295"></a>[295]</span> -apple turnovers and two dill pickles. It was almost -half-past twelve when “Toots” brushed the crumbs -of a peach tart from his jacket and lowered himself -from the stool with a groan of repletion. Kid’s -money was spent to the last cent and so there was -no use remaining any longer. If “Toots” had not -been so taken up with his own recital of his deeds -and prowess he might have noticed that Kid had -not eaten half of the pastry and fruit and pickles he -had seemed to. The floor was littered with food -and one of Kid’s pockets was mushy with half-eaten -tarts and turnovers.</p> - -<p>“Well, much obliged, Kid,” said “Toots” lazily. -“That was a bully treat. I’ll stand you some -day. I must waddle home to dinner now. Gee, but -I’m full! Well, see you later. Don’t forget the signal; -like this; see?”</p> - -<p>And “Toots” wiggled his left hand in front of -his forehead.</p> - -<p>“I won’t forget. Thank you, ‘Toots.’” Kid -watched the other make his way down the sidewalk. -“You bet I won’t forget, ‘Toots.’ You watch me!” -he murmured to himself. Then, smiling his cherub -smile, Kid hurried back to school.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_296"></a>[296]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="XXIII">XXIII<br /> -<small>KID TRIUMPHS!</small></h2> -</div> - - -<p class="cap">Quite an audience assembled for that final -game. Day fellows brought their sisters -and their chums, and now and then a father -or a mother, while a few boys from the village, unable -to follow their high school nine away on a trip, -came up to cheer for the Day Team. And of course -the Doctor and Mrs. Merton were there; the Doctor -enjoyed a game of baseball or football as much as -any one; and equally, of course, Miss Nancy Merton -was on hand. Yes, it was quite a fair-sized -audience, and it couldn’t have had a finer day to -sit on the settees along the base lines and watch -eighteen eager and excited youths do battle for -baseball supremacy. The sun was warm, but a little -west breeze mitigated its ardor. The sky was -cloudless, the world green and fresh and the air as -soft and gentle as a caress.</p> - -<p>The Junior Four Trophy stood imposingly on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_297"></a>[297]</span> -its ebony base in the middle of a table for all to see. -It glistened bravely in the sunlight and the Junior -Four and the Honorary Member were very proud -of it. More than once Nan, who sat a few feet -away, bent forward to read her name engraved on -the silver cup. Mr. Folsom, who was to umpire on -bases, thus lending quite an air of Big League importance -to the contest, was surreptitiously studying -the rules behind first base. But he hadn’t progressed -very far when Mr. Crane called “Play -ball!”</p> - -<p>House took the field and Day went to bat. Out -in right field, a ridiculously small figure in that expanse -of green sward, stood Kid, thumping his -fielder’s glove with a bare fist impatiently. On second -base Sam Perkins called encouragement and -tried to make himself believe that he felt at home -there. Behind the bat was Steve Lovell, looking -not a little nervous. Waters pitched, for it had -been decided to get the jump on Day at the start, -if such a thing was possible, and win the game in -the first few innings. Ben, although barred from -playing, was directing the team from the bench. -Beside him sat Bert, a bit downhearted at being out -of it.</p> - -<p>White, first man up for Day, started the excitement<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_298"></a>[298]</span> -with the first ball pitched. It was “in the -groove,” and White banged it down to Perkins, -waist-high. Sam caught it, dropped it, snatched it -up again and pegged it to first. But the throw was -short and the ball struck the ground a yard in front -of Pierce, and, although that youth succeeded in -stopping it, the runner was safe. Turner worked -a neat sacrifice. O’Connell tried to score White -from second and sent a fly to Lanny in center. -Lanny caught it, but his throw in was weak and -White went to third. Then Briggs slammed a liner -between Crandall and Cupples, scored White and -took second himself. Grimshaw hit two fouls, both -of which Steve Lovell tried for and missed, and -then placed a neat base-hit in short left. Spooner -should have been an easy out at first, but Stanley -Pierce dropped the ball and the bases were full. -Waters was plainly worried, and when, a moment -later, Lovell let a pitch get by him and two runs -came in, Waters went straight up in the air. Tucker -was passed and so was Sibley. Day’s coachers -danced and shrieked and their supporters kept up -a constant din intended to add further to Waters’ -discomfort. But, strange to say, just when Ben was -wondering whether perhaps it would not be best to -take Waters out before the game was lost beyond<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_299"></a>[299]</span> -recovery, the pitcher settled down and struck out -“Toots” Morgan with three pitched balls!</p> - -<p>It was House’s turn to applaud and they didn’t -miss it. But with three runs against them the outlook -wasn’t particularly bright. Captain Turner -surprised House by sending Sibley in to pitch, Morgan -going into the field. Ben was tickled indeed -and saw in imagination all sorts of hits streaking -over the landscape. But Sibley wasn’t as easy to-day. -In spite of the fact that the first two batters -up hit him safely, he managed to crawl out of an -awkward situation without having a run scored -against him.</p> - -<p>There was no scoring by either team in the second. -Day got a man to third, but he died there -when Lovell raced into the crowd and pulled down -a foul. House had hopes when George Waters hit -a two-bagger, but there were already two men out -and Lanny, who followed him at the plate, couldn’t -make good and was thrown out easily at first.</p> - -<p>Day started the third inning by hitting a long -fly into right field. Kid had to travel back to reach -it and then let it bounce out of that famous glove of -his. The error was good for three bases. A passed -ball let the runner score. But after that Waters -again settled down and there were no more hits in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_300"></a>[300]</span> -the inning. House failed to reach first and, with -the score four to nothing, the fourth inning began. -Day went out in order, and for House Cupples -found Sibley for a bunt and beat out the ball, going -to second a minute later when Crandall trickled the -ball along the first base line and was tagged out by -Sibley. Gardner offered at two deliveries and then -waited and got his base. Kid struck out miserably, -swinging at everything that came. Waters again -got a hit and Cupples raced in from second for the -first tally. Lanny flied out to shortstop.</p> - -<p>The fifth inning was filled with errors on each -side, but no runs were scored. The sixth gave Day -another tally when Grimshaw banged the ball out -for a home run. Then Waters struck out Spooner, -made Tucker pop a fly to Pierce and passed Sibley -only to catch him napping a moment later off first -base. House went into the sixth with the score five -to nothing and Ben was gnawing his finger-nails on -the bench. Perkins leaned against the first delivery -and the shortstop found it too hard to handle. He -went to second when Pierce flied out to left field. -Then Sibley let down and Lovell hit safely past -third and Perkins scored House’s second run. Cupples -drew a pass. Crandall advanced the runners -but went out at first. Gardner was ordered to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_301"></a>[301]</span> -bother Sibley and try for a pass. So he waved his -bat back and forth and jumped around in the box, -while the House coachers yelled themselves hoarse -back of the bases. Two balls—one strike—three -balls—two strikes—and then, “Four balls; take -your base,” said Mr. Crane. A shriek of triumph -went up from House. Turner ran over from first -base and Sibley tossed the ball down. “Toots” was -already trotting in from left field. Turner was taking -no chances, it seemed.</p> - -<p>Morgan stepped into the box with two out and -three on bases. Unfortunately for House, it was -Kid’s turn at bat. Had there been any one to take -his place Ben would have pulled Kid out of the -game then and there, but there wasn’t, and so Kid -was told to seem eager to hit but to offer at nothing. -Ben, knowing Morgan to be cold, trusted that he -would be unable to put three strikes over. But although -Kid looked anxiously for that secret signal -that was to give him a hit he didn’t see it. And a -moment later he was trotting dejectedly out to the -field, disposed of with four pitched balls.</p> - -<p>Day filled the bases in the seventh with one out, -the out being Morgan. Briggs banged the ball to -Crandall and Crandall dropped it long enough to -let Day add her sixth run and for Briggs to reach<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_302"></a>[302]</span> -first in safety. Grimshaw went out on a long fly -and another tally came over. Then, to the immense -relief of House, Spooner hit a liner to Waters, who -knocked it down and threw it to first for the third -out.</p> - -<p>But House was beaten. There could be no doubt -of that. The score was 7 to 2 and only three innings -remained for House. With Morgan pitching -his customary good game it was very doubtful -whether House could score once, to say nothing of -five times! But Ben declared that it was the lucky -seventh and House supporters took up the cry and -shouted encouragingly as Waters tapped the plate -with his bat. Morgan seemed a little slower than -usual to-day. Ben, watching intently from the -bench, was puzzled. Usually “Toots” sent in his -deliveries almost as fast as White could get the ball -back to him. But this afternoon there was an appreciable -delay each time. “Toots” took longer -for his “wind-up” and when the ball left his hand -it appeared to lack its usual snap. Ben wondered -whether it was possible that Morgan was a little off-color. -He called Lanny, who was waiting to bat, -and whispered to him. Lanny nodded doubtfully. -At that instant there was a sharp <em>crack</em> and Waters -was speeding to first. But the ball was only a long<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_303"></a>[303]</span> -fly and the Day Team’s center fielder got under it -after a hard race and pulled it down. Lanny was -fooled twice on what “Toots” called his “fade-away” -and then slammed a hit past second baseman. -Perkins went to bat and Lanny immediately -took what looked like a dangerous lead off first. -Morgan turned and watched him a second, threw -the ball across half-heartedly and then paid no more -attention to the runner. On the second ball Perkins -swung, and Lanny sped to second. House howled -gleefully. Then a pop fly to third baseman turned -Perkins away and made it two out. Pierce, however, -got a lift by reason of second baseman’s error, -and Lanny went to third and might have scored in -the subsequent confusion. But with Steve Lovell -up a run still looked likely and House clamored for -it. The best Steve could do, however, was to get a -pass to first. And then, with the bases full, Cupples -trickled an easy grounder to third baseman and the -latter had only to step back and tag the bag with -his foot for the final out of the inning.</p> - -<p>Day added still another run to her swelling -score in the first of the eighth, a base hit, an error -by Crandall and a wild pitch by Waters contributing.</p> - -<p>House was losing hope. Day had a lead of six<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_304"></a>[304]</span> -runs now. Crandall went out promptly, third baseman -to first. Gardner drove a long screecher into -right field and only a hair-raising one-handed catch -by Briggs stopped him. Then, with two out, Kid -again came to the sacrifice. Kid had lost all hope of -getting that hit by now. It seemed to be his part -to stand at the plate and let the opposing pitcher -toy with him! But he squared himself bravely -enough, swung his bat knowingly and seemed to -dare Morgan to do his worst. It seemed that Morgan -was going to do it too, for his first ball was high -and wide and his next one hit the plate. The coachers, -thinking he was faltering, began to dance and -shout. Kid waited for the next delivery, hoping -that it would be another ball. Perhaps, at least, he -was to win the honor of reaching first on a pass! -But what was this? Why was “Toots” fingering -his cap? The catcher had given the signal. What—then -Kid suddenly realized that “Toots” had -not forgotten his promise, after all, that he was -going to pitch a straight and easy one so that Kid -might make a hit! Kid seized the bat firmly, his -heart thumping, and waited while Morgan lazily -wound up and then shot his hand forward. Straight -and true came the ball. Kid watched it breathlessly. -Was it going to break? But no, there was no<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_305"></a>[305]</span> -“stuff” on that ball. It came right over the center -of the plate a foot above Kid’s knees, and Kid’s -bat took it squarely on the trade-mark.</p> - -<p><em>Bang!</em></p> - -<p>Kid dropped his bat and scurried for first. Over -second baseman’s head went the ball. Kid swung -around first and headed for second. The coachers -were shouting unintelligible things to him as he -ran. Out between center field and right O’Connell -and Briggs were racing. Kid reached second and -turned to look. What had happened? Two fielders -were scurrying along with their backs to him. From -somewhere came the insistent cry: “<em>Come on, Kid! -Come on! Take third!</em>” Kid started again, his -small legs twinkling above the dust. Out in deep -field Briggs was throwing the ball to second baseman. -At third Steve Lovell, shouting and waving, -sent Kid toward home. His heart was pounding -against his ribs like a sledge-hammer as he made -for the plate where White, with outstretched hands -and anxious, puckered face, awaited the ball. Somehow, -without seeing, Kid knew that the ball was -coming. He was still a dozen feet away from the -plate. Twenty voices were crying to him to slide, -but Kid didn’t hear them. He did slide, but he did -it instinctively. Kid struck the plate at the instant<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_306"></a>[306]</span> -the ball landed in the catcher’s mitten. And although -White swung for him frantically, Kid was -safe. He had made a home run!</p> - -<p>They picked him up from between White’s legs -and thumped him on the back and yelled hoarsely -in triumph. Kid, rescuing his cap, grinned toward -where “Toots,” hands on hips and his face eloquent -of surprise and chagrin, was standing. Then in a -voice that easily carried to “Toots” Kid observed -carelessly: “He isn’t hard to hit!”</p> - -<p>After that it should have been all over, but to-day -the unexpected happened. “Toots,” still dazed, -as it seemed, passed Waters in spite of that youth’s -attempt to hit, bounded the ball off Lanny’s knee -and then, with first and second bases occupied, let -Perkins drive out a clean-cut hit! Waters romped -home, Lanny went to second and House became -frantic. How the coachers yelled! For that matter -how every one yelled! “Toots” was going fast. -He was plainly in distress. Stanley Pierce smashed -out a two bagger, scoring Lanny and sending Perkins -to third. Lovell drew a pass, Cupples singled, -Crandall doubled, Gardner reached his base on an -error by shortstop, and Kid came again to the bat.</p> - -<p>The score was tied at 8 to 8 and the bases were -filled. House yelled for another “homer.” Kid,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_307"></a>[307]</span> -outwardly calm and assured but inwardly trembling, -again faced “Toots.” “Toots” observed him -puzzledly. The first delivery was wild and White -barely stopped it from getting by him. Kid grinned -and, raising one hand to his cap, wiggled his -fingers! Morgan looked and faltered. Two balls! -White hurried down to talk it over. They whispered -together. White thumped “Toots” encouragingly -on the back. “Toots” nodded and braced -his shoulders. But Kid saw the look of distress -that flitted across the pitcher’s face, and he grinned -cruelly. Again he wiggled his fingers, while the -audience shouted excitedly or held their breath in -suspense. “Three balls!” cried Mr. Crane. Bedlam -was let loose then! Ben jumped from the -bench and executed a Highland fling and threw -handfuls of grass in the air. Behind first Perkins -did a hand-spring. Turner ran over to “Toots” -and pleaded with him. “Toots” was seen to place -a hand on the region of his stomach and shake his -head. “Play ball!” shrieked House. Turner -talked and talked and “Toots” nodded dispiritedly -and faced his fate. The ball sped forward, Kid let -it pass and dropped his bat. But, “Strike one!” -cried Mr. Crane.</p> - -<p>Kid viewed him reproachfully, and recovered<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_308"></a>[308]</span> -his bat. “He can’t do it again, Kid!” shouted Ben. -But he did do it again, nevertheless, even though -the effort caused him a good deal of discomfort, as -Kid could see. Then it all depended on the next -ball. “Toots” wound up slowly, his face scowling -with pain, and out went his arm. The ball started -well, but the break was wrong. Down and down it -came. Kid stepped back from the plate and the ball -thumped into White’s mitt.</p> - -<p>“Four balls,” said Mr. Crane. “Take your -base!”</p> - -<p>Amidst pandemonium Harold Cupples trotted -home from third with House’s ninth run! Kid went -to first and the bases were still full. With Waters -at bat at least one more tally seemed possible, but -Fortune came to the aid of “Toots.” Waters -swung at the first offering and the ball danced up -into the sunlight to settle in third baseman’s glove!</p> - -<p>Heroically Day struggled to retrieve her lost -lead. But George Waters arose grandly to the occasion -and was as firm as a rock. The first man -was struck out and the second went out at first. -Then it was Morgan’s turn at bat. But a substitute -went in instead. This wasn’t finesse, but necessity, -for poor “Toots” was being half led and half carried -to the house where, for the next hour or so<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_309"></a>[309]</span> -he was dosed with Jamaica ginger and similar -remedies. It was a most mysterious attack and the -only two persons who could have thrown light on -it remained silent, “Toots” himself because he was -much too unhappy to explain and Kid because, so -far, Ben had forgotten all about the change from -that five dollar bill!</p> - -<p>And, besides, just at present, Kid was much too -busy. That substitute batter had insisted on prolonging -the agony. With two strikes on him he -refused to acknowledge himself beaten. Anxious -to bring the game to an end, Waters put one over -“in the groove.” <em>Whack!</em> Out into right field -sped the ball, high and far. Around the bases raced -the batsman. Day, scenting victory at the eleventh -hour, arose to their feet and shrieked their triumph. -But they were reckoning without their host. Far -out in the field a pair of small legs were streaking -over the sod. A glance over his shoulder, and Kid -paused and wheeled. Up went his hands. What -was a catch like that to the fellow who had batted -“Toots” Morgan for a home run? Down came the -ball, hesitantly at first, then with a rush. <a href="#i_fp306">Straining -eyes watched as it thumped into Kid’s big glove.</a> -Then a roar of joy went up from House. Kid had -caught it! The game was over! House had won!</p> - -<div class="figcenter" id="i_fp306"> - <img src="images/i_fp306.jpg" alt="" title="" /> - <div class="caption"> - <p class="noic"><a href="#Page_309">“Straining eyes watched as it thumped into Kid’s big -glove.”</a></p> - </div> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_310"></a>[310]</span></p> - -<p>Two minutes later, with Ben proudly bearing -the Junior Four Trophy and striding ahead, the -victorious team marched back to the school, cheering -and shouting. And close at Ben’s elbow -marched Kid, his hands still tingling from the ball.</p> - -<p>“<i lang="la" xml:lang="la">Io Triumphus!</i>” -he chanted.</p> - - -<p class="p4 noic">THE END</p> - - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="tnote"> -<p class="noi tntitle">Transcriber’s Notes:</p> - -<p class="smfont">Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to - follow the text that they illustrate, so the page number of the - illustration may not match the page number in the List of - Illustrations.</p> - -<p class="smfont">Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently - corrected.</p> - -<p class="smfont">Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.</p> - -<p class="smfont">Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.</p> -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE JUNIOR TROPHY ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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