Part 46 (1/2)
”Oh, I don't mind a fellow roaming around a little,” said Alfred Darkingham, loftily. ”But we came here to camp out, and of course we prefer to have the island to ourselves.”
”I see. Well-er-I shan't disturb you. I-er-left my fis.h.i.+ng outfit on the opposite sh.o.r.e. I'll go and get it, and then I'll be ready to leave as soon as my friend comes for me.”
”Oh, you needn't be in such a tremendous hurry, Mr.--”
”Smith-plain John Smith,” filled in the stranger. ”I'm stopping at Peak's Island.”
”My name is Alfred Darkingham. These are my friends, Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur.”
”Koswell!” cried the stranger, in considerable surprise. ”Did you say Jerry Koswell.”
”Yes.”
”Did you-were you a student at Brill College?” asked the man who had given his name as John Smith.
”Why, yes,” was the reply. ”But I don't remember you.”
”No, for you never met me. But I have heard of you, and I think I have heard of your friend, Mr. Larkspur. Didn't you once have some trouble with some fellow students named Rover?”
”Yes,” answered Larkspur, and his brow darkened.
”Pretty bad trouble, too, wasn't it?”
”Bad enough,” growled Koswell. ”Are you a friend to the Rovers?” he added, suspiciously.
”Oh, no, I don't know them. But I heard of the trouble.”
”It was the Rovers' fault,” said Jerry Koswell, sourly. ”They put it off on us, but they were to blame. We might have gone back to Brill, but we didn't think it was worth while; did we, Bart?”
”No, we had enough of the grind as it was,” answered Larkspur, glibly.
”Great Scott! just listen to that!” whispered Tom to his brothers. They were behind some nearby bushes and could catch every word that was spoken.
”Hus.h.!.+ or they may hear you,” was the warning, from d.i.c.k.
”Didn't you once get a letter or two from a party named Tad Sobber?” went on the fellow who called himself John Smith.
”I did!” cried Jerry Koswell. ”Then you know Sobber?”
”Supposing I told you that I did?” And the strange man eyed Koswell narrowly.
”Sobber wanted me to help him get square on the Rovers,” went on Jerry Koswell.
”But you didn't want to help him, is that it?”
”Yes, I did want to help him. I sent him a long letter to that effect, but he never answered it.”
”A letter that you would help Sobber?”
”Sure. The Rovers treated me dirt mean, and I'd go out of my way a good deal to get square.”