Part 36 (2/2)

”I think it is no one at all, Dr. Churchill. I believe it is an effigy.

See how stiff the arms and legs are.”

”I believe you are right,” admitted the venerable doctor.

His belief was confirmed a moment later, for a farmer, who was driving along the river road, left his team, and came up the campus, a broad smile covering his face.

”Good-morning, Dr. Churchill,” he said. ”Is this a new course in eddercation you're givin' the boys?”

”Ah, good-morning, Mr. Oakes. What do you mean?”

”Why, I see you've got a scarecrow up on that liberty pole. I thought maybe you was addin' a course in agriculture to your studies. Only if I was you I wouldn't put a scarecrow up so high. There ain't no need of it. One low down will do jest as well. And another thing, I allers uses old clothes. There ain't no sense in puttin' a swallertail coat an' a low-cut vest on a scarecrow. Them birds will be jest as skeert of an old coat and a pair of pants stuffed with straw as they will of a dress-suit.

That's carryin' things a leetle too fur!” and the farmer laughed heartily.

”Dress-suit! Scarecrow!” exclaimed Dr. Churchill, and then he got a glimpse of the figure on top of the pole. It was arrayed in a full-dress suit, and Professor Tines, coming out a moment later, beheld his missing garments.

”This is an outrage!” he declared. ”I demand the instant dismissal of the student or students responsible for this, Dr. Churchill!”

Dr. Churchill tried hard not to smile, but he had to turn his face away.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DR. CHURCHILL HAD TO TURN HIS FACE AWAY]

”I am greatly obliged to you, Mr. Oakes, for your information,” said the head of the college to the farmer, who was still laughing. ”Our improvised scarecrow shall be taken down at once.”

”Scarecrow!” exclaimed Professor Tines. ”I think----” But wrath choked his utterance. ”I demand that my suit be taken down at once!” he went on, after a pause, ”and that the guilty ones be punished!”

”They shall be, I a.s.sure you,” promised Dr. Churchill, ”when I learn who they are. If you hear, professor, let me know.”

”I shall. But I want my suit. Perhaps it is ruined.”

But a new difficulty now arose, for Sid and his fellow conspirators had fastened the halyards high up on the pole, and it was not until Professor Tines had sent Wallops for a ladder that the ropes could be untied and the suit lowered. During this process a group of students gathered at a respectful distance from the flagstaff and looked on interestedly.

But, though a strict inquiry was made, no one was ever punished for the ”scarecrow joke” as it came to be called, and it is now one of the traditions of Randall College.

Owing to the fact that Sid had ”made good” in Latin he was not barred from the game that day, and there was no chance for Tom to act as subst.i.tute. He went with Miss Tyler, and the trip on the river, lake, and in the auto was a delightful one.

There was a big crowd on the bleachers and grandstand when the nines began to play, and rivalry in singing college songs, giving college yells and waving college colors ran high.

Randall got two runs in the first inning, and for three more Fairview secured only zeros. Langridge was pitching fine ball. Then Lem Sellig, who was doing the ”twirling” for Fairview, seemed to warm up to his work, and struck out a surprising number of men. In the seventh inning Fairview secured five runs, and in the eighth they reeled off five more, for Langridge grew reckless, and not only gave men their bases on b.a.l.l.s in rapid succession, but struck two men, which gave them free pa.s.ses to first.

”He's going to pieces!” exclaimed Coach Lighton as he saw the score piling up against his men. ”It's got to stop, or we'll be the laughing stock of the league.”

Yet he did not like to take Langridge out. Captain Woodhouse was angry clear through, and as for Kerr, he openly insulted the pitcher.

”What's the matter?” the catcher cried after a particularly bad series of b.a.l.l.s and a fumble on the part of Langridge that let in a run.

”You're rotten to-day!”

Langridge flushed, but his face had been rosy-hued before that, and twice he had gone to the dressing rooms, whence he came odorous of cloves.

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