Part 29 (1/2)
”After him! Get the cane!”
”Don't let him get away with it!”
”Nail him, somebody!”
So the cries rang out. Several soph.o.m.ores tried to head the youngest Rover off, but he was too quick for them. He dodged to the right and the left, and hurled one boy flat. Then he ran around a corner of a building, mounted the steps to a side door, and disappeared from view.
”Hurrah for Sam Rover!”
”Say, that was as good as a run on the football field!”
”That's the time the sophs got left.”
”Hi! Where's my cane?” howled William Philander, gazing around in perplexity as soon as the second-year students let go of him.
”Sam has it,” answered Tom. ”And it wasn't broken, either,” he added with pride.
”But--ah--why did he--ah--run away with it?” queried Tubbs innocently.
”To stop the slaughter of the innocents,” answered d.i.c.k. ”He'll give it back to you later. But don't try to carry it again,” went on d.i.c.k in a low voice.
”Just look at me!” moaned William Philander as he gazed at the wreck of his outfit. ”Look at this tie--and it cost me a dollar and seventy-five cents!”
”Be thankful you weren't killed,” answered a soph.o.m.ore. ”Don't you know better than to carry a cane.”
”I--ah--fancy I'll carry a cane if I wish,” answered Tubbs with great dignity.
”Not around Brill,” answered several.
”And--ah--why not?”
”Because you're a fres.h.i.+e, that's why. You can wear the colors--because of the necktie rush--but you can't carry a cane.”
”Oh--ah--so that's it!” cried William Philander, a light breaking in on him. ”But why didn't you come up politely and tell me so, instead of rus.h.i.+ng at me like a--ah--like mad bulls? It was very rude, don't you know.”
”Next time we'll send you a scented note by special liveried messenger,” said one of the second-year students in disgust.
”We'll have it on engraved paper, too,” added another.
”Thank you. That will be--ah--better,” replied William Philander calmly. ”But look at my suit,” he continued, and gave a groan. ”I can't--ah--make any afternoon calls to-day, and I was going to a pink tea--”
”Wow! A pink tea, boys!” yelled one of the boys. ”Wouldn't that rattle your back teeth?”
”Never mind, Tubby. The cook will give you a cup of coffee instead,”
said Tom.
”I should think you'd feel blue instead of pink,” added Spud Jackson.
”Sew up the coat with a shoestring, and let it go at that,” suggested Max.