Part 22 (1/2)

CHAPTER XIV

WHAT THE GIRLS HAD TO TELL

One of the strange cadets was driving the automobile, and hardly had it come to a stop when Merwell and Jasniff bounded out on the sidewalk, directly in front of Dave and his friends.

”Why--er--h.e.l.lo!” stammered Jasniff, and then, recognizing the girls, he grinned broadly, and tipped his cap.

”How do you do?” said Merwell, to Mary and Vera, and at the same time ignoring Dave and his chums.

The two girls stared in astonishment, for they had not expected to see the very lads about whom they had been conversing. But they quickly recovered and turned their backs on the newcomers.

”What's the matter--don't you want to speak to me?” demanded Jasniff, a sickly look overspreading his face.

”I a.s.suredly do not, Mr. Jasniff,” answered Vera, stiffly.

”And I suppose you don't want to speak to me either,” came sourly from Link Merwell.

”You are right, Mr. Merwell--I do not.”

”After this you will please us best by not recognizing us,” added Mary, coldly.

”Oh, I see how it is--these chaps have been filling you up with stories about us!” cried Merwell, roughly. ”Well, if you want to believe them you can do it. I don't care!” And he turned on his heel and entered a nearby store.

”Some day you'll wish you hadn't made such friends of Porter & Company,”

said Jasniff, and he glared defiantly at Dave and his chums. ”Maybe you'll find that they are not just what you thought they were,” and having thus delivered himself, he, too, entered the store. In the meantime the automobile had gone on along the street to the post-office, where the two strange cadets went in to see about mail.

”Say, I think I'll lay for Merwell and Jasniff and----” began Phil, when a warning pinch on his arm from Dave caused him to break off.

There was an awkward pause, neither the boys nor the girls knowing exactly what to say or do.

”Well, we must be going,” said Vera. ”I promised to be home by dark.”

”And I have some errands to do before I go back,” added Mary. ”So we'll say good-by.”

”I hope we meet again,” remarked Phil.

”Maybe we'll come to some of your football games,” ventured Vera. ”I did so enjoy some of those other games.”

”We are not playing on the eleven this season,” answered Dave. It gave him a little pang to make the admission.

”Oh, is that so!” Both of the girls gave the boys a studied look. ”Well, we must be going.” And then they hurried down the street, around a corner, and out of sight.

”Fellows, we ought to lay for those chaps!” cried Roger, as soon as the chums were alone.

”Just what I was going to suggest,” broke in Phil.

”What good will it do?” asked Dave. ”We can't make anything out of Merwell and Jasniff by talking, and we don't want to start a fight.”