Part 9 (1/2)

”I look at it this way,” said Chot. ”Truem was a cad of the first water, as many boys are who have well-to-do parents, and have wanted for nothing during the time they are growing up to go to college. Unless such a boy has a strong grip on himself he'll grow supercilious, and may be led into doing spiteful things just as Truem was. We gave Truem what he deserved when we were in Bayville on our vacation that summer, and he took a strong dislike to us from that moment. But after he came to Winton his eyes gradually opened, and he saw that we were trying to act squarely with everyone. Then a longing for real companions.h.i.+p came into his heart, as it will sooner or later come to every boy who goes to the bad, and he finally mustered up the courage to tell us that he wanted us to be his friends. And I tell you, fellows, it takes a lot of courage to ask a thing like that of the boys who have been always on the other side, and whom you have been fighting for months. But Truem did it, and now, I say we should have enough interest in his future welfare to lead him along the right path, take him into our set, if need be, and show him that we are glad from the bottom of our hearts to help him. Those are my sentiments.”

There had been not the slightest interruption while Chot was speaking.

Each listener had a serious look on his face, for he saw that Chot was in deadly earnest, and when he had finished, each boy felt that their chum was right. Truem had earned the right to their friends.h.i.+p and they should see that he never regretted it.

Bert was the first to speak.

”You are right, Chot, and Truem will have no warmer friend than I next term,” he said.

The others hastened to a.s.sure Chot that they felt the same way, and the matter was dropped.

”By the way, Chot,” said Bert, suddenly, winking at the other boys, ”what ever became of Lucy Pendleton?”

”Why do you ask me?” queried Chot.

”Well-er-because I thought you were somewhat interested in her.”

”Oh, no,” drawled Fleet. ”He isn't interested. I'll never forget the time, just the same, that he let Tom and I do all the work on our telephone line so that he could talk to her.”

”Correct,” said Tom, ”but Chot would never admit it.”

”But all joking aside,” said Bert, ”where is Lucy to spend the summer?”

”After a short visit at Mortonville, she will stay with her aunt, Mrs.

Dashworth, at Stockdale,” said Chot.

”I thought she had a father somewhere,” said Pod.

The Comrades exchanged glances. Lucy did have a father, but he was not all a man should be, as the Comrades had every reason to know. During the winter he had come to Mrs. Dashworth's and sent for Chot to ask him to raise enough money to do the preliminary work on a Colorado mining claim which he had staked out. This Chot had done for Lucy's sake, forcing Pendleton to give Lucy a fifth interest, and a fifth interest each to Tom and himself. Pendleton was now in the west, trying to interest capital in the venture. Chot and Tom had little faith in the claim's panning out well, but for Lucy's sake they had given Luther Pendleton a chance.

Chot had been more inclined to do this than Tom, who had taken an instinctive dislike to Pendleton when Pendleton had been bookkeeper at the bra.s.s works in Mortonville, and had, upon the death of Tom's father, exacted the sum of one thousand dollars from Tom and his mother, alleging that Mr. Pratt had made away with that much of the company's funds. Tom knew positively that his father had been innocent of the charge, for by accident a phonograph had recorded part of a conversation between Mr. Pratt and someone connected with the bra.s.s works, in Tom's attic room, but Mr. Pratt had been taken suddenly ill and was unable to reveal the name of the man who was trying to do him injury.

These things now recurred to the Comrades, and especially to Tom, who sat for an instant gazing gloomily out over the lake.

”Someone wronged my father-someone wronged him, and I'm going to find him yet, if only to let my mother know that not the slightest stain rested on my father's character. I must-I will find this man!” and Tom gritted his teeth, as he silently made this resolve.

His reverie was broken by the sound of the horn calling them to dinner, and springing up they all raced for the house, Fleet leading the entire distance, as a vision of fried eggs, new potatoes and apple pie appeared before his eyes.

CHAPTER VII-THE BASEBALL GAME

THE CREIGHTONS.

Meelick, ss Creighton, 2b Kenby, 1b Pratt, c Duncan, p Jones, rf Day, 3b Lorrens, lf Smeed, cf

CLEVERDALE.

King, lf Cotton, 2b Gregg, c Biddle, rf Corker, 3b Strange, ss Burton, cf Windle, 1b Johnson, p

Umpire: Mr. Creighton