Part 24 (1/2)
”I hate to leave the fellow to himself,” said Foster. ”He'll go to the dogs as sure as you're born if he is.”
”If he isn't there already.”
”Well, if he's there we must help to get him out.”
”You're the one to do it, Foster. You aren't working up your Greek.”
Will had been working with even greater intensity than before and was beginning to see the results of his labors. With his disposition there was no comparative degree. Everything was at one extreme or the other and now he was giving himself but little rest and even Peter John's disgrace was not so keenly felt by him as at the time when it had occurred.
”I think I'll have to do something,” a.s.sented Foster, ”or at least try to.”
But on the following day an excitement broke out among the students at Winthrop that speedily and completely banished from the minds of Will and Foster even their well-intended efforts to aid their weak and misguided cla.s.smate.
CHAPTER XVIII
AN ALARMING REPORT
The excitement first came to Will Phelps when one night he was returning to his room from his dinner in the fraternity house. The house, together with four or five other similar houses, was situated in the same street with the dormitory, but was distant a walk of seven or eight minutes, and there was usually a crowd of the college boys to be seen on the village street three times a day when they pa.s.sed to or from their boarding places.
On this particular evening Will chanced to be alone, and as he went on he perceived Mott approaching. He had had but little to say to the fellow since the escapade, and now as he recognized the soph.o.m.ore his feeling of anger or disgust arose once more, and he was inclined to pa.s.s him with only a light nod of recognition.
But Mott was not to be so lightly turned aside or ignored, and as he saw Will he stopped, and his manner at once betrayed the excitement under which he was laboring.
”Have you heard the news, Phelps?” he demanded.
”I haven't heard anything,” replied Will coldly.
”You haven't? Well, you ought to. It's all over college now.”
”What's all over college?”
”Why, the report of the typhoid.”
”What?” demanded Will, instantly aroused.
”I mean what I say. And there are all sorts of reports about what's to be done. Some say the faculty have decided to shut up shop for a few weeks, and some say they've sent for experts, and I don't know what all.”
”Who are the fellows that are down with it?”
”Schenck--”
”Peter John?” demanded Will sharply.
”Yes, and there are seven others. He's the only freshman; there are two sophs, two juniors, and one senior. Wagner is the senior.”
”Where are they?”
”They're all in the infirmary, and the whole shop has been quarantined.”