Part 33 (1/2)

”Never you mind the barge, old man! You're not going in it. I'll come to that later, though.”

”Take your time,” said Tom, dropping into a chair. ”I love to hear your innocent prattle.”

”Shut up! It's like this, Tom. I met Durkin awhile ago and he got to talking about that shoe-blacking stand. Remember the note he left here that night?” Tom nodded. ”Well, it came out that while he was putting it under our door Eric Sawyer walked out and fell over him.”

”Out of here?”

”Right-o! Sawyer said he'd been waiting to see me. Now you remember I'd seen him coming out of Daley's room earlier, eh? Well, it seems that Sawyer saw a chance to put up a game on me. So after I'd gone upstairs again, he sneaked back to 'Horace's' room, got that confounded blue-book of Upton's and waited his chance. After we'd left the room he came up here and slid the thing among some books on the table there. While he was in here Durkin came along and knocked and Sawyer slipped over and locked the door. Then he waited until he thought Durkin had gone and unlocked the door again and came out. But old Durkin had written a note to us down under the light and come back with it and he was putting it under the door when Sawyer came out and fell over him. Of course, when Durkin told me that I had a hunch what had happened and I hot-footed it to 'Horace.' He confessed that it was Sawyer who had told him he'd seen me carrying off the book. So he streaked off after Sawyer, found him somewhere and took him to Durkin's room. Sawyer----”

”Were you there too?” asked Tom excitedly.

”No, he told me to wait in his study for him. He was back in about a half-hour looking sort of worried. Of course Sawyer had to own up. He told 'Horace' that he'd just done it for a joke, but 'Horace' didn't believe him for a cent. And there you are!” Steve ended in breathless triumph. Tom viewed him round-eyed.

”What--what about Sawyer?” he asked.

”I don't know for certain, but I think Sawyer's on pro. Anyway, Tom, I know this much: You don't go to any old banquet to-night.”

”I don't? Why don't I?”

”Because I met Lawrence downstairs a few minutes ago. He was looking for you.”

”Wh-what for?” asked Tom faintly.

”Robey says you're not to break training, Tom! You're to report at the 'varsity table to-night for supper!” Whereupon Steve, his eyes dancing, jumped from the bed and pulled Tom to his feet. ”What do you say to that, old Tommikins?” he exulted.

Tom, dazed, smiled weakly. ”Do you mean--do you mean they want me to _play_?” he murmured.

”Oh, no,” scoffed Steve, pus.h.i.+ng him toward the bed on which he subsided in a heap. ”They want you to carry the footb.a.l.l.s and sweep the gridiron!

Of course they want you to play, you old sobersides! Don't you see that with Sawyer on pro there's a big hole in the line? I suppose they'll give Churchill the first chance at it, but he won't last the game through. Think of both you and I making the 'varsity, Tom! How's that for luck, eh? Not bad for the old Tannersville High School, is it? I guess we've gone and put Tannersville on the map, Tom!”

”Gee, I'm scared!” muttered Tom, looking up at Steve with wide eyes.

”I--I don't believe I'll do it!”

”You don't, eh? Well, you're going to do it! Get your old duds on and hurry up. It's after six.”

”I'll have to tell Brownell I'm not going to the feast.” Tom gazed fascinatedly at his best trousers draped across the chair back. ”Anyway, I wasn't keen on going--without you,” he murmured.

”There's only one drawback,” said Steve a few minutes later, when they were on their way to supper. ”And that is that I promised Durkin to buy a rug from him.”

”A rug? We don't need any rug, do we?” asked Tom.

”Not a bit. But this is a genuine Begorra; Durkin says so himself. And I agreed to buy it if he'd tell 'Horace' about Sawyer. Unless--unless you'd rather have the shoe-blacking stand, Tom?”

”I would. If we had that, perhaps you'd keep your shoes decent!”

Steve tipped Tom's cap over his eyes. ”Rude ruffian!” he growled affectionately.

There was no practice at Brimfield Friday, for as soon as the last recitation of the day was over the 'varsity team and subst.i.tutes piled into two of Hoskins' barges in front of Main Hall to be driven over to Oakdale, some five miles distant. The school a.s.sembled to see them off, and there was much hilarity and noise. Joe Lawrence, note-book in hand, fl.u.s.tered and anxious, mounted the steps and called the names of the squad members.