Part 27 (1/2)

”Maybe some of our own fellows did it--some who didn't get an invitation to attend,” suggested Chip.

”Would any one be so mean?” asked Buster.

”Some of them might be,” murmured Gus.

”I didn't send you any word,” went on Phil, in greater anger than ever.

”Well, I got word, and so did Professor Smuller. He was mad, too, because he lost another job taking yours.”

”Why didn't you make sure the word was sent by Mr. Lawrence?” demanded Ben. ”You could have done that easily enough.”

”I didn't think that was necessary. This fellow said----”

”I tell you I didn't send word!” shouted Phil, growing more angry every instant. ”You might have known it was a trick.”

”Of course, he might have known,” added Ben. He lowered his voice.

”Say, Phil, if he doesn't give us the supper make him give your money back.”

”Sure he's got to give me the money back,” cried the s.h.i.+powner's son.

”See here, you can't bulldoze me!” cried the hotel proprietor. ”I've had trouble enough as it is. I got ready for this spread and then you called it off, and you were mighty sa.s.sy about it, too. I've lost a lot of money.”

A wordy war followed, lasting the best part of a half an hour. Through this it was learned that the hotel man had prepared for the spread, and so had the professor of music. Just after noon telephone messages had come in, calling the whole affair off. Some hot words had pa.s.sed over the wire, and the hotel man was considerably ruffled. The party talking to Jason Sparr had said that when the spread did come off it would be held elsewhere--intimating that a better place than his hotel could be found.

”It's all some trick, to get my business away from me!” stormed the hotel man. ”I won't stand for it!”

”I didn't send the messages, and I either want the spread or I want my money back,” declared Phil, stubbornly. And then more words followed, until it looked as if there might be a fight. Finally, in a rage, Jason Sparr ordered the students from his place.

”All right, we'll go, but you haven't heard the end of this!” cried Phil.

”You'll catch it, for treating us so meanly,” added Ben.

”Don't you threaten me, or I'll have the law on you!” roared Jason Sparr.

”Perhaps I'll call on the law myself,” answered Phil, and then, unable to control himself, he shook his fist at the hotel man. Then all the boys filed out of the place, some bystanders looking on in wonder.

”Well, what do you think of this!” cried Gus, when outside.

”Phil, I wouldn't say anything more just now--you are too excited,”

said Dave, catching his chum by the arm.

”Yes, but that fellow is as mean as--as dirt!” answered the s.h.i.+powner's son.

”He hasn't any right to keep Phil's money,” said one student.

”Then the feast is called off, is it?” said Buster, with something like a groan in his voice.

”And somebody is going to have the laugh on us!” added Shadow. ”Say, this puts me in mind of a story,” he added, brightening. ”Once some boys were going----”