Part 5 (1/2)

”Come on along out of this, Martin,” he said; ”we're all going back to the college now, and you'd better come back with us.”

Martin turned toward him, but hardly seemed to recognize him. He was about to speak when the bartender, who saw a good customer being taken away from him, interfered.

”Aw, let de gent alone, can't youse,” he said, in a belligerent tone; ”he's got a right to take a drink or two if he wants to, ain't he? He don't look like no kid to need a guardian.”

”You keep out of this,” said Bert, with a steely glint in his eyes, ”this is our business, not yours, and if you want to steer clear of trouble don't try to mix in.”

The bartender seamed inclined at first to try the efficacy of force, but as d.i.c.k and Tom ranged up alongside Bert, he thought better of it.

”Awright,” he grumbled, ”awright. Take the guy along wid youse, an' I wish you joy of him.”

Martin at first refused to move, but at last, by dint of much persuasion, the three comrades prevailed on him to go with them. Bert and Tom supported him on either side, guiding his uncertain footsteps to the best of their ability.

”I only hope we don't meet any one we know,” said d.i.c.k fervently. ”We'd better take a roundabout course going back, so as to take as little chance as possible of that happening.”

”It wouldn't be a bad idea,” said Tom, ”and I think it would be a good stunt for me to go on ahead and do a little scouting. I could meet you at the east gate and let you know if the coast is clear. If possible, we want to get Mart to his room without anybody getting on to the state of affairs.”

”All right, go ahead,” acquiesced Bert, ”we'll get there as soon as we can.”

Accordingly Tom set off at a round pace, and soon came within sight of the college towers. Fortunately, there was a swimming contest going on in the natatorium, and many students who ordinarily would have been apt to be wandering about on the campus were indoors watching the swimmers.

There was hardly a soul to be seen, and Tom prayed that the favorable conditions might last until Bert and d.i.c.k arrived with their unfortunate charge.

He hurried to the appointed meeting place, and strained his eyes through the darkness in search of the trio that he knew must be pretty near by this time. Sure enough, in less than five minutes they emerged from a neighboring street, and Tom walked swiftly up to them.

”We're in luck,” he said, in a low tone. ”Everybody's in the natatorium watching the swimming meet, and we've got the campus practically to ourselves. I'll walk in front of Martin, and the chances are we'll get him to his room without anybody getting wise.”

Bert and d.i.c.k accordingly hurried Martin forward as fast as possible, and, as Tom had predicted, found everything favorable to them. They hurried across the deserted campus, and entered the dormitory in which Martin's room was located by a side door.

By the greatest good fortune they met no one in the corridors, and in a very few moments had the ”high life” exponent safely in his room.

”Well, that's about all we can do to-night,” said Bert, as they were leaving the room. ”I think the best thing will be to let him sleep off the effects of his carouse, and then give him a talking to to-morrow.”

”I think we'd better leave that to you,” said d.i.c.k, after exchanging glances with Tom. ”Probably if we all got at him at once, it would only make him obstinate. You do the talking for all of us, Bert. Show Mart what bad medicine he's been mixing, and maybe he'll come around to your point of view.”

”Well,” agreed Bert, but with evident reluctance, ”I suppose that would be the best way to do it. I'll get hold of him some time to-morrow, and talk to him like a Dutch uncle.”

Accordingly, the next day he was on the lookout for the backslider.

Several times in the course of the day he saw him, but Martin always managed to avoid him, more by design than accident, as Bert thought. At last, however, after the last recitation period, he cornered him in a secluded corner of the campus.

”I guess you know what I want to say to you, don't you, Mart?” he inquired gravely.

”Oh, yes, I guess I know, all right,” the other replied sullenly, ”but there's no use your preaching to me about the evils of drink, or anything like that. I've tried to cut out the stuff, and I can't, that's all. I'm going to Reddy to-night and resign from the team.”

”You're not going to do anything of the kind,” said Bert gravely, ”you're going to keep right on being the best halfback the college ever had, but I'm going to ask a personal favor of you on behalf of myself, and also Trent and Henderson.”

”I think I know what you mean,” said Martin suspiciously, ”but fire away and ask it.”

”We want you to go to Reddy and make a clean breast of it, ending up by promising to do your best to cut out the 'stuff,'” said Bert. ”Will you do it? Don't say no now,” as the other started to shake his head, ”don't give me an answer now, if you don't want to. Think it over. I'm mighty sure if you think hard enough you'll do what we want you to.”