Now, if your transom was open when the carrier reached your door you found the paper on the floor when you returned to your room, or, if it happened to flutter under a bed or into the waste-basket, you discovered it the next day or a week later or not at all, as the case might be. To-day, however, Stanley Hassell pushed it aside with the opening door when he and Jimmy returned from the gymnasium and, picking it up, tossed it to the table.
All the news thats fit to print, he commented. The old Flubdubs out again, Jimmy. Stanley intended no disrespect to the journal: he merely used the customary name for it. Jimmy sighed as he sank into a chair and reached for the paper.
Why, Im glad to see its cheerful face again, he murmured. And doesnt it look familiar! I wonder if any of the old friends of my youth are missing. He was silent a minute as he turned the pages and as Stanley stretched himself on a window-seat that was four inches too short for him. No, Jimmy went on, theyre all here: Sampsons Livery, Girtle, the Academy Tailor, Go to Smiths for Stationery, The Best Soda in the City, College Last Shoes all the dear, familiar old friends of me youth, Stan. And heres Gookin, the Painless Dentist, still holding out a welcoming hand, and the Broadway Theater and the New York Haberdashery and yes, here are a couple of new ones! I tell you, Stan, the old Flubdubs a live un! After the Game Drink Merlin Ginger Ale. Now, why should I, Stan? Seems to me its not enough to just tell me to drink the stuff: they ought to give me a reason why hello! Well, Ill be swiggled! Listen to this, will you? The Sign of the Football. R. W. Emerson and G. Patterson announce the opening of their shop at 112 West street with a full line of Athletic and Sporting Supplies and cordially solicit the patronage of their fellow students. Quality goods at New York Prices. Academy Discount. PandF spells Best!
Thats the Emerson we found waiting on table at the hotel, exclaimed Stanley interestedly. At least, I suppose it is. I dont believe theres another Emerson in school.
Ill soon tell you, said Jimmy, rescuing the Supplement from beside his chair. Emerson, E., Dribble thats a swell cognomen, if you ask me! Dutton, Eager none in the senior class. And none in the junior yes, there is, Emerson, Russell Wilcox, Lawrence, N. Y., U. 27.
Thats this fellow, said Stanley. R. W., Russell Wilcox. Any others?
N-no, not in the Hold on, though. Heres another in the freshman bunch: Emerson, Ernest Prentice
Not him. He wouldnt be a freshie. Besides, the initials arent right. But whos G. Patterson?
Seems to me I remember a Patterson, mused Jimmy. Of course! You know him; at least by sight. Tall, thin gink; curly hair; Canadian, I think. Rooms in Upton. Wasnt he trying for baseball last spring?
Stanley nodded. Yes, but didnt make it. I believe hes a bit of a tennis shark. I remember. Maybe he and Emerson room together.
Right-o! corroborated Jimmy, referring again to the list. What do you know about them opening a store? Got their courage, what? Athletic goods, eh? Well, honest, Stan, theres a mighty good chance for some one to handle a decent line of athletic goods here. Crocker never has what you want, or, if he has, its so old it falls to pieces before you can use it. Remember the glove you bought last spring?
Stanley nodded earnestly. Fool thing went to pieces the third time I wore it, he grunted. Crockers higher than thunder, too. He doesnt know the Wars over yet! Wouldnt be surprised if these fellows did pretty well, Jimmy.
Nor I; and I hope they do. This Emerson guy seems to have a lot of grit, or or something. Initiative, too. Plucky chap. I liked his looks that day at Pine Harbor. After a moment, his eyes returned to the advertisement, Say, what do you suppose this cryptic bit means? PandF spells Best. Whats PandF?
You may explore me, replied Stanley, yawning. Maybe a misprint for P and E, Patterson and Emerson.
But its Emerson and Patterson. Besides, the things run together, like one word.
Its probably put there to make fellows curious, just as its made you, Jimmy. Sort of a a what do they call em? Slogans, isnt it? Like It Floats, or or But to save his life Stanley couldnt think of another example, and he subsided on the pillows again with a grunt.
Yes, but whats PandF? reiterated Jimmy, frowningly. Potatoes and Farina? Pork and and
Cabbage, suggested Stanley. Queer how your thoughts always run toward food, Jimmy. Isnt there anything else in the paper?
I guess so. Lets see. Jimmy turned to the first page. Record Enrollment; thats about the number of fellows; four hundred and twenty-four, Stan: estimated. Dont see why they have to estimate. Maybe they didnt have time to count em, though. New Courses Offered. Avaunt! Football Situation. Hm, the usual twaddle. Not in recent years has the Team lost so many of its first-string players by graduation. Guess thats so, too. Of those who started the Kenly game last Fall but three remain to serve as a nucleus about which to build this years Eleven; Captain Proctor, tackle, Nichols, center, and Mawson, half-back. The situation is not, though, as desperate as this fact would make it appear, as there is much excellent substitute material on hand. Rhame and McLeod, ends, Rowlandson, guard, Cravath, center, Richards, quarter-back, Harmon, Austen, Longstreth and Kruger, half-backs, and Browne and Linthicum, full-backs, have all had experience, and from them Coach Cade will doubtless be able to select a Team of no mean ability. What may develop from the new candidates is problematic, but nearly always one star appears unheralded. Hurrah! Theres a lot more of it, but as I dont see my name again well quit. And heres the schedule. Alton High School, Banning High School, Lorimer Academy, Hillsport School, New Falmouth High School, Mount Millard School Say, look where Mount Millard comes, Stan; second game from the last!
Sure! Why not?
How come?
Why, you dumb-bell, didnt they whale us last year, 19 to 0?
Thats so, but
Well, weve put them down the list where we can handle them. Whos next?
Oak Grove. Then Kenly. We have three games away from home.
All faculty will allow. Good thing, too, if you ask me.
I hadnt, old dear, but I will. Whats the answer?
Takes too much money traveling around with the team.
Oh! Yes, theres something in that. Heres a bit about the baseball situation, but who cares about that? Lets see, now
Read it, commanded Stanley.
Jimmy looked across protestingly. But its of absolutely no interest to any one except a few mistaken idiots who
Read it!
Oh, well! Jimmy sighed. Fall baseball practice, which started Monday, brought out an unusually large field of candidates. Six of last years creditable Team were on hand Jimmy paused and sniffed. Creditable! How do they attain that condition? On hand, and practically all of the Scrub Nine. Of new men the more promising at present are Dixon, who hails from Springfield High School, and Jameson, from Earl Academy. Captain Grainger announces that daily practice will be held as long as the weather permits, and asks all those who expect to take part in baseball next Spring to report at once. There, there wasnt a single mention of your name, Stan. I knew there was no call to read the piffle.
Jimmy looked across protestingly. But its of absolutely no interest to any one except a few mistaken idiots who
Read it!
Oh, well! Jimmy sighed. Fall baseball practice, which started Monday, brought out an unusually large field of candidates. Six of last years creditable Team were on hand Jimmy paused and sniffed. Creditable! How do they attain that condition? On hand, and practically all of the Scrub Nine. Of new men the more promising at present are Dixon, who hails from Springfield High School, and Jameson, from Earl Academy. Captain Grainger announces that daily practice will be held as long as the weather permits, and asks all those who expect to take part in baseball next Spring to report at once. There, there wasnt a single mention of your name, Stan. I knew there was no call to read the piffle.
Well have a corking team this year, mused Stanley.
Huh, you said that last year, and look what Kenly did to you!
Thats all right, replied the other warmly. We landed seventeen out of twenty-one games and tied one the best record in
Son, you lost to Kenly, and thats the unforgivable sin, interrupted Jimmy didactically.
Oh, well, grumbled Stanley.
Not, of course, that baseball is a sport to be taken seriously, continued Jimmy lightly. We can lose at soccer and tennis and baseball and still hold our heads up; which is extremely fortunate, too. Those minor sports He broke off to dodge a cushion, and then looked at his watch. Geewhillikins, Stan! Its after six! Move your lazy bones and lets eat!
Whereupon all was bustle and action in Number 4 Lykes Hall.
CHAPTER V
RUSSELL EXPLAINS
Doubtless Doctor McPhersons copy of The Doubleay was delivered to him absolutely on time, but the Doctor was always a busy man, and this was still very close to the beginning of the term, and so it was not until he was at ease in his very large and very old-fashioned green leather arm-chair that evening that he found time to scan the pages of the school weekly. This was a thing that he invariably did with much interest, for the paper echoed very clearly the pulse of the School. The Board of Editors and Managers were representative fellows and published their opinions which were the opinions of their schoolmates very frankly. In fact, as the Doctor recalled as he turned to the first page, there had been times when their frankness had been almost alarming; certainly embarrassing to him and the faculty! The Doctor was very thorough in all that he did, which probably accounts for the fact that, having perused and digested the news and editorial portions of the paper, he considered the advertisements, and with scarcely less interest. And, having reached one of them, he read it twice, frowning a little, and then, drawing a memorandum-pad toward him along the top of the big desk, he made three funny little characters on it, which, since the Doctor numbered a knowledge of short-hand among his other accomplishments, meant much more to him than it would have to you or me.
The direct result of those three lines and pot-hooks was the appearance the next forenoon of Russell Emerson in the school office and his prompt passage to the Principals private sanctum beyond. This room, which Russell had never before entered and had never pined to! was a large, high-ceilinged chamber with cream-white walls and woodwork and three massive windows toward the Green. It was saved from coldness and austerity by the huge mahogany bookcase along the farther wall, by a soft-piled green rug occupying most of the floor space, by a big mahogany desk in the center of the rug and by the presence along two walls of some half-dozen armchairs of the same warm-toned wood. Nevertheless, the first effect of that chamber on Russell was awesome, if not alarming. Although conscious of no lapse from the straight and narrow path, he nevertheless felt most uneasy as he closed the heavy door behind him, responded to the Principals smiling Good morning, Emerson and seated himself in the chair that stood beside the nearer end of the desk. Secretly curious, he sent a hurried look along the top of the shining mahogany, thinking that perhaps there would be somewhere in sight a clew to this unexpected summons. But the desk, save for some half-dozen books between handsome bronze book-ends in a distant corner, a large leather-bound writing pad under the Doctors elbow and a combined ink-well and pen-tray beyond it, was absolutely empty. Nor did the Doctors brown and rather sinewy hand hold anything that appeared like incriminating evidence. It held, in fact I am referring to the hand that held anything only a sharply-pointed yellow pencil which the Doctor, as he inquired politely as to Russells health and, subsequently, the health of Russells parents, slipped slowly back and forth between his fingers, alternating sharpened lead and rubber tip against one gray-trousered knee. Then he laid the pencil down on the blotting-pad, very exactly, so that it lay absolutely parallel to the rim of the pad, and came to the subject.
I read in The Doubleay, Emerson, that you have opened a shop in the town in West street, I believe for the sale of athletic supplies.
He paused, and Russell said, Yes, sir.
Rather an unusual proceeding, Emerson, pursued the Doctor. Unusual, that is to say, at this school. It may have been done elsewhere. Would you mind telling me why you have embarked in this ah enterprise?
Why, replied Russell a trifle blankly, to make money.
I see. But do you really need money? That is, more money than, I presume, your parents allow you?
Yes, sir, answered the boy emphatically. My tuition is paid until the end of this term, sir, but if Im to remain here for the rest of the year Ill have to pony up I mean Ill have to pay for it myself. Russell paused, frowned a little and looked speculatively at the Principal. The latter smiled faintly and nodded.
Yes, I would, he said.
Russell looked a bit startled and a bit questioning.
Tell me all about it, explained the Doctor. You were wondering whether you should, werent you?
Well, I Russell began apologetically. Then he smiled and began anew. You see, sir, my father isnt very well off. I guess I oughtnt to have come here in the first place, but I wanted to pretty badly, and father said I might as well have the best as any, and so I came. It went all right the first two years, but last spring things got sort of bad in our town. Folks got out of work and went away, and those that stayed didnt have much money and didnt spend much of what they had. And a good many didnt pay their bills. So fathers business sort of ran down and we didnt have much money.
What is your fathers business, Emerson?
He keeps a store, sir, a sort of general store. He told me away back last March that if things didnt pick up soon there wouldnt be much chance of my getting back here, and I tried to think of some way of making money so I could come back. Id helped in the store a good deal and so, naturally, I thought of selling something, and I was pretty sure that athletic goods would go pretty well here, because there isnt any one in town that makes a specialty of them, you see. Crocker, the hardware man, carries some, but he tries to shove off second-rate stuff at first-class prices, and the fellows have been stung a good deal. Then theres another man away down town, Loring, who carries a few things, but hes a good distance off, and his stuff is kind of second-rate, too. When the football team or the baseball team or the hockey team want supplies they send to New York for them, and that takes time and they dont get any different goods than what we carry.