Brooks Henderley

“ Several of the men who had stood around doing nothing, upon seeing what the two daring boys meant to attempt, called out to them. Some applauded their schemes, while others told them they were foolish, because the chances were they would not only fail to accomplish anything but lose their own lives in the bargain.
“Let them alone, can’t you?” shouted the shrill voice of Deacon Nocker. “They are ten times braver than any one of you cowards; and they will save Billy yet, I know they will—they must, I tell you! Go on, boys, and God bless you!” ”

“ Once in the Brandon grounds, it was easy enough for them to find the very spot where, on that never-to-be-forgotten Hallowe’en night, the prank-loving crowd had slipped through a gap in the dividing fence.
“You see it’s never been mended,” whispered Dick exultantly. “Of course, the old deacon knows this break is here, but he wouldn’t allow it to be closed for a good deal, because that would stop Billy’s daily visits.” ”

“ There is nothing under the sun capable of exciting a crowd of lively boys as much as a fire. Consequently when the ball players saw the smoke pouring from Bratton’s barn they instantly forgot all about their game, even with the score a tie, two out, Dick to the bat, a runner on third, and but a single hit needed to win for his side. ”

“ If Nat counted on Mr. Holwell being a man of peace because he wore the garb of a minister, he made one of the greatest mistakes of his life. Those who knew the reverend gentleman better could have told him that for a man of his years he was as fine an athlete as could be found in that section of the country.
Harry Bartlett was now alongside Mr. Holwell. His face was white with indignation, and his eyes sparkled dangerously. Watching anxiously, Dick saw the minister suddenly turn toward the Y. M. C. A. leader, and nod his head. ”

“ All could hear the noise made by the hurried passage of some body; and more than one boyish face lost much of its usual color as the lads exchanged uneasy glances.
“What if it’s the wild man?” ventured Andy Hale, thus voicing the alarm that had begun to hammer at every heart.
“Wow! get your clubs, everybody, and stand ready to repel boarders!” snapped Peg, immediately pouncing on the handy camp hatchet.
“Hold on, fellows,” Dick called out. “It’s a man, you can see, and he looks to me as though he might be more frightened than we are. See, he’s waving his hands.” ”

“ So I want to get what they call inspiration by seeing just how scared Limpy Peters will be when I groan, and carry on.”
“Shame on you, Nat!” said Leslie Capes, indignantly.
“Yes, and a whole lot of us echo that sentiment,” Dick went on to say. “Poor old Limpy Peters has suffered terribly in his life. Nearly every boy in Cliffwood thinks a heap of the old man, and for one I won’t stand by and hear of his being pestered, as you say, just to give you ‘inspiration.’”
“Huh! you talk pretty big, Dick Horner,” snapped Nat, with one of his lofty looks. ”

“ We’re dealing with facts now, not theories. There’s an animal over here, because some of our crowd have seen it, and all of us have looked on the wreck of the trap set to hold it. I honestly and truly believe it’ll turn out to be a gorilla.”
“Well, let’s figure out how that explanation agrees with what we know,” was the sensible way Leslie commenced. “All the boys who have glimpsed the creature agreed that it was short in stature, and with broad shoulders, as well as long arms. I remember that gorillas are built that way, Dick.” ”

“ Bartlett knew that some of the boys, more impetuous than wise, would be apt to rush toward the pit in order to gratify their curiosity. He wished to warn them of the danger involved in carelessness.
“Mr. Holwell,” he said, “Dan invites us all to come and see for ourselves. But before we go I wish to tell the boys to be very particular not to crowd up close to the edge of the pit. If the earth crumbled under any one and he fell in I’m afraid he’d never come out alive again.” ”

“ Please Heaven, with this dear grandchild, love is going to enter into the scheme. This confession is the only poor expiation I can make to poor Amos.”
He suddenly seemed to remember the two boys, for turning to Dick he went on to say:
“What do I not owe you, Dick Horner, and Leslie Capes, for your gallant conduct in saving these dear ones from a cruel death? After this hour I shall see boys in a different light from the past. Oh! I have been blind and foolish, wilfully so, but the boys of Cliffwood will never have occasion to look upon Jed Nocker as their enemy after this. I am a changed man.” ”

“ A wild bird can be taken from the nest when it’s just hatched, reared in a cage, and if set free will be able to construct a nest exactly like those its species has been building ever since the world began.”
“It’s just wonderful, that’s what, Dick! But let’s creep underneath and see if we can find anything of the lost articles.”
No sooner were they inside the rude shelter than both boys uttered cries of wonder mingled with delight.
“Here’s his treasure-chest as sure as anything!” yelled Leslie. “Oh, look, Dick! Mr. Holwell’s gold watch, and not a bit hurt, either! ”

“ Dick and Leslie exchanged glances at hearing [102] this fresh complaint about the pedantic librarian who seemed to think boys ought to be fed on heavy stuff from the time they were able to read their primers.
“Been knocking you again, has he, Dan?” demanded Leslie, frowning.
“Why, it’s getting so bad now,” said the other, angrily, “that a boy can’t ask for a single work of fiction but what Mr. Loft takes occasion to give him a long lecture on wasted opportunities. He says we ought to be cramming intelligence into our brains instead of fooling away our time with such trash as we ask for.” ”

“ Boys have feelings, and they know what kind of reading they want every time. Their books have got to have a certain amount of good, lively, healthy adventure in ’em, or else nobody’s going to bother spending his time over ’em.”
“But my uncle says——” began Humbert feebly, when Dan interrupted him.
“Oh! what does your uncle know about boys, tell me? I guess when he was a baby they must have fed him on Latin verbs and Greek nouns. All he thinks of is stuffing us boys with ‘standard literature,’ as he calls it, when we’re just shouting for things that appeal to our boy natures.” ”

“ Holwell exclaimed, joyously. “Like myself you believe in boys to the utmost.”
“Then tell me what it is you have been considering, sir,” urged Harry.
“A radical step in our service for young men and boys,” said the minister, with flashing eyes, and enthusiasm beaming from every feature of his rosy, healthy face. “It is nothing more or less than to start a junior organization in the Y. M. C. A., giving younger lads a chance to form a club, granting them the privileges of the gymnasium, the reading rooms, and admission to the lecture course as well. ”

“ As soon as the religious service, which was held every morning after breakfast, was over, Dick whispered to his chum:
“Let’s be moving, Leslie, while the crowd is still sitting around. Mr. Holwell seems to be telling them one of his stories about his experiences. Every little while something that happens seems to stir up his memory. He’s seen a heap of queer things in his day.” ”

“ Uncle Silas pretended to be quite disappointed because he too had not been remembered.
“Seems like I’m the only one left out in the cold,” he laughed, merrily. “But then I’m a newcomer here, and haven’t any right to expect much. Perhaps if I hung up my stocking tonight, like we used to do when we were youngsters, Polly, old Santa Claus might take a notion to slip just a little remembrance in the same. Now, just for luck, let’s all do it. It brings back happy days to even speak of such a thing. And for once let’s forget trouble as though we were children again.” ”

“ A number of the boys did not know the least thing about swimming, and were more or less timid about entering the water. Mr. Rowland soon gave them to understand there was nothing to be afraid of. He intended that there should be no skylarking, no ducking, no horse-play among themselves.
“We expect to have swimming classes,” he told them as they gathered around at the edge of the water, clad in their bathing trunks only. “A life saving crew will be organized, and no boy will be allowed to go beyond certain bounds on penalty of having his privileges curtailed, or even cut off altogether. ”

“ Right now I’ve been thinking up a little scheme to give old Limpy Peters, the shoemaker, the scare of his life.”
“How’s that, Nat?” asked Dit Hennesy, as he invariably did when the other showed signs of having conjured up some scheme that promised to give them the selfish enjoyment felt by the boy who was stoning the frogs.
“I’ll tell you,” chuckled Nat, who seemed to be feeling particularly jolly on this occasion. “You know Limpy Peters lost his wife some years ago. He always goes to the graveyard on nights when there’s a full moon, and sits there a long time like a silly old fool. ”

“ Holwell was greatly pleased with the measure of success that seemed to have already followed his attempt to better conditions in Cliffwood. He knew, however, that there must be no slackening of the good work, or things would begin to go down hill again; for there was an invisible pulling against the new order of things, which might come from the lower elements of the town.
Every night as many as a score of boys could be seen either reading books or the latest magazines or engaged in playing dominoes, checkers or chess in the comfortable rooms of the Y. M. C. A. building. ”

“ A gorilla in his native Borneo haunt is considered one of the most terrible creatures known to big game hunters the world over, not even excepting the grizzly bear of our own country, and Dick’s pulses were bounding, and his nerves were on edge, for he realized that at any minute he might find himself face to face with the animal.
And, indeed, that was just what did happen, for Dick suddenly heard a horrible gurgling sound close by, and turning his head found himself staring at a squatty, hairy figure that looked like a misshapen man with amazingly broad shoulders, and long dangling arms. ”

“ Nat must have forgotten such lessons as he had learned on the football field, regarding the force and value of a “flying wedge,” for all of them came along in a string, each fellow for himself.
In that way it was easier for the two who were on the defensive to hold their ground. Both boys were fairly well versed in boxing, for athletics had always been a favorite amusement with them.
“That’s one for you!” snapped Dick, as he delivered a blow with all his might, that hurled the leading figure back several paces. ”

“ You see, Dick, it’s got to be second nature with him to be eternally brushing himself off. He hates the sight of dirt, which is just the opposite of some boys. But then Humbert has been made a sissy by his uncle and his aunts. He should have been called Geraldine or something like that. Still, I will say he did a heap better than I ever thought he would.”
“Give him half a chance, Leslie,” urged Dick. “In spite of his superior airs and high-flown language I think he’s a boy after all. ”

“ Loft belongs to the Puritan days when a man didn’t dare kiss his wife on a Sunday. He ought to wake up and understand that this is the twentieth century, not the seventeenth.”
“I agree with you there,” said Peg, heartily. “And it may be Mr. Loft will learn something. It’s never too late for that, you know, Dick.”
“Guess you’re right,” admitted the other. “The case of Deacon Nocker proves it. He’s turned over a new leaf, let me tell you. Mrs. Nocker says he’s as kind as anything could be, and that both she and Billy are happy the livelong day.” ”

“ Everybody agreed that the nail was destitute of any such appendage as a dollar nickel watch. Mr. Bartlett looked serious, but allowed the boys to talk it over.
“Well, there’s no use mourning for lost things when breakfast is nearly ready,” declared good-natured Fred Bonnicastle. “Mebbe the watch is just having a little joke of its own, and will turn up later in some pocket of your clothes, Dan.”
“I’m as hungry as a wolf!” called out Clint Babbett.
“Huh! I could eat my weight, and then not half try,” ventured Nat Silmore. ”

“ But I give you plain warning that these scandalous goings-on are not to be tolerated any longer in a respectable town like Cliffwood. Better be going home and doing your chores. Loafing on street corners never gave any boy a lift in life; but it has helped many a lad to start to the penitentiary.”
[34] Then the worthy deacon walked on with his head lifted proudly, as though he really believed he had fulfilled his duty as a Christian in warning the boys of the rocks upon which they were drifting, even though he had not stretched out a helping hand to assist them. ”

“ Holwell patted Asa on the shoulder.
“Cheer up, my son,” he said, heartily. “It is that regret which is bound to make your footing sure on the rocks. When any one can forget his weaknesses of the past he is in danger of slipping again. That conscience of yours is going to be your best asset. ”

“ Holwell sighed and shook his head.
“Some of those boys are getting to be pretty wild, I’m afraid, Harry,” he went on to remark, reflectively. “They pursue their desire for fun too far. I’ve been doing more or less hard thinking lately about them, and mean to have a serious talk with you soon, to see if something can be done to lead that love for a frolic in the right channel.” ”

“ She’d find we’d eat her out of house and home,” laughed Peg Fosdick.
“There’s no doubt,” interrupted Dick, seriously, “but the woman thought she was giving us boys a big help, but it only goes to show how little some women know what a boy’s heart hungers for. It takes a man to understand a boy, my mother says. Why, even girls in these days wouldn’t stand for that sort of camping out.”
Several others got up to tell how they had prosecuted an earnest search, but absolutely without success. No one seemed to know of a suitable site for a boys’ camp within a reasonable distance of town. ”