Edward Stratemeyer

“ Just as Ben was on the point of striking for the net, a Rockville player stole the puck from him, rapped it to another player, who sent it whirling to Mallory, and in a twinkling it was down at the other end of the field.
"Another goal for Rockville!"
"What did I tell you? Boys, this is a walk-over for our school!" cried Guy Frapley, who was on hand and as anxious as anybody to see Oak Hall defeated.
"Oak Hall may be able to play football, but they don't know how to play ice hockey!" added John Rand, who was with him and equally anxious to see Dave and his friends lose. ”

“ Nevertheless, all were on their guard as the rope grew as tight as a string on a bow.
"She ain't moving yet!" cried Pete Barnaby. He stood by the side of his machine watching the rope closely.
Hardly had he spoken when there came a slow, sucking sound, as the wheels left their bed of soft mud. Then the racing machine moved forward slowly.
"Hurrah! she's coming!" cried Sam. "Put on a little more steam and you'll have her!"
Dave and Roger turned on more power, and the racing machine continued to move. ”

“ In the semi-darkness he saw that he had not come down the slide over the water, but down another, which ended in the sawdust pit of the ice-house. He looked decidedly sheepish.
"Have a fine swim, Carson?" asked one of his tormentors.
"What a sell!" muttered the victim. "But anyway, it's better than the river!" he added, with much satisfaction.
One after another the victims were sent down the wooden slide. Some came down silently, like martyrs, while others yelled in alarm. Nat Poole was the last to be brought forward. He was well blindfolded. ”

“ Dave had settled down to his studies in earnest, for that winter he wished to make an extra good record for himself. He loved sports, but as he grew older he realized that he was at Oak Hall more for a mental than a physical training.
"When my time comes, I shall have a good many business interests to look after," was the way he expressed himself to Phil, who joked him about "boning like a cart horse," "and I know if I haven't the education I'll be at the mercy of anybody who wishes to take advantage of my ignorance."
"Well, you are not going to give up football, are you, Dave?" ”

“ Luke Watson started up the school song, and the others joined in lustily:
"Oak Hall we never shall forget,
⁠No matter where we roam,
It is the very best of schools,
⁠To us it's just like home!
Then give three cheers, and let them ring
⁠Throughout this world so wide,
To let the people know that we
⁠Elect to here abide!"
"That's the stuff!" cried Ben, slangily. "Now, then, for the field cry," and then came the Oak Hall cheer:
⁠"Baseball!
⁠Football!
⁠Oak Hall
⁠Has the call!
Biff! Boom! Bang! Whoop!"
"I think we ought to display the school colors!" cried Dave. "Anybody got a flag?" ”

“ His voice trembled a little as he spoke.
"I will dare, Nick Jasniff. I know what you are and I know what Link Merwell is and I don't propose to stand any more of your under-handed work. Now you have your last warning,—and if you are wise you'll heed it."
"Say, do you want to fight?" roared Jasniff, coming forward, and sticking his chin close to Dave's face.
"I can defend myself, Jasniff,—even when a fellow tried to take a foul advantage of me, as you did that time in the gym."
"Bah! Always ringing that in. I only swung the Indian club to scare you. I can fight with my fists." ”

“ Toot! toot! came from behind the leading automobile, and a moment later the second car ranged up alongside.
"Guess you folks are doing more talking than running!" cried Roger, with a grin. "Here is where we show you the road!" And in a twinkling the second car shot ahead, and was "hitting her up," as Ben expressed it, at thirty miles an hour. Dave immediately turned on more speed likewise, and over the smooth, straight road both machines spun.
"Oh, Dave, is it safe?" asked Jessie, with a little gasp, as the speed increased. ”

“ Once Dave came close to losing the flag, and only saved it by sending two of the enemy sprawling headlong in the snow.
At last the Reds managed to reach the top of the ridge, and from that point send down a fierce shower of snowballs. The Blues could not withstand this fire, and broke and ran.
"Hurrah! the victory is ours!" yelled several of the Reds.
"Let us clinch it, and make 'em cry for mercy!" shouted one of the victorious army, and forward he went, and nearly all of the others after him.
"Be careful!" cried Dave. "There are a lot of holes around here! Somebody may break a leg." ”

“ It did Dave's heart good to see the change in Plum, and he was likewise pleased over the different way in which Macklin acted.
"I never thought it was in Gus and Chip," he said, privately, to Roger. "It shows what a fellow can do if he sets his mind to it."
"It's to your credit as much as to their own," declared the senator's son. "I don't believe Gus would have reformed if you hadn't braced him up."
"I wish I could reform Nat Poole."
"You'll never do it, Dave but you may scare him into behaving himself." ”

“ And now when Oak Hall calls me,
I go, whate'er befalls me!"
sang Luke Watson, and put up his hands as if playing an imaginary guitar.
"Say, doesn't anybody want to hear that story about the mountain lions?" queried Shadow, reproachfully. Story-telling was his hobby, and it had often been said by his friends that he would rather spin a yarn than eat.
"Some other time, Shadow," answered Buster. "We want to hear about Dave's trip West, and about what he did to Link Merwell."
"Before I tell you about that, let me give you a piece of news," said Dave. ”

“ To her this beast of the farm looked more terrifying than those she had seen on the ranch.
With great caution Dave approached the bull from one side while Ben approached from the other. The animal snorted again, and lowered his horns. All the girls began to scream.
"Better be quiet," called out Dave. "You'll only excite him more."
"Oh, be careful!" answered Jessie, in a horrified whisper.
At that moment the bull backed up against one of the automobiles, and then moved forward again. This action released the tree stump, so that the beast was now free to go where he pleased. ”

“ I know Elmwood has a strong eleven, so Rockville must be extra good this season."
"Exactly so; and that means, if our eleven is not greatly strengthened before we meet Rockville, we shall suffer another defeat," responded the master of Oak Hall, rubbing his chin reflectively.
"More than likely, sir."
"Too bad! In these days some folks think football and baseball quite as important—ahem!—as—er—some studies. It is a wrong idea, assuredly,—yet I—ahem!—I think it would be a very good thing if we could show the world that our students can play football as well as do other things." ”

“ SNEAK AGAINST SNEAK
It was a time of extreme peril for the boys in the sawdust pit at the bottom of the wooden slide, and nobody realized this more thoroughly than did Dave. In some manner the wooden bracings had become loosened, and the ponderous slide was in danger of coming down with a mighty crash on their heads. If it did this, more than likely some of the lads would be seriously injured, if not killed.
"Jump from the pit!" yelled Dave, and caught Phil by one hand and Roger by the other. All made a wild scramble, kicking the sawdust in all directions. ”

“ As he had anticipated, this created quite a sensation, and a lively discussion followed, which was kept up even after the crowd got aboard the train which would carry them to Oakdale.
"Well, if Rockville wants such fellows it can have 'em," was Buster Beggs's comment. "I, for one, am glad they are out of Oak Hall."
"I know one fellow who will be glad they are gone," said Shadow. "That is Gus Plum."
"Yes, indeed," answered Dave, for he well remembered what influence Merwell and even Jasniff had exercised over Plum when the youth had found his appetite for liquor almost too strong for him. ”

“ All the other victims were laughing at him, and the club members almost doubled up in their mirth.
"Think you're smart, don't you?" he snarled. "But you just wait!"
"Want more of the initiation?" demanded Buster.
"No, I don't! You let me go! I'm going back to the school! "
"So are we, Nat, and you'll go with us," answered Shadow. "Don't let him get away from us!" he whispered to his friends.
"Well, this winds up the initiation," said Buster, throwing off his headgear, a movement that was followed by the others. "You fellows are now full-fledged members of the Gee Eyes." ”

“ Dave saw Nat Poole hurrying towards him, followed by Merwell and Jasniff. Pete Barnaby was nowhere in sight, and the marks on the narrow road told that his racing car had gone on ahead.
"What do you want, Nat?" asked Dave, as coolly as he could, having brought his machine to a standstill.
"Can't you read, Dave Porter?" fumed the son of the Crumville money-lender.
"Certainly I can read."
"Well, then, what are you doing on this road? You know it is closed. You haven't any right on it at all—you or anybody else. You turn around and go back, just as quick as you can." ”

“ He wondered if Doctor Montgomery was acting on his own account or for Merwell and Jasniff, and he also wondered what the mysterious letters and documents and photographs could be. Was it possible that Laura had once given her photograph to Merwell, or had it taken when in that rascal's company? If the latter was true, Merwell would know that the Porters would give a good deal to get the picture, and have the negative destroyed.
"Perhaps it is only a scheme to get me to Rockville and to some place where Jasniff and Merwell can lay hands on me," he mused. ”

“ Should he rouse up Doctor Clay and tell the master the whole story, or would it be better to say nothing and await developments?
"If I say anything there will be a great hullabaloo, but it won't prove anything," he reasoned. "Merwell and Jasniff will deny everything, and so will Shime, and that fake doctor might take it into his head to sue me for slander. No, I'll fight my own battles, and see if I can't corner them on my own hook. But I'll tell Phil and Roger."
Arriving at the school grounds, Dave wondered how he was going to get in without being observed. ”

“ The Lemington players were already on the field, and it was seen that they were rather light in weight, only the full-back being of good size.
"Our eleven has the advantage in weight," said Roger. "But I rather fancy those fellows are swift."
"Yes, and they may be tricky," added Ben.
As soon as Dave and his chums were seated, Dave gave the signal, and the Oak Hall cheer was given. Then followed another cheer for the school eleven, with a tooting of horns and a clacking of wooden rattles.
"Mercy! but those Oak Hall students can make a noise!" exclaimed one girl, sitting close by. ”

“ THE GREAT GAME WITH ROCKVILLE
"Dave, I think I see a chance of catching Rockville napping," said Roger, just before the practice began.
"You mean, if they try to take advantage of our signals?"
"Yes. If they feel sure we are going to do one thing and we do another, they'll get left."
"Well, they'll deserve to get left—if they try to profit by any such work." ”

“ Say, Shadow, you don't think——"
"Yes, I do!" shouted the lad who had the reputation of walking in his sleep. "I think Nat Poole took those shoes, slippers, and boots, and then got scared in some way and returned them. And when he boxed 'em up he caught his watch charm in the slipper, and the charm dropped inside."
"It looks reasonable," was Dave's comment.
"You let me have that charm and I'll find out about this," went on Shadow. "I'll show him he can't do such a thing and then shove it off on me, and make folks believe I took the shoes while I was walking in my sleep!" ”

“ His reception had not been what he had anticipated, and he could not imagine what was coming next.
"Here are some of the documents I wish you to look over first—and then we'll talk business," said Hooker Montgomery, pointing to a mass of legal-looking papers lying on the bed. "You can take them to the window if you wish," and he sank down in a rocking-chair, as if tired out, and placed both hands over his eyes. ”

“ Just before the spot was reached they took to another side road, and were glad to see that no other automobile had passed that way.
"We'll have the Lookout all to ourselves," said Dave. "And that is just what we want."
"Maybe I'm not getting hungry!" cried Phil. "I really believe I could choke down a chicken sandwich, if I was forced to do it!"
"'Forced' is good!" answered Dave. "Girls, be sure to keep the hamper away from Phil, or he won't leave enough behind to feed a canary," and this remark brought forth the first laugh since the trouble on the road. ”

“ But even this did not help Oak Hall in the first half of the contest. Rockville went at it hammer and tongs again, and soon scored a legitimate third goal, amid a cheering that was tremendous. Then the whistle blew, and the first half of the game became a thing of the past.
"We are up against it and no mistake," remarked Roger, dolefully, as he and the other players sat down on a bench in the boathouse to rest.
"We are too slow," answered Dave. "We simply must put more ginger in our playing." ”

“ I am going to do you and your family a great favor."
"Well?"
"I am a poor man. I could have made money out of my remedies had I charged as some physicians do, but instead I wished to aid humanity, and so sold my priceless medicines for a song. Yes, I am poor, sir, and I need money. If I aid you——" Hooker Montgomery paused suggestively.
"If you really do me a favor, you shall be well paid for it, Doctor Montgomery," replied Dave, promptly.
"You mean that?" And now the doctor's voice took on a sudden note of keen interest. ”

“ The practice at an end, the toss-up followed, and this was won by Rockville, and they elected to take the ball. Out on the gridiron spread the two elevens, each player eager to do his best. Then the whistle blew, there came a kicking of the pigskin, and the great game was on.
The play was fast and furious from the start, and in a very few minutes Dave and his chums understood that to gain a victory was going to be no easy thing. Rockville had the advantage in weight, and long practice had put every man in the pink of condition. ”

“ When they reached the spot from which the cries for help had proceeded they could see nothing of Tom Hally.
"He was here a minute ago—I saw him!" declared a student named Messmer. "He must have gone down out of sight!"
"Be careful that somebody doesn't go down on top of him," cautioned Roger.
He had hardly spoken when there came a cry from Messmer, and, looking in his direction, the other boys were horrified to see him sink into the snow up to his waist.
"Hi! hi! help me!" yelled Messmer. "Quick, something has me by the foot!"
"Maybe it's Hally, at the bottom of the hole!" ”

“ The goal warmed the hearts of the Oak Hall seven wonderfully, and when the puck was again placed in position, they went for it like hungry cats after a mouse. The exchange of blows was rapid, and the disc was stolen and recovered half a dozen times in as many seconds. Then came a long drive by Ben, and another by Dave, and then a Rockville player sent it out of bounds. Bringing it back gave the lads time to recover their breath, and again they went at it with a determination that was terrific.
"Oh, somebody will be killed!" ”

“ And then came a wild dancing around the victims, with a brandishing of clubs and swords.
"Hi! don't stab me!" roared one, as a sword was thrust suddenly in the direction of his stomach.
"Shut up!" murmured the victim next to him. "They won't hurt you."
"The Right Honorable Lord of the Reservoir will warm up the victims' backbones!" sang out Buster, in a hoarse bass voice. And then Shadow Hamilton, in his disguise, crept behind the nearest victim, and sent a stream of ice-water from a squirt-gun down the fellow's neck. ”