I. T. Thurston

“ Bobby will watch us with all the eyes he has,” said Crawford gloomily.
“Bobby!” said Henderson with a sneer. “I reckon we’re sharp enough to hoodwink Bobby, and if with the help of Coyle and Green and the rest of our crowd we don’t make it lively for those precious L. A. O.’s, I miss my guess, that’s all. But now, see here—the governor says that if I don’t stand as well in class as I have done, or if I give Bobby any cause to complain of me hereafter, then that’s the end of it. I can drop out of high school and go where I like, but never a dollar will he give me if I starve.” ”

“ Baum was the next to speak, and perhaps to no boy in the school could the ordeal have been more trying than to him. He was one of the most silent of boys, never speaking unless spoken to, and then replying in the fewest possible words. He never originated any mischief in the school-room, and would certainly not have done what he did at the drill, but for his intense and bitter mortification over his blunder, and Henderson’s angry, scathing censure before the company. ”

“ Banners, handkerchiefs, ribbon-decked parasols were waved with reckless disregard of everybody and everything, while the retiring company was literally pelted with flowers.
“It is evident that the audience has decided which is the prize company,” remarked Professor Keene with a smile, to Bessie Gordon, “and I quite agree with the general verdict.”
Bessie’s eyes were full of quiet happiness, now, but her cheeks were still a little pale from the nervous excitement of seeing that blazing cracker flying straight towards those faces that she knew would not move a hair’s breadth to avoid it. ”

“ Perhaps some of you don’t know that he has no father, and that his mother is working a good deal harder than any woman ought to work, to keep him in school. Freeman himself is very anxious to get to work and help his mother, and the position he gets after he graduates will depend largely on his school record; yet you, Crawford, deliberately tried yesterday, to make him fail, when he knew his lesson perfectly, and not satisfied with that, you pitched into him after school and rolled him in mud and water in the street. It was a shame, Crawford—a little delicate chap like him, not half your size! ”

“ Every eye in the group followed Gordon’s glance to where Crawford stood leaning against the fence. There was no one near him, and something in his attitude, and in the expression of his face, convinced more than one of the boys that Gordon was right, and that Crawford was changed somehow.
“Suppose there’d be any use in asking him to join the L. A. O.?” questioned Sherman, after a moment’s silence.
“I should say ask him, by all means. He can’t do more than refuse,” said Gordon; “and we must ask the new fellows, of course. Hamlin, will you interview Rosy or the black-eyed chap?” ”

“ It was evident that they did not take half as much pride in their own red ribbons as they did in their captain’s honors.
“Aren’t you proud of your brother?” said a girl near Bessie; and Bessie answered frankly, “Indeed I am, Mollie.”
“You have reason to be, Miss Bessie,” added Professor Keene. “I am proud to have him in my school. His influence is always on the right side.”
Bessie’s eyes shone with delight at this public compliment to her brother; but Edith turned away with tears in her eyes and an aching heart, because her only brother could receive no such commendation. ”

“ It isn’t just fun, or even carelessness and disorder. It is low, filthy talk, and the oaths that some of us use so constantly, that make everybody so down on us, and I don’t wonder at it.”
[37]
“Pretty little boy! Does his mammy know he’s out?” said Henderson, tauntingly.
“’Course she does. He’s still tied to her apron-string,” put in Coyle.
“I suppose you think such talk is very smart,” said Gordon, trying hard to look undisturbed, “but I think we are all old enough to begin to act like gentlemen, to say the least, and some of us mean to show that we are gentlemen. ”

“ The two parties advanced all together against the fort until they were quite near, then suddenly dividing, half turned to the left and the other half to the right. Griffin hastily sent half of his men to repel Clark’s party, while he, with the rest, beat back Hamlin and his followers. Again and again the boys outside would succeed in climbing almost to the top of the wall of snow, only to be met by a [223] shower of balls that filled eyes, ears and mouths, while strong hands pushed and shoved them down the slippery walls, shouts and yells of derision following them as they descended. ”

“ Horton gave you the chance? He wouldn’t have been hard on you. He knew it was an accident,” said Clark.
“But it wasn’t, Stanley. At least, I meant the marble to hit Raleigh’s head, though of course, I didn’t think of his glasses. I’ve had a hand in all the mischief that has been done in the room these last two terms, and I’ve lied like a trooper right straight through it all. Stanley—I don’t believe I can help lying now.”
“Nonsense, Ray!” Clark spoke sternly, now. “Don’t be so weak as to give up trying to make a man of yourself. I tell you, Ray, your father’s son must be a true, honorable man. ”

“ A day or two later, the doors of the Central high school were closed, and the boys and girls gathered there no more, but some at the seashore, and some in the mountains, they sought rest and pleasure, while many others—unable to leave the city, soon found themselves looking forward to September, when they might take up again the school duties that, after all, have so much that is bright and pleasant, mingled with the hard and tiresome round. ”

“ A silence followed, while the boys looked at one another uneasily.
“It isn’t all—his father,” remarked one.
“No—it’s the things that happened the first of the year,” said another.
“But I, for one, don’t believe that he deserved the blame he got in either of those cases,” said Hamlin boldly; “and no one can deny that he’s the best all-around scholar in the class; and as to deportment, no fellow could do more to help our record than he does.” ”

“ Horton have been an unseen listener at a spread given to the Antis by Crawford and Henderson at the rooms of the former, he would have understood the matter, for the boys, as they disposed of the feast, laughed and rejoiced over the success of their schemes, and planned yet more and more exasperating trials for their long-suffering instructor.
Among those present at Crawford’s “spread” was Charlie Reed. Thus far Reed had looked upon life as a huge joke, and his one purpose was to get as much fun as possible out of every hour in the day. ”

“ If I’d been here, I’d have stood up for Clark. Coward indeed! He showed pluck enough, I should say, in refusing to fight that bully Crawford.”
But at this, a murmur of dissent went around the group. It was plain that for once Hamlin was not to have the popular support even of all his friends.
“No, no, Hamlin,” said one, “you can’t make me believe that a fellow with the right sort of stuff in him would let anybody give him the lie direct and a blow in the face to boot, and not strike back. That’s not my idea of courage.” ”

“ Coward—coward! You’re afraid, and try to sneak out of it that way,” called Crawford loudly; and more than one voice joined in the cry, and shouted, “Coward! Coward!” as Clark walked swiftly through the hall and up the stairs to his seat. Little Freeman followed him, but as he glanced at his friend’s white, set face, he dared not speak to him, and slipping into his own seat, he opened a book, and pretended to be studying. In another moment, the bell summoned the boys from the playground. ”

“ But how about his royal highness with the black eyes? Wouldn’t he condescend to accept the invitation?”
“No,” said Gordon quietly, though his face flushed at the question.
“Oh, come, Gordon, you might as well out with it. Your face gives you away. What did he say?”
“Well,” said Gordon with a half laugh, “he drew himself up and looked at me as if I were a toad or a snake, and remarked that he had come here to study—not to fool away his time in clubs or any such nonsense, and that he would thank me to leave him alone.”
“Whew!” whistled Hamlin, “he’ll be pretty popular here, won’t he?” ”

“ Horton, inquiringly.
“All the section, I hope,” answered Gordon. “Some of us, Mr. Horton, have made up our minds that there has got to be a change in D section. We don’t like the reputation that we are getting.”
“I am very glad to hear you say so, Gordon,” said Mr. Horton earnestly. “I feel deeply ashamed of it myself, and have been giving most serious thought to the matter for some time past. But if you boys will set yourselves to work in real earnest, you can accomplish far more than is possible for me.” ”

“ As the sunny May days slipped away and examination time approached, the strain of the competition began to tell upon many of the pupils. Four in section D stood so nearly together that Mr. Horton himself could not see that one had any better chance than the others.
“I never had four such students in one class,” he said to Professor Keene one day. “So far as perfect recitations go, there is nothing to choose between them. When St. John first entered, he was away ahead in Latin, but the other three have been steadily overtaking him, and now it all rests on the examinations.” ”

“ Nor mine,” cried half a dozen voices.
Hamlin looked from one to another, reading the same opinion in every face.
“No,” he said scornfully. “It is quite evident that it is not your idea of courage. Haven’t you sense enough to see that Clark showed a courage as much higher and finer than Crawford’s as his was higher than that of—a mad bull, I was going to say”; he stopped and half laughed, as he added, “That’s a poor comparison however, for I don’t think that Crawford’s courage was one whit higher or better than a mad bull’s.” ”

“ The moment the doors were thrown open, the room was filled with a crowd of eager boys, and the cheers that greeted the new captain were as gall and wormwood to Coyle. He had burst into a flood of angry blame against the nine whose change of vote had carried the election so differently from what he had planned and expected. ”

“ You know Griffin can’t be beat as a drill-master, and he’s a jolly good fellow besides, and not the one to be always snooping around to see if a man happens to have a cigarette or a pack of cards in his pocket. We don’t want a straight-laced parson like Graham put over Company C. Why not all vote for Griffin and done with it? I think it would be fine, anyhow, to carry the election against Gordon’s candidate. ”

“ It is a shame for a few, comparatively, to work so much harm to all; but you can see for yourselves that the present state of things cannot continue.”
“Professor,” said the captain of Company A, “I’ve heard something about that self-government plan, and I’d like to know more. Can’t you tell us all about it?”
“I could,” answered the professor, “but I prefer to let you know about it from someone better informed. Suppose I send a committee, composed of officers of the battalion, to the school I have mentioned. There you can see and hear for yourselves.” ”

“ We don’t want sons of convicts here,” said a hot-headed Georgian.
“Don’t say that, Lee,” said Gordon. “For my part, I’m right down sorry for Clark. He can’t help what his father has done, and isn’t to blame for it, and yet he’s got to have it thrown up at him all his life.”
“Reckon he’s got some of the same blood in his veins. They say if a fellow will lie he’ll steal too, and Clark came mighty near lying over that Latin business,” said a boy who had not before spoken.
“Don’t know about that,” quickly responded a little fellow named Reed. ”

“ I know a fellow always gets the name of a coward if he won’t pitch in and strike back like a prize fighter when anybody insults him; but I’m beginning to think that the honor that can only be proven by making a brute of one’s self, isn’t worth very much anyhow. But that blow of yours that Clark had the courage not to return, Crawford, was only one of the [13] things that you were responsible for, yesterday, if all I’ve heard is true. You all know,” he went on, turning to the boys, “how often little Freeman is sick, and how much he is absent on that account. ”

“ Clark did not flinch, as he answered gravely:—
“That ball might have hurt Graham pretty badly, Griffin.”
“Hurt him! I should say so!” cried Hamlin. “A ball that would break a window at this distance would have killed a fellow, sure. You must have thrown it with tremendous force, Griffin.” ”

“ Neither was he fully aware of the character of some of the boys in Company C. There were a few fine fellows in the company, but there were more who were idle and indifferent to everything but “fun,” and a few who were really bad, and who would not hesitate to sacrifice the best interests of the school to carry out their own schemes. Some of these last had been friends of Henderson, and these had by no means forgotten the occurrences at the competitive drill. They resented Henderson’s enforced departure, and the disgrace that had fallen upon the company rankled in their minds. ”

“ WHO IS THE THIEF?
“You fellows in the battalion have all the good times. I just wish I’d entered the high school first year, then I’d have been an officer by this time,” said Dixon to Reed, one day, with an admiring glance at the other’s neat uniform and shoulder straps.
“Oh, yes,” said Reed, “it’s such fun to drill three times a week, especially when the thermometer climbs up among the eighties—say about next May. We generally have a hot wave along that time.”
“It’s no fun to carry those heavy muskets,” put in Freeman. ”