Brad

“ It happened one Day that Brad was out Moting and he dropped in at the College where his Boyhood Friend was now the Professor of Dipsicology and Plamazzus.
"This is a likely-looking Plant," said Brad, as he sized up the Campus. "I like to encourage these Joints because they help to keep a lot of Young Fellows away from Business Offices. I find that I have here in my Vest-Pocket a measly $50,000 that I have overlooked in changing my Clothes. ”

“ Brad told the Cubs. “It’s getting late anyhow.”
In the act of tying his plunder into a knapsack made from his sweater, Dan glanced toward the basement window of the new house.
“Look, Brad!” he commanded. “That guy’s standing there watching us!”
“I don’t like it,” the older boy muttered. “Mr. Hatfield’s right. This is no place for us.”
“We ought to be a match for him.”
“That’s not the point,” Brad argued. “For all we may know, he might be a criminal—armed. He looks like a tough customer.”
“Face is sort of familiar too,” Dan said thoughtfully. “Where have I seen him before?” ”

“ You mark me."
"Don't take any stock in what Brad says," declared Fred. "I haven't anything so wonderful, only a little notion that came to me, and which I really believe does help me get over the ground a little bit faster, with less fatigue. But wait and see what to-morrow brings along. Now, Brad, suppose you arrange things so that I can be close to those bushes over yonder when the pistol sounds for the start. Once I get in there, I'll drop down, and let the rest pass me. After that I'll find a way to leave without being seen; and start off on my own hook over another five mile course." ”

“ He grasped Brad by the shoulder, pulling him half-way out of the booth. “Who are you and what’s your game?”
Before Brad could answer, the proprietor of the Green Parrot came quickly from the direction of the kitchen. He had seen what was happening and did not want any trouble in his place.
“Cut it out, Eddie,” he said. “No rough stuff here.”
“Who are these kids?”
“How should I know? Never saw ’em before.”
“They were standing outside the cafe, watching,” Eddie informed the proprietor. “When we came in, they followed. I say, throw ’em out.” ”

“ I know that you love Eunice. Save her from any scandal. Don't let her suffer for this, Jack.
Goodbye
Brad
"If you won't come into the house—let me talk to you in the garden. It's important!"
"Well——why did you send for me?"
"Do you know why Brad shot himself?"
"He saw us in there—"
"What is to become of me—all the boys know you were here—people will talk—"
"I'll marry you—I guess Brad meant it that way—"
Fate has a way of reserving its cruelest blows for our happiest moments—
"Why, Cecily, what's the matter——why aren't you ready——it's almost time for the game!" ”

“ You didn’t move it, Brad?”
“Haven’t been inside this hogan all day.”
“Well, it went the same way the blanket did,” Mr. Hatfield said grimly. “Frankly, Brad, I don’t like the way things are disappearing.”
“That paddle too,” Brad recalled. “The Cubs still blame Ross.”
“I don’t think he took it,” Mr. Hatfield said. “Ross isn’t a thief. Someone else is prowling around this camp. We’ll have to be very careful about leaving anything of value lying around, even during the daytime. Warn the Cubs.” ”

“ Holloway or Mr. Hatfield to explain their absence.
“We may get back before they show up,” Brad said. “I hope so, but there’s no telling what we may run into. I sure hope we aren’t making a mistake starting off this way.”
In an attempt to take a short route to the cave, Brad chose an inland route. There was no marked trail. Every inch of the distance was a battle against the underbrush. When finally the boys emerged on the beach, not more than a hundred yards from the cave, they were worn from their struggles.
Dan suddenly reached out and jerked Red back into the bushes. ”

“ Brad muttered. “If they see that the bushes were pulled away from the path, they’ll be suspicious.”
“Mack and Chips took care of that. They put the brush back in place. The only thing that might give us away unless we’re seen, are footprints. And it’s too dark to make them out now.”
[147]
“Listen!” Dan warned, grasping Brad’s hand. “I can hear someone coming up the path now.” ”

“ The pair halted a moment under a store awning, there to catch their breath.
“This may turn to ice or sleet before the night’s over,” Brad said anxiously. “Then watch the cars pile up!”
“It’s almost cold enough for sleet,” Dan agreed with a shiver. “The storm certainly rolled in fast. Maybe Sam Hatfield decided to call off the Cub meeting.”
Brad moved back against the building wall to escape the awning drip. “Not Sam,” he said cheerfully. “He knows the Cubs are tough. Anyway, we’re a little late. The others are probably at the church now, waiting for us.” ”

“ Quit worrying, Brad."
And under this inspiring kind of talk the track captain did brace up, so that he even allowed a smile to creep over his grim face.
"Well, you're the one to give a fellow tone, and make him feel good, Fred," he remarked. "I reckon you feel confident without being too sure; and that's the way a fellow competing against others ought to feel. He's just got to believe in himself up to the last second; and in lots of cases that same confidence wins out. ”

“ Here in this little Brain Hatchery were two Kids who were not Mates. One was named Otis and the other was Bradford, or Brad for Short. Otis was the Boy who took the Affirmative side on Friday Afternoon. Ote firmly believed that Learning was the most valuable Asset that a Man could tuck away. Brad was for the Money End of the Game, but when he got up to make his Talk his Vocabulary would become jammed up and caught crossways in the Flue and teacher would motion him back to his Seat. ”

“ Brad exclaimed. “It must be that mysterious fellow who’s always taking shots over our heads. Let’s nab him.”
Thus urged, the Cubs made a dash for the clump of foliage.
[84] CHAPTER 9
A Neglected Duty
Surrounding the area from which the arrows had been shot, the Cubs closed in.
But, after whipping through the bushes, they were unable to find the mysterious archer.
“The fellow knew we would be after him,” Brad remarked, carefully looking about on the ground for telltale clues. “He must have run off the moment he shot the arrows.”
“He’s good too,” spoke up Ross. ”

“ The taunt annoyed Brad. “I’m just trying to do what Mr. Hatfield would want us to,” he retorted. “You’re so hot-headed.”
“Then go in there yourself and search the shack!” Chips challenged. “Or are you afraid?”
“No, I’m not, and you know it! I just have sense enough to figure that the tramp could come back here any minute.”
“Fred and Jack are watching, aren’t they? If the fellow leaves the creek, they’ll whistle. Go on! The important thing is to get that box of money!”
Brad gazed thoughtfully toward the creek. From a short distance away, he could see a few wisps of smoke arising. ”

“ Dan speculated. “Brad, he’s cheating Mr. Silverton—and then trying to throw the blame on the Cubs!”
“He may be in on some sort of crooked deal,” Brad said slowly. “But we’re jumping to pretty fancy conclusions. After all, we don’t have any real evidence.”
[152]
“We heard what those two men said,” Brad declared excitedly.
“Sure,” said Brad evenly, “but they didn’t mention any names.”
“One called the other Jake,” Dan recalled. “Of course, that’s not much to go on.”
“Saul Dobbs’ name wasn’t spoken,” Brad went on. “We don’t like the man, so naturally we decide he’s in on something shady.” ”

“ Brad had a bulldog Jaw and large blood-shot Hands and a Neck-Band somewhat larger than his Hat-Band. He jumped the Stockade when they started to teach him Botany. He weighted 180, and he thought he was too large to sit around and count the Petals of the Ox-Eye Daisy when he might be out selling Lightning Rods to the Yaps and making jug-handled Contracts. Accordingly he Dug.
"Bradford is making a great Mistake," said Otis, as he saw his Friend tear from the Institution of Learning. "In order to get a few worldly Chattels right at the jump, he sacrifices his Diploma. I shall be more Foxy. ”

“ Mr. Bradby was somewhere handy, he argued, extremely ready and willing to finish him off, and it would never do to give him another chance. He had no idea that Mr. Bradby had died long years ago. Time had telescoped and he was back again in the early eighties. With the addled craftiness of a half-witted creature he set about escaping from the imprisoning walls of the gully-dungeon. Had it been anything else than a blind creek he would have found an exit by following the dry bed, and thus have disappeared entirely from this story. ”

“ I don't see where the difference comes in."
"Boys never do see that sort of thing," commented his sister.
"Perhaps not. Well, I had some fights with other fellows about Brading before we settled it, for some of them were mean enough to send him to Coventry, till I let them see a few of us wouldn't have it. So, being chummy, Brading knew I was on the look-out for a situation, and this morning he said to me: 'Murray, would you mind going into our shop? I was to have taken the post myself if the fellow could have stopped a bit longer, but he's going abroad, and must go at once. ”

“ That hulking, ugly youth is Braddy, the bully, the terror of the Guinea-pigs, and the laughing-stock of his own class-mates. The boy who is fastening a chalk duster on to the collar of Braddy’s coat is Tom Senior, the Doctor’s eldest son, who, one would have imagined, might have learned better manners. ”

“ Brady, as he imagined, was trying to despoil him of the labour of years, the fruits of his toil, and it is not alone in Ireland that people who fancy they have been ruined without any fault of their own are irrational and implacable.
Besides, he had a vague idea that if he could pour the tale of his wrongs into the ears of the proper person, Brady might be worsted, and he righted; and there is perhaps nothing more difficult to combat than a conviction, decided, though formless, of this kind. ”

“ Now, in those days of my innocence, I believed these stories as gospel, hating the fellow all the while from the bottom of my heart, as I saw that he made a deep impression on Dosy, who sat in open-mouthed wonder, swallowing them down as a common-councilman swallows turtle. But times are changed. I have seen Paris and London since, and I believe I know both villages as well as most men, and the deuce a word of truth did Brady tell in his whole narrative. ”

“ The kicker obeyed, and was just about to step back into the launch, when Old King Brady, ordering him to remain where he was, he sat down on the big tin box.
Instantly he jumped up again, exclaiming:
"Good heavens! There is some one alive in this box!"
"Ah! The princess!" cried Alice. ”

“ As we proceeded to the post, Brady addressed me in low tones. "I don't want to frighten you, sonny," he said; "but that Lean is a bad lot, so don't let him be too close to you as you go through the needle-bush. You'll be out of sight there and he might pull you off; run just ahead of him if you can, but don't have him alongside. When you are going at the jumps let her pick her own panel. Give her her head and sit tight; she won't stop and she won't fall. ”

“ Elliott bluntly.
"No, sir, that's so," assented Brady. "I'll buy him a horse and a boat, then, anything he wants, only let him come with me. We are all of us weak, sir. I may be tempted, I may fall. Let him sort of brace me up for a couple of weeks. Then he will return, realizing that his poor old relative is genuine, and I'll be proud all the time thinking I've won his respect."
Professor Elliott fixed his eyes on the speaker as if he would pierce him through and through. Then he regarded Brady thoughtfully. ”

“ The fire had died down somewhat, the cheering was more spasmodic and subdued, the time for speeches had come. Every one crowded closer, and the wagon, not the burning pile, became the centre of attention.
"Speech! speech!" cried '98. "A speech, Braddy."
Bradfield was not only the pitcher, but the Captain of the Freshman nine. So they forced him upon the high seat, and yelled for quiet. Braddy looked down upon the densely packed mass, hushed for the moment into something like stillness, and his nerve completely deserted him. ”

“ The students agreeing, Brady led the way upstairs, and in response to their summons Belton hastily opened the door. He was a typical book-worm—thin, pale and rather emaciated, but with a pleasant expression in his eyes and mouth, that all felt was assuring. ”

“ She had three daughters and one Sunday afternoon we were all out walking together, when one of them pointed to a very fine residence and said, "That's the residence of Bill Bradley, the big gambler."
Just then Bill and his wife came driving by behind a spanking team of bays. Quick as a flash78 my hat came off, and I bowed low. Bill saw it and very cavalierly returned my salute. The elder Miss Slade turned on me like a tigress, and said,
"Mr. Bates, do you know who that man is? Do you know what he is?" ”

“ What do you mean by this?" shouted Ah Lung, recognizing the Doctor's voice.
"Business," was the reply. "You would not accede to my very modest request so I have to do the best I can for myself. So Young King Brady was your deaf and dumb friend in the next alcove, was he? Say, Lung, I'm going to read you a lesson. I'm going to teach you how dangerous it is to muss with me. As for little Brady he knows how I love him and what good reasons I have for my extreme affection. But you are dead wrong if you think the fair Alice is here, Harry."
"Did you kidnap her, Garshaski?" demanded Harry. ”