Chapman and Hall

“ Tom and Jack tried to dodge, but could not. There was a clash, and Jack was caught. In a moment other Sophomores came up, and had him. Tom was struggling with his captor.
“Take that!” cried the latter, when, finding he could not subdue Tom, he struck our hero a blow in the face.
“I won’t take that from any one!” cried Tom fiercely. “Hazing customs or not!” He retaliated, and with such good measure that he knocked the other down. The black mask came off in the fall, and it was light enough for Tom to see Sam Heller.
“You!” he cried. “You’re not a Sophomore! You have no right to haze!” ”

“ My! but it's good to see the old place again, Morse," and the tall, good-looking lad whom the other had greeted so effusively held out his hand—a firm, brown hand that told of a summer spent in the open.
"Any of our boys back, Morse?" went on Tom Fairfield, as he looked around the campus of Elmwood Hall. "I thought I'd meet Bert Wilson or Jack Fitch on my way up, but I missed 'em. How are you, anyhow?"
"Fit as a fiddle. Say, you're looking as if you had enjoyed your vacation."
"I sure did! You're not looking bad yourself. Able to sit up and take nourishment, I guess." ”

“ It was quiet around the college when the Freshmen came back after their partly unsuccessful escape. That their going had been discovered no one doubted, but there seemed to be no one on the watch for them, and no undue excitement in Opus Manor.
“Now for the effigy!” exclaimed Tom, as he told the others his plans. “Jack and I, and a few of us are enough. The rest of you stand ready to give our yell as the fire starts.”
It did not take long, in the barn, and with the light of several lanterns which Tom had hidden, to make the effigy of Professor Skeel. ”

“ We know how you trained in with the Sophomores at the hazing, and that doesn’t look as though you considered yourself a Freshman, though I know why you did it, all right,” and Tom looked at his enemy significantly.
“That’s what!” shouted Jack Fitch.
“Now, as I said,” went on Tom, “if we do strike, and refuse to recite to Skeel, it won’t amount to anything unless the class stands together. If even one member backs down it will look as though he didn’t believe our cause right and just, and we can’t afford to have that. Now, are you with us or against us? ”

“ Professor Skeel, it seems, is no longer a member of the faculty of Elmwood Hall. I do not understand it, but I fear he has left for good.”
“And I know it—I don’t fear it,” murmured Tom. “I’m glad of it, too. It saves me the disagreeable duty of branding him as a forger. All’s well that ends well? I suppose.”
“The purpose of this meeting having been accomplished,” went on Doctor Meredith, “you may consider yourselves excused. You will report for Latin recitation to Professor Hammond, until further notice, and I will engage a new classical professor as soon as possible.” ”

“ Still, save for Sam Heller, no one thought of giving in. All stuck by Tom.
During the morning, groups of students from other dormitories, the Senior, Junior and Sophomore, came past Opus Manor, and cruelly made signs of eating, for of course the story of the imprisonment of the Freshman class was known all through the college.
“Say, I’ve got an idea!” exclaimed Jack, as he saw some of his friends in the upper classes standing under his window in an angle of the building. “Why can’t they smuggle us something to eat? We can let down a basket or a box, and haul it up.” ”

“ As Tom answered he saw a man come from the summer house, a man he at once recognized as Professor Burton Skeel, the grim Latin instructor.
[54]
“Well, you boys can just go back the way you came,” went on the angry professor. “These are my private grounds, and I allow no students to trespass. If I find you doing it again I shall take sterner measures. Go back the way you came, and don’t come here again. Ah, I see that you are Elmwood students,” the professor went on. “That makes it all the worse. You should have known that I permit no trespassing, nor trifling. Be off!” ”

“ It was the aim of the school proctor, Mr. Frederick Porter, to thus keep watch and ward over the first year students.
The others were allowed more liberty, or at least they took it, for many of them lived in fraternity houses, and some Seniors boarded in private families in town. Most of the Seniors, however, dwelt in a house near the Hall. It was called Elmwood Castle, and Tom looked longingly at it as he passed on his way to his own more humble, and less distinctive, dormitory. ”

“ Once they had made up their minds to accept the situation the boys made merry over the meager breakfast.
“Anyhow, we can cut all lectures!” exulted several who were not fond of study.
“And we’ll have to pull our belts in a few holes if this sort of grub keeps up long,” commented Jack.
“Yes, a fine sort of strike this is!” sneered Sam Heller. “I never agreed to starve, Tom Fairfield.” He glared at his rival.
“You can starve with the rest of us,” spoke our hero, grimly. “Besides, you can live a long time on bread and water. ”

“ If we go back, and call the strike off, do we get it?”
“That’s what we want to know,” added Jack Fitch.
“And we want something to eat, too,” spoke Bert Wilson.
“You will return to your dormitory,” went on Doctor Meredith in an even voice. “This must go on no longer.”
“But what about the Latin class?” asked Tom persistently. “Are we to be prisoners? Aren’t we to be allowed to recite, or attend lectures?”
“I will settle all that tomorrow,” said the doctor. “I may state, however, that you will recite, if you do at all to-morrow, to another Latin instructor.” ”

“ Sam Heller, with a triumphant smile at Tom, went to quarter, and the game proceeded. But it was noticed that Sam, who was giving signals, and deciding on most of [71] the plays, did not give Tom as many chances as when Bert had been in place behind the centre.
“You want to look out for Sam in the game to-morrow,” said Jack to Tom that night, when, after gruelling practice, the regular Freshmen had shoved the scrub all over the field.
“Why so?”
“Because I think he has it in for you. He’ll spoil your plays if he can, and he won’t give you a chance. Look out for him.” ”

“ When they entered the hall they found a noisy crowd, smoking, playing cards and lounging about. On a platform sat Jim Evans, looking profoundly important. He sat at a table with a heap of papers before him. Griscom approached him, Ralph by his side.
“Who’s in charge here?” demanded the old engineer gruffly.
“I am,” announced Evans, in a somewhat unsteady tone. “Head of the movement.”
“That so?” muttered Griscom. “Movement can’t amount to much, then. Now then, Jim Evans, just one word. We came here out of courtesy to the union. We are members in good 109 standing, and we represent the majority. ”

“ Fairfield, “and one I wish I could get out of, but I can’t. We’ll start as soon as we can, Tom. We’re to go to San Francisco by train, and take a steamer there. I’ll write at once, and make arrangements for you to go to Elmwood Hall. Your mother will see to getting what clothes you need. Here is a catalog of the school.” ”

“ There was no doubt but that some one was out in the corridor, but as silence replaced the rather noiseless celebration of the feast, the footsteps could be heard retreating.
“A spy sent to make a report,” was Tom’s opinion. “Well, we can’t be any worse off than we are. Keep things going, fellows,” and the spread proceeded.
Meanwhile a curious scene was being enacted in the study of Doctor Meredith. All the members [165] of the faculty were present, and were being addressed by Professor Skeel.
“I think it is due me, as an instructor in this school, that this class be punished,” he said. ”

“ We’ll call for you in Doctor Dale’s automobile. He’s promised to take the whole bunch of us to the broadcasting station.” 132
“Pretty soft,” said Larry. “How do you fellows come to rate an automobile?”
“Oh, we’ve got a big drag around this town,” replied Bob. “I guess they’d give us the Town Hall if we asked for it.”
“You hate yourselves, don’t you?” asked Larry.
“That isn’t as big a claim as it may seem,” remarked Joe. “The Town Hall is so old that I think they’d be glad of an excuse to give it away. But they won’t build a new one until the old one falls down.” ”

“ I was a Freshman once. Come on, I’ll show you the way, but don’t work the trick too often.”
Bruce walked up to Tom, and remarked:
“Oh, it’s you, is it, Fairfield. Glad to see you again. I didn’t recognize you in the darkness. I just got in to-day.”
“Yes, I saw you,” remarked our hero as he introduced his chums.
Bruce continued to walk on beside Tom, the others following. The Senior led the way along a little-used path, well screened by trees from spying eyes.
“Won’t you get caught yourself?” Tom wanted to know.
“No, we lordly Seniors are allowed a few more privileges than you luckless squabs. ”

“ At that moment several of the men monitors from the other dormitories were seen in the lower hall, and one or two were at a rear door.
[171]
“They’re prepared to meet force with force,” said Tom to his chums. “Just wait a bit, and there may be something doing. Meanwhile, eat your grub.”
“Hot grub this!” exclaimed Jack. “I wish we’d saved some from last night. Any left, Tom?”
“Not a crumb. Never mind, this is good for a change,” and Tom proceeded to munch the dry bread, and sip the water.
Monitor Blackford’s face showed relief. ”

“ Think I’d have a chance?”
“It’s too early to say, but have a try, anyhow.”
“Are any of the professors very savage?” asked Tom.
“Only so-so. Doctor Pliny Meredith is head master, I suppose you know.”
“Yes. How is he?”
“As full of learning as a crab is of meat in the middle of August, but he’s not very jolly. Rather stand-offish, and distant, though sometimes he warms up. We call him ‘Merry’ because he’s usually so glum. But he’s fair, and he thinks Elmwood Hall the greatest institution ever. To him a fellow’s word is as good as his bond. ”

“ See you again!” and with that Reddy rushed off, to clap on the shoulder a tall, well-built lad, who looked every inch an athlete. Tom gathered up his belongings, gave his trunk check to an expressman, and headed for Opus Manor.
This residence, or dormitory, was one of the school buildings, located not far away from the main hall and was “within bounds,” so that the Freshmen, did they wish to spend an evening in town, had to get permission, or else “run the guard,” a proceeding fraught with some danger, carrying with detection a penalty more or less severe. ”

“ I have thought of the best plan.”
“What is it?” asked Professor Skeel, hoping it was the suspension of the entire class, and the expulsion of Tom.
“We will treat with the strikers, just as is done in industrial strikes,” said Doctor Meredith with an air of triumph, as if he had discovered a most unusual way of settling the trouble. “We will arbitrate. That is the best way. I will send them a personal communication, when they have assembled. I must make some notes. If you will kindly post a bulletin, requesting the class to assemble in, say, the gymnasium, I will send a communication to them. ”

“ Griscom?" inquired Ralph.
"The old strike gang is the trouble, and will be until they're laid out, ragtail and bobtail, dead told. I have a friend in a certain department of the service here. He isn't giving away official business any, but he isn't in sympathy with Hall or Wilson. One of them sent a wire to Riverton an hour since. It was to some one the operator never heard of before, evidently a friend of theirs. It mentioned 999, your name, and Fogg. The rest of it was in cipher."
"We've just had a Black Hand warning, here in the cab," said Ralph. ”

“ Why, we’ll stand on our heads!” exclaimed Tom with a laugh.
“All of us?” demanded the inquisitive lad.
“No, only you,” retorted Jack. “For cats’ sake, cut out some of those questions; will you? We’ll call you Interrogation Mark if you don’t look out, only it’s too much of a mouthful to speak in a hurry. Cut along now, before we’re caught.”
It was dark enough to elude a possible spying [59] monitor, or one of the proctor’s emissaries, and soon the four lads were on their way to town. They went to a moving picture show, enjoying it greatly. ”

“ Some few were tossed in blankets, and much horse play was indulged in. But the discovery of Heller’s trick rather discomfited the second year lads, and they felt that there was a little blight on their class. Otherwise the hazing might have been more severe.
“Now then, form in line, and give three cheers for the Sophs, and you can go home to your beds,” declared Wendell. “Only remember, every Freshman must wear his cap backwards every time he comes on the campus, for the next [95] two weeks, and salute every Sophomore he meets, under penalty of being hazed over again. Remember! ”

“ Opus Manor filled with a laughing, chattering crowd, and Tom was glad he had selected his room in advance, as there were many disappointed boys, when they found they could not get the apartments they wanted.
“I struck it right!” declared Jack.
“And so did I!” added Tom, for he liked his new chum more and more. They made the acquaintance of several lads. On one side of them roomed Bert Wilson, to whom Tom and Jack at [52] once took a liking, and on the other side was George Abbot, a rather lonely little chap. ”

“ We’ll give you a Latin lesson later. And, in the meanwhile, here is a dollar to buy a dictionary,” and Tom passed over a bill to the man who was always a friend to the students.
As for Professor Skeel he was not heard of [206] again for some time. But the lads of Elmwood Hall did not care. They had Tom Fairfield, who became more of a leader than ever after his successful strike. As for Sam Heller, he led a miserable life as a Freshman—ignored by nearly all.
“Come on in to town,” invited Bruce that night. “I’ll treat you fellows to a good feed, Tom. ”