The Winning Touchdown: A Story of College Football

by Lester Chadwick

  CHAPTER XV

  THE MIDNIGHT BLAZE

  Dripping, shivering, very much chagrined, and somewhat bruised and lamefrom their encounter with the student they had expected to haze soeasily, Holly Cross, Dutch Housenlager and the others gathered in alittle disconsolate group.

  Tom, Phil and Sid, hiding in the bushes, and trying to stifle theirsnickers of mirth, looked at the scene, which was thrown into partialrelief by the moon.

  "I wonder how they feel?" came from Tom.

  "Don't let them hear you," cautioned Phil, "or they'll vow and declarethat we were in on the game, and knew how it was going to turn out."

  "That's right," agreed Sid.

  But now someone in the group of hazers spoke. It was the puzzled anddubious voice of Dutch Housenlager.

  "I say, does anyone know what happened?" he asked.

  "We must have been struck by a cyclone," declared Holly.

  "Or a waterspout," added Bascome. "Bur-r-r-r-r! But it's cold! I'm goingto cut for college!"

  "Who said he was easy?" demanded Holly Cross. "Was it you, Dutch?"

  "Who, me? No, I never said such a thing! Perish the thought! Easy!"

  "The hardest proposition I've stacked up against in a long while," saidanother, rubbing his elbow. "Jove! how he did hit out!"

  "And so _sudden_!" commented Dutch.

  "Well, did you think he was going to send word on ahead when he wasgoing to land on you?" asked Jerry Jackson. "Come on. We've had enough."

  "Too much," added his brother. "I suppose this will be all over Randallin the morning."

  "Not if I have to tell it," insisted Bascome. "But Simpson may squeal."

  "He'd be justified," asserted another. "He has one on us, all right."

  "I believe he's too square to say anything about it," spoke Jerry.

  And so it proved. The next morning, when the big Californian met hisclassmates, there was a calm smile on his face, but neither by word noraction did he refer to what had taken place.

  But, somehow, the story leaked out. Perhaps it was because Tom, Phil andSid could not refrain from publicly asking Dutch and the others how thehazing had resulted.

  "Did you duck Simpson?" inquired Tom, as they were on their way tochapel next morning.

  "Why didn't you come and help with the fun, if you're so anxious to knowabout it?" inquired Dutch, non-committally.

  "Oh, we don't care for baths in the river this time of the year,"remarked Phil, with a laugh, and then Dutch knew that the story wasknown, though Tom and his two chums said nothing about having beenconcealed where they had a grandstand view of the whole performance.

  There were now busy days at Randall, for football was in full sway. Asa result of the Newkirk game, several shifts were made by coach andcaptain, and hard practice was called for. The California lad was givena chance on the regular against the scrub, and there was talk that hewould permanently replace Sam Looper. It was felt that Randall had notdone herself much credit thus far on the gridiron, and there were manyanxious hearts in consequence. But the members of the eleven made uptheir minds to do or die, and they went against the scrub so fiercelythat several members of that unfortunate contingent had to go to thehospital for repairs, or else report disabled. Then the coach andcaptain smiled grimly, and were not so worried about the result of theFairview and Boxer Hall games.

  It was practice, practice, practice, early and late, until some of themembers of the 'varsity felt like falling on the exacting Mr. Lightonand tearing him limb from limb. But they knew it was for their good, andthat they needed it.

  Our three friends were in their room one evening, talking of variousmatters, and incidentally speculating on the loss of their clock andchair. They had not had much time, of late, on account of football, toseek for clews, and they had about given up hope of recovering theirpossessions.

  "Well, it will soon be time to go up against Fairview," remarked Tom, ashe looked critically at a big leather patch he had sewed on the shoulderof his canvas jacket. "I do hope we win."

  "Same here, old man," added Phil, who was inspecting a new leatherhelmet he had just purchased. "I think----"

  He was interrupted by a knock on the door.

  "Come in!" cried Sid, who was trying to study, but making little headwayat it. Frank Simpson entered.

  "Well, you fellows are nice and cozy here," he remarked. "Am Iintruding?"

  "Not a bit! Come on in, and make yourself at home!" called Tom, heartily,shoving a pile of miscellaneous articles off one end of the sofa, tomake room for the visitor.

  "Just sit down sort of easy, please," cautioned Sid, as he motionedtoward the couch. "One of the bottom boards is loose, and it may comedown, especially----"

  "As I'm not exactly a featherweight," finished Frank. "I'll be careful.I got through with my stuff, and didn't have anything to do, so Ithought I'd drop in."

  "Yes, we live by the river; when you're down that way, drop in," saidPhil, and there was a laugh at the joke and reference.

  "I didn't see you fellows out there," remarked the lad from the West,with a motion of his head toward the stream.

  "No, we had another engagement," remarked Tom.

  "Speaking of engagements, reminds me of something!" exclaimed Phil,pulling a note from his pocket. "Ruth wrote me yesterday to come overto Fairview to-night, and bring you fellows. There's some sort ofdoings--giving a Greek play, or something like that, and a feed afterit. I forgot all about it."

  "Say, you're a nice one!" cried Tom, jumping up and looking at the newclock.

  "I should say yes!" added Sid. "Is it too late to go now?"

  "Guess not," drawled Phil. "If you fellows think we can escape the eagleeye of Proc. Zane, I'm willing, are you?"

  "Sure we are!" cried Phil and Tom, eagerly. "We can pull on our bestduds, and catch the next trolley. Zane can go hang! I guess we can slipin all right!"

  "I reckon I'd better be off then," spoke Simpson, as he arose to go."You haven't any too much room to get dressed, all three at once."

  "No, don't go," begged Phil. "That is go and get togged up, and comeback. Go along with us over to Fairview. My sister said she'd like tomeet you. I was telling her about you."

  "Do you mean it?" asked the Californian earnestly, for he liked socialpleasures, and he had not met any girls, as yet.

  "Sure, come along!" urged Tom and Sid. "We can fix you up with a girl, Iguess."

  "Kind of you," murmured Frank. "I believe I will go."

  A little later, the four caught a trolley car for Fairview Institute,where they were met by Phil's sister and the other young ladies, whowere glad to see them. There was a little amateur theatrical, followedby a dance and supper, and Frank Simpson was made to feel very much athome, for the girls took to him at once.

  It was long past midnight when our four friends alighted from the car,and stood for a moment, before starting toward their college.

  "What'll we do if we're caught by Zane?" asked Tom, for there was everylikelihood of that happening. They had known it all the while, but didnot like to think of it when the fun was at its height.

  "If he nabs us, we'll have to put up with it," said Phil.

  "It's easy enough to say," commented Sid, "but you know Prexy made quitea talk about it the other day, and said that anyone who was caught outlate would be severely dealt with. It might mean being barred off theteam."

  "Jove! You don't want that to happen," remarked Frank. "Isn't there someback way we can sneak in?"

  "Proc. Zane knows 'em all," asserted Tom. "We might try it around by thechapel, though. He isn't there quite so often as he is around the courtand campus."

  "Go ahead," urged Phil, grimly. "Might as well be killed for a lobsteras a crab."

  They stole silently forward, looking cautiously around for a sight ofthe proctor. They had almost reached the chapel, and were hoping thatthe remainder of the way would be clear, when Tom, who was in advance,suddenly uttered a hiss.

  "What is it?" whispered Phil.

&n
bsp; "Zane--right ahead there."

  Pausing in the shadows, they peered forward. There stood the proctordirectly in the path they must cross to get into college.

  "Just our luck!" groaned Sid, dismally.

  They hesitated a moment, not knowing what to do. To be caught, justafter the president's solemn warning, might mean severe punishment.

  "Can't we----" began Tom, and then Frank Simpson, who was a little inthe rear, suddenly uttered an exclamation.

  "Fellows, look!" he called, in a hoarse whisper. "There's a fire!"

  Startled, they looked to where he pointed. Through the windows of thechapel could be seen little tongues of flame, leaping up inside. Thebuilding was ablaze.

  For a moment, the boys did not know what to do. Then Tom called:

  "Come on, fellows! We've got to put that out! There are extinguishersright in the vestibule, and we can break down the door. Lively! We'vegot to fight the blaze, and give the alarm! Ring the bell!"

  They needed no other urging. Without another glance at the proctor,who had turned back toward the college, the four lads rushed silentlytoward the chapel. It was the work of but a moment for their sturdyshoulders to break in the outer door. Then, catching up several chemicalextinguishers, they sprang in through the swinging inner portals. Therewas a lively blaze in the floor, just over the furnace.

  "Douse it! Douse it!" yelled Tom, making a jump for it. "Someone ringthe bell! Maybe we can't control it!"

  "I'll do that!" yelled Simpson, and a moment later the deep, solemntones of the great bell boomed out on the midnight air, while the hungrytongues of fire leaped higher and higher.