by Morgan Scott
CHAPTER XV
STILL SILENT.
Osgood and Shultz arrived at the academy barely in time to escape tardymarks. As they slid into their seats neither of them glanced towardPiper, who had an eye turned upon them, and at intermission both seemedanxious to keep away from him. Watching them, he saw Ned, seeking toavoid general attention, pass a few low, hasty words with both Springerand Cooper.
"That won't do you a bit of good," thought the determined boy. "If youget the whole of the rest of the bunch to stick by you, I'll give themfair warning and speak up myself."
Shultz evidently took pains not to be seen with any of the fellows whohad participated in the card game, but never for a moment during thatintermission did he give Piper an opportunity to address him when otherscholars were not close by. Fully aware that the fellow would refuse tostep aside with him, Piper made the request of Osgood.
"Well, you've had time," said Billy, as they paused beneath one of thetrees near the academy. "What have you done? What are you going to do?"
"It will be all right," assured Osgood suavely, "only just don't pushthe thing too hard; for if you do, Shultz may balk, and that would putus all in a hole. You've got to think of some one besides yourself,Piper."
"I am; I'm thinking of Hooker."
"I tell you it will be all right," reiterated Ned. "Just give us alittle more time. Don't do anything foolish."
The bell struck, recalling them to the building, and, far fromsatisfied, Billy returned to fix his mind as best he could upon hisstudies.
Before dismissing school for the day, Professor Richardson stood besidehis desk and again pushed his spectacles upward on his forehead. Histhin cheeks were unnaturally flushed, and his voice had changed fromhuskiness to a croaking sound, which seemed to indicate that the coldhad gripped him at his throat. Silence fell upon the room, for every oneseemed to know the topic upon which the principal was about to speak,and more than one boy felt a shiver run through him.
"I regret," began the professor, "that my talk of this morning had solittle effect. I've waited, vainly hoping that some one might come to mewith the truth concerning Roy Hooker. At noon I again saw Dr. Grindle,and I'm glad to say that what he told me was almost an assurance thatRoy would fully recover, and that very soon. The unfortunate boy wasable to talk a little this forenoon, and although no one urged him, hesaid enough to give an inkling of the cause of his trouble."
For a moment he paused, his eyes seeming to rove from face to facebefore him, and the shivering ones found it most difficult to meet hislook and appear interested without betraying guilt. How much had Hookertold? That was the question that made every pulse throb, even whiletheir blood seemed to run chill.
"I spoke this morning of evil influences and bad associates," continuedthe principal. "There's no need to repeat what I said. From Hooker'srambling words, it has become apparent that upon Saturday night he wasengaged in a game of cards--for money. In short, he was gambling. Whereand with whom, he did not state, and it was not thought best to worryhim in his present condition with too many questions. Of course he wasgaming with his usual companions, his so-called friends. That meansalmost to a certainty that some who are now listening to my words werewith him. I will repeat my assertion that the names of his companionsmust assuredly become known.
"What happened to him in that game may readily be surmised. There was aquarrel. There were blows, and he was dreadfully injured. It will be amerciful thing if his reason is not permanently affected. The actualcause of the quarrel is yet a matter of surmisal, but whoever entersinto a gambling game invites disaster. Greed and triumph fills the heartof the winner; bitterness and resentment fixes its hold upon the loser.Suspicion is aroused. At the slightest happening which seems to confirmsuspicion there is an arousal of bad blood and a quarrel. We have herean example of how serious such a quarrel may be, and it should be alesson to all of you--a lesson to be remembered always. It should teachyou to shun gambling as you would shun a contagious disease. It is adisease that undermines the moral fiber and manhood of any one ittouches. Having been contaminated, there is only one remedy, onecure:--good resolutions, the determination to shun this evil thing infuture, and the will-power to hold fast to that determination.
"A person who makes up his mind to do right in the future, and issincere about it, seldom hesitates to admit his errors or mistakes ofthe past. There are always willing hands to help one who thus proves hissincere change of heart. I hope before it is too late I may yet receivethe evidence that some of you are sincerely repentant and sincerelydetermined henceforth to avoid such mistakes. You are dismissed."
The old man puttered around, gathering up his books and papers andlocking his desk. When he was ready to leave he found himself alone inthe big room.
"Ah, well!" he muttered; "it's hard for them. I'm afraid I haven'tsufficient influence. I'm afraid I failed to make my words convincing."
Outside, the members of the ball team had turned toward the nearby fieldfor practice, but they were not talking of baseball. The knowledge thatRoy Hooker had been engaged in a card game for money caused theirtongues to wag vigorously. Speculation was rife as to where the game hadtaken place and who had been concerned in it. Several of them, whilepretending ignorance, knew very well indeed, and at least one who wasnot in the secret was inclined to believe he could make a good guess atthe truth.
Jack Nelson had not forgotten that Roy Hooker was one of the trio inHyde's livery stable, after the return from Wyndham, to whom Ned Osgoodhad said that he would see them later. But, having nothing further onwhich to base his surmisal, and never dreaming how much Billy Piperknew, Nelson refrained from hints or accusations. Perhaps in this he wassupported by the belief that, taking into consideration the benching ofOsgood in Saturday's game, it might seem that he had a pronounced animusagainst the fellow were he to suggest that Ned knew more than he wasdisposed to tell.
"As Prof said," thought Nelson, "it's bound to come out, and I won'tmake any blunder if I keep my mouth shut."
One thing he did not understand was why Piper, knowing certain fellowsmet regularly Saturday evenings in Osgood's rooms, seemed to show solittle interest in the matter. It was wholly unlike Billy, whoheretofore had displayed the most eager disposition to probe anythingwhich bore on its face the tag of mystery. Even Piper's protestationthat he was done with such things and would play the detective no moredid not seem to be an adequate excuse for his apathy.
"It's all mighty queer," decided Jack, as, taking little part in thetalk of the boys around him, he got into his uniform in the gymnasium."Osgood doesn't seem at all worried, but his friend Shultz is altogethertoo gay to be natural. It's not like him. Well, if they're concerned,they're in deep, and it wouldn't surprise me if the nine lost a coupleof good players."