Frank Armstrong at College

by Matthew M. Colton

  CHAPTER XI.

  A VOYAGE TO LONDON.

  Ten days after the trials at Cambridge, Frank, with the Codfish athis side, stood on the promenade deck of the great White Star liner_Olympic_, and waved good-by to his friends on the dock as the bigboat moved slowly out into North River.

  "Bring back their scalps, you Indians," shouted someone.

  "Don't let the Johnny Bulls get your goats, you Yaleses!"

  "Show them how they do it in Yankeeland, Harvard!"

  To all of which the outgoing athletes, in a little group apart fromthe rest of the passengers, smiled and waved hands in acknowledgment.

  "Gee whiz," said the Codfish as the big ship slipped swiftly down thebay, "I never thought of it before, but what if I should be seasick?"

  "It doesn't make so much difference about you," said Frankheartlessly, "but what if _I_ should? That's the question!"

  Fortunately, the ocean was calm and none of the team suffered in theslightest from the dreaded sickness. With the first meal on the shipthe athletes were seated together, and soon Yale and Harvard lineswere forgotten. The men from the two universities fraternized witheach other and the team was neither Harvard nor Yale, but an Americanteam with only one object in view,--victory from their Englishcousins.

  Training regulations were established at once, and while the routinewas not so strict as on land, the trainers saw to it that theirathletes retired not later than 10:30 and that they were up at 7 inthe morning for a jog around the decks before the passengers wereabout. The long decks of the _Olympic_ made a surprisingly goodtraining ground. A training stunt which amused the passengers wasdancing, not in the ordinary sense of the word, but "standstillsprinting" as the Codfish called it, on a cork mat, on which therunners got practically the same leg action as they would running onthe open track. A large cork mat was spread on the boat deck, andrelays of men, four at a time, pranced merrily, rested and prancedagain. Then came a cold salt water shower and a rub-down. In theafternoon the dancing exercise would be repeated. Skipping the ropewas another deck exercise which played a large part in keeping themen in good condition.

  "Where do you keep yourself nowadays?" said Frank one evening afterdinner. He had noticed that Gleason disappeared for long periodsduring the day.

  "O, just sitting about and thinking. Can't think where you athletesare romping around. You make more noise than a bunch of magpies. I'msick of athletic chatter, that so-and-so ought to do 10 seconds, andthat Mr. Blinks of Harvard should win his half if he doesn't get toofast a pace in the first quarter, that Mr. Jenks of Yale is likely topull a tendon, and so on and so on."

  "So you sneak off and improve your mind?"

  "Right-O, sonny. I'm doing that same."

  But the next day Frank discovered the cause of the Codfish's longabsences. The Codfish did not have his meals at the athletes' tablebut at a table nearby. Adjoining the table where he sat, Fate, in theperson of the steward's assistant, had placed Mr. and Mrs. MortimoreHasbrouck, their daughter Marjorie and son William. Fate went a stepfarther than the location of the Hasbrouck family and undoubtedly hada hand in the business of seating Marjorie at this table where herbright face was in range of the Codfish's roving eyes.

  Now, Marjorie was fair to look upon as the Codfish admitted tohimself when she made her appearance in the dining saloon the firstnight at sea. "But she's only a kid," he said to himself, "just freshout of some boarding school if I dope that pin on her shoulder right."

  The Codfish looked and looked, but the eyes of Marjorie were onthe athletes' table beyond him, and were not for him. Her gazecontinually traveled over his head, and now and then he could hearthe words "Harvard, Yale, track athletes----" for, of course,everyone knew that the teams were aboard even before the ship leftthe dock.

  "She doesn't know I belong to the party," thought the Codfish,gloomily, "or she wouldn't waste all her looks at the next table.I've got to fix that!"

  That night he made it a point to speak to Billie, while the latterhung on the outskirts of the crowd of athletes, and Billie was, ofcourse, overjoyed to be spoken to by a college man, for he was onlyin his third year in prep. school, and considered a collegian a kindof demigod.

  "Are you one of the athletes?" inquired Billie.

  "I'm one of the Yale men," said the Codfish feeling his chest expand.

  Billie jumped to the conclusion that he was one of the competitors,and was duly elated at the fortunate acquaintance.

  "Gee whiz, I'm glad to know you. I'm going down to Yale myself nextyear if I get through my exams. Should have been there this year butflub-dubbed the exams. Dad says if I don't make it next year it'sgood-night for mine."

  "Stick to it, stick to it, my boy! A college life is a greatthing,--training of the mind, associations, mental and physicaldevelopment and all that sort of thing." As he talked he led the wayup the deck in the direction of the Hasbrouck family chairs. TheCodfish shot a look out of his eye and observed the object of hissearch, the fair Marjorie. But the expected didn't happen. Billie,glorying in the companionship of a Yale man and a member of thegreat team of athletes, led his new-found friend up and down thedeck half a dozen times to let the full weight of its significancesink into the family.

  Getting impatient at last, and tired of the walking, the Codfishsaid: "Seems to me I've seen you and your sister before somewhere.Perhaps it was down at the game last fall."

  "Wish I had been there, but nothing doing! Just at that time I gotinto trouble at school and the Pater shut down on me. Beastly luck.But, say, Mr.-- Mr.----"

  "Gleason."

  "Mr. Gleason, won't you come and meet the family? Sis will bedelighted to know a Yale man."

  Thus came the Codfish to the Hasbrouck family, where, being properlypresented, he bowed low and with supreme dignity. When Marjorieoffered him her hand he held it a trifle overtime and lookedunspeakable things.

  "What is your specialty, Mr. Gleason?" inquired Mrs. Hasbrouck.

  "O, a little of everything," said the Codfish noncommittally.

  "O, isn't that lovely," cried Marjorie. "He does everything!"

  "Well, I try a few things," struggling to produce a modest smile andwith indifferent success.

  "Tell us about Yale, Mr. Gleason," said Mrs. Hasbrouck. "I'm so sorryJohn isn't here because William is going down to Yale next year, Ihope. I went to a game there years ago, a football game I think itwas, in June----"

  "Baseball, I think," corrected Billie. "They don't play football inJune."

  "Well, baseball then. I thought it a wonderful place."

  "O, it's a pretty good place," said Gleason, and then nothing loathto talk, particularly when Marjorie made the inquiries, he launchedinto a dazzling word picture of Yale and her glories. At the end often minutes he had made such progress with Marjorie that she readilyaccepted his invitation to take a promenade with him. From thatmoment the affairs of the Yale-Harvard track team, and even the moreintimate concerns of his roommate began to decline from the zenith ofhis attentions. Marjorie was in the ascendency.

  It was on the second day out that Frank Armstrong, noticing theCodfish's absence, had asked him where he kept himself, and was notat all satisfied with the answer he got. "The Codfish sitting around,thinking! Never!" said Frank to himself. And shortly after, Frankhad ocular demonstration as to the real trouble. He met Codfish andMarjorie, and the former was so much absorbed that he didn't even seehis roommate.

  "By Jove!" cried Frank. "Wait till I see him!"

  When the Codfish turned up that night in the stateroom, Frank pouncedupon him.

  "So you've been sitting around, thinking, have you?"

  "Sure thing, thinking what I'd do next. I say, Frank, she's a pippin.Billie's an awful bore, but his kid sister is a peach, believe me!"

  "I thought you were an out-and-out woman-hater."

  "I used to be in my younger days," said the Codfish, earnestly, "butthis Marjorie girl has certainly got me going. Some eyes, boy, someeyes."

  "So, that's why yo
u've been neglecting your poor roommate, is it? Ithought you came over here to see that I had good attention and keptin training. I might be at almost anything, even enjoying a pipe inthe smoking room with John Hasbrouck as far as you are concerned."

  "I guess you will be all right looking after yourself. Now inMarjorie's case--" he had reached the point already of calling her"Marjorie," and he lingered a little over the name--"in Marjorie'scase, it is different. She needs a strong arm to lean on," and theCodfish stretched his legs out luxuriously.

  "And you are furnishing the arm?"

  "Precisely."

  "And how about her father and mother and even her brother? They haveno protecting arms, I suppose?"

  "Frank, they don't understand her. She seems quite alone. This is inconfidence, Frank,--she's going to go on the stage as soon as she'sthrough school. She'd make a hit, I tell you! She has great ambition,that girl has!"

  "And what does her mother say about the stage?"

  "O, just laughs at her, has no conception of the depths of thatgirl's nature. I doped her out for myself soon as I saw her. Frank,old chap, I love her!" At this astounding piece of intelligence Frankhowled with laughter.

  "All right, go ahead and laugh, but I tell you this is serious. Say,Frank, you wouldn't mind if I went on to Paris with the Hasbroucks,would you? You won't need me for anything. I'll get back to Londonfor the meet maybe."

  "You'll get lost snooping around Paris all by yourself," said Frankas soon as he could regain the breath that Gleason's question hadknocked out of him.

  "O, but I'll not be alone. I'll travel with the Hasbroucks. My hearttells me to go."

  "Very well then," said Frank. "If you have such an unreliable heart,there's nothing for it but to go I suppose. You may change your mindor your heart before we dock."

  "Never!" said the Codfish. "This is a deep and lasting feeling Ihave. It has changed the whole course of my life. I came onto thisboat a mere boy, now I feel I'm a man with all the responsibilitiesof a man."

  Codfish's infatuation was too good a story to keep, and Frank tookMcGregor, the Harvard broad jumper, with whom he had struck up afriendship, into his confidence. "That friend of mine, Gleason, hasa love attack and tells me he is going to desert and go on to Pariswith the fair charmer. How are we going to head him off?"

  "Win his girl away from him," suggested McGregor.

  "But he doesn't give anyone a chance," said Frank, laughing. "Hesticks around from morning till night. He certainly has a terriblecase."

  "Get him up on the boat-deck for a game of shuffleboard," suggestedMcGregor, "and then we'll get someone to talk to Marjorie. When thatfellow gets tired, we'll have someone else take up the relay and soon."

  "Great," said Frank. "Let's try."

  That afternoon, the Codfish, all unsuspecting, was led off for a tryat the popular deck game, and in his absence one of the team, who wasin the plot, contrived to get an introduction to Marjorie, took thevacant chair of her father, and began a lengthy conversation. Whenthe Codfish, who had been detained at the game as long as possible,hurried back to his lady-love he found his place occupied. Backand forth he paced, casting longing looks in the direction of theHasbrouck chairs, but Marjorie was deeply interested in the young manalongside of her, and did not even look in the Codfish's direction.After half an hour of agony, the Codfish observed with joy that hisrival was preparing to leave, but just at that moment, up strolledanother of the athletes to the coveted chair, and being asked to sitdown, did so and continued the conversation, while plotter No. 1 wenton his way. For two mortal hours the Codfish was held at bay, pacingthe decks and railing at his luck while the relays continued.

  "How in the deuce did she come to know all these fellows?" growledthe Codfish to himself. "Next time I'll not go playing shuffleboardand leaving her alone, so help me Bob!"

  When finally the Codfish thought his inning was about to come,Marjorie tripped gaily off with the last of her suitors, and after apromenade around the deck, disappeared somewhere below to Gleason'sgreat distress of mind.

  That evening Marjorie was again carried off, this time by the Yalehalf-miler, and the only thing left for the Codfish was to occupy hervacant chair, which he did, and proceeded to make himself agreeableto Mrs. Hasbrouck, though his eyes followed Marjorie on her promenadeup and down the deck.

  "Mighty attractive girl, that Miss Hasbrouck," said Frank that nightas the boys were preparing to retire. "She's made a great hit withthe team, did you notice it?"

  "Did I notice it?" cried the Codfish petulantly. "Yes, I noticed it.Where in the name of the Great Horn Spoon did she meet all thosefellows?"

  "Mutual attraction, I s'pose," said Frank. "I saw you holding forthwith her mother most of the evening. Charming lady, eh?"

  "O, yes, all right. Interested in philanthropy and all that sortof thing. Wanted me to help her raise something for the Widows andOrphans Fund for Sailors; subscription papers, and all that sort ofthing."

  "And you're for it?"

  "O, yes, Marjorie's mother you see. Couldn't do anything else. I'vegot to stand in right with her mother."

  "Noble youth," said Frank. "First catch the mother and the daughterwill come easy. Is that it?"

  "You have a glimmer of intelligence, Armstrong, a rare thing in yourcase."

  "We have him on the run," said McGregor the next morning atbreakfast. "I suggest a round-robin letter to the young lady. Howwould this suit?" He hauled a letter from his pocket and handed it toFrank, who read it while a smile stole over his face.

  "Will she take it all right, do you think?" said Frank as he handedthe letter back to the conspirator.

  "Sure thing. The Codfish cuts no figure now since she's had a tasteof bigger game. I'll write it out and get everyone to sign it."

  "Go to it," said Frank. "We must save our little Codfish."

  That afternoon while Miss Hasbrouck was curled up in her deck chairwith the Codfish in attendance, a deck steward handed a letter toher. A long list of signatures followed.

  "A wireless?" inquired the Codfish, much interested.

  "Too funny for anything," said the girl. "I wonder if I had betterlet you read it? It concerns you."

  "Me?" said the Codfish in astonishment, reaching out for the letter.

  "Promise not to get mad if I let you see it?"

  "Cross my heart, hope to die if I do."

  "All right, then, but remember your promise." She passed the letterover to him, and this is what he read:

  "Dear Miss Hasbrouck:--

  "We have observed with growing anxiety the attention which one of our party has been paying to you. While we do not wish to alarm you, we feel you ought to know that this young man is afflicted with mental aberration. In other words, he is slightly off his head. As far as we know he has never had a dangerous spell, but you can never tell. Please pardon us for seeming to intrude, but we thought you ought to know."

  Then followed a long list of signatures of practically every man oneither team.

  Gleason was just finishing the perusal of the note when McGregorpranced up to Miss Hasbrouck. "Take a walk around the deck?" hequeried, and that young lady hastily jumped up without even excusingherself to the Codfish, and started off at a brisk pace with theyoung Harvard man.

  "Nutty, am I?" said the Codfish. "I'll show them," gritting histeeth, "I'll show them. They're trying to queer me," and then toMrs. Hasbrouck who had just come up from her stateroom: "O, Mrs.Hasbrouck, I'm going to help you with that fund. Guess pretty nearlyeveryone of the two teams will subscribe to it."

  "That's very sweet of you, indeed. It is a noble thing to do tohelp such a good cause to provide for the widows and orphans of thesailors who go down in the great deep."

  "Sure thing," said the Codfish, enthusiastically. "All our fellowsare very generous on such a thing as that. I never saw such a noblebunch of fellows as we have with us."

  Mrs. Hasbrouck beamed over her spectacles. "I think we ought tocollect as much of the fund as we can to-day
; only a little more ofour sea voyage is left, you know."

  "'A bird in the hand is said to be worth two in the bushes!'"returned the Codfish. "I'll be back in a minute," he added. Onthe way down to the bulletin board in the companionway where wereinscribed the signatures of those who were willing to help alongthe fund with contributions, he came upon Marjorie and McGregor,their heads together in deep conversation. Neither saw him or theypretended not to see him as he passed, and the fires of revengeburned the deeper in his heart. Five minutes later he was back atMrs. Hasbrouck's chair.

  "The names of pretty nearly every one of our fellows are down underthat subscription paper," he informed her. "I've made a copy of themall and the amounts opposite each name."

  "This is wonderful," said Mrs. Hasbrouck, enthusiastically as sheran through the list. "Mr. McGregor $25; Mr. Armstrong $25; Mr.Wallace $10; Mr. Burrows $10; why, this is really wonderful. You willcertainly get your reward for your kindness. I'll call the steward'sattention to this, and suggest that he ought to collect to-day, forto-morrow will be our last day on shipboard, you know."

  "Yes, I think he ought to get after them to-day. So much hurry andscurry on the last day that he might miss some of the contributions."

  A little later consternation was thrown into the "contributors" tothe Widows and Orphans Fund. A very businesslike young steward armedwith a list, began his collections. Two or three of the collegianspaid up without protest for they supposed such collections were theregular thing, but when the collector reached McGregor, who was stillholding the fort with Marjorie in the shade of one of the lifeboats,he met a refusal.

  "Twenty-five dollars for the Widows and Orphans Fund! I never heardof it before!" protested the "contributor."

  "There must be a mistake, sir," said the steward, "you must haveforgotten, your name is one of those on the subscription paper in thecompanionway bulletin board."

  "My name on the paper? Quit your kidding."

  "O, but it is, sir. I made a careful copy myself, sir, of all thenames, and I'm sure I'm right."

  "Then I must have done it in my sleep," exclaimed the puzzledMcGregor. "Where is the bulletin board?"

  "I'll show you, sir," and the steward led the way to the saloon deck.Shortly they stood before the board in question. There were a numberof notices on the board, but the steward pointed out the one inquestion. "There it is, sir, and there's your name," triumphantly.

  "We, the Undersigned, subscribe to the Widows and Orphans Fund the amount set after each of our names:"

  McGregor's jaw dropped as he read the notice. Then in amazement hiseye traveled down the long list of signatures till it fell on hisown.

  "It is sure enough my signature and no forgery. But when in the nameof Mike did I do it?" He gazed in helpless wonder at Marjorie who hadaccompanied him to the companionway.

  "Seems to me I've seen that list before," said Miss Hasbrouck. "Itlooks like one that was attached to a letter I received to-day."

  McGregor stepped up to the board, scrutinized the subscription paperclosely, then took out the thumb tacks which secured it to the boarditself. "Look," he said, displaying the back of the paper. "TheCodfish has put one over on us. This list has been very neatly pastedonto the bottom of the Widows and Orphans Fund subscription paper,and as both were written on ship's paper the deception was a cleverone."

  "O, my, the wretch!" said Marjorie.

  "The young runt," quoth McGregor in high dudgeon, "wait till I get athim!"

  But he did not get at the Codfish just then for that individual kepthimself out of sight until the next morning. The story went therounds of the ship as might naturally be expected, and not a few ofthe team members, seeing that the Codfish had made a neat shift ofthe joke onto their own heads, paid up their alleged subscriptionsso that the Fund was a gainer in the end.

  Sad to relate, however, the standing of the Codfish with theHasbrouck family was gone, never to return. His best efforts nextmorning failed to draw even a look of recognition from Marjorie'sbright eyes as she passed and repassed him during the deck promenade,tripping along gaily between two members of the team. Once he thoughthe caught the expression as she passed: "That horrid boy." From Mrs.Hasbrouck he could only draw a frigid nod.

  "And that's all the thanks I get for boosting the old fund," said theCodfish to himself. "Well, never mind, women are fickle. I'll have nomore of them in my whole life," and he went his way whistling a merrytune.

  That afternoon as the ship was passing up Southampton Water theCodfish found Frank leaning on the rail watching the beautiful andever-shifting panorama opening before him.

  "Say, Frank, I guess I'll not go on to Paris."

  "Changed your mind?" There was a hint of laughter in Frank's voice.

  "Yes, I think I ought to stick around for the practice and thegames, don't you? Doesn't seem quite right to desert now."

  "Good boy," said Frank. "I think you'll find England more congenialthan Paris. It wouldn't be right to leave us anyway."

  "That's what I think, too. I'll stick with the bunch."