CHAPTER II
ON THE ROAD TO TOWN
"Hello, Ralph, through practice here? Then walk home with me, andtake supper at the house, won't you? I've got some things I wantto talk over with you."
"Yes, we're done working, and I'll be glad to walk with you; butif I'm to sit down at your table, you'll have to wait for me todress and clean myself. Will we have time?" And Ralph's face toldhow much he appreciated a chance to spend an evening at the homeof Frank Allen, his friend and chum; for his boarding house roomdid look a bit cheerless at night time.
"Plenty of time, old fellow. How did the practice go to-day?Getting in trim, do you think?" asked Frank, who, as a senior, andthe captain and full-back of the regular football squad, wassupposed to have an intense interest in everything that took placeon the practice field day by day.
"Oh, pretty well, I think. I'm not wholly satisfied with myself,but I believe I'm improving every day," replied the other,modestly.
Frank looked sideways at his friend, and smiled. He had just beentalking with the coach, and heard what he had to say about thescrub team. It was already understood between them that two of theregulars must give way to better men who shone as stars on thescrub. Columbia wanted her best sons in front, regardless of anyfavoritism.
Coach Willoughby was back again, visiting at the home of BusterBillings' folks. He said the "lure of the leather" was too muchfor him, bringing back those dear old college days when he playedon the Princeton eleven, and carried the ball over Yale's linefor a hard-fought victory.
And so he had consented to take charge of the Columbia players,and help them get in condition for the work ahead, when they wereto meet the brawny cohorts of Clifford, and those others fromBellport.
Frank and Ralph had not gone more than fifty yards down the dustyroad leading from the recreation field to the town center, perhapsa full mile away, when Ralph felt a sharp tug at his arm.
"Hello! what's this?" he said, looking down at a small girl, whoseemed so shy that her face was covered with blushes as she pulledat his sleeve.
"Please, Mr. West, I'd like to say something to you," she said,hesitatingly.
"Why, it's Madge Smalling, Mary's older sister!" exclaimed Ralph,showing new interest.
In the Spring he had been instrumental in finding a little girlwho had hurt herself seriously, in the woods. At the time, Ralphwas on his way to the recreation field, where he was expected topitch a game against a rival school. Still, as he could not thinkof leaving the child there to suffer, he had carried her to themill where her father was employed.
Since that time, he had been a welcome visitor at the home of theSmallings, and, of course, was well known to this girl of nine,who had been away at the time of Mary's adventure.
"Shall I walk on," asked Frank, with a wink, "because, you know,there are times when two is company, three none."
"None of your joshing, now," said Ralph, and then, turning to thechild, he continued: "I hope nothing is wrong over at your house,Madge?"
"Oh, no, sir. It wasn't that. I heard something about you, and Iwanted to tell you right away, 'cause I'm afraid of that bad boy.Once he threw water on me, and laughed when I cried. Then he put anasty cold frog in my hand, and made me hold it ever so long."
Ralph looked at his friend. "Whoever can she mean, and what hasthat got to do with me?" he said, wonderingly.
"The other boy called him Asa," remarked Madge, quickly.
"Oh, now I begin to see light. And was the second chap calledTony?" Ralph asked.
"Oh, yes, that was it. I saw them coming along the road, and Iwas afraid that he had another nasty frog. So I hid behind a log,"the child went on, her face showing the deep interest she feltin her own recital.
"Say, Frank, this grows exciting. Tony and Asa walking along withtheir heads close together means trouble for someone, perhaps evenme. And this little girl, hiding behind a log, hears themplotting. Now, what d'ye think of that for thrilling a fellow'snerve? What did they say, Madge? Can you remember?" he asked,looking down into the girl's face reassuringly, and stroking hertangled hair.
"Oh, I didn't understand it all, but they hated you, and said theymust get some other bad boys to beat you, so you couldn't playball again. If you only saw his face when he said that! It was sofierce I just shivered. I hope they don't do it to you, Mr. West.It would be worse than a nasty, cold frog."
Again the two lads exchanged glances.
"Aha!" chuckled Frank, "the plot thickens. Tony feels the chillof coming events, and wants to make sure that you will neverdisplace him on the regular team. I'm not so much surprised,though. It wouldn't be the first time a candidate has been markedfor assault in the hope of putting him out of the running. Anounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. And since weknow now what is in the wind, we must be doubly on our guard. Isuspected that some of them, Lef Seller and his crowd, perhaps,might have it in for me, but it seems that you are the goat,Ralph."
"Well, I'm ever so much obliged to Madge here for telling me. Andnext time I come out to her house I'm going to fetch along a boxof candy to pay the debt," said Ralph, kindly.
"You always do that, anyway," declared the child, promptly, atwhich Frank burst into another laugh.
"Oh, all your secrets will come out, one by one, old fellow. Ithink I'll have to post my sister Helen on your double dealing.She might be jealous of Mary and Madge," he declared.
"Don't you worry. Helen has walked out there with me more thanonce. They're all very fond of your sister, Frank," declaredRalph, blushing a little.
"Well, you don't blame them, do you?" asked the brother,promptly; which caused his friend to bend down to shake hands andbid the little maid good-by.
As the two boys tramped along toward Frank's home, they naturallytalked again of the unpleasant news that had been brought to theirattention in so singular a way.
"I wish I knew just what to do about it," said Frank, frowningwith displeasure, "It's certainly a most unsportsmanlike spirit toshow, knocking your school colors, because you can't play. I callthat a rule-or-ruin policy. Do you suppose, if we told the boys,it would put a stop to the nasty game?"
"We have no proof, for they wouldn't be apt to take a child's wordfor much. So I'm afraid it wouldn't be just the wisest thing totell it broadcast," answered the serious Ralph.
"Anyhow, I mean to take a few of my special friends into council,and warn them what we're up against. From this time on you need aguardian squad, Ralph," the other went on.
"Why me more than any other fellow?" asked Ralph.
"I'll tell you, though I meant to keep it until to-night. CoachWilloughby finally made up his mind, though nobody knows it butmyself. He means to drop two fellows off the team to-morrow--TonyGilpin and George Andersen; the former because he fails to come upto the scratch, and George on account of that old injury to hisleg, which is cropping up again. He was our star player last year,and we are going to miss him a heap."
"Yes, I supposed poor George would have to go, but expected Tonywould hold on," remarked Ralph, quietly.
"And the coach has decided that _you_ are to take the placeof Tony as left half-back. I'm awful glad of it! I purposely keptmy hands off, because I wanted merit and not favoritism to bringthe change about. Shake on it, Ralph!"
"And I'm glad, too," remarked the other, his voice quivering alittle with his emotion; "not that I like to supplant any otherfellow, but I believe it's only right that every one of Columbia'ssons should cherish an earnest desire to make the best of whatthere is in him. I only hope the coach isn't making a seriousmistake, that's all."
"I know he isn't, and the other fellows will say so, too, whenthey hear. Tony isn't a popular player at all, and when there isdissension in a baseball nine or a football eleven, it's going tomake trouble. 'Beware the worm i' the bud,' you know. But thesecowards may find that they're up against a tougher propositionthan they suspect, before they're done with it."
Frank was even more indignant at the possibility of periloverh
anging the head of his chum, than if it had threatenedhimself. That is ever the way with generous souls.
"Three days more, and then comes Clifford after our scalp,"remarked Ralph, desirous of dropping the unpleasant subject forthe time being.
"Yes, and although Bellport beat them last Saturday 17 to 4, wemustn't imagine Clifford is going to be an easy mark for us.Perhaps they may fancy our style of play, and rub it all over us.Nobody can say until we've met, and fought it out," was Frank'ssagacious remark.
"I agree with you on that score," declared his companion:"Clifford was unfortunate in many ways. She lost three of her bestmen through accidents, while Bellport did not. Then some peoplehint that her secret signals were given away, because the Bellportplayers seemed to be ready to meet every sudden move Cliffordmade."
"Yes, I heard that, too, and while I hate to believe any fellowcould be so low as to betray his school to the enemy, it's beendone before. We must be doubly on our guard against such a thing.I've been thinking up a little scheme that would upset anythinglike that. But we haven't started with signals yet, keeping thatuntil to-morrow, when the real team as selected will cometogether."
"I can guess what you've got in mind, Frank, but I'm not askingquestions. Only I do hope nothing prevents me from going intothat game. Somehow, all my life I've just longed to be a footballplayer. There's something about the game that seems to just stirme up, as even baseball couldn't. And yet nobody would call me ascrapper either," remarked Ralph.
"Oh, it isn't that always. Lots of good football players arequiet, modest fellows, ready to mind their own business, if letalone. I guess it must be something in a fellow's nature thatmakes him long to buck up against difficulties, and down them. Andseeing that you've always been so quiet and unassuming a fellow, Ihardly know how to apply that to you, either. It's just born in aman, that's what," and Frank clapped his hand affectionately onhis chum's shoulder.
Others were streaming along the road at the same time, homewardbound.
"Look out, here comes a vehicle back of us," said Ralph presently,when they were about half-way to Columbia Center.
They stepped to the side of the road, to allow the carriage topass.
"Why, it's Minnie Cuthbert and a friend!" said Ralph, suddenly.
At that Frank turned hastily, the color flying to his face likemagic; for that same name always had a wonderful influence overhim, since he and Minnie had long been the warmest of friends.
The pretty girl who held the reins urged her horse on. There was alook in her face that Frank had never seen there before. Shestared straight at him, as he took off his cap and bowed, but notby the slightest sign did she give any evidence of being awarethat such a person as Frank Allen existed.
It was the cut direct!
Ralph uttered an exclamation of amazement. Quickly he glanced athis chum, to see that Frank had gone deadly white, and his eyesglittered with sudden spasm of pain that seized upon him.
He drew a long breath, and tried to get a grip on himself.
"Say, that hurt some, I tell you, Ralph. I never expected to becut by Minnie Cuthbert, that's sure," he said, between his setteeth.
Ralph was sorely puzzled. He remembered that Minnie really owedher life to the wonderful presence of mind of Frank, when arunaway horse had threatened to bring disaster down upon her.
"What's happened?" he asked, eyeing his friend.
"You know as much as I do. It's a mystery to me," returned Frank.
"Perhaps Lef Seller could tell; he's just back of us, and I heardhim laugh as he saw Minnie drive past without speaking," suggestedthe other, meaningly.
"I wonder now if history has a habit of repeating itself,"ventured Frank. "But what can I do but grin and bear it? Sooner orlater she'll find out the truth. I'll never ask for an explanation,knowing that I've done nothing to make her act so. Now, forget it,and let's talk about your affairs, Ralph."
Boys of Columbia High on the Gridiron : or, the Struggle for the Silver Cup Page 2