Arrival of Jimpson, and Other Stories for Boys about Boys

by Ralph Henry Barbour

  THE HAZING OF SATTERLEE 2d

  Satterlee 2d tossed his arms over his head and opened his eyes. It wasof no use. As a much smaller boy--he was now thirteen years of age--hismother, on putting him to bed, had always counseled "Now shut your eyesand go to sleep." And it had worked to a charm; so infallibly thatSatterlee 2d had unconsciously accepted it as a law of nature that inorder to go to sleep one had only to close one's eyes. To-night, afterlying with lids forced so tightly together that they ached, he gave upthe struggle. Something was plainly wrong.

  He snuggled the comforter up under his nose and stared into thedarkness. A thin, faint pencil of light was discernible straight aheadand rather high up. After a moment of thought he knew that it stole inat the top of the door from the hall, where an oil lamp flickered allnight on a bracket. From his right came faint gurgles, as regular asclockwork. That was Sears, his room-mate, fast clasped in the arms ofMorpheus. Satterlee 2d envied Sears.

  Back of him the darkness was less intense for a little space. Theshade at the window was not quite all the way down and a faint graylight crept in from a cloudy winter sky. Satterlee 2d wondered whattime it was. Sears had blown out the light promptly at ten o'clock,and that seemed whole hours ago. It must be very late, and still hewas not sleepy; on the contrary, he couldn't remember having ever beenwider awake in his life. His thoughts flew from one thing to anotherbewilderingly.

  It had been very sudden, his change from home life to boarding-school.His mother had not been satisfied with his progress at thegrammar-school, and when brother Donald, Satterlee 2d's senior by twoyears, had returned from Dr. Willard's school for Christmas vacation,healthy looking and as full of spirits as a young colt, the decisionwas made; Thomas should go back to school with Donald.

  Thomas was amazed and delighted. Until that moment he had conscientiouslytreated all mention of Willard's with scathing contempt, a courseabsolutely necessary, since Don was in the habit of chanting its praisesat all times and in all places in a most annoyingly superior manner. Butas soon as he learned that he too was to become a pupil at Willard's Tomswore instant allegiance, for the first time hearkening eagerly to Don'stales of the greatness of the School, and vowing to make the name ofThomas Polk Satterlee one to be honored and revered by future generationsof Willardians. He would do mighty deeds in school hall and campus--moreespecially campus--and would win wonderful popularity. And then he badea moist-eyed farewell to home and parents, and, in care of histravel-hardened brother, set forth for boarding-school, filled withpleasurable excitement and fired with patriotism and grand resolves.

  One thing alone had worried Satterlee 2d; the school catalogue, whichhe had studied diligently from end to end, stated very distinctly--infact, in italics--that hazing was strictly forbidden and unknown at theinstitution. Brother Don, on the other hand, told scalp-stirring talesof midnight visitations to new boys by groups of ghostly inquisitors.These two authorities, the only ones at Tom's command, were sadly atvariance. But experience had taught Satterlee 2d that printed text wason the whole more apt to be truthful than Brother Don; and he gainedcomfort accordingly.

  He had made his _debut_ at Willard's in proper style, had been formallyintroduced to many other young gentlemen of ages varying from twelve toeighteen years, had shaken hands humbly with Burtis, the school leader,and had officially become Satterlee 2d.

  He and his new roommate, Sears, had become firm friends in the shortperiod of three hours, and, realizing Sears's good-will toward him, hehad listened to that youth's enigmatic warning, delivered just as thelight went out, with respect.

  "Say, if anything happens to-night, don't wake me; I don't want to knowanything about it."

  Satterlee 2d's troubled questioning elicited only sleepy and veryunsatisfactory answers, and he had laid awake, hour after hour, or soit seemed, with ears strained for suspicious sounds. But none had come,and now--he yawned and turned over on the pillow--now he thought thathe could go to sleep at last. He closed his eyes.

  Then he opened them again. It seemed hours later, but was in factscarcely five minutes. A bright, unhallowed light shone on his face.White-draped figures, silent and terrible, were about him.

  "_Ghosts!_" thought Satterlee 2d.

  But just as he had gathered sufficient breath for a satisfactoryscream of terror, and just as some one had forced the corner of apillow into his mouth, recollection of Brother Donald's tales cameto him and his fears subsided. With the supernatural aspect removed,the affair resolved into an unpleasant but not alarming adventure. Itis idle to relate in detail the subsequent proceedings. Blindfoldedand attired only in a bath-robe, hastily thrown over his nightshirt,he was conducted along corridors and down long flights of stairs,over strange, uneven expanses of frozen ground, skirting frightfulabysses and facing dangers which, had he believed the asseverationsof his captors, were the most awful ever mortal braved. Despite hisincredulity he was glad when the end of the journey was reached. He wasled stumbling down three very chilly stone steps and brought to a halt.The atmosphere was now slightly warmer, and this at least was somethingto be thankful for.

  "Neophyte," said a deep voice which sounded suspiciously like BrotherDon's, "you have passed unscathed through the Vale of Death. The firstperiod of your initiation into the Order of the Grinning Skull isaccomplished. We leave you now to dwell alone, until dawn gilds thepeak of yonder mountain, among the Spirits of the Under World. Shouldyou survive this, the most terrible ordeal of all, you will be one ofus and will be admitted into the secrets and counsels of our Order.Farewell, perhaps forever!"

  The hands that held him drew away, he heard the sounds of retreatingfootsteps, of a closing door and a creaking bolt. He remainedmotionless, his heart beating against his ribs. He wanted to cry out,to bring them back, but pride was still stronger than fear. Thesilence and damp odor of the place were uncanny. He thought of tombsand things, and shuddered. Then summoning back his waning courage, hetore the bandage from his eyes. Alas, he was still in complete darkness.

  Satterlee 2d's reading had taught him that the proper thing to do insuch situations was to explore. So he put forth his hands and steppedgingerly forward. He brought up against a cold, reeking stone wall.He followed it, found a corner, turned at right angles, soon foundanother corner, and then worked back, at length coming in contact withthe steps and a heavy door. All efforts to move the latter were vain.The floor was of wood and sounded hollow. The place had a clammy,unwholesome feeling, and now was beginning to strike him as decidedlywanting in warmth and comfort.

  Suddenly his subsiding fear gave way before a rush of anger and hestamped a slippered foot. A nice trick to play on a fellow, he declaredaloud; he'd tell Don what he thought of it in the morning, and he'dpunch somebody's head, see if he didn't! In his wrath he steppedimpetuously forward and gave a shriek of horror. He was up to his kneesin icy water.

  He clambered out and sat shivering on the planks, while the knowledgecame to him that his prison was nothing else than the spring-house,which Don had exhibited to him that afternoon during a tour ofsight-seeing. A narrow staging surrounded a large pool, he remembered;in his journey about the place he had kept in touch with the walls, andso had escaped a wetting, until his impetuous stride had plumped himinto it. Cold, wet, angry and miserable, he crept to the farther cornerof the house, to get as far as possible from the drafts that eddiedin under the door, and placing his back against the wall and wrappinghis wet garments about his knees, closed his eyes and tried to go tosleep. He told himself that sleep was out of the question. But he wasmistaken, for presently his head fell over on one side and he slumbered.

  When he awoke with a start, aroused by the sound of the opening of thedoor, he stared blankly into the gloom and wondered for a moment wherehe was. An oblong of gray at the end of the spring-house drew hisgaze. Two forms took shape, stumbled down the steps, and were lost inthe darkness. Then the door was closed again save for a narrow crevice.His first thought that rescue was at hand was instantly dispelled. Someone coughed painfull
y, and then:

  "Phew, I'm nigh dead with cold," said a weak, husky voice. "Two milesfrom the village you said it was, didn't yer? I'll bet it's five, allright."

  "Well, you're here now, ain't yer?" responded a deeper voice,impatiently. "So shut up. You make me tired, always kicking aboutsomething. What do you expect, any way? Think the old codger's going todrive into town and hand the money over to yer? If you want anythingyou've got to work for it."

  The two had sprawled themselves out on the floor to the left of thedoorway. Satterlee considered. Perhaps if he made his presence known,the men, who were evidently tramps, would let him depart unmolested. Onthe other hand, maybe they would be angry and cut his throat promptlyand very expertly, and drop his body into the pool. He shivered andclenched his fists, resolved to perish bravely. He wished he were homein his own bed; he wished--then he stopped wishing and listened.

  "How long we got to stay here?" asked the first tramp wearily.

  "We'll wait till 'bout twelve. The doctor's a great hand at staying uplate, I hear."

  "What time do you say it is now?"

  "Half past eleven, I guess."

  "Phew!" The other whistled lugubriously. "I'll be dead with the coldby that time, Joe." He went off into a paroxysm of coughing that madeSatterlee 2d, in spite of his terror, pity him, but which only broughtfrom his companion an angry command to make less noise.

  "All right," was the husky response, "give me some 'baccy, Joe? There'smore'n time fer a bit of a smoke." There followed sounds from acrossthe darkness and Satterlee 2d surmised that each was filling his pipe.Then a match flared suddenly and lighted up the scene. The boy shuthis eyes and held his breath. Then he opened them the least crack andpeered across. The men were sitting just to the left of the doorway,diagonally across from him. Between them lay the black oblong of watersplashed with orange by the flickering match. Satterlee 2d wonderedif it would never burn out! He could see only a tangled beard, aglittering, half-closed eye, two big hands, between the fingers ofwhich the guarded light shone crimson. The light went out and he drewa monstrous sigh of relief. The odor of tobacco floated across to him,strong and pungent.

  The two smoked silently for a moment. Satterlee 2d stared wide-eyedinto the darkness and tried to discover a way out of the difficulty.From what little conversation he had overheard he judged that thetramps meditated some crime against Doctor Willard, probably robbery.If he entertained any doubt upon the subject it was quickly dispelled.The tramp with the cough was talking.

  "Who's goin' inside, Joe?"

  "You; you're smallest an' lightest an' can get through the window easy.I'll stand watch. If I whistle, make a run for it an' try to get intothe woods across the road."

  "Ye-es, but I don't know the lay of the room like you do, Joe."

  "Well, I'm goin' to tell yer, ain't I? When yer get through the window,turn to yer right an' keep along the wall; there ain't nothin' therebut bookcases; when yer get to the corner there's a round table; lookout fer that. Keep along the wall again; there's more book-shelves,about six or eight feet of 'em. Then you comes to a high case with alid that lets down an' makes a desk and swingin' glass doors above it;you know the sort o' thing I mean, eh?"

  "Old-fashion' secretary," said the other, evidently proud of hisknowledge.

  "Correct! Well, you want to let down the lid----"

  "Locked?"

  "Likely it is; use ther little jimmy; the money's in the lower draweron the left side. I don't know what all's there; better clean thedrawer out, see?"

  Satterlee 2d was thinking hard, his heart in his throat and his pulsehammering. He must get out of the spring-house somehow and warn thedoctor. But how? The men were practically between him and the door.To make a dash for liberty would surely result disastrously; if theycaught him--Satterlee 2d's teeth chattered! If he waited until theywent out and then followed he might be able to arouse the doctor orscare the burglars away, _if_ they didn't bolt the door again on theoutside, and so make him once more a prisoner. The only plan thatseemed at all feasible was to creep inch by inch to the doorway andthen make a dash for freedom. An impatient stir across the spring-housewarned him that whatever plan was to be tried must be attemptedspeedily. He wriggled softly out of his bath-robe, gathered the skirtof his nightgown in one hand, took a long breath, and started forwardon his hands and knees. The men were talking again, and one of thepipes was sizzling loudly.

  All went well for a moment, a moment that seemed an age, and he hadreached a point half-way to the door, when his hand slipped on the wetboards with a noise, faint but distinct. He stopped short, his hairstirring with fright.

  "S--sh!" One of the men scrambled to his feet.

  "What's the matter?" growled the other.

  "I heard somethin'--over there."

  "A frog, likely, you fool; got a match?"

  Satterlee 2d was desperate. He was lost unless he could reach thedoorway first. He started forward again with less caution, and oneknee struck the floor sharply. A light flared out, and for a moment hestared across the pool into two pairs of wide-open, gleaming eyes. Thenthe match dropped into the water with a tiny hiss, and Satterlee 2dleaped for the door. The streak of light was now but a scant two yardsdistant. Near at hand sounded feet on the planking, and from the poolcame a splashing as one of the men rushed through the water. Then ahand grasped the boy's bare ankle. With a shriek he sprang forward, thegrasp was gone, and from behind him as he fled stumbling up the stepscame the sound of a heavy fall and a cry of triumph.

  "I've got him!"

  "You've got me, you fool! Let go!"

  The next instant Satterlee 2d was through the doorway, had slammedthe portal behind him, and had shot the big iron bolt despairingly.With closed eyes he leaned faint and panting against the oak whileblow after blow was rained on it from within and hoarse oaths told ofthe terror of the prisoners. But the stout door showed no signs ofyielding, and Satterlee 2d opened his eyes and looked about him. Thenight was cloudy, but the school-buildings were discernible scarce astone-throw away.

  When Doctor Willard, awakened from sleep by the wild jangling of thebell, drew his dressing-gown about him and looked forth, it was withastonishment and alarm that he beheld a white-robed youth pullingexcitedly at the bell-knob. His astonishment was even greater when,having found and adjusted his spectacles, he made out the youth to beSatterlee 2d, who, by every rule of common sense, ought at that momentto be asleep in the dormitory.

  "But--but I don't understand," faltered the doctor. "Do you mean thatyou have a gang of burglars locked up in the spring-house?"

  "Yes, sir; two, sir; two burglars, sir!"

  "Dear me, how alarming! But how----?"

  "Don't you think we could get the police, sir?"

  "Um--er--to be sure. The police; yes. Wait where you are."

  The window closed, and presently the tinkle of a telephone bellsounded. A minute or two later and Satterlee 2d, cold and aching, satbefore the big stove in the library, while the doctor shook and punchedthe coals into activity.

  "I've telephoned for the police," said the doctor, gazing perplexedlyover his spectacles. "And now I would like to know what it all means,my boy."

  "I--I was in the spring-house, sir," began Satterlee 2d, "when I hearda noise----"

  "One moment," interrupted the doctor. "What were you doing in thespring-house at midnight?"

  Satterlee dropped his eyes. He searched wildly for an explanation thatwould not incriminate Donald and the others. Finally he gave it up.

  "I--I'd rather not say, if you please, sir."

  "Um," said the doctor. "Very well, we'll pass over that for thepresent. What happened when you heard a noise?"

  Before Satterlee 2d had finished his story there came the sound ofwheels on the driveway without, which sent the doctor to the door. Fora minute the boy listened to the hum of voices in the hallway. Then hecommenced to nod--nod----

  He awoke to find the winter sunlight streaming through the windowsof the doctor's guest-chamber, and
to learn from the clock on themantel that it was long after breakfast time. His clothes were besidehim on a chair and he tumbled into them hurriedly, the events of thenight flooding back to memory. He ate breakfast in solitary grandeur,his thoughts fixed miserably on the explanation that must follow.His indignation against Donald and the others had passed; he pitiedthem greatly for the punishment which he felt certain would soon bemeted out to them. And he pitied himself because it was his lot tobring that punishment about. His visions of popularity faded intonothingness. For a moment he thought of cutting it all; of walkingstraight from the dining-room to the station and disappearing from thescene.

  But when he pushed back his half-eaten breakfast and arose to hisfeet it was to grip his hands rather tight, and with pale cheekswalk, laggingly but directly, to the school hall. Prayers were over,and the doctor was rubbing his spectacles reflectively, preparatoryto addressing the pupils. Satterlee 2d's advent created a wave ofexcitement, and all eyes were on him as he strode to his seat. Thedoctor donned his glasses and surveyed the scene.

  "Satterlee 2d!"

  That youth arose, his heart thumping sickeningly.

  "There was a portion of your story," said the head master suavely,"which you did not tell last night. Kindly explain now, if you please,how you came to be in the spring-house at midnight."

  Satterlee 2d looked despairingly at the doctor, looked desperatelyabout the room. Brother Donald was scowling blackly at his ink-well.Burtis, the school leader, was observing him gravely, and in his lookSatterlee 2d thought he read encouragement. The doctor coughed gently.

  Satterlee 2d had been taught the enormity of lying, and his consciencerevolted at the task before him. But Don and the others must be spared.He made a heroic effort.

  "Please, sir, I went to get a drink."

  Depressing silence followed. Satterlee 2d's eyes sought the floor.

  "Indeed?" inquired the doctor, pleasantly. "And did you get your drink?"

  "Yes, sir." Satterlee 2d breathed easier. After all, lying wasn't sodifficult.

  "Ah, and then why didn't you return to the dormitory?"

  "The--door was locked, sir."

  Somebody near by groaned softly. Satterlee 2d wondered.

  "On the inside?" pursued the doctor.

  Too late Satterlee 2d saw his blunder. He gazed appealingly at theinexorable countenance on the platform. Then,

  "No, sir," he answered in low tones, "on the outside."

  "Strange," mused the head master. "Do you know who locked it?"

  "No, sir." He gave a sigh of relief. That, at least, was no more thanthe truth.

  "You may sit down." Satterlee 2d sank into his seat.

  "Which of you locked that door?" The doctor's gaze swept theschoolroom. Silence followed. Then two youths were on their feetsimultaneously. One was Burtis, the other was Satterlee 1st. The doctorturned to the former.

  "Am I to understand that you had a hand in this, Burtis?" he asked,surprise in his voice.

  "No, sir. If you please, sir, what I want to say is that the school asa whole had nothing to do with this hazing, sir, and we--we don't likeit. And if those that had a hand in it don't own up, sir, I'll givetheir names. That's all, sir."

  He sat down. Young Mr. Sears signified excited approbation by clappinghis hands until he found the doctor's gaze upon him, whereupon hesubsided suddenly with very red cheeks. The doctor turned to Satterlee1st.

  "Well, sir?"

  Brother Donald shot an angry glance at Burtis.

  "Burtis needn't talk so big, sir; he'd better give a fellow a chancebefore he threatens----"

  "That will do, my boy; if you have anything to say let me hear it atonce."

  "I--I locked that door, sir."

  "Indeed? And did you have any help in the matter?"

  Brother Donald dropped his gaze and was silent. Then, with muchshuffling of unwilling feet, slowly, one after another, five other boysstood up.

  "Well, Perkins?" asked the doctor.

  "I helped," said that youth.

  "And the rest of you?" Four subdued voices answered affirmatively. Thedoctor frowned from one to the other. Then,

  "You may take your seats," he said, severely.

  The six sank into their places and miserably awaited judgment. Thedoctor ran his fingers thoughtfully over the leaves of the bigdictionary on the corner of his desk, then began to speak. Thediscourse that followed was listened to with flattering attention.It dealt very fully with the evils of hazing and seemed to promisesomething quite unusual in the way of punishment. Brother Donald hadfully five minutes of the discourse all to himself, but appeared not atall stuck up because of the attention. In fact, when he had listenedto all the doctor had to say on the subject of brotherly conduct, hiscountenance was expressive of shame rather than conceit. Altogether,it was quite the most exhaustive "wigging" in the recollection of theoldest pupil in the school, and therefore it was with genuine surprisethat the Doctor's concluding sentences were heard.

  "In the present case," he said, "I am inclined to be lenient.Unwittingly you have prevented the probable loss to me of severalhundred dollars, and have secured the arrest of two members of societywho are--hem--better placed in jail than outside. This does not morallyexempt you from blame; your conduct is none the less despicable; but,nevertheless, in view of these circumstances, I shall make yourpunishment as light as is consistent. But first you will give me yourpromise that never, so long as you are in my school, will you take partin or countenance hazing in any form, shape or manner whatsoever. HaveI that promise?"

  Six voices sounded as one.

  "Very well. Now I shall require all six of you to remain within boundsuntil the Easter vacation. This means that you will not be privileged,as usual, to visit the village on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.That is all. You will please carefully remember what I have said. Wewill now take up the lessons."

  A well-defined murmur of relief passed over the room. Then,

  "If you please, sir," said a voice, quietly, from among the boys.

  The doctor glanced up.

  "What is it, Satterlee 2d?"

  "If you please, sir, I'd like to take the punishment with the others,sir."

  "Indeed?" The doctor looked puzzled. "And for what reason?"

  "For--for lying, sir."

  "For what?"

  "For--for not telling the truth, sir."

  "H--m."

  The doctor removed his spectacles and polished them slowly, veryslowly, as if he were doing some hard thinking. Then he replaced themand faced the class.

  "I--hem--I will exempt you from punishment. It isn't what you deserve,not by a great deal, but--you may thank Satterlee 2d."

  Satterlee 2d's popularity began at that moment.