Five Little Peppers at School

by Margaret Sidney

  XXII PICKERING DODGE

  "Jasper!"

  Jasper, rushing down the long hall of the Pemberton School, books inhand, turned to see Mr. Faber standing in the doorway of his privateroom.

  "I want to see you, Jasper."

  Jasper, with an awful feeling at his heart, obeyed and went in. "It'sall up with Pick," he groaned, and sat down in the place indicated onthe other side of the big round table, Mr. Faber in his accustomed seat,the big leather chair.

  "You remember the conversation I had with you, Jasper," he said slowly;and picking up a paper knife he began playing with it, occasionallyglancing up over his glasses at the boy.

  Jasper nodded, unable to find any voice. Then he managed to say, "Yes,sir."

  "Well, now, Jasper, it was rather an unusual thing to do, to set onelad, as it were, to work upon another in just that way. For I am sure Ihaven't forgotten my boyhood, long past as it is, and I realize that theresponsibilities of school life are heavy enough, without adding to theburden."

  Mr. Faber, well pleased with this sentiment, waited to clear his throat.Jasper, in an agony, as he saw Pickering Dodge expelled, and all thedreadful consequences, sat quite still.

  "At the same time, although I disliked to take you into confidence,making you an assistant in the work of reclaiming Pickering Dodge fromhis idle, aimless state, in which he exhibited such a total disregardfor his lessons, it appeared after due consideration to be the onlything left to be done. You understand this, I trust, Jasper."

  Jasper's reply this time was so low as to be scarcely audible. But Mr.Faber, taking it for granted, manipulated the paper knife a few times,and went on impressively.

  "I am very glad you do, Jasper. I felt sure, knowing you so well, thatmy reasons would appeal to you in the right way. You are Pickering'sbest friend among my scholars."

  "And he is mine," exploded Jasper, thinking wildly that it was perhapsnot quite too late to save Pickering. "I've known him always, sir." Hewas quite to the edge of his chair now, his dark eyes shining, and hishair tossed back. "Beg pardon, Mr. Faber, but I can't help it. Pickeringis so fine; he's not like other boys."

  "No, I believe you." Mr. Faber smiled grimly and gave the paper knifeanother whirl. And much as Jasper liked him, that smile seemed whollyunnecessary, and to deal death to his hopes.

  "He certainly is unlike any other boy in my school in regard to hisstudying," he said. "His capacity is not wanting, to be sure; there wasnever any lack of that. For that reason I was always hoping to arousehis ambition."

  "And you can--oh, you can, sir!" cried Jasper eagerly, although he feltevery word he said to be unwelcome, "if you will only try him a bitlonger. Don't send him off yet, Mr. Faber."

  He got off from his chair, and leaned on the table heavily.

  "Don't send him off?" repeated Mr. Faber, dropping the paper knife,"what is the boy talking of! Why, Jasper--I've called you in here totell you how much Pickering has improved and--"

  Jasper collapsed on his chair. "And is it possible that you haven'tseen it for yourself, Jasper?" exclaimed Mr. Faber. "Why, every teacheris quite delighted. Even Mr. Dinsmore--and he was in favor of at leastsuspending Pickering last half--has expressed his opinion that I didwell to give the boy another trial."

  "I thought--" mumbled Jasper, "I was afraid." Then he pulled himselftogether, and somehow found himself standing over by Mr. Faber's chair,unbosoming himself of his fright and corresponding joy.

  "Pull your chair up nearer, Jasper," said Mr. Faber, when, the firsttransport having worked off, Jasper seemed better fitted forconversation, "and we will go over this in a more intelligent fashion. Iam really more pleased than I can express at the improvement in thatboy. As I said before"--Mr. Faber had long ago thrown aside the paperknife, and now turned toward Jasper, his whole attention on the matterin hand--"Pickering has a fine capacity; take it all in all, perhapsthere is none better in the whole school. It shows to great advantagenow, because he has regained his place so rapidly in his classes. It isquite astonishing, Jasper." And he took off his glasses and polishedthem up carefully, repeating several times during the process, "Yes,very surprising indeed!"

  "And he seems to like to study now," said Jasper, ready to bring forwardall the nice things that warranted encouragement.

  "Does he so?" Mr. Faber set his glasses on his nose, and beamed at himover them. The boys at the Pemberton School always protested that thiswas the only use they could be put to on the master's countenance."Well, now, Jasper, I really believe I am justified in entertaining avery strong hope of Pickering's future career. And I see no reason whyhe should not be ready for college with you, and without conditions, ifhe will only keep his ambition alive and active, now it is aroused."

  "May I tell him so?" cried Jasper, almost beside himself with joy. "Oh,may I, Mr. Faber?"

  "Why, that is what I called you in here for, Jasper," said the master."It seemed so very much better for him to hear it from a boy, for Iremember my own boyhood, though so very long since; and the effect will,I feel sure, be much deeper than if Pickering hears it from me. He isvery tired of this study, Jasper," and Mr. Faber glanced around at thefour walls, and again came that grim smile. "And even to hear a word ofcommendation, it might not be so pleasing to be called in. So away withyou. At the proper time, I shall speak to him myself."

  Jasper, needing no second bidding, fled precipitately--dashed in again."Beg pardon, I'd forgotten my books." He seized them from the table, andmade quick time tracking Pickering.

  "Where is Pick?" rushing up to a knot of boys on a corner of theplayground, just separating to go home.

  "Don't know; what's up, King?"

  "Can't stop," said Jasper, flying back to the schoolroom. "I must getPick."

  "Dodge has gone," shouted a boy clearing the steps, who had heard thelast words. So Jasper, turning again, left school and playground farbehind, to run up the steps of the Cabot mansion.

  "Pickering here?"

  "Yes." The butler had seen him hurrying over the stairs to his own roomjust five minutes ago. And in less than a minute Jasper was up in thatsame place.

  There sat Pickering by his table, his long legs upon its surface, andhis hands thrust into his pockets. His books sprawled just where he hadthrown them, at different angles along the floor.

  "Hullo!" cried Jasper, flying in, to stop aghast at this.

  "Yes, you see, Jasper, I'm played out," said Pickering. "It isn't anyuse for me to study, and there are the plaguey things," pulling out oneset of fingers to point to the sprawling books. "I can't catch up. Everyteacher looks at me squint-eyed as if I were a hopeless case, which Iam!"

  "Oh, you big dunce!" Jasper clapped his books on the table with a bang,making Pickering draw down his long legs, rushed around to precipitatehimself on the rest of the figure in the chair, when he pommelled him tohis heart's content.

  "If you expect to beat any hope into me, old boy," cried Pickering, notcaring in the least for the onslaught, "you'll miss your guess."

  "I'm hoping to beat sense into you," cried Jasper, pounding away,"though it looks almost impossible now," he declared, laughing. "Pick,you've won! Mr. Faber says you've come up in classes splendidly, and--"

  Pickering sprang to his feet. "What do you mean, Jasper?" he criedhoarsely, his face white as a sheet.

  "Just what I say."

  "Say it again."

  So Jasper went all over it once more, adding the other things aboutgetting into college and all that, as much as Pickering would hear.

  "Honest?" he broke in, his pale face getting a dull red, and seizingJasper by the shoulders.

  "Did I ever tell you anything that wasn't so, Pick?"

  "No; but I can't believe it, Jap. It's the first time in my lifeI've--I've--" And what incessant blame could not do, praise achieved.Pickering rushed to the bed, flung himself face down upon it, and brokeinto a torrent of sobs.

  Jasper, who had never seen Pickering cry, had wild thoughts of rushingfor Mrs. Cabot; the uncle was not at hom
e. But remembering how littlegood this could possibly do, he bent all his energies to stop thisunlooked-for flood.

  But he was helpless. Having never given way in this manner before,Pickering seemed determined to make a thorough job of it. And it was nottill he was quite exhausted that he rolled over, wiped his eyes, andlooked at Jasper.

  "I'm through," he announced.

  "I should think you might well be," retorted Jasper; "what with scaringme almost to death, you've made yourself a fright, Pick, and you've justupset all your chances to study to-day."

  Pickering flung himself off the bed as summarily as he had gone on.

  "That's likely, isn't it?" he cried mockingly, and shamefacedlyscrabbling up the books from the floor. "Now, then," and he was acrossthe room, pouring out a basinful of water, to thrust his swollen facewithin it.

  "Whew! I never knew it used a chap up so to cry," he spluttered."Goodness me!" He withdrew his countenance from the towel to regardJasper.

  "How you look!" cried Jasper, considering it better to rail at him.

  Whereupon Pickering found his way to the long mirror. "I never was abeauty," he said.

  "And now you are less," laughed Jasper.

  "But I'm good," said Pickering solemnly, and flinging himself down tohis books.

  "You can't study with such eyes," cried Jasper, tugging at the book.

  "Clear out!"

  "I'm not going. Pick, your eyes aren't much bigger than pins."

  "But they're sharp--just as pins are. Leave me alone." Pickeringsquirmed all over his chair, but Jasper had the book.

  "Never mind, I'll fly at my history, then," said Pickering, possessinghimself of another book; "that's the beauty of it. I'm as backward inall of my lessons as I am in one. I can strike in anywhere."

  "You are not backward in any now," cried Jasper in glee, and performingan Indian war dance around the table. "Forward is the word henceforth,"he brought up dramatically with another lunge at Pickering.

  "Get out. You better go home."

  "I haven't the smallest intention of going," replied Jasper, andsuccessfully coming off with a second book.

  "Here's for book number three," declared Pickering--but too late. Jasperseized the remaining two, tossed them back of him, then squared off.

  "Come on for a tussle, old fellow. You're not fit to study--ruin youreyes. Come on!" his whole face sparkling.

  It was too much. The table was pushed one side; books and lessons, Mr.Faber and college, were as things never heard of. And for a good quarterof an hour, Pickering, whose hours of exercise had been much scantier oflate, was hard pushed to parry all Jasper's attacks. At the last, whenthe little clock on the mantel struck four, he came out ahead.

  "I declare, that was a good one," he exclaimed in a glow.

  "Particularly so to you," said Jasper ruefully. "You gave me a regularbear-hug, you scamp."

  "Had to, to pay you up."

  "And now you may study," cried Jasper gaily; and snatching his books, heran off.

  "Oh, Pick," putting his head in at the door.

  "Yes?"

  "If the lessons are done, come over this evening, will you?"

  "All right." The last sound of Jasper's feet on the stairs reachedPickering, when he suddenly left his chair and flew into the hall.

  "Jap--oh, I say, Jap!" Then he plunged back into his room to thrust hishead out of the window. "Jap!" he howled, to the consternation of a fatold gentleman passing beneath, who on account of his size, finding itsomewhat inconvenient to look up, therefore waddled into the street, andsurveyed the house gravely.

  Pickering slammed down the window, leaving the old gentleman to stare aslong as he saw fit.

  "I can't go over there to-night, looking like this." He pranced up tothe mirror again, fuming every step of the way, and surveyed himself indismay. There was some improvement in the appearance of his countenance,to be sure, but not by any means enough to please him. His pale blueeyes were so small, and their surroundings so swollen, that theyreminded him of nothing so much as those of a small pig he had madeacquaintance with in a visit up in the country. While his nose, long andusually quite aristocratic-looking, had resigned all claims todistinction, and was hopelessly pudgy.

  "Jasper knows I can't go in this shape," he cried in a fury. "GreatCaesar's ghost! I never supposed it banged a fellow up so, to cry justonce!" And the next moments were spent in sopping his face violentlywith the wet towel, which did no good, as it had been plentifullysupplied with that treatment before.

  At last he flung himself into his chair. "If I don't go over, Jap willthink I haven't my lessons, so that's all right. And I won't have themanyway if I don't tackle them pretty quick. So here goes!" And presentlythe only sound to be heard was the ticking of the little clock, variedby the turning of his pages, or the rattling of the paper on which hewas working out the problems for to-morrow.

  "Oh dear me! Jasper," Polly exclaimed about half-past seven, "I don'tbelieve Pickering is coming."

  "He hasn't his lessons, I suppose," said Jasper. "You know I told him tocome over as soon as they were done. Well, Polly, we agreed, you know,to let him alone as to invitations until the lessons were out of theway, so I won't go over after him."

  "I know," said Polly, "but oh, Jasper, isn't it just too elegant foranything, to think that Mr. Faber says it's all right with him?"

  "I should think it was," cried Jasper. "Now if he only keeps on, Polly."

  "Oh, he must; he will," declared Polly confidently. "Well, we can putoff toasting marshmallows until to-morrow night."

  About this time, Pickering, whose lessons were all done, for he had, asMr. Faber had said, "a fine capacity" to learn, was receiving companyjust when he thought he was safe from showing his face.

  "Let's stop for Pickering Dodge," proposed Alexia, Clare having run infor her to go over to Polly Pepper's, "to toast marshmallows and havefun generally."

  "All right; so we can," cried Clare. So they turned the corner and wentdown to the Cabot mansion, and were let in before the old butler couldbe stopped.

  Pickering, whose uncle and aunt were out for the evening, had felt itsafe to throw himself down on the library sofa. When he saw that Johnhad forgotten what he told him, not to let anybody in, he sprang up; butnot before Alexia, rushing in, had cried, "Oh, here you are! Come onwith us to Polly Pepper's!" Clare dashed in after her.

  "Ow!" exclaimed Pickering, seizing a sofa pillow, to jam it against hisface.

  "What _is_ the matter?" cried Alexia. "Oh, have you a toothache?"

  "Worse than that," groaned Pickering behind his pillow.

  "Oh, my goodness me!" exclaimed Alexia, tumbling back. "What can it be?"

  "You haven't broken your jaw, Pick?" observed Clare. "I can't imaginethat."

  "I'll break yours if you don't go," said Pickering savagely, and halfsmothered, as he tried to keep the pillow well before the two pairs ofeyes.

  This was a little difficult, as Clare, seeing hopes of running aroundthe pillow, set himself in motion to that end. But as Pickering whirledas fast as he did, there was no great gain.

  "Well, if I ever did!" exclaimed Alexia, quite aghast.

  And the next moment Pickering, keeping a little opening at one end ofthe pillow, saw his chance; darted out of the door, and flinging thepillow the length of the hall, raced into his own room and slammed thedoor, and they could hear him lock it.

  "Well, if I ever did!" exclaimed Alexia again, and sinking into thefirst chair, she raised both hands.

  "What's got into the beggar?" cried Clare in perplexity, and looking outinto the hall, as if some help to the puzzle might be found there.

  "Well, I guess you and I, Alexia, might as well go to Polly Pepper's,"he said finally.

  "And if I ever come after that boy again to tell him of anything nicethat's going to happen, I miss my guess," declared Alexia, gettingherself out of her chair, in high dudgeon. "Let's send Jasper after him;he's the only one who can manage him," she cried, as they set forth.
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br />   "Good idea," said Clare.

  But when Alexia told of their funny reception, Jasper first stared, thenburst out laughing. And although Alexia teased and teased, she got nosatisfaction.

  "It's no use, Alexia," Jasper said, wiping his eyes, "you won't get meto tell. So let's set about having some fun. What shall we do?"

  "I don't want to do anything," pouted Alexia, "only to know what madePickering Dodge act in that funny way."

  "And that's just what you won't know, Alexia," replied Jaspercomposedly. "Well, Polly, you are going to put off toasting themarshmallows, aren't you, till to-morrow night, when Pick can probablycome?"

  "Oh, I wouldn't wait for him," Alexia burst out, quite exasperated,"when he's acted so. And perhaps he'd come with an old sofa pillowbefore his face, if you did."

  "Oh, no, he won't, Alexia," said Jasper, going off into another laugh.But although she teased again, she got no nearer to the facts. And Pollyproposing that they make candy, the chafing dish was gotten out; andAlexia, who was quite an adept in the art, went to work, Jasper crackingthe nuts, and Polly and Clare picking out the meats.

  And then all the story of Pickering's splendid advance in the tough workof making up his lessons came out, Jasper pausing so long to dilate withkindling eyes upon it, that very few nuts fell into the dish. So Polly'sfingers were the only ones to achieve much, as Clare gave so closeattention to the story that he was a very poor helper.

  In the midst of it, Alexia threw down the chafing-dish spoon, andclapped her hands. "Oh, I know!" she exclaimed.

  "Oh," cried Polly, looking up from the little pile of nut-meats, "howyou scared me, Alexia!"

  "I know--I know!" exclaimed Alexia again, and nodding to herself wisely.

  Jasper threw her a quick glance. It said, "If you know, don't tell,Alexia." And she flashed back, "Did you suppose I would?"

  "What do you know?" demanded Clare, transferring his attention fromJasper to her. "Tell on, Alexia; what do you know?"

  "Oh, my goodness me! this candy never will be done in time for thosemeats," cried Alexia, picking up the spoon to stir away for dear life.And Jasper dashed in on what Mr. Faber said about Pickering's chancesfor college; a statement that completely carried Clare off his feet, soto speak.

  "You don't mean that he thinks Pick will get in without conditions?"gasped Clare, dumfounded.

  "Yes, I do." Jasper nodded brightly. "If Pick will only study; keep itup, you know, I mean to the end. He surely said it, Clare."

  It was so much for Clare to think of, that he didn't have any words athis command.

  "Now isn't that perfectly splendid in Pickering!" cried Alexia, makingthe spoon fly merrily. "Oh dear me! I forgot to put in the butter.Where--oh, here it is," and she tossed in a big piece. "To thinkthat--oh dear me, I forgot! I _did_ put the butter in before. Now I'vespoilt it," and she threw down the spoon in despair.

  "Fish it out," cried Polly, hopping up and seizing the spoon to makelittle dabs at the ball of butter now rapidly lessening.

  "But it's melted--that is, almost--oh dear me!" cried Alexia.

  "No, it isn't; there, see how big it is." Polly landed it deftly on theplate and hopped back to her nut-meats again.

  "And I should think you'd better shake yourself, Clare," said Jasper,over at him. "We shouldn't have any nuts in this candy if it depended onyou."

  "You do tell such astounding stories," cried Clare, setting to work atonce. And Jasper making as much noise as he could while cracking hisnuts, Alexia's secret was safe.

  But when the candy was set out to cool, and there was a pause in whichthe two boys were occupied by themselves, Alexia pulled Polly off to acorner.

  "Where are they going?" asked Clare, with one eye after them.

  "Oh, they have something to talk over, I presume," said Jaspercarelessly.

  "Nonsense! they've all the time every day. Let's go over and see."

  "Oh, no," said Jasper. "Come on, Clare, and let's see if the candy iscool." But Clare didn't want to see if the candy was cool, nor anythingelse but to have his own way. So he proceeded over to the corner byhimself.

  "Oho! You go right away!" cried Alexia, poking up her head over Polly'sshoulder. "You dreadful boy! Now, Polly, come." And she pulled her offinto the library.

  "You see you didn't get anything for your pains," said Jasper, burstinginto a laugh. "You'd much better have staid here."

  "Well, I don't want to know, anyway," said Clare, taking a suddeninterest in the candy. "I believe it is cold, Jasper; let's look."

  "Polly," Alexia was saying in the library behind the portieres, "I knownow; because I did it once myself: it was when you first promised you'dbe a friend to me, and I went home, and cried for very joy. And I didn'twant to see anybody that night."

  "Oh, Alexia!" exclaimed Polly, giving her a hug that satisfied evenAlexia.

  "No, I didn't; and I remember how I wanted to hold something up to myface. I never thought of a sofa pillow, and I couldn't have gotten it ifI had thought, 'cause aunt had it crammed against her back. Oh, my eyeswere a sight, Polly, and my nose was all over my face."