CHAPTER XIX
"I'LL FIGHT HIM FOR THIS MAN!"
"It's wonderfully kind of you!" breathed the woman, gratefully."But it really won't do any good. When a man has begun to drinknothing can reclaim him from it. My only hope is to be able tohave a talk with Tom when his money is gone."
"Of course if you dislike to have us try, Mrs. Drake-----" Dickbegan.
"I don't dislike to have you try!" cried the woman, quickly."All I am thinking about is the hopelessness of your undertaking.You simply can't get Tom out of Miller's to-night until the ownerof that awful place turns him out at closing time. I know! Thishas happened before."
Dick stood in an uncertain attitude, his cap in hand. The appealingface of the child, looking eagerly up at him, made him wish withall his heart to try to do a good act here, yet he couldn't thinkof going on such an errand without the young wife's permission.
"Let him go, mama," urged the child. "He'll bring papa back."
Dick looked questioningly at the woman.
"All right, then, go," she acquiesced. "Oh, I hope you have goodluck, and that you don't make Tom ugly, either. I'll say, forhim, that he has never been ugly yet."
"Mrs. Drake, we all four accept your commission---or permission,whichever it is," replied Dick, bowing. "We'll try to use tactand judgment, and we'll try to bring Mr. Drake back with us."
Dick asked a few questions as to where Miller's place might befound. Then he set off, he and his chums walking abreast.
"Bring him back!" Mollie said plaintively. "Then mama won't cry,and I won't, either."
"I feel like a fool!" muttered Tom Reade, when they were out ofearshot of the waiting mother and child.
"If you don't like the undertaking, you might keep in the background,"Dick suggested.
"It's likely I'd back out of anything that's moving, isn't it?"Reade demanded, offended. "I don't mind any disagreeable businessthat we may run into. But I feel like a fool when I think ofthe message we'll have to take back to that poor woman and baby."
"Tom Drake will deliver the message to them," replied Dick, firmly.
"If he's sober even now," murmured Danny Grin, uneasily.
"I'm strong for the task!" declared Dave Darrin, with enthusiasm.
"So would I be," Tom defended himself, "if I thought that evena night of fighting would result in anything like success. But-----"
"Better stop right here, then," Prescott, suggested, smiling earnestly.But neither of Dick's companions stopped.
They were walking briskly, now. As they had been told, Miller'swas the first place on the right hand side, where the businessstreet of Fenton began. It had been a tavern in the old days,and was still a big and roomy structure.
Yet there was no mistaking the room in which the object of theirquest was to be found. The door of the saloon opened repeatedlywhile the boys stood regarding the place.
Dick stepped over to a man who had just come out.
"Is Tom Drake in there?" Dick asked.
"Yes."
"Is he sober?" Dick pressed.
"Yes; so far," answered the man.
"Will you do me a great favor? Just step inside and tell himthat there is a man outside who wants to see him. Just tell himthat, and nothing more."
"Are you from Drake's wife?" asked the man, looking Dick overshrewdly.
"Yes," Dick admitted, candidly.
"I'll do it," nodded the man. "Drake has been making a fool ofhimself. He'll go to pieces and find himself without a job beforethe year is out. You wait here. I'll find a way to coax himout for you."
Soon the door opened again, and there came out Prescott's messengerfollowed by a clean-cut, well-built young man of not more thantwenty-eight years of age.
"There's the young man who says he wants to see you," the citizenexplained, pointing to Dick.
Tom Drake walked steadily enough. He certainly was not yet muchunder the influence of liquor.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked, looking somewhat puzzled ashe eyed young Prescott.
"Yes," Dick admitted.
"What about?"
"Will you take a short walk with me," Dick went on, "and I'llexplain my business to you."
"I don't believe I can take a walk with you," Drake answered."I'm with some friends in there."
He nodded over his shoulder at the door through which he had justcome.
"But my business is of a great deal of importance," Dick went on.
"Can't you see me to-morrow?" asked Drake, eager to get back tohis companions.
"To-morrow will be altogether too late," Dick replied.
"Then state your business now."
"I'd much rather explain it you as you walk with me," Prescotturged, earnestly.
"Are---are you from the building loan people?" asked Tom Drake,suddenly.
"No, I am not from them," Prescott replied, then added, truthfullyenough: "But it's partly about that building loan matter thatI wish to talk with you."
"Who sent you here?" asked Drake, half-suspiciously.
"A child," Dick replied. "At least, it was a child's face thatgave me the resolution to come here and have a few words with you."
"A child?" repeated Drake. "What child?"
"Yours."
"A child?" echoed the young man. "Mine? Do you mean Mollie?"
"Yes," Dick went on, rapidly. "The child wanted to come hereherself to get you, and I came in her stead. It was better thatI should come than that little tot. Don't you think so?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand you," returned Tom Drake, beginningto look offended.
"Mr. Drake, do you know that your wife and child are all dressedup---in their prettiest white gowns, waiting for you to comeback to bring them into town to-night for the promised treat?Don't you understand the pain that you're giving them by showingthat you prefer a lot of red-nosed loafers in Miller's to yourown wife and child? The unhappiness that you're causing themto-night isn't a circumstance to all the misery that you're pilingup for them in the years to come. Switch off! Switch off, whileyou're yet man enough to be able to do it! Won't you do it---please?You must know just how happy that little kid will be when shesees you come swinging down the street to bring her and her motherinto town. You know how that little tot's eyes will shine. Can'tyou hear her saying, `Here's papa! He's come.' Isn't that babyworth a twenty-mile walk for any man to see when he knows she'shis own kiddie and waiting for him? Come along, now; they'reboth waiting for you; they will be the happiest pair you've seenin a long time."
"I don't know but I will toddle along home," said Drake, rathershame-facedly. "I---I didn't realize how time was slipping by.Yes; I guess I'll go home. Much obliged to you for letting meknow the time."
But at that moment the door opened, and a voice called out:
"Drake! Oh, Drake. Come here; we want you."
"Can't, now," the young man called back. "I'm due at home."
"Home?" came in two or three jeering voices.
Then several men came out of the saloon, laughing boisterously.
"Come back, Drake! We can't let you slip off like that. You'retoo good a fellow to play the sneak with us. Come on back!"
"I---I tell you, I'm due at home," insisted Drake, though he spokemore weakly.
"Hey! Here's Drake---says he's going to slip home on us!" calledone of the tormentors.
More men came out of the place, some of them staggering. Withthe new arrivals came one whom Dick and his friends rightly guessedto be Miller---a thickset man, with swaggering manner, insolentexpression and rough voice.
"What's this about your going home, Drake?" demanded one of thenew arrivals.
"I---I really ought to go home," Drake tried to explain.
"Cut that out," ordered Miller roughly. "You're booked to spendthe evening with us, and the evening has hardly begun."
"I promised this young fellow I'd go home," said Drake slowly,"so I guess I will."
"And what has this young feller got
to say or do about it?" demandedMiller angrily, as He pushed his way to Drake's side, then glaredat Dick Prescott.
"And what have you got to say about his not going home?" Dickasked hotly. "Isn't this a free country, where a man may gohome when he chooses?"
"It's a free country, and a man has a right to spend his eveningin my place when he's invited," Miller asserted roughly.
"Yes; your invitation will hold until his month's pay is gonefrom his pocket," Dick flashed back. "That's all you want. Drakehas sense enough to see that, and he's leaving you."
"He isn't going home for three hours yet, or anywhere else!" snortedMiller, whose breath proclaimed the fact that he had been usingsome of his own goods.
Dick laughed contemptuously as he turned to Tom Drake with:
"You see! That fellow thinks he can give you your orders. Thatfellow begins to believe that he owns you already."
"Who are you calling 'that feller'?" demanded Miller, droppinga heavy hand on Dick's shoulder.
"I referred to you," replied Prescott, pushing the man's handfrom his shoulder.
"If you get too funny with me I'll hit you a crack that will carryyour head off with it!" snarled the saloon keeper.
"Pshaw!" Prescott answered cuttingly. "You aren't big enough,or man enough, either!"
"What's that?"
Miller aimed a vicious, open-hand blow at young Prescott's face.It didn't land, but, instead, Dick's right hand went up smack!against the fellow's cheek.
"Hang your impudence!" roared Miller, angrily. "I'll pay youfor that! I'll teach you!"
He made a rush at Dick, but two men who had been attracted bythe commotion jumped in between them.
"Hold on, Miller!" objected one of these passers-by. "You can'tpummel a boy!"
"I'll make him howl for hitting me!" roared Miller, doubling hisbig, powerful fists. "Get out of my way, or I'll run over you!"
"Get out of his way, please!" cried Dick suddenly. "Let Millerat me, if he wants. I'm willing to fight him. I'll fight himfor Tom Drake's right to be a man!"
The High School Boys' Training Hike Page 19