Sunday continued bright and clear, but it was so bitter cold that but few of the students went to church and Sunday school. Tom was anxious to hear how Sam was getting along, and in the afternoon Captain Putnam himself drove him to the Stanhope cottage in the cutter.
It was found that the youngest Rover was feeling much better, although his hoarseness had not left him. He said he was sure he could go back to school the next day.
“We had a visit from Jasper Grinder,” said Dick. “He insisted on stopping here in spite of all Snuggers could do to stop him.”
“And what did he say?” asked the captain anxiously.
“Oh, he was in a terrible rage, and threatened to sue my father because, as he put it, we had driven him from earning a good living. I could hardly get him out of the house, and when he left he picked up a big chunk of ice and snow and hurled it through the sitting-room window at Sam. I believe the man isn’t quite right in his head.”
“It certainly looks like it,” was the captain’s grave response.
“Did Snuggers leave him in Cedarville?”
“Yes. But Snuggers didn’t know where he went after that, excepting that he called at the post office for some letters.”
“I hope I never have anything to do with him again,” said Sam, with a shiver.
“I do not believe he will bother you in the future,” returned the captain. “When he comes to his sober senses he will realize fully how foolishly he has acted.”
As Sam was so much better and needed no care that Mrs. Stanhope and Dora were not willing to give him, Tom returned to the Hall with Dick and Captain Putnam, after supper at the widow’s cottage. The sleigh ride to the school was delightful, for the road was now in excellent shape, while overhead the stars shone down like so many glittering diamonds.
CHAPTER IX
A RACE ON THE ICE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED
After the events just narrated several days passed quietly enough at Putnam Hall. In the meantime the weather continued clear, and the boys took it upon themselves to clear off a part of the lake for skating. Then, one night came a strong wind, and the next morning they found a space of cleared ice nearly half a mile long.
“Now for some fine skating!” exclaimed Tom, as he rushed back to the Hall after an inspection of the lake’s smooth surface. “We can have all the racing we wish.”
“It’s a pity Sam can’t go out yet,” returned Dick. Sam was back to the school, but his cold had not entirely left him.
“Never mind; here are several new magazines he can read,” returned Tom, who had been to town with Snuggers on an errand and had purchased them at the stationery store.
“I would just as soon read now,” said Sam. “The magazines look mighty interesting.”
Just then Fred Garrison came in, accompanied by George Granbury. They had been down to Cedarville to purchase some skates and a new pair of shoes for George.
“Hullo, what do you think we saw in Cedarville!” cried Fred, as soon as he caught sight of the Rovers.
“Lots of snow,” suggested Tom dryly.
“Yes—and more.”
“A mighty dull town,” suggested Sam.
“We saw Dan Baxter.”
“What was he doing?”
“He was walking down the street. And who do you suppose was with him? Mr. Grinder!”
“Grinder!” came simultaneously from Tom and Dick.
“Yes, Grinder. And they seemed to be on good terms with each other,” put in George.
“I could hardly believe my eyes at first,” went on Fred. “But there they were, as plain as day.”
“It’s very odd,” mused Dick. “What should bring them together?”
Nobody could answer that question.
“I don’t believe they are up to any good,” said Tom.
“I hope Grinder doesn’t join hands with Baxter in plotting against us,” came from Dick.
The matter was talked over for some time, but no satisfactory conclusion could be reached, and presently the boys separated, some to go skating and others to attend to their studies for the morrow.
Down at the lake the scene was an animated one. Boys were flying in every direction, and mingled with them were a dozen or more girls and a few grown persons. George Strong, the head teacher, was there, enjoying himself fully as much as the pupils who loved him.
“I’ll race you, Mr. Strong!” sang out one of the older boys, Tom Mardell.
“Done, Master Mardell,” was the teacher’s answer. “To yonder rock and return.” And in a moment more the pair were off.
“Hurrah! A race between Mr. Strong and Tom Mardell!” came in a shout from a number of the students, and soon there was a general “lining up” to see how it would terminate.
“Go in, Tom!” shouted Tom Rover. “Don’t let him beat you!”
“Mr. Strong is behind!” came presently. “Tom is going to win out, sure!”
On and on went the skaters, until the rock was gained. Then Tom Mardell turned so suddenly that he ran full tilt into the teacher with whom he was racing. Both spun around and came down on the ice with a crash.
“Oh!” gasped Mardell. “I didn’t mean to do that!”
“I—I know you didn’t!” panted Mr. Strong. “You have finished the race in fine shape, I must declare!” And then he arose slowly to his feet and Mardell followed. But nobody was seriously hurt, and in a moment more both skated off hand in hand.
Dick was looking for Dora Stanhope, and presently she appeared, in a pretty fur coat and a jaunty fur cap. He put on her skates for her, and they skated off, with many a side wink from some of the boys.
“Dick’s head over heels,” said one lad, to Tom.
“Well, I guess you’d be, too, Urner, if you could get such a nice girl to notice you,” returned Tom dryly. And then he added: “You must remember we are all old friends.”
“Oh, I know that; and I was only joking.”
A grand race, open to all comers, had been arranged by the students of the Hall and of Pornell Academy, a rival institute of learning, which has already figured in other volumes of this series. The Pornell boys were out in force, and they were sure that one of their number would win the silver napkin ring, which was the first prize, and another the story book, which constituted the second prize.
Of this race a gentleman from Cedarville, named Mr. Richards, was to be the starter and judge. The course was a short mile, down the lake and back again. The Pornell boys to enter were named Gray, Wardham, Gussy, and De Long. The contestants from Putnam Hall were Tom Rover, Fred Garrison, Tubbs, and a lad named Hollbrook.
“Are you ready?” asked Mr. Richards, after lining the boys up and telling them of the conditions of the race.
There was a dead silence.
“Go!” shouted the starter.
Away went the eight skaters, side by side each striking out bravely. Fred was in the lead, with two Pornell boys a close second, while Tom Rover was fourth.
“Go in, Tom, you must win!” sang out Dick excitedly.
“Hurrah for Tubby!” came from several others. “He’s crawling up!”
“Go in, Gray!” came in a shout from some Pornell sympathizers. Gray was one of the pair striving for second place. Now he shot ahead, and in a second more was close upon Fred Garrison’s heels.
The pace was truly terrific from the very start, and long before the turn was gained De Long and Hollbrook dropped out, satisfied that they could not win.
Gray, the leader of the Pornell contingent, was a tall, lanky, and powerful fellow, and every stroke he took told well in his favor. The turning point was hardly rounded when he began to crawl up to Fred, and then he gradually passed him.
“Hurrah! Gray is ahead!” shouted his friends.
“Here is where Pornell wins the race!” added one enthusiastic sympathizer.
Fred’s pace had been too sharp from the very start, and now he slowly but surely dropped back to second place, and then to third.
But then Tom Rover began to crawl up. He had held himself slightly in reserve. Now he “let himself out.” Whiz! whiz! went the polished pair of steels under him, and soon Wardham, the fellow who had held second place, was passed, dropping behind Fred, thus taking fourth place. Then Tom came up on Gray’s heels.
“Hurrah for Tom Rover!”
“Go it, Tom, don’t let him beat you!”
“Go it Gray, Tom Rover is at your heels!”
Gray did not dare to look back, but at the latter cry he did his best to increase his speed. So did Tom, and while the finishing line was still a hundred yards distant he came up side by side with Gray.
“It’s a tie!”
“No, Gray is a little ahead yet!”
“Go in, Gray, don’t let him beat you!”
“Tom Rover to the front! Go it, Tom, for the glory of old Putnam Hall!”
A wild yelling broke out on every side. On and on went the two boys, with Fred Garrison not two yards behind them. That the finish would be a close one there was no question. The line was but a hundred feet away; now but seventy-five; now but fifty. Still the leaders kept side by side, neither gaining an inch. Surely it would be a tie. The yelling increased until the noise was deafening.
And then of a sudden Tom Rover shot ahead. How it was done nobody knew, and Tom himself couldn’t explain it when asked afterward. But ahead he went, like an arrow shot from a bow, and crossed the line six feet in advance of Gray.
“Hurrah! Tom Rover has won!”
“Told you Tom would do it!”
“Three cheers for Putnam Hall!”
“And Fred Garrison came in only one yard behind Gray, too, and Tubby is a pretty good fourth.”
“This is Putnam Hall day, thank you!”
The cheering increased, and Tom was immediately surrounded by a host of admirers.
Gray felt very sore, and wanted to leave the pond at once, but before he could do so Tom skated up to him and held out his hand.
“You came pretty close to beating me,” he said. “I can’t really say how I got ahead at the finish.”
“I—I guess my skate slipped, or something,” stammered Gray, and shook hands. Tom’s candor took away the keen edge of the defeat.
The Putnam Hall boys were wild with delight, and insisted upon carrying Tom on their shoulders around the pond. A great crowd followed, and nobody noticed how this made the ice bend and crack.
“Be careful there!” shouted Mr. Strong warningly. “There are too many of you in a bunch!” But ere he had finished the sentence there came another loud cracking, and in a twinkle a section of the ice went down, plunging fully a dozen lads into the icy water below.
CHAPTER X
THE END OF THE TERM
“The ice has gone down!”
“Some of the boys will be drowned!”
“Get some boards and a rope, quick!”
These and a score of other cries rang out. In the meantime those near to the hole skated with all speed to one place of safety or another.
Some of the imperiled boys who had not gone down very deeply managed to scramble out with wet feet or wet lower limbs only, but when the crowd had drawn back it was seen that three boys were floundering in the chilling water over their heads. These boys were George Granbury and Frank Harrington, who had been supporting Tom on their shoulders, and Tom himself, who had been dropped into the opening head first by the frightened lads.
Realizing that something must be done at once, Mr. Strong ran to the boathouse, which was close at hand, and soon reappeared, carrying a long plank. He was followed by a boy with a rope, and several boys brought more planks and more ropes.
When the first plank was pushed out Tom lost no time in grasping hold of it. He crawled to a safe place on hands and knees, but was so nearly paralyzed he could not stand up.
“I’ll carry him up to the Hall,” said Peleg Snuggers, who had chanced upon the scene, and without ceremony he picked Tom up in his strong arms and made off for the school building on a run.
After Tom came Frank Harrington, who caught hold of one end of a rope tossed toward the hole. As soon as he shouted he had the rope secure, a dozen boys pulled upon it, and Frank was literally dragged from his icy bath. Once on shore he was started on a run for the Hall, some boys rushing ahead to obtain dry clothing for both him and the others.
Poor George Granbury was now the only one left in danger, and matters appeared to be going hard with him. He clutched at one of the planks thrust toward him, but his hold slipped and down he went out of sight.
“He’ll be drowned! He’s too cold to save himself!” was the cry of several who were watching him.
“Be careful, boys!” came warningly from Mr. Strong. “Be careful, or somebody else will get in!”
“Mr. Strong, if you will hold the plank, I’ll crawl out and get hold of Granbury,” came from Dick, in a determined voice.
“Rover, can you do it?”
“I feel certain I can. Hold tight, please.”
Dick leaped upon the plank and threw himself flat. Then he crawled out as fast as he could, until he was on the end over the open water. Holding to the plank with one hand he reached out to grasp George’s shoulder with the other.
“Sa—save me!” gasped the drowning boy.
“Give me your hand, George,” called Dick.
Granbury tried to do so, but the effort was a failure, for the cold had so numbed him he could scarcely move. Reaching as far as he could, Dick caught a portion of his coat and drew the helpless boy toward him.
The ice cracked ominously, but did not break. Mr. Strong warned the others still further back.
Slowly but surely Dick raised George to a level of the plank. Then with an extra effort he hauled the half-drowned boy up.
“Now haul in on the plank,” he called, and Mr. Strong and two boys did so immediately. In a moment more danger from drowning was a thing of the past for George Granbury.
A cheer went up because of Dick’s heroic action, but this was instantly hushed as George was seen to stagger back and fall as if dead. Instantly Mr. Strong picked the boy up in his arms and ran toward the Hall.
“Oh, Dick, how noble of you!” It was Dora Stanhope who spoke, as she came up and placed a trembling little hand on his arm. “And how glad I am that you didn’t get in while doing it.” And her eyes filled with tears.
“I—I’m glad too, Dora,” he said brokenly. And then added: “Excuse me, but I guess I’d better go up and see how Tom is making out.”
“To be sure, and let me know if it’s all right,” she replied.
Once inside the Hall Dick learned that Tom had been put into a warm bed. He was apparently none the worse for his mishap, and likely to be as full of life and fun as ever on the morrow.
Poor Granbury, however, was not so well off. It took some time to restore him to consciousness, and while Captain Putnam and Mr. Strong put him to bed, with hot-water bags to warm him up, Peleg Snuggers was sent off post-haste for a doctor. As a result of the adventure Granbury had to remain in bed for the best part of a week.
“I shan’t forget you for what you did,” he said to Dick, when able to sit up. “You saved my life.” And many agreed that what George Granbury said was true. As for Dora Stanhope, she looked upon the elder Rover as more of a hero than ever.
After the mishap at the races on the ice the time flew by swiftly until the Christmas holidays. Before going home for Christmas Dick called upon the Stanhopes and gave them the gifts he had purchased, over which they were much pleased. For Dick Dora had worked a pretty scarf, of which he was justly proud. Mrs. Stanhope had books for all the boys, something which was always to their liking. The Rovers did not forge
t the Lanings, nor were they forgotten by these old friends.
“And now for home. Hurrah!” shouted Sam, on the way to Cedarville. “I must say I’m just a bit anxious to see the old place once more.”
“Yes, and see father, and Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha,” put in Dick.
“Don’t forget Alexander Pop,” put in Tom, referring to the colored man who had once been a waiter at the Hall, and who was now in the Rover employ.
“And Jack Ness and the rest,” put in Sam. “I guess we’ll be glad enough to see everybody.”
When the boys arrived at Ithaca they found there had been a freight smash-up on the railroad, and that they would have to wait for five or six hours for a train to take them home. This would bring them to Oak Run, their railroad station, at three o’clock in the morning.
“I move we stay in Ithaca over night,” said Tom. “If we got to Oak Run at three in the morning, what would we do? There would be no one there to meet us, and it’s a beastly hour for rousing anybody out.”
So they decided to put up at a hotel in Ithaca, and went around to a new place called the Students’ Rest. The hotel was fairly well filled, but they secured a large apartment with two double beds.
“There’s a nice concert on this evening by a college glee club,” said Sam. “I move we get tickets and go.”
“Second the motion,” said Tom promptly.
“The motion is put and carried,” put in Dick just as promptly. “I trust, though, the concert don’t make us weep.”
“They won’t know we’re there, so perhaps they won’t try it on too hard,” said Sam, and there the students’ slang came to an end for the time being.
The concert was quite to their taste, and they were surprised, when it was over, to learn that it was after eleven o’clock.
“I hadn’t any idea it was so late,” exclaimed Dick. “We’d better be getting back to the hotel, or we won’t get our money’s worth out of that room.”
“That’s right,” laughed Tom. “Although, to tell the truth, I’m not very sleepy.”
Several blocks were covered when Sam, who was looking across the street, uttered a cry of astonishment.
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