Winning His "W" Part 33

"Doubtless," remarked Mr. Whitaker dryly.

"You don't care anything about the squabbles of the cla.s.ses. It's nothing to you anyway, Mr. Whitaker," pleaded the soph.o.m.ore.

"What led you to suspect that the canes might be here?"

"It wouldn't be fair to tell that," laughed the soph.o.m.ore. "We know they're here all right, and that's enough."

"Would you believe me if I were to say to you that they are not here?"

"Yes, sir, I suppose we should," replied the soph.o.m.ore dubiously, "but you won't say it."

"Why not, since they are not here?"

"What?" demanded the entire party almost together.

"That is what I said. The canes are not in my house."

"In the barn, then?" said the leader suspiciously.

"No, they are not in the barn, either. There is not a cane on my place except the one I occasionally use myself. If you think that will do--"

"But, Mr. Whitaker, the man was seen when he brought the canes here."

"Quite likely."

"And yet you say they are not here?"

"That is what I said. And what I still say."

"I don't understand--"

"I do not say they _were_ not here. All I say is that they _are_ not here."

"They're gone? They've been taken away? Is that what you mean?" demanded the astonished soph.o.m.ore.

"Precisely."

"Let's go in and search anyway," said one of the party now thoroughly angry.

"I advise you not to attempt that," said the minister quietly.

"Why not?" said the soph.o.m.ore impudently.

"Because one of my neighbors is a deputy sheriff and housebreaking is a somewhat serious offense."

For a moment the a.s.sembly was nonplussed, but their uncertainty was speedily relieved, or at least interrupted, by an occurrence that instantly caused them all to turn and flee from the place at their utmost speed.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE MYSTERY OF THE CANES

At the very moment when the consternation of the soph.o.m.ores was keenest the sound of a sleigh turning into the yard in which they were standing caused them all to look quickly toward the gateway. The ground was bare in places, and the runners of the sleigh, as the iron bands pa.s.sed over the gravel, emitted shrieks and groans as if they were striving to warn the soph.o.m.ores of the impending peril.

Seated in the sleigh were three men whom the a.s.sembly speedily recognized as members of the freshman cla.s.s, and their own fears for a moment doubtless caused the soph.o.m.ores to magnify the numbers as well as the danger.

"Look out, fellows! Here they come!" said one in a low voice whom Will and Hawley recognized. It was Mott, who was again the spokesman and leader of the little band.

"Let's get out of this," responded one whose voice Will could not determine, and as if a sudden panic had seized upon them the young men turned and began to run swiftly.

"Hold on! Hold on, fellows!" called Mott savagely, although his voice was not loud. "Hold on! What are you running for? There are only three of them, and we're good for any three freshmen in Winthrop. Don't run.

Come on back!"

Mott's appeal served to restore a measure of confidence among his companions, and instantly the flight was abandoned and all turned slowly back toward the yard. Neither Will nor Hawley had yet moved from his hiding-place, though they were leaning farther out from the corner of the barn in their eagerness to discover what was occurring in the yard before them. They could see that the driver in the sleigh was Foster, and he had leaped out and was now as calmly tying his horse and fastening the blanket upon it as if never a thought of his rival cla.s.s had entered his mind. Beside him two young men were standing, but in the dim light it was impossible to determine just who they were. The returning soph.o.m.ores were now near the new arrivals, and the genial old minister could also be seen, still standing on the piazza and evidently not uninterested in the sight and presence of the young men before him.

"What are you doing here, Bennett?" demanded Mott of Foster.

"Oh, we're out for a sleigh ride," responded Foster glibly, "and we just stopped here to see the fun. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, we stopped to see the fun too," responded Mott gruffly. "It's worth going miles to see freshmen who don't know any more than to go sleigh-riding on bare ground. Had a good time, freshman?"

"Yes. Have you?"

"We're all right. If you've come for the canes you're too late."

"Have you just found that out?" replied Foster with a loud laugh. It was true that he was not aware that the canes had been taken away, but he was not minded to betray his surprise to the members of the rival cla.s.s.

There was a brief interval of silence which was broken by the old minister, who said, "I shall be very glad, young gentlemen, to have you come into the house. The night air is cold and you must be thoroughly chilled. A little while ago I may have appeared somewhat lacking in hospitality," he added, turning to Mott as he spoke; "but now I can a.s.sure you I shall be very glad indeed to receive you."

"Thank you," responded Foster. "We shall be glad to come in if the others will come too."

"We can't very well to-night," said Mott glumly. "We've got to go--"

Suddenly there broke in a wild yell upon the silence of the night. The sound was made by only two men, but these two were possessed of a lung power that was well-nigh phenomenal. Hawley who with his companion had been watching the events that were occurring before them had suddenly turned to Will and whispered, "Let's go in and take a hand! Yell, Phelps! Make them hear you clear over in Winthrop!"

"Hi-i-i-i!" the two l.u.s.ty freshmen had shouted together as they leaped forward, and the prolonged yell was repeated when all the a.s.sembly had instantly turned and for a moment in sheer astonishment were gazing at the startling approach of men from behind the barn.

"Come on, fellows!" shouted Hawley again. "Come on! We'll get every one of them! Come on! Come on!"

To the startled soph.o.m.ores it seemed as if myriads of their foes were rus.h.i.+ng upon them, and after a momentary confusion every one had started swiftly across the narrow field that intervened between the yard and the road that approached Coventry Center from another direction.

"Come on, Foster! Come on all you fellows!" shouted Hawley. "Come on!

We'll get every soph that's here and will put 'em where they won't do any harm till long after St. Patrick's Day."

Obediently every freshman started to follow Hawley, and across the rough, plowed field they ran swiftly toward the road where the soph.o.m.ores had already disappeared from sight behind the bushes that were thick and high by the roadside. When once they had gained the road they could see the forms of two men speeding away in the distance, and with a renewed shout the freshmen started in swift pursuit.