Harry Watson's High School Days Part 20

"Well, you've got to give me some better reason than that, Elmer Craven," flashed the sorely troubled boy. "If Miss Darrow is willing that I should skate with her, I don't see that it is your business or anyone else's, as far as that is concerned."

"You'll find it is, though. I tell you, you've got to stop going with her! You remember the laboratory business? Well, it will be just as easy to put a stop to your going with Viola as it was to frame that up on you. So just take my advice and leave her alone!"

So vicious did the rich boy's face become as he uttered his threat that Harry could scarcely believe he was talking with a fellow member of Rivertown High. For the moment, he thought of resenting the boy's words with his fists; but the sound of footsteps and the voice of the princ.i.p.al, from behind, caused him to abandon the idea.

"Well, are you going to take my advice?" demanded his enemy, sullenly.

"I'm going to do just as I please, Elmer Craven. Neither you nor anyone else can stop me!" retorted Harry. And turning on his heel, he stalked away to his cla.s.sroom.

But though he had maintained a defiant manner, at heart he was sick.

Coming as it did on top of the news from his father, the thought that he would now be obliged to guard himself against underhand attacks from his rival, with whom he had held many angry words, made him deeply anxious, and again the idea which had come to him on the previous night when his aunt had made her announcement,-that he should leave school,-recurred to him.

A happy nod and smile from Viola, who chanced to be pa.s.sing through the hall on her way to one of her recitations, however, decided the day for Harry.

"I'll not let Elmer Craven make me give up my friends.h.i.+p for Viola!" he told himself. And with this resolve, he proceeded to his various duties.

Having no recitations after the noon recess, Paul suggested that Jerry, Harry and he should take a sail on his new iceboat _Lightning_, which had just been delivered to him.

Glad of any diversion that would take his mind from his troubles, Harry readily accepted and the boys went to their several homes for dinner.

Angry that he had failed to scare his rival, Elmer had brooded all the morning over some means of making good his threat, and at last, unable to think of any scheme that would be both adequate and feasible, he dropped into the village butcher shop to consult his friend, Pud.

To his amazement, he found the bully laughing and in high spirits, in striking contrast to the surly gloom he had maintained since the eventful day in Lumberport.

"What's making you feel so gay?" demanded Elmer.

"The fact that I've got Harry Watson now just where I want him!"

His eyes big with incredulity, the richest boy in Rivertown stared at the bully.

"What on earth do you mean?" he finally asked, when he found that Pud made no move to explain his statement.

"Just this!" returned the bully. And he tapped a newspaper which was spread out over one of the chopping blocks.

"But I don't understand?" persisted Elmer.

"Then listen to this!" and Pud read the following:

"'Amos Watson's appeal was denied by the court and he will now be compelled to serve five years in prison to which he was sentenced for forgery.'"

"Well?" exclaimed Elmer, still mystified.

"What's the matter with you? Have you suddenly lost your senses?"

stormed the bully.

"But I don't see what that has to do with that young cur."

"You don't, eh? Well, it has just this to do with it-Amos Watson is Harry's father!"

For several minutes the rich boy stood silent, as though endeavoring to grasp the magnitude of the news which had come to him-and then, with a sudden cry of delight, he struck Pud a resounding whack on the back.

"That's great-provided it's true!" he exclaimed.

"True? Of course it's true. Isn't it in the paper?"

"Yes, but where did you get the paper?" demanded Elmer, picking it up and looking at the name and date line.

"Uncle Briscoe always sends it up from Lawrenceburgh to my mother. She used to live down there, you know."

"No, I didn't, but the paper seems straight enough, so I suppose it's all right."

"You bet it's all right. And now come on, we'll spread the news-and if Harry Watson doesn't wish before night he'd never been born, I'll miss my guess!"

And together the two boys who hated Harry so bitterly set out to scatter the news of his father's misfortune broadcast.

CHAPTER XXI-ELMER BAITS HIS RIVAL

Good care did the two boys who were bent on the downfall of our hero take to tell the story of Harry's father being a forger only to those who were not particularly friendly to the lad-with the result that it found ready credence, and was soon being repeated with all manner of exaggerations.

"I don't believe a word of it!" declared Viola, when the report reached her. "Harry Watson is a splendid chap. I--"

"But this isn't Harry, it's his father whose appeal from a prison sentence has been refused," laughed a girl who had told the malicious tale.

"It makes no difference, I don't believe Harry's father is a man who would stoop to any such act!" retorted Viola, hotly. And, putting her arm through Nettie's, the richest girl in Rivertown High went off with her chum-for the story had hurt her more than she cared to have her schoolmates see.

Though in high spirits at the amazement their announcement caused among their schoolmates, Elmer and Pud were disappointed that the boy whose father they were traducing did not put in an appearance.

"Where do you suppose he is?" asked Socker, after they had discovered Harry's absence.

"Probably afraid to show his head," commented Misery. "I don't think I'd care to exhibit myself to my school-fellows under such conditions."

"But Jerry and Paul aren't here, either," a.s.serted another boy.

"The three of them are off together somewhere, I suppose," suggested Pud.

"Or else they're waiting until school begins, to sneak in," commented Elmer.

But in ignorance of all the cruel things that were being said about him, Harry was at the river with his chums, busily helping Paul rig up his iceboat.

Being new, there was no end of fussing and readjusting to be done before the _Lightning_ was ready for her initial spin; and the three lads were in the act of making a final test of her ropes, when a crowd of the boys and girls rushed down to the river for their daily frolic on the ice after school-and among them were Elmer and Pud.

"Who's iceboat is that?" demanded the bully, as he caught sight of the rangy looking craft, some half mile up the river.

"Must belong to some one from Lumberport or Cardell," returned Elmer.