In School and Out Part 28

Most of the boys looked at each other with astonishment, wondering what could be meant by "watermelons," and walking in his sleep. It was evident to Richard that only a few of his companions understood the reflections cast upon him. There he stood, trembling, as it were, in the balance, and ready to be carried up or down by this new and most terrible trial--up into a higher sphere of virtue, or down into a deeper degradation than any he had yet fathomed.

"I will be true to myself!" said he to himself, after he had stood silent for a moment, blus.h.i.+ng with shame, and a.s.sailed by the foe without and the foe within.

His clinched fist unclosed, the muscles relaxed, and though his face was still red, a smile of triumph played upon his lips.

"Will you go, Watermelons?" sneered Redman.

"I will not," replied Richard.

"Shut up, Redman," interposed Nevers, who entirely mistook the singular change which had come over Richard's countenance. "Come, Grant, you and I will talk it over alone;" and he took his arm, and led him away from the crowd.

"You see we know all about these things," continued Nevers, "but we don't want to be hard upon you. Only about a dozen of us know any thing about those sc.r.a.pes."

"Who told you about them?" asked Richard.

"That's nothing to the purpose. You are a good fellow, Grant, and I advise you to join us; if you do, not a fellow shall ever say a word about watermelons or sleep-walking."

"I will not join you, whatever you say and whatever you do."

"Then you won't hear any thing but watermelons while you stay here. I called you out as a friend, and I think you had better go with us."

"I will not."

"Then we will tell all the fellows."

"I will save you the trouble by telling them myself."

"Come, Grant."

"I will not."

"Go it, then, Watermelons!" said Nevers, as he ran back to the others, and told them of the result of the interview.

Richard wondered who could have informed them of his sc.r.a.pes, but he could form no idea. Lest our readers should be equally in the dark, we will tell them, confidentially, that Sandy Brimblecom had done the mischief. A cousin of his, on his way to Tunbrook, had stopped a day in Whitestone. This relative was, unfortunately, one of the Nevers'

faction, and the information he brought was carefully preserved for an emergency.

"All who join, come under the big tree!" shouted Redman. "If you walk in your sleep, Grant, perhaps you will pay us a visit."

"Asleep or awake," replied Richard, calmly, but forcibly, "I shall know enough to keep out of bad company."

"Do you mean me by that?" demanded Redman, rus.h.i.+ng up to Richard, and shaking his fist in his face.

"I do."

"Then take that;" and Redman struck Richard in the face.

The latter did take that, but the next instant his a.s.sailant lay upon the ground, where Richard with a single blow had thrown him.

"None of that, Redman," interposed Nevers. "The colonel will be down upon us."

"Let's lick him," said another.

"I am ready," coolly replied Richard, throwing off his coat.

But prudence carried the day, and the mutineers retired to the big oak.

Only about fifty, or one fourth of the students, responded to the call of Redman, and the rest retired from the ground.

"What did they mean by 'watermelons'?" asked Bailey, as they walked up to the Inst.i.tute.

"I'll tell you all about it;" replied Richard. "I got into some sc.r.a.pes before I came here;" and he told his companions the whole story. "But, fellows, I have turned over a new leaf."

"Good!" said Bailey. "I am glad you told us; and I'm sure no decent fellow in the Inst.i.tute will ever fling it at you."

Richard felt better when he had told the whole truth. He confided in his friends, and feared not his enemies. When they reached the parade ground they saw that the mutineers had taken possession of every one of the boats, and were sailing up the lake towards Green Island. They dared not return to the Inst.i.tute, fearing that their plan might be discovered.

Richard was informed that arrangements had been made before he joined them; that they intended to take all the boats, so that the instructors could not reach them, and encamp on the island.

When the rolls were called, the absence of about fifty of the boys was discovered by the teachers. The truth came out, and the sharp eye of Colonel Brockridge seemed to glow with unwonted l.u.s.tre.

CHAPTER XX.

RICHARD VISITS GREEN ISLAND, AND THE REGULATORS CONSIDER THEIR PLANS.

The evening exercises proceeded as usual, no allusion whatever being made to the absence of the mutineers, after the facts had been revealed. But no one supposed that the energetic princ.i.p.al would drop the matter where it then stood.

Richard had been "putting that and that together" since the events which had transpired in the grove, till he was pretty well satisfied that the mutineers now upon Green Island were the Regulators. The evidences which led him to this conclusion had been carefully collected from the time he had been whipped by them in the woods near the camp.

Though Nevers had appeared to be very friendly since the race, his conduct had not been above suspicion.

During the evening the boys had a great deal to say about the mutiny, and some of them even regretted that they had not joined, especially as the colonel did not seem to care much about the affair. About eight o'clock in the evening, Richard was sent for by the princ.i.p.al.

"Grant," said Colonel Brockridge, as Richard entered the office, "I have heard all about your conduct, and I wish to express to you my approbation. You have, indeed, turned over a new leaf, as you told the boys, and I congratulate you upon your success in keeping your good resolution. I have just written a letter to your father, which you may read."

The princ.i.p.al handed him the letter, and with a glow of pride and satisfaction, Richard read the high commendation which was bestowed upon him. There was no allusion to the affair of the day, and the praise covered his general conduct since he had been at Tunbrook.

"I learn that you have been true to yourself, and true to the rules of the Inst.i.tute, under peculiar trials. I sympathize with you. But you have won the respect and regard of all the good boys. You can afford to be disliked by the others."

"I have tried to do my duty, sir," replied Richard, blus.h.i.+ng at the praise bestowed upon him.

"You have done well. I know how fond you are of exciting adventure, and I wonder that you had the strength to resist this temptation."

"I am surprised myself," added Richard.

"If I except the fight, which was greatly palliated by the circ.u.mstances, and the sleeping on guard when we were in camp, your conduct has been entirely unexceptionable since you came to the Inst.i.tute. Sleeping on guard is not----"

"I didn't sleep on guard, sir," interposed Richard, mildly and respectfully. "I am prepared to explain all about that now."