For the Honor of Randall Part 25

By turns they examined the couch, the three shaking their heads mournfully at the author of the mischief, until, when the joke had been carried far enough, they turned their attention to Tom, and a.s.sisted him in his rather limited preparations for the trip. They escorted him to the station shortly before train time, their prayer for a special dispensation in regard to being out late, having been granted.

"Don't forget to wire as soon as you have any news," begged Sid as they left their chum, and Tom promised. He kept his word, for there was a message for the three before noon the next day.

The general surmise was correct. Tom's presence was only needed in order to sign some affidavits in relation to the lawsuit, and he stated that he would be back at Randall the next day.

"Then we've got to get up a sort of celebration!" cried Frank, dancing about with the telegram in his hand.

"Surest thing you know!" agreed Sid. "We'll have a spread in our room, Zane or no Zane."

"And to-night let's take in a theatre," suggested Frank. "I'm in funds.

Just got my allowance. I'll blow you fellows."

"Wow! You are a sport!" declared Phil, clapping the Big Californian on the back.

They took a chance on "running the guard," in going to the theatre that evening, and, later Phil and Sid both agreed that Frank had acted rather strangely. After buying the theatre tickets the big lad offered to treat his chums to sodas, and, while these were being consumed, he made an excuse to slip out of the drug store.

"I just want to go next door to telephone," he said. "I'll be right back."

"There's a telephone here," suggested the drug clerk, as Frank started out.

"I never can hear good over that 'phone," the Californian said. "I'll go in the furniture shop next door. I'll be right back."

"What's he got up his sleeve now, I wonder?" spoke Phil.

"Give it up," was his chum's reply. "Maybe something about Tom's spread."

The boys enjoyed the play, and were fortunate enough to get back to college un.o.bserved. Frank offered no explanation of his telephone message, and Sid and Phil did not think to ask questions.

The next day, when Phil and Sid were practicing on the field, a messenger came to summon Frank. The big lad hurried off, unheeding the calls of his chums.

"What in the world is up?" asked Phil wonderingly.

Sid could not guess, but when Frank returned, about an hour later, they both "put it to him straight."

"Why, there's no mystery about it," said Frank calmly. "I just went in to fix the old sofa. I got a new kind of brace for the back and seat and I wanted to glue 'em on in daylight. Don't any of you fellows sit on it, if you get to the room before I do, or you'll bust it worse than ever."

They promised, but Frank took good care that they did not precede him to the room. As the three entered together, having surrept.i.tiously arranged for the spread, Phil and Sid saw the sofa was covered with a winding sheet.

"For cats' sake!" cried Sid. "What's that for?"

"Is anybody dead?" demanded Phil.

"No, it's--er--the sofa," explained Frank. "I just put that on so n.o.body would sit on it by mistake until it was dry. Come on, now, Tom will be here pretty soon. Let's get ready for him. Have we got enough to eat?"

"I should hope so," replied Sid, looking at the numerous packages, and then rather suspiciously at the sofa.

Tom was due to arrive about eight o'clock, and a little crowd of his friends was at the station to meet the train.

"Everything all right?" greeted Frank, as the tall pitcher stepped to the platform.

"Yes, we're all ready for the lawsuit now, though I can't say how it's coming out. How are things here?"

"Fine," replied Holly Cross. "We're going to blow you--it's Frank's surprise." And forthwith they escorted the returned one to college.

It required no little ingenuity on the part of the lads to get to the room of the inseparables unchallenged, but it was finally accomplished.

"For the love of mustard, what's that?" demanded Tom, as he saw the sheeted sofa.

"Oh, that's Frank's work of reparation," answered Phil. "He's fixed the sofa. Isn't it dry yet, you old Mugwump?"

"Yes, I think it is," answered Frank. Then, taking his position near the article of furniture, he began cutting the string that held the sheet in place. He had tied it securely, a measure of precaution that alone had prevented Phil and Sid from lifting the veil to see what sort of a repair job the Big Californian had done.

"Boys," went on Frank, as at last he was ready to pull off the sheet, "I have a little surprise for you."

"Surprise!" repeated Tom blankly.

"Spring it!" ordered Dutch Housenlager.

CHAPTER XVII

THE AUCTION

There was an eager pressing forward on the part of all in the room.

Frank stood facing his chums and companions, a curious look on his face.

"So this is what he's been up to all this while," murmured Phil.

"He gave us the double cross," commented Sid.

"Oh, go ahead, unveil the statue," suggested Holly. "This suspense is terrible!"

With a sudden pull Frank whisked the sheet to one side, and there followed a gasp of astonishment. For a moment no one spoke. Surprise held them dumb. Then Tom found his voice.

"Oh mudlarks!" he cried feebly.

"Paregoric!" came faintly from Sid.

"Catch me, somebody, before I faint!" gasped Phil, as he staggered back into the arms of Dutch Housenlager, who promptly deposited him on the floor.

And well might the three chums give vent to e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns of surprise, dismay and anguish.

For there, in place of the old sofa that had served them in calm and storm, in stress of disaster and in the joys of victories, there stood a new and s.h.i.+ning piece of furniture--spick and span in bright green plush, with a glossy mahogany frame--a davenport, large, roomy, comfortable--the acme of luxury. The old sofa had been metamorphosed--it had suffered a "sea change into something new and strange," as Holly quoted afterward.

"Wha--what has happened?" asked Phil weakly, rubbing his eyes to make sure it was not a vision of the night.