THE VERDICT OF THE SCHOOL
If any one ever imagined that Dan Brown would be "held for a while" by the president's remarks they were sadly mistaken.
The first thing which attracted Bob Somers' eye on reaching school next morning was a large poster headed: "Indignation Meeting!"
"By Jingo, that's interesting," murmured the captain of the regulars, pushing his way through the groups toward it.
"Oh, it really is dreadfully awful, Somers!" cried Benny Wilkins. "And everybody thinking, yesterday, that that Brown chap was squelched." He seized Bob by the arm. "Come along. He's said something there that may hurt your feelings."
"So I suppose you're trying to support me," returned Bob. He raised his voice. "Hello, Dave!"
The stout editor, beaming good-naturedly, as usual, sauntered over.
"The blow has fallen, Bob," he laughed. "Have I read it? Oh, yes. Not badly written, either. I wish Brown would scribble an article for the 'Reflector.'"
"Oh—oh! And after firing everything of mine!" wailed Benny. "Isn't that what some one called the 'unkindest cut'?"
Next moment Bob Somers' eyes were scanning the contents of the two by three foot poster, a proceeding which was beset with some difficulty, as a great crowd of boys constantly shoved and pushed each other about in an effort to read it.
The announcement called for a meeting on the campus at three o'clock to settle by a vote of the school which club should represent it against the Rockville team.
"The matter has reached a stage when the students must decide this most important question," stated the poster. "The undersigned, who have been working for the good of the school, will cheerfully abide by the wishes of the majority. And, in order that no advantage shall be taken of the regular team, we invite them, or any one they may designate, to speak in their behalf.
"We call upon all of the students to act calmly, and to refrain from unpleasant observations or in any way disturbing the peace. And we emphatically insist that no one shall shirk his duty. Be present without fail—and vote."
The poster was signed by Dan Brown, Owen Lawrence and Earl Roycroft.
"It's an outrage, Bob Somers!"—Harry Spearman had reached the captain's side—"a direct slap at President Hopkins. Didn't he practically command the fellows to quit this row? Of course he did. For my part, I shall insist that not one of our crowd pays the smallest attention to their so-called invitation."
"There will be no soap box oratory from me," declared Bob.
"Nor from me, either," grinned Dave. "I'd rather practice."
"All the same, I am fearful that something fearful will happen," said Benny. "Here comes T. Vanitas. Oh, I say, T. Vanitas Clifton, here's the shock of your young life."
"You'd better cut out such talk," warned Tom. "I absorbed the contents of that silly thing half an hour ago. It doesn't faze us in the least."
"It isn't expected to. But what happens this afternoon is."
The general feeling of unrest and excitement so affected the students that work in the class room suffered greatly. Professor Ivins was much disturbed.
"I declare, Professor Hopkins, I don't know what we shall do," he said in the president's office. "Several of the brightest boys in the school failed lamentably to-day. It is deplorable that this thing has taken such a hold upon them. Cannot something be done?"
"If conditions get any worse I shall be compelled to take a hand," asserted Professor Hopkins. "It appears to me that young Brown is actually becoming defiant. That flaring poster out there is one of the boldest things I ever saw."
"It certainly is," said Professor Ivins, solemnly.
As the time for the meeting drew near "Crackers" Brown and his assistants got into action. Several large boxes, with boards laid across the tops, and designed for use as a table, were placed beneath the big elm, while another box—the speaker's stand—stood only a few feet away.
By the number of students which poured out upon the campus it looked as if the "Indignation Meeting" was destined to be a great success. Occasionally, above the medley of noises, came the blare of ear-disturbing megaphones or blasts from tin horns. Every cheer for Brown was answered with a yell for Somers. The fighting spirit of the students was aroused, and, in spite of "Crackers'" request, the boys did not refrain from unpleasant observations. Only the leader of the "outlaws" and Benny Wilkins wore their usual expressions.
"Are you going to speak for the Ramblers, Mercer?" asked the latter, as he approached the manager of the team.
"I should say not!"
"Haven't got the nerve, eh?"
"Just as you say, Benny. After noting the terrible effect of Brown's nerve I feel a little shy about cultivating any myself."
"Gee whiz! This is the only time I ever saw a lot of fellows who were elected by almost unanimous consent, and then fired out the same way," mused Benny. "There's Brown getting up to speak. Wouldn't I laugh if that soap box broke and upset him. Rah, rah, rah for Somers! Hooray for the Ramblers. Take 'Crackers' down before he starts! Don't wonder he has a buttermilk voice—he's sour!"
Dan Brown looked leisurely around and began his speech.
"Hooray for Captain Bunderley, hooray!" called out Benny, his shrill tones soaring high above all other sounds.
Not many of the boys could hear the words of the coach. It needed a far stronger voice than his to overmatch the incessant din, which sometimes rose into a loud, swelling chorus from every quarter of the campus. But that made little difference. A large piece of cardboard, hung by several cords from the tree, gave all the desired information.
The proposition to be voted for was: Which team should represent the school in the inter-scholastic series; all those favoring the regulars to state whether the club should remain as it was or be reorganized.
Owen Lawrence, who followed Dan Brown, and whose vocal organs were far more powerful, promptly demanded to know if any of the Ramblers were present.
"We gave them a chance to speak on the last occasion, and do so now!" he cried, looking over the heads of the crowd.
The momentary silence which ensued was broken by the voice of Benny Wilkins.
"Hooray for Brown!" he yelled. "Hooray for Somers! Vanitas forever! One school; one ball nine; one everything! Take him down from the stand. Here I come! I want to make a speech myself."
He was pushing his way forward when Parks thrust a very large fist beneath his nose.
"No, you don't, Benny," he growled. "For once in your life be serious. This isn't any circus."
"Jealous because you can't make a speech yourself!" jeered Wilkins. "I dare you to. Let go! I want to say a word for Somers. All right, Parksy. I'll sic Captain Bunderley on you."
Aleck, with his hand on Benny's shoulder, forced him away.
"I understand the regulars don't consider this occasion important enough to bother about," continued Lawrence. "Will you fellows stand for that? Will you stand for outsiders meddling with school affairs—your affairs?"
"Hooray for Captain Bunderley!" shouted the irrepressible Benny.
The Somers party attempted in vain to stem the tide of enthusiastic cheering which greeted Owen Lawrence's words.
"I knew the boys were with us!" shouted Owen. "I feel that by your votes to-day——"
"You haven't any right to buy votes!" screeched Benny.
"I am sure that through the votes you give us," corrected the speaker, "the field which Mr. Barry has offered will become the property of the school. A decisive victory, fellows, will show those who have been so stubborn and unyielding that they dare not hide any longer behind their refuge of regularity." He turned toward the table. "Get busy, boys."
A half dozen lads, each carrying a box filled with slips of white paper, at once began working their way through the crowd.
"Don't miss anybody!" yelled Dan Brown. "And just let me say this: The fellows who fail to vote are mollycoddles. We'll find out who they are."
"Give me a slip—quick!" cried Benny. "I want to vote for the Ramblers. No; I won't shut up, Dan Brown. You never gave me the note-book you promised. Hooray for Roycroft! Get away from here, Aleck Parks. Your language is always rude."
"In order to avoid mistakes or squabbling over the result we ask every student to put his name on the ballot!" called Brown.
The noise and arguments ceased. Every lad felt the importance of the proceedings and wished, if possible, to end the unfortunate situation which had hovered over the school for weeks. In their eagerness to get the slips of paper a jostling, clamoring crowd besieged each holder of a box. Occasionally a small shower fell to the ground, to be pounced upon by those nearest at hand.
"It doesn't seem as if there are any mollycoddles here to-day," exclaimed Owen Lawrence, triumphantly. "See 'em, Earl Roycroft—almost scrapping for the ballots. What are you looking so sad about?"
"I feel sorry for the Somers crowd," answered Earl. "They're all good chaps; and we must give Bob a lot of credit for starting the athletic association."
"And us the credit for putting the useless thing out of business," interposed Brown. "It might be a grand proposition for the school if the chaps who compose it weren't so blind."
"Do you suppose Bob Somers will have the nerve to fight the verdict of the school?" asked Lawrence.
"We'll call his bluff, if he does," answered the coach. "See how many of the fellows who used to shout themselves hoarse for the Ramblers have swung over to our side. This indifference stunt is the Ramblers' last grand card. Mercer's face shows that he knows the jig is up."
"We'll play Rockville sure as shooting," said Lawrence. He raised his voice. "Any fellow who hasn't received a ballot please put up his hand. Gee—look at that mean little codger!"
Benny Wilkins, showing all the symptoms of keen enjoyment, was seen running around scattering handfuls of the ballots and leaving a trail of white behind him.
"I'm going to snow 'em under!" he cried. "I crammed sixteen down Parksy's neck. Hooray for the good of the school!"
"An unmanageable little duffer," remarked Brown, gravely. "We ought to vote on the question of allowing him to remain at the High."
As soon as every one had been supplied with a slip collecting of the ballots began. There seemed to be few wavering voters, a fact which gave much encouragement to the "outlaws."
Each box, upon being filled, was rushed over to the table and emptied. Then the tellers began their work of counting.
The great trunk of the elm partly shielded the busy students from a brisk, pleasant breeze, which, having no regard for the importance of the occasion, apparently strove its best to send the white scraps dancing merrily to the ground. The soft music of the gently-swaying boughs above kept up a steady accompaniment to the noises which once more broke out on the campus.
A dense crowd surged around the table, threatening at times to interfere with the work. The Somers party, while refusing to admit the right of the "outlaws" to put the question to a vote, were bent upon seeing fair play. Several of the most aggressive struggled through the mass and took up a position by the table.
"You needn't be afraid, Lou Mercer," grinned Owen Lawrence. "We're giving everybody a square deal. Carried the thing too far, have we? Maybe—to suit you and Bob Somers; not the rest of the school."
Incessant calls for information regarding the vote were hurled toward the table. The boys found it hard to restrain their impatience. Only the stern commands of Brown and Lawrence kept a semblance of order.
As the work neared completion the excitement became so great that a wildly-clamoring mob threatened to descend upon the table and sweep it, workers and ballots, irresistibly aside.
"You'll undo the whole business!" shouted Lawrence, in alarm. "Keep back! We'll know the result in a few minutes. Stop your shoving and pushing over there. I'll say this much: it's a landslide for——"
"The good of the school!" came a rousing chorus.
"Yes! You've hit the ball on the nose."
At frequent intervals the cheering was renewed. The tabulators worked desperately, and when the returns, added on a sheet of paper, were handed to Brown, who was still standing on the soap box, he was obliged to yell himself hoarse.
"Keep still!" he bawled, holding the paper high above his head. "Keep still! The result is——"
"Order, order!" shouted Lawrence, frantically.
In the midst of a temporary hush, Brown's voice rose clearly.
"Out of a total of four hundred and nineteen voters only thirty-seven have decided in favor of the regular club; ninety-eight are for reorganization; two hundred and eighty-four—two hundred and eighty-four, mind you—a tre-men-dous majority, have come out squarely in favor of the 'Hopes.'"
The greatest din which the campus had ever known was carried off in waves of sound, and Brown, for the first time throwing off his mask of calmness, shouted and hurrahed as lustily as any.