“They mean trouble as sure as two and two are four,” whimpered Leslie into Dick’s ear, as the three rough fellows fell back a few paces, apparently to hold a little confab of their own.
“Let them start a rough-house prank if they want to,” said Dick, confidently. “I miss my guess if Mr. Holwell isn’t able to handle the crowd. He used to be on the college football squad years ago, and knows a thing or two about hustling a disturber out of a meeting, even if he is a minister.”
“If you asked me what I thought,” added Dan, eagerly, “I’d say there’s a little surprise waiting up for Nathan this very night; and for one I’ll be tickled half to death when it happens. It’s been due some time now, I expect.”
“Well, here we are at the place,” remarked Dick; “so let’s forget all about such a thing as trouble.”
When the boys found themselves inside the building it was to meet a score of their schoolmates, all waiting in the big auditorium for the meeting to be called to order. In the upper part of the house were a couple of quiet reading rooms for those who did not wish to be disturbed by such noise as arose from the lovers of games. There were also accommodations for temporary shelter, where several young men could room during their search for work.
Mr. Holwell and Harry Bartlett were present, looking more than gratified over such a good turnout on the part of the boys of Cliffwood. The attendance seemed to insure the ultimate success of their new undertaking.
“Of course we must expect to meet with obstacles,” the minister was saying to his right-hand man; “perhaps plenty of them; for nothing worth while can be attained without great efforts. But with a splendid body of eager boys back of us there can be no such word as fail in our lexicon.”
When eight o’clock came, the meeting was promptly called to order by Mr. Holwell. He found himself faced by nearly a score and a half of boys, most of them anxious to qualify for membership in the new organization.
Some of them with older brothers in the regular Y. M. C. A. had long envied the good times the Seniors seemed to have under that hospitable roof. Now that a chance had come whereby they too were to be given a share in the pleasures and entertainments that enlivened the dull winter months there was no lack of enthusiasm exhibited on every hand.
Nat Silmore and his cronies kept close together. Dick now and then cast a look in their direction, and wondered if they really would have the nerve to try and give Mr. Holwell trouble. Knowing the effrontery of Nat so well, he had a strong suspicion that something was brewing.