Mrs. Arlington said nothing more, and Chester almost lifted each one of the girls into the carriage. They lingered a few moments to witness the joyous demonstration on the platform and listen to the cheering of the cadets.
“If we’d known you were all in such good shape,” said Anson Day, “we would have brought the band.”
At length, when the confusion had subsided somewhat, the cadets formed near the station, with the ball players at the head of the procession, and away they marched, followed by the immense crowd. One of the leaders struck up “Fair Fardale,” and every boy in the ranks took up the song. Singing thus, and followed by the laughing villagers, scores of whom found their eyes dimmed with blurring mists, the boys paraded the main street of the village and finally turned toward the academy.
CHAPTER XX.
DICK’S CONFIDENCE.
The following day Earl Gardner was ill in bed. Among the others, although more serious results had been anticipated, no one was laid up. True, some of them were stiff and lame, but all were up and about.
Late in the afternoon, while Dick was alone in his room, there came a knock on his door, and Darrell entered.
“Hello, Hal!” cried Dick. “Sit down, old man.”
Darrell seemed strangely awkward and ill at ease.
“They tell me Gardner is in bed,” he said.
Dick nodded.