“Don’t row yourself,” he had advised. “That might be bad for your arm. Lie in the back of the boat and steer, and just take it easy. There’s no need for you to practice to-day. Be at the station in time for the train.”
So Jim, with Woeful Watson, his classmate, known to the whole of Yale as the sophomore pessimist, had taken a boat and gone up the river after luncheon.
“I’ll do the rowing,” said Watson. “I’m not reckless, like most of our crowd, Jim, and I’ll do my best to get you back safe. I’ve got a hunch that something’s going wrong to-day, and I’ll be on the watch for it.”
It was still early when Watson had looked at his watch? and decided that it was time to turn around and get back to the station.
“What’s the use of going back so soon?” asked Jim, who was enjoying his rest. “We’ll only have to wait an hour or so at the station.”
“Better do that than miss the train,” said Watson relentlessly. “I’m responsible for you to-day, Jim, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You’ve got to obey my orders now, you know. I represent Mr. Merriwell.”
So Jim laughed, and gave in, knowing the folly of arguing with Watson when the pessimist had once made up his mind.
It was just as Jim had predicted. They found themselves at the station an hour before train time. It was a hot, lazy summer afternoon. Few people were around. Lessons were over for the year, and most Yale men had scattered. A great many were in New York, waiting for the game with Harvard. Others had gone to New London, to visit the oarsmen, and practically the whole college would assemble there the following week, in preparation for the boat race with Harvard. So the station was pretty well deserted.
“I’m going uptown,” said Jim to Watson. “I don’t want to wait around here.”
“You’re going to stay right here,” said Watson firmly. “I’ve got you here, and here you’ll stay until I deliver you, in good order, to Mr. Merriwell, and get his receipt for you. Then you can do anything you blame please. If you want relaxation and something to look at, I’ll go down to the freight station with you.”