“I don’t know about that. Yes, I know he did not seem to have much of any strength in his legs the night of the fire in the hotel.”
“And you never got so much as thank you from the old hen! That shows the kind of stock he sprang from! She pretends to think all creation of him, and she should have gone down on her knees to you; but she’s such a cold-blooded old fossil that she couldn’t bring herself to thank you as she ought.”
“I desire no thanks from her,” said Dick grimly.
“What? When only a bit before she was threatening to have you arrested as a thief? Well, if I’d been in your boots, pard, I’d seen that she ate a large piece of humble pie. You hear me peep! I just would! It would have done her good.”
By this time the carriage was quite near the academy. As it swung round the drive and stopped, the plebes thronged about it and greeted Chester Arlington with cheers.
Chester smiled at this outburst and waved his hand at them. He turned to his mother and said:
“You can see how popular I am here. Now you can see how it would be if I had a square show.”
“My dear boy!” she said. “It is plain enough! Something shall be done.”
June Arlington was looking around. She was dressed in a tasty and stylish manner, and she was the kind of a pretty girl to set the plebes to making “goo-goo” eyes. However, she paid no attention to them. Her eyes had discovered Dick and Brad at a little distance beneath the leafless trees, and something like a faint smile came to her face.
“What’s the matter with Arlington?” shouted a plebe, waving his cap over his head.