The oldest landmark about Lillard High was the watering trough. It stood between the sidewalk and the road, just off the campus on James street. There weren’t many horses left in Lillard to use the trough but the water was artesian and many folks used to get it to drink. The town had run a pipe up on the outside of the trough next to the sidewalk where folks could wet their whistles. The trough was about ten feet long, three feet wide and four feet high, made of concrete. There were steps leading up to the fountain from the sidewalk. The basin of the trough was about thirty inches deep and covered with specimens of moss which the botany professor said was full of Amœbæ.
It had been the history of Lillard High that when any fellow got too fresh he somehow got acquainted with the watering trough. The water, coming from a well, was about as cold as water could be. One plunge in the trough was usually enough to shrink swelled heads or cool anyone’s ambition.
“I can’t help it if it is mid-winter,” declared Pete Dean at a special called meeting of the Sophs, “We’ve got to put a stop to Freshy rule. It’s the trough for Eddie Summers...!”
“A guy with that name ought not to mind the winter,” remarked one of our class wits, which was me.
“That being the case, you’re elected to assist in the dousing program,” delegated Pete.
“No fair! Just because I live next to that bird’s no sign....”
“Oh, come on! You know him better’n we do. You’ve gone around together. It ’ud be a cinch to....”
“Well, what’s your plan?” I asked, coming to the point. I was just as anxious to see Eddie hit the trough as anyone else. He might have been a friend of mine but class strife was class strife!
“My plan’s this,” outlined Pete. “Obadiah’s laid down some pretty strict rules and we can’t afford to get caught, so we’ve got to get Eddie alone when there’s no one to see us or help him out. The best time’s after dark ... say, tomorrow night ... and the only way to do it is for Ralph here (pointing at me) to find some excuse for going out with Eddie and lead him by this trough. We’ll be hiding and we’ll pounce upon him so quick he’ll be in the icy deep before he knows what’s hit him!”
The fellows liked the idea fine ... all except me. I’d a lot rather have been one of the dousers because it wasn’t likely Eddie would be able to figure out who they were. But I was sure to catch it in the neck as soon as the Freshies heard about it.