The sequel proved that Tom was right.
CHAPTER VIII.
RUNNING THE RAPIDS.
“NOW that we are here by ourselves,” continued Ralph, “I’d like to ask you why you told Joe that the best man was not to be allowed to win at the next meet. I never heard of such a thing before in my life. What do you suppose Prime and his crowd would say to you if they should find it out?”
“I don’t believe they will ever find it out,” replied Tom, who did not seem to think that he had been guilty of any thing mean. “If I have formed a correct estimate of Joe Wayring’s disposition and character, he is a boy who knows how to hold his tongue. I posted him simply to off-set the coolness and impudence displayed by Prime and his friends in shutting us out of all the races, without so much as saying by your leave. Since they would not give us a chance to win some of the prizes, I say that they shall not win any of them. We are not going to play into the hands of boys who work against us.”
“That’s what I say,” exclaimed Loren. “But I thought Joe acted very indifferently.”
“Because he did not ask me to go into the particulars of the scheme, and give him the names of the fellows who were in it?” said Tom. “I thought so myself at first, but after turning the matter over in my mind, I came to the conclusion that his indifference was put on; and that the reason he did not ask me to go into details was because he was afraid I would say to him that I was taught not to tell names and tales too.”
“It seems to me that that is about the size of it,” Loren remarked. “But look here, Tom. You have undertaken a pretty big contract if you expect to keep on the right side of both those crowds. One or the other of them will very soon have reason to suspect you, and then down you will go. What are you going to do about the races?”
“My proposition is, that we keep up our regular exercise and training, and do the best we can to carry out our own programme, leaving Prime’s clique and Joe’s to carry out theirs, if they are able to do it. If we find that we stand no show, I would much rather see Joe and his friends win than Prime and his friends.”
“So would I,” said Ralph. “Now I should like to have some one tell me what excuse we have for being down on those boys. We got mad at them simply because they would not break their rules and take us into their archery club.”
“And wasn’t that reason enough?” cried Tom, hotly. “I wasn’t used to such treatment while I lived in the city, and I won’t submit to it now. I don’t think any more of Hastings than I did on the day he so coolly told me that he would not help me get into their club. I don’t care whether he wins or not. What I mean to say is, that Prime and the rest shall not carry off any of the prizes if I can help it. I intend to show them that the next time they want any help from me, they had better let me have a voice in making up the programme; and I shall do it in such a way that they can not possibly misunderstand me. You two can do as you please, of course; but if you are going to weaken, I wish you would say so at once, so that I may make my arrangements accordingly.”