His eager, compelling gaze flashed from one doubtful, dubious face to another. Suddenly Ted Hinckley stepped over and thumped him on the back.
“I’m with you, old scout,” he said briefly. “Let’s send her to Jim and make a good job of it.”
“Same here,” echoed Furn Barber.
“I guess we can live a little longer without the stuff we wanted,” drawled Champ Ferris.
“A while!” protested Harry Ritter, frowning. “But look at the time it’s taken us to earn that money. Why, it’s months, almost. And it’ll go in a minute and we’ll have to start all over from the beginning. Suppose she didn’t see him again. Lots of other—”
“Suppose it was your mother, and you were going to France and couldn’t come home, like Jim!” flamed Micky, his hands clenching. “Would you get any comfort knowing there were other men in the same fix?” He paused. His face relaxed in a whimsical, appealing smile. “I can’t say any more, fellows,” he went on quietly. “I’m no talker anyway. It’s up to you. If you’d rather keep the money to furnish the cabin, all right. But if you’d rather—”
“Sure we would, Micky!” interrupted Midge Willett shrilly. Midge had the reputation of being rather tough, but he was undeniably a leader with the younger crowd. “We ain’t made out of no stone. Jim’s one dandy fellow, and I move we let the old furniture go and send his mother to him for a Thanksgiving present. How about it?”
The shrill chorus of approval which burst forth left no doubt as to the feelings of the majority. Even Clay Marshall joined in, and though Ritter said nothing, he made no protest.
“That’s great!” exclaimed McBride delightedly. “I knew you fellows would do it. Now it’s up to us to get a hustle on. Chase home for the money and buy the ticket and berth and take ’em up to Mrs. Wright. If we turned over the coin she might balk. I’ll be late, I s’pose, this afternoon, but I should worry!” He pushed briskly through the group, but at the door, moved by a sudden impulse, he turned. “Come ahead, Rit,” he urged abruptly. “I’ll want somebody to hold the change.”
Ritter flushed, hesitated, and then, almost reluctantly, came forward. Together they left the school and sped toward the McBride house. There the canvas bag containing their hard earned “fund,” mainly in dimes, nickels and quarters, was secured and they headed for the station.