“I am greatly obliged to you, Mr. Oakes, for your information,” said the head of the college to the farmer, who was still laughing. “Our improvised scarecrow shall be taken down at once.”
“Scarecrow!” exclaimed Professor Tines. “I think——” But wrath choked his utterance. “I demand that my suit be taken down at once!” he went on, after a pause, “and that the guilty ones be punished!”
“They shall be, I assure you,” promised Dr. Churchill, “when I learn who they are. If you hear, professor, let me know.”
“I shall. But I want my suit. Perhaps it is ruined.”
But a new difficulty now arose, for Sid and his fellow conspirators had fastened the halyards high up on the pole, and it was not until Professor Tines had sent Wallops for a ladder that the ropes could be untied and the suit lowered. During this process a group of students gathered at a respectful distance from the flagstaff and looked on interestedly.
But, though a strict inquiry was made, no one was ever punished for the “scarecrow joke” as it came to be called, and it is now one of the traditions of Randall College.
Owing to the fact that Sid had “made good” in Latin he was not barred from the game that day, and there was no chance for Tom to act as substitute. He went with Miss Tyler, and the trip on the river, lake, and in the auto was a delightful one.
There was a big crowd on the bleachers and grandstand when the nines began to play, and rivalry in singing college songs, giving college yells and waving college colors ran high.
Randall got two runs in the first inning, and for three more Fairview secured only zeros. Langridge was pitching fine ball. Then Lem Sellig, who was doing the “twirling” for Fairview, seemed to warm up to his work, and struck out a surprising number of men. In the seventh inning Fairview secured five runs, and in the eighth they reeled off five more, for Langridge grew reckless, and not only gave men their bases on balls in rapid succession, but struck two men, which gave them free passes to first.
“He’s going to pieces!” exclaimed Coach Lighton as he saw the score piling up against his men. “It’s got to stop, or we’ll be the laughing stock of the league.”