“I’ve been helping Standart wash,” answered Monty calmly. “He couldn’t reach the back of his neck.”
“You wait!” shrilled Standart, darting shiveringly for his gown and throwing a malevolent glare at the amused audience in the doorway. “He held me and poured the pitcher over me! He—he——” But there Standart’s words became unprintable. Mullins called a halt sternly.
“Cut it out, Alvin!” he said. “You ought to have your mouth washed too. I’m glad Crail has washed your dirty face. It’s needed it for a week.”
Mullins closed the door again and the trio went chuckling off to bear the glad tidings that at last Standart’s neck and ears had been washed! In Number F the victim of Monty’s kindness sat on the edge of his bed trying to dry his drenched body and at the same time express in adequate terms his gratitude. He hadn’t nearly finished when Monty bore off the pitcher to the bathroom for refilling, nor was he through when the latter returned. But presently his words trailed off into vindictive mutterings and the mutterings into silence. But Standart’s expression said plainly that in his opinion the incident was not yet closed.
The affair made a pleasant break in the monotony of daily life at Morris House and Standart didn’t hear the last of it for some time. He fulfilled none of his threats to take the matter to faculty, probably because he had no taste for the incident publicity, nor did he complain to “Mother Morris.” But Mrs. Fair doubtless learned of the happening, for more than once when the others referred cryptically to the back of Standart’s neck, or asked interestedly: “How are the old ears today, Alvin?” Monty noticed a demure flicker of amusement cross the lady’s face.
So far as practical results for good were concerned, Monty’s object lesson in cleanliness was hardly a success, for after that Alvin took a huge delight in ostentatiously avoiding water and soap, and only had recourse to them when driven to it by threats. And so the incident was apparently at an end. But Alvin nursed his wrath and waited patiently for an opportunity to wreak vengeance, and when the opportunity came proved that the enmity of even a “Digger Indian” is not to be scoffed at!
CHAPTER X
SOME VICTORIES AND A DEFEAT
The St. Philip’s game proved a rude awakening for Grafton, for four twelve-minute periods—St. Philip’s had insisted on forty-eight minutes of playing time—left the two teams virtually where they had started, on an even footing. To be sure, each team had managed to secure one field-goal in that time, but the final score of 3 to 3 was indecisive. And from the Grafton point of view it was very disappointing. St. Philip’s was a new opponent and, while rumor credited her with football strength and Grafton had looked for a hard contest, she was not expected to prove the Tartar she had shown herself.