CHAPTER IV
A CHANCE MEETING
Two days after the visit to Hugh Ordway’s room Jimmy Logan’s joke which he had attributed to Dud bore unexpected fruit. The remark had tickled the fellows who had heard it and consequently they very promptly repeated it, with the natural result that within twenty-four hours it got around to Starling Meyer himself. Star, as he was generally called, was a large, good-looking boy of seventeen, well supplied with self-conceit. He was a rattling good hockey player, undoubtedly the best in school, and a fair performer with the second nine in the outfield. There his athletic prowess ended, for he considered—or pretended to consider—track sports unimportant and football unscientific. He was a clever student and stood high in class, and was, in consequence, rather a favorite with the faculty. As a member of the Forum Society his activities were critical rather than constructive, for he took no part in the debates beyond attending them and pointing out the deficiencies of the debaters in a superior manner. Most fellows liked him, especially those who were not clever in the lines he affected, and even those who saw through his poses and couldn’t stand his conceit accorded him honor for his brilliancy in class-room and on the ice. Although Star roomed next door to Dud, the latter knew him only as he knew three-fourths of the students, that is, to nod to on passing. Once or twice, since they had both been rather unimportant members of the second baseball team last year, they had spoken. But beyond that they were strangers, and so when, two days after that visit to 29 Lothrop, Star Meyer stopped Dud in front of Trow by the simple but effective method of seizing him by the arm, Dud was somewhat surprised. Star was scowling and Dud didn’t need more than one glance at his face to realize that he was angry. Even when angry, however, Star didn’t allow himself to forget his pose of contemptuous superiority, and now when he spoke he managed a one-sided smile designed to remind Dud of the honor being done him.
“Baker, you’re a remarkably fresh young kid,” began Star, “and some day that mouth of yours is going to get you into a heap of trouble. Ever think of that?”
Dud, puzzled, moved restively in the bigger boy’s grasp but failed to get free. “I don’t know what you mean, Meyer,” he protested.
“Yes, you do. What’s the good of lying? After this you leave my name out of your funny jokes; hear?”
“I don’t know what——” began Dud again. Then recollection of Jimmy’s bon-mot came to him and he flushed.
“The next time I’ll kick you from here to the river,” said Star in a quietly venomous tone. “I’d do it now for a couple of buttons, too. You leave my name strictly alone, Baker, after this. Understand me?”
“Yes, but honest, Meyer, I didn’t say——” Then, however, Dud had to stop, for, although innocent, to insist on the fact would put the blame on Jimmy. He dropped his eyes. “All right,” he muttered.