[CHAPTER XV]
THE NEW CAPTAIN MAKES A SPEECH
That was a cheer! They might almost have heard it at Broadwood! “Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Rah, rah, rah! Vinton!” And after the cheer every fellow shouted his applause in the way that best pleased him and the demonstration threatened to last all night. But some one began to demand “Speech! Speech! Vinton! Vinton!” and poor Dan was thrust into the speaker’s place and the tumult died abruptly.
“Fellows,” began Dan in a low voice.
“Louder!” called those at the edge of the throng. Dan cleared his throat, smiled nervously and started again.
“Fellows, I thank you very much. I never made a speech and so I don’t know how. I——”
“You’re doing fine!” called some one reassuringly, and in the laughter that ensued Dan gained courage.
“When they were good enough to elect me awhile ago the only thing that—that made me hesitate about accepting the honor was the thought that if I did I might have to make a speech! I asked Alf—Captain Loring—and he said that maybe I could get out of it. I—the only thing I have to say is that I’m mighty proud to be captain and I’ll do the best I can. And—and thank you all. Now let’s have a cheer for Loring!”
And Dan, with a sigh of relief, stepped back as Chambers led the cheering. After that Payson said a few words, and then the procession formed again, marched once around the bonfire, singing “The Wearin’ o’ the Green,” and went back up the slope to Oxford, where, massed in front of the steps, the fellows, with bare heads, sang “The Years Roll On.”
“The years roll on. Too soon we find
Our boyhood days are o’er.
The scenes we’ve known, the friends we’ve loved
Are gone to come no more.
But in the shrine of Memory
We’ll hold and cherish still
The recollection fond of those
Dear days on Yardley Hill.