“Look here! The Shark has sure chucked the fat in the fire!” he whispered. “Say, we’ve got to do something!”
“Umph! I don’t believe the bunch of us can do much,” Sam objected.
“I’m not talking about the prize. It’s Varley I’m worrying about. Don’t you see, after the crack the Shark made to him, we’ve just got to wipe out the obligation for that dinner?”
“I wish we could! Only I don’t see how——”
Poke broke in, his manner more mysterious than ever. “Hold your horses, Sam! You watch me! No; I can’t lisp a word, but maybe—well, there’s a chance your little old uncle will be able to square accounts and put us all on Easy Street, Shark or no Shark. How? Can’t breathe a syllable about it—now. Just watch and wait—that’s all you’ll have to do, Sam!”
CHAPTER VIII
POKE’S MYSTERY
Ordinarily, Sam might have thought little of Poke’s mysterious hint, for Poke’s fancy was lively at times, but the bearing of that well-fed youth continued to suggest consciousness of a great secret. Now and then he winked craftily at Sam, or wagged his head portentously, or shook with glee at thoughts he was not ready to confide to his friends. Observing which things, Sam meditated and wondered, and gained no clew to the mystery.
Sam, though, had plenty of other interests to claim his attention. The Shark, after his outburst at the club, had resumed his manner of indifference. He neither repeated his criticisms of his mates nor displayed dislike for Varley, but went his own way in his old fashion. It was evident, however, that what he had said about the club and the prize essay had not fallen on wholly deaf ears. Herman Boyd and the Trojan came to Sam to inquire if he really believed there would be a chance to carry off the honor, and Tom Orkney put the same question still more earnestly.
“It does seem as if we ought to have a try at it,” he said. “The Shark was more than half right about the—the—well, about the ‘laying down’ business. And if you think there’s a show for any of us, it looks as if the club should get busy.”
“Some of the other crowds talking?” Sam queried shrewdly.