A NIGHT ALARM
"Are you game to spend the night down by the river, Buster?" asked
Frank, as he walked toward home with the fat and jolly student.
"Am I? Since my heft unfits me for participating in the glorious events
of to-morrow, save as an humble 'tubber,' I'm just tickled at the
chance to serve my fellow club members as a guardian of their cherished
craft," replied the other, with his chest thrust out pompously.
Frank laughed at the assumption of dignity.
"No danger of you ever wanting for a job, so long as drum majors in
bands are in demand, Buster. But who's going to be company with you?"
he inquired, seriously.
"I've asked Bones Shadduck. You see in an affair of this sort variety
is really the spice of it, and we represent the fat and the lean,"
grinned Buster.
"It will be a lonely watch, I imagine, if one of you intends staying
awake. I suppose you mean to take turns at standing guard?" asked
Frank.
"Sure. And I've arranged it so that there can be no sleeping on post.
These walking skeletons are so apt to get drowsy, you know; and in this
case it might be a fatal thing, for I've had a sort of side tip that
the betting crowd have wagered Columbia will never start in the race,
or get as far as Rattail Island, anyhow."
"Is that a fact?" remarked Frank, with a whistle to indicate his
annoyance; "then it's a wise thing you fellows intend to stand guard.
Have you any signal to call help in case of trouble," he inquired,
anxiously.
"Have we?" echoed Buster, with a laugh; "well, if you happen to wake up
in the night and hear the fire-bells ringing like mad just dust into
your duds like fun and streak it for the clubhouse, that's all. Some of
the fellows will be there, up to eleven or so, and after that Bones and
myself take charge. Perhaps I'll have something funny to tell you when
we meet again, Frank."
"All right, then. Acting on your suggestion I'm going to have my
clothes handy for a quick turn. Make preparations for fire, while
you're about it, Buster."
"Do you really think any one of them would go that far?" demanded the
other.
"I hate to think so, but you know as well as I do that when men make a
business of gambling on races they will stop at nothing in order to
win. I've even heard of cases where one of the contestants was made
sick just before the race, to weaken him; a boat damaged by fire; a
jockey bribed to throw a race; or a favorite horse doped while in the
stable. Don't sleep, Buster, on duty, or it may cost us dear!" urged
Frank.
"You just bet I won't, and to keep Bones on the alert I'm going to
bring a bottle of cold coffee around with me. Nothing like it to
prevent you from getting dopy. But there's a fire extinguisher at the
club, you know. Besides, they have a hose we use to wash our boats out
with. Oh! we'll bamboozle the tricky Cliffordites if they come nosing
around," declared Buster, cheerfully.
"Perhaps the Cliffordites may not be the only ones anxious to upset our
calculations for to-morrow," said Frank, slowly.
"I know, and it wouldn't surprise me one bit," remarked the other,
mysteriously. "To tell you the truth, Frank, although I haven't said
a word to any one about it, I did see Lef Seller prowling around the
boathouse when nearly every fellow was outside watching your crew come
down the river, and heading for the home stake."
"Then he's up to mischief, you can depend on it. The more that fellow
is knocked out in his calculations the deeper he digs. That's the only
good trait Lef has as far as I know; he never gives anything up!"
"Yes, but when he's caught in a trap he acts like a baby, and makes
all sorts of promises to reform," sneered Buster, who could remember
several cases in point.
"I ought to know that," observed Frank, with a smile, "for he declared
to me in the most positive way that he meant to turn over a new leaf if
I'd keep mum about a certain thing, where I had him dead to rights."
"Well, tell me, did he?" demanded his companion.
"Just so long as he knew I was holding the evidence. When he found a
chance to steal that away from me he laughed in my face, and no doubt
dubbed me an easy mark. But he had better beware, for there's a Nemesis
on his track now who means to pull him down."
Buster looked startled at these mysterious words.
"Who's that, Frank?" he asked, in some awe.
"I don't dare tell you, for fear that he gets wind of it. You just wait
and see what happens. The pitcher may go once too often to the well,
you know, Buster."
"Yes, and get smashed at last. Oh! I hope I'm around when Lef runs foul
of this mysterious avenger. I hope he gives him a good healthy licking,
that will go a big way toward wiping out the many scores we all owe
him. That's what I say. But I leave you here, Frank. Columbia looks
to you to win to-morrow, sure, remember, old top!" and he laid a hand
affectionately on the arm of his chum.
"I hope Columbia won't be badly disappointed, that's all. But you
mustn't put it that way, Buster; there are eight other fellows with
me, and every one of them carries just as much responsibility on his
shoulders as I do, even if I am the coxswain of the crew. Then there
are the members of the four-oared shell crew, besides the single
scullers, the canoeists who expect to compete, and even a number of
our power-boats have entered for a match. Columbia can't expect to
carry off _all_ the honors, you know. We must be satisfied with
our share; but every fellow is of course hoping that share will just
include the race in which he is interested. So good night, and luck to
you in your watch!"
Frank would himself have joined in guarding the boathouse that night
only for the positive instructions on the part of Coach Willoughby to
the effect that every contestant in the principal events of the morrow
must promise to be in his bed by ten o'clock, to which all had agreed.
They were even limited to the various things which they could eat for
dinner that night, and breakfast the following morning; since, if
a man's stomach goes back on him at the critical stage when he is
straining every muscle and nerve to do his level best, his case becomes
hopeless.
Minnie Cuthbert, accompanied by Paul Bird and one of the latter's
sisters, came over after supper. They expected to have a pleasant
evening, with the understanding that Frank was to retire punctually at
his given time.
School songs were sung with great vim, and passersby were impelled to
stop and listen to those fresh young voices as in unison they trolled
out the many familiar tunes. Paul, being on the training list also, it
would be necessary that he start home before the town clock struck ten
in order to comply with his promise.
"Come over here a minute, Frank; I want to speak to you," Paul remarked
in a whisper, when the girls were laughing over some of the songs in
the collection from which they had been singing.
"What's the racket now?" asked Frank, who could see from the manner of
his chum that the other was worried about something.
"That fellow means to try and do something or other to you to keep you
out of the race to-morrow. I hate to speak that way of any chap, but I
wouldn't put it past Lef Seller one little minute," observed Paul, when
he had drawn the other aside.
"Of course you've got some good reason for saying that, Paul?" argued
Frank, as he looked keenly into the face of the other.
"Well, I'm speaking partly on general principles, you see, judging
from past performances on the part of the gentleman in question. Then
again, I want to know what he was loafing around your house for, this
evening?" answered Paul.
"To-night? You mean you saw him around when you came here?" demanded
Frank, his forehead wrinkled in a frown of annoyance.
"A fellow started out of the fence corner as we came up, and slouched
away. He managed to hide his face all right, and the girls never gave
him a second look; but somehow his actions seemed a bit suspicious to
me, and I watched him pass the gas light just beyond," went on Paul,
earnestly.
"And you recognized him then?"
"It was certainly Lef Seller. Now, what was he doing hanging around
here, and the very night before the race, of all times? That cub has
some kind of a mean game in hand, as usual; and it means trouble for
you, Frank," and Paul's voice told of his concern over the welfare of
his chum.
"Oh! I guess you must be mistaken this time, Paul. Tell you what seems
more likely to me," and Frank glanced hastily toward the merry group
of pretty girls, as he unconsciously lowered his already soft tones;
"I'd be more apt to believe that he followed you here, and you just
happened to see him slink away."
"But he's never bothered with me. All his venom seems to be directed
toward you, Frank. I don't catch on to your meaning," observed Paul,
puzzled.
"Oh! shucks, why do you make me say it plainer? It's Minnie! Lef used
to go with her considerably before she and I became such good friends.
That's the real secret of his hatred for me, when you sift it down.
He's still soft in that direction, especially since she has refused to
speak to him after that runaway incident where I happened to play a
little part."
"Oh! I see. And you really think that he was hanging around the
Cuthbert house when Bessie and myself went to get Minnie to bring her
here? Well, perhaps it's so; but promise me, Frank, that you'll be
careful."
"You all make me feel as though I might be a precious cut glass vase,
with a sign of 'hands off!' hung on me. Oh! why certainly, if it
pleases you, Paul, I'll sleep with one eye open to-night, and my window
nailed so that no ferocious burglar can crawl in to bruise me against
to-morrow. But I'll be glad when this awful tension is over."
"So will I, Frank. Everybody seems to feel as if something dreadful
is hanging over our heads. That boat being stolen last night shows
how easy things can be done, if only there is a will! I wish it was
to-morrow night," sighed Paul; who, while a fine, manly fellow, lacked
some of the resolute and self-reliant qualities that made his friend
such a factor in bringing victory to Columbia High on many an occasion.
It was about a quarter to ten when the trio of young people bade Frank
and Helen good night, and went away. Frank, standing out on the steps,
looked after them. Perhaps he was following the trim figure of Minnie
as far as he could see her; and then again it might be that some
recollection of Paul's mysterious warning flitted through his mind at
that moment.
But if Lef Seller still hovered around he gave no token of his
presence; and so Frank presently followed his sister into the house.
He was shaking his head as if puzzled to know just what species of
meanness his bitter rival could be engineering now, with the idea
of hurting the one he hated, even if to do so he had to sacrifice
Columbia's chances in the great event of the morrow.
"He's getting to be a big nuisance, that's what, and I really hope
Lanky manages to learn enough to warrant him giving Lef the licking
he promised him. I believe he can do it, too, once he's worked up to
the point of sailing in; and it would do me good to be around when the
circus comes off."
The idea seemed to please him, for he was still chuckling when he said
good night to the others in the library, and went up to his room.
Once he tumbled into bed he was no great time in getting asleep, for
the laborious work of the day had wearied his muscles. Still, he did
not forget the warning of both Buster and Paul. He only partially
disrobed when lying down on the outside of the bed clothes; and he
fixed a nail in the partly open window so that it could not be raised
from without.
These things made Frank smile more than once, for he could not bring
himself to believe that the knavery of those who might plot to ruin
Columbia's chances in the races would be directed especially against
him.
Frank had no idea how long he had slept, though it must have been
several hours later when he was awakened by a furious jangling of
bells. Jumping to his feet his pulses thrilled with great excitement as
he realized that it was in truth the fire-bells he heard, and whanging
away in a fashion that could have only one meaning.
It was the signal agreed upon to indicate that help was needed at the
Columbia High boathouse. Some miserable business was on tap looking to
the disabling of the precious shells so necessary toward winning on the
morrow!
Slipping on his clothes, Frank dashed out of the front door and started
down the path to the gate. He had hardly taken a dozen jumps when in
the darkness he came upon some benches that had been placed across the
walk evidently with just this mean purpose in view. Unable to restrain
his furious rush he went sprawling over in a heap, at the risk of
breaking a bone in leg or arm!