After all, Centerport was just a big, inland town. It was no metropolis.
Especially was the neighborhood of Central High mostly of that
comfortable residential quality that is the charm of most old towns.
Central High was the new school, East and West Highs being both smaller
and much older buildings.
This middle of the city was called "on the hill" and was really much
higher than the surrounding flatland where the business section of the
city had originally been built. Two railroads ran into the town and its
water freighting was considerable.
At the westerly end of beautiful Luna Lake Rocky River flowed into it at
Lumberport, another thriving city; at the easterly end of the lake the
waters flowed out through Rolling River at Keyport. These smaller cities
each supported a good High School, and the rivalry in boys' sports among
the five schools of this district had always been keen.
Now it was proposed that the girls should strive for the honor of the
schools and it was reported from Lumberport and Keyport that the Girls'
Branches had been organized in the high schools of those towns with
great enthusiasm. Centerport's East and West schools were slower to
respond. Central High usually led the way in most innovations.
The knoll on which Central High and the surrounding residences stood
sloped easily toward the shore of the lake. Along the lake shore,
although it was in the very heart of the city, lay several fine estates.
The city was slowly condemning some of these and turning them into
public parks and playgrounds. Here the three high schools had their
bathing pavilions, and it was also at this point that Central High had
been fortunate in obtaining the field to be devoted to the girls'
athletics.
This was a convenient location for all the scholars attending Central
High, a breezy piece of ground with a splendid outlook over the lake and
to Cavern Island, in its center. Cavern Island was an immensely popular
picnic ground, and in the summer season excursion boats that plied the
lake made landings at it. But a portion of the island was wild and woody
enough to please the most romantic.
Whiffle Street was shaded with great elm trees. Indeed, all that
vicinity of Central High was shady and quiet. Almost all the houses on
the street had lawns and well-kept gardens. Henry Grimes's house--much
more ornate and imposing than the Beldings' home--stood three or four
blocks along the street from where Laura and Chet lived.
The nominating committee of the M. O. R.'s appeared in Whiffle Street
just about dusk. They had already gathered most of the girls selected
for initiation, and quite a column of laughing young people walked, two
by two, behind their four sponsors.
They brought forth Josephine Morse from her mother's little cottage at
the end of the street--"the poverty end" Jess always called it--and then
approached the Belding house. Laura was on the porch, eager enough; she
had noticed ere they arrived, however, an unaccountable gathering of
freshmen and other girls farther along the street--toward the Grimes
house. Bobby was with that crowd, and much laughter came from it.
"I wonder what those children can be up to?" wondered Laura.
But when the head of the procession of candidates for M. O. R. honors
appeared, Laura forgot the freshies and Bobby and ran down the walk to
join the older girls; Miss Prime had beckoned to her.
"Fall in line, Miss Belding," commanded the senior, and Laura did so.
The procession continued along the street, followed by the laughing
comments of the adults who leaned upon the gates, or sat on the porches
of the houses it passed. At the Grimes's gate the crowd of freshmen
opened solemnly to let the older girls through.
Upon the Grimes's porch stood Hester and Lily. Indeed, Hester ran down
the steps when the head of the M. O. R. candidates reached the gate. But
the procession kept right on. Neither Miss Prime, nor Mary O'Rourke, or
the other two seniors looked Miss Grimes's way.
"Why, I thought you said you were touched, Hessie?" cried Lily, in her
high drawl.
There was immense giggling on the part of the freshmen crew outside the
gate. But Bobby hushed it by a sharp:
"Attention!"
Silence followed among the crew. Bobby stepped forward, drew a baton
be-ribboned like those carried by the nominating committee of the
M. O. R. She raised it on high. It was noticeable that most of her
companions had bits of paper in their hands; from these papers they
proceeded to chant the following:
"Where Bedelia wore her necklace
Where the cow had tonsilitis
Where the chicken got the hatchet
Where the graceful swan's delight is
"Oh!
"Where the fat man's collar pinches
Where the hangman ties the noose
Where the lady wears the boa
Where the farmer grabs the goose
"Oh! Oh!
"Where Napoleon received it
When he fought at Waterloo,
In that very same location
Little Hester got it, too!
"Oh! Oh! Oh-ho-ho!"
The procession of candidates passed on; but they heard, and the whole
street heard! And for fear anybody should fail to understand the trick
that had been played upon the unfortunate daughter of the wholesale
butcher, Bobby cried:
"Notice my baton? Don't you want to be 'touched' with it, too, Lily? Oh,
my!"
Hester could not even speak. She ran into the house to escape the
laughter. Never had Bobby Hargrew played so cruel a joke. But she had
been stung pretty hard by the false testimony Hester had given against
her anent the fire at the school; and for once Bobby had not been above
"getting square."
But had the girl known what would result from this practical joke of
hers--had she for a moment suspected how one of her very best friends
would be caused to suffer for _her_ sin, honest Bobby would have gone to
Hester Grimes there and then and most humbly begged her pardon.