TOM MAKES A DISCOVERY
There was consternation among the freshmen and their supporters. With a
divided team, part of it being so far away from the grounds that it was
practically impossible to arrive on time, and on a wrong road at that,
the situation was enough to discourage any nine.
"What made you let that fellow tell you where to go?" demanded Sid of
the motorman.
"Well, he said he was your manager, and I believed him."
"Manager!" cried Holly Cross. "Yes, we need a manager. We need a nurse
and a governess, that's what we need. To think that twenty of the
brightest freshmen at Randall have been duped by one soph! Wow! I must
have blood!" and he began to dance and howl like a stage Indian.
"Well," said Langridge disgustedly after a few minutes' thought, which
period was occupied on the part of the others by the use of language
more strong and rugged than polite, "the only thing to do is to go
back. Make the best time you can and see what we can do. Shift the car,
motorman."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because I got orders not to start back until half-past four. You see,
this is a single-track road, and I might run into a car coming in the
opposite direction. We've got to stay here until four-thirty."
This was worse than ever, and a howl went up. But suddenly Sid, who had
been narrowly looking at the motorman, took a step toward him. He
reached up, grabbed his beard and pulled it off.
"Hayden!" he exclaimed as there was revealed to view the features of one
of the liveliest of the sophomore class. "By all the gods that on
Olympus dwell, it's Hayden!"
"At your service, gentlemen," exclaimed Hayden with a mocking bow. "This
is a little pleasure trip that Fenmore and I arranged for you. I hope you
enjoy it," and with another mocking bow he slipped off the controller
handle and leaped over the dashboard of the car.
"We hired the regular motorman to let us take his place," he went on. "I
guess you don't play ball to-day," and he disappeared in the woods with
a tantalizing laugh.
"Let's catch him!" cried Holly Cross.
"Sure! Let's scalp him and tie him to a tree," proposed Dutch
Housenlager.
"What's the use?" asked Sid. "He knows this part of the country like a
book, for he's been hunting in it. Better let him go. He'll only laugh
the more at us."
"But what are we to do?" demanded Langridge. "We don't want to lose
the game." He was very vexed, for he knew it would reflect on him as
manager.
"The only thing I see to do is to walk back until we meet another car
and then send on word of this abandoned one," said Sid. "It's a long
walk, but----"
"Hark!" cried Tom Parsons suddenly. "An auto is coming along the road."
"Maybe some of us can get a ride," proposed Phil Clinton. "We can go to
town and hire a rig for the rest of you."
Along the road rumbled some big vehicle. There came in sight a big auto
truck, ponderous and heavy. It was one of several used by a milk concern
to transport cans to the railroad depot.
"That's the stuff!" cried Tom. "Maybe he'll take us to Dodville if we
pay him."
The man was hailed and the situation explained to him. He looked dubious
and shook his head.
"Why can't you take us?" asked Phil. "You say you have no load on your
truck, and it isn't much out of your way. We'll pay you well."
"Maybe you would," admitted the man, "but I've heard of you students.
If some of you ran off with a trolley car, there's no tellin' but what
you'd take this truck away from me at some lonely spot and go cruisin'
off like Captain Kidd."
"No, no," promised the lads eagerly. "We won't cut up a bit."
They had some difficulty in convincing the man of this, but did so
finally, and he allowed them to pile in. They had to stand up and the
road was rough. They were jolted about, for the truck was not built for
easy riding, but they did not mind that, for they felt that there was a
chance to play the game, and they urged the man to put on all speed.
[Illustration: THE MAN ALLOWED THEM TO PILE IN]
They reached Dodville just as the game was about to be awarded to the
preparatory school on a forfeit. The members of the Randall nine who had
arrived in the second trolley car, which safely made the trip, could not
explain the absence of their companions.
The game was started, but it was not remarkable for any brilliant work
on the part of the college freshmen. In fact the other students played
all around them. Possibly this was due to the episode that had occurred,
for Langridge was nervous and threw wild, giving a number of men their
bases on balls. Kerr asked him to let Tom pitch, but Langridge refused
arrogantly and with bitter words against the scrub twirler. Nor would
he consent that Evert should fill the box.
"I'll pitch!" he cried excitedly. "I'll strike 'em out next inning. You
watch."
Tom happened to be in the dressing-room when it was the turn of Randall
to bat, and Langridge came in. The 'varsity pitcher did not see his
rival, but going to where his valise was containing his clothing, he
took something from it. Tom saw Langridge put a bottle to his lips.
"I wonder if he's taking medicine," he thought.
A moment later the pitcher hurried from the room as his name was called
to bat. Tom walked to a window that gave a view of the grounds. As he
passed Langridge's valise he smelled a pungent, alcoholic odor. He
started and for a moment could not tell what it was. Then it came to
him.
"Liquor! He's been drinking liquor!" he almost exclaimed aloud. "He's
broken the training rules. I wonder--I wonder if this is what Sid hinted
at--if this is what Mr. Lighton meant!"
From the diamond there came a sharp crack. It was a bat meeting a
swiftly pitched ball with that inspiring sound that indicates a fair
hit. Tom saw Langridge speeding for first base, while Randall lads were
yelling at the top of their voices.
"It's a three-bagger!" cried Tom delightedly, and so it proved, Langridge
bringing in a run a moment later on a sacrifice hit by Holly Cross.