"Here he comes!"
A carriage, drawn by a handsome pair of horses, was approaching the
academy. In front of the academy was a great gathering of plebes, nearly
the entire class assembling there.
On their way from the gymnasium to their room, Dick Merriwell and Brad
Buckhart paused.
"What's up?" exclaimed the Texan, in surprise. "What are the plebes
doing?"
"Here he comes!" cried some one in the crowd.
Dick's keen eyes surveyed the approaching team and the occupants of the
carriage.
"I believe I know what is up," he said, a peculiar look on his face.
"Enlighten me," urged his companion.
"Chester Arlington is returning to the academy, and his class is out to
give him a reception. You know this is the day he was to come back."
"Well, blow me if I don't believe you're right!" burst forth Brad. "I
opine that he's one of those in yonder carriage. But who would have
thought he could pull such a stroke, even with his own class! So help
me, I believe nine-tenths of the plebes are here to give him a greeting!
I do, I know!"
"It looks that way," said Dick, with a nod. "Arlington has made himself
pretty solid with his class."
"How did he do it?" sniffed the Texan wonderingly. "They must be a lot
of snobs! Just because he happens to have a father who is a big railroad
magnate----"
"No fellow who ever came to Fardale has spent half the money Chester
Arlington has spent," said Dick.
"That's right. He's bought his friends by blowing himself on them. Well,
I'll allow I don't care for that kind of friendship. It's all off when
the money plays out, you bet! Partner, the old hen is in the carriage
with him!"
"Mrs. Arlington is there, yes."
"And--and his sister!"
"Yes, June is with him."
"Has he got clean over the fall he took?"
"I hear he has almost entirely recovered."
"He got up mighty quick, it seems to me."
"He did recover much sooner than was expected."
"Pard, I opine he wasn't hurt half as much as he made out."
"I don't know about that. Yes, I know he did not seem to have much of
any strength in his legs the night of the fire in the hotel."
"And you never got so much as thank you from the old hen! That shows the
kind of stock he sprang from! She pretends to think all creation of him,
and she should have gone down on her knees to you; but she's such a
cold-blooded old fossil that she couldn't bring herself to thank you as
she ought."
"I desire no thanks from her," said Dick grimly.
"What? When only a bit before she was threatening to have you arrested
as a thief? Well, if I'd been in your boots, pard, I'd seen that she ate
a large piece of humble pie. You hear me peep! I just would! It would
have done her good."
By this time the carriage was quite near the academy. As it swung round
the drive and stopped, the plebes thronged about it and greeted Chester
Arlington with cheers.
Chester smiled at this outburst and waved his hand at them. He turned to
his mother and said:
"You can see how popular I am here. Now you can see how it would be if I
had a square show."
"My dear boy!" she said. "It is plain enough! Something shall be done."
June Arlington was looking around. She was dressed in a tasty and
stylish manner, and she was the kind of a pretty girl to set the plebes
to making "goo-goo" eyes. However, she paid no attention to them. Her
eyes had discovered Dick and Brad at a little distance beneath the
leafless trees, and something like a faint smile came to her face.
"What's the matter with Arlington?" shouted a plebe, waving his cap over
his head.
"He's all right!" bellowed the others.
"Who's all right?" questioned the first speaker.
"Arlington!" rose from the gathering in a grand shout.
Chester rose and bowed with all the grace at his command.
"Thank you, fellows," he said. "It does me proud to have my classmates
welcome me back to school in this manner. At one time I feared I could
not return so soon, but, fortunately, I was not injured nearly as much
as was supposed at first, and I am almost all right now."
"We've just said you were all right," reminded one of the gathering.
Chester bowed and smiled again. When he chose he could be very pleasant
in his manner, and it must be confessed that he was not entirely lacking
in personal magnetism. True, he regarded himself as quite a superior
party, but he was wise enough to court popularity with fellows he
classed as far beneath his level.
This was not the case when he first came to Fardale. At that time he had
been haughty and over-bearing to almost every one, and it had seemed he
would soon have nothing but enemies, even in his own class. But he had
found, not a little to his surprise, that he was not gazed on in awe as
a superior person, that he could not domineer over whomever he chose,
and that he was likely to find himself without popularity or power if he
persisted in the course he had chosen.
That was not all. He had found that Dick Merriwell seemed to be the
acknowledged leader in the school, and Dick soon betrayed the fact that
he had no thought of permitting Chester to order him about or even to
accept advice that was not to his liking. Dick had declined to take
Chester on to the football-team unless he proved his efficiency and
fitness for a position. And, therefore, it was not long before Arlington
became Dick Merriwell's bitterest enemy.
Then it was that Arlington set about the task of winning as many friends
and followers as possible, and he began on his own class. The plebes
wanted a leader, and Chester soon secured the position, which he
determined to hold at any cost.
Dick Merriwell was generous to a fault, but, not believing in bought
friendship, he did not sow his money with a lavish hand. He was more
like the general run of boys, and from his behavior no one would have
dreamed that on arriving at age he was to come into a fortune of mammoth
proportions.
On no occasion, however, did Chester fail to impress on his friends and
companions the fact that his father was one of the richest men in the
country.
Chester's little speech brought forth a storm of applause, and the boys
pressed around him to shake his hand as he stepped down from the
carriage.
Mrs. Arlington had seen June looking in the direction of two lads who
stood beyond the crowd. She adjusted her spectacles and looked in the
same direction.
"Is that young Merriwell?" she asked.
"Yes, mother," answered June. "You said you were going to thank him for
what he did."
Chester Arlington's mother heaved a sigh of mingled regret and
resignation. Her haughty face seemed to say that it was an unpleasant
duty she had to perform, but that she would try to go through it bravely
and with the dignity becoming a woman of her station in life. She leaned
over the side of the carriage and touched her son's shoulder with her
gloved hand.
"My dear boy," she said, "I--er--ah--I perceive that--er--that young
man, Merriwell, yonder. Will you have one of your friends invite him to
step over here to the carriage?"
Two or three of the plebes heard her and hurried toward Dick at once.
"Be careful, mother," warned Chester, in a low tone. "He mustn't think
he has done too much."
"Trust me, my son," she said, and her face hardened somewhat as she saw
Dick Merriwell advancing toward the carriage.
The plebes made room for Dick to pass. He removed his cap and bowed with
grace and politeness to both Mrs. Arlington and June. June spoke, giving
him a smile.
Mrs. Arlington seemed to hesitate a moment, and then she began, with
that same haughty, chilling air that was offensive, to say the very
least:
"I feel it my duty, Mr. Merriwell, to thank you for your action in
assisting my son to escape from the burning hotel. Without doubt Chester
would have been able to descend the ladder alone, but the fact that you
rendered him some aid makes it necessary to thank you."
Her words were like a slap in the face. Dick saw June turn pale, and he
knew she had not anticipated this graceless act from her mother. Now,
Dick Merriwell was not always cool and restrained, but on this occasion
he was master of himself, even though he felt that the thanks he had
received were as much an insult as anything else. He bowed again.
"If I rendered Mr. Arlington any assistance," he said, "I am glad I was
able to do so, for the sake of"--he looked at June--"those who are
attached to him."
Chester Arlington saw that glance, and it enraged him. He knew Merriwell
had not helped him from the hotel because of a feeling of regard or
liking for him, and he believed Dick did it purely for the purpose of
playing the hero before June.
What he did not know was that Dick Merriwell would have done exactly the
same had June not been concerned in any way. In such an emergency Dick
would not have hesitated to go to the aid of any unfortunate human being
caught in the fire-trap, casting aside all thoughts of friendship or
enmity.
"Oh, I know the fellow!" thought Chester. "He can't deceive me with his
mock heroism."
And he did not dream that he was a most ungrateful fellow to entertain
such a thought.
"I trust," said Mrs. Arlington, "that in the future there may be no
further misunderstandings between you and my son. It seems that at last
you must be aware of the fact that Chester is a young gentleman and that
it will be to your advantage to treat him as such. I am willing to
overlook the past."
"Which is exceedingly kind of you!" said Dick, who could not entirely
hide the sarcasm in his voice.
"I think you should be equally generous," declared the woman. "You can
see how exceedingly popular my son is here at the school, and it must be
plain that it will be to your benefit in the future to consult the
wishes of one who has such a following."
Buckhart had drawn near, and he found it hard to keep from informing
Mrs. Arlington that where her son had one real friend at Fardale Dick
Merriwell had twenty.
"But it's not my funeral," he muttered; "and I opine Dick won't thank me
for mixing in, so I'll keep my tongue between my teeth."
Dick said nothing. It was impossible for him to speak the words he
longed to utter, so he chose to remain silent.
"I have entertained thoughts of taking my son out of this school,"
continued Mrs. Arlington; "but have finally concluded to let him remain,
even though his superior abilities have not been properly recognized
here. I understand that you are in a class ahead of him, and, having
been here longer, you are able to use your power to retard his
advancement. This I regard as quite unjust, and I hope you will cease to
interfere with him in the future."
"Don't worry about that, madam," said Dick. "I assure you that, in the
future, as in the past, I will let him alone if he does not trouble me."
"But he is ambitious, and his ambitions here will be readily attained, I
am sure, if your influence is not brought to bear against him."
"As long as he seeks to do me no injury, I shall let him quite alone,
you may be sure of that."
"Then I see no reason why there should be further trouble. As for this
matter of football, of course Chester will be unable to play this
season. In fact, I do not wish him to play at all; but he has set his
heart upon it, and I never deny him anything."
For that very reason she had spoiled her son, although he was not aware
of it.
"Next year," she went on, "he may wish to play. If he remains here, I am
sure that, by that time, his superiority will be so apparent that any
jealous enemy will be quite unable to balk him."
In plain words, she meant that Dick was jealous of her son, and the idea
made young Merriwell smile.
"Here, madam," he said, "no one ever gets on the football-team without
proving their fitness."
"I am sure my son could have shown you that he had played on excellent
teams in the past."
"What any one has done before coming here does not count; it is what he
proves himself able to do here. Mr. Arlington could have come out with
the other candidates and tried for a place on the team; but he seemed to
think he would be taken on anyhow, for some reason or other."
"And why not?" exclaimed Mrs. Arlington. "I am sure I do not understand
why Chester should be required to take the same chance as any common
fellow."
"This is the common fellow's country, madam. If he proves himself worthy
to rise he rises, and no power can hold him down. Birth or wealth cannot
place one on top and keep him there unless he has the brains and ability
to stay."
"I hope you do not mean to insinuate that my son hasn't brains?"
exclaimed the indignant woman.
"I am not given to insinuating remarks. If I have anything to say, I say
it plainly."
She was offended, for this youth looked her straight in the eyes and
spoke without the least symptom of cringing or fawning. Her wealth or
social position did not awe or overcome him in the slightest degree.
This was something to which she was not accustomed, and, therefore, it
gave her great displeasure.
Chester was angry, too, and he said:
"Do not waste further words, mother. You have thanked him, and that is
all that is necessary. Good-by, mother. Good-by, June. Wait till you
come back to Fardale again, and you'll find out how things stand. There
will be a change."
He said this with an insolent look toward Dick, who seemed quite unaware
that he had spoken.
"Mr. Merriwell," said June, leaning from the carriage, "I hope you will
accept my sincere thanks for your many brave and generous acts. I feel
that----"
He lifted his hand, smiling.
"Don't overwhelm me with thanks, please!" he exclaimed. "It places me in
an awkward position."
"Then I will say no more. I know you are not one to seek praise and
thanks. We may not meet again for a long time, so I will say good-by."
She held out her gloved hand.
"June!" said Chester quickly, "I wish to say a word to you."
He stepped between Dick and his sister instantly, preventing Dick from
taking the proffered hand. What he said was spoken in a low tone, and
Mrs. Arlington immediately directed the driver to start. So the carriage
rolled away, and all Dick received was a smile and parting wave from
June's hand. Inwardly he was boiling, and he longed to knock Arlington
down.
Chester looked at him, laughed and turned to his classmates, who once
more gathered about him.
Brad Buckhart came striding up.
"For the love of Heaven, pard," he hissed in Dick's ear, "let me soak
him for you, if you can't do it! I'll make him think he was kicked by a
mule! You hear me!"
But Dick was a complete master of himself, and he took Brad's arm,
turning once more toward the academy steps.
"We'll go to our room," he said, in an unruffled tone of voice.