A HAZING
Frank was so surprised at first at the sight of the Harbor View dude,
as he was called, that he paid no attention to his companions, who came
racing up after his run down the field with the ball.
"Friend of yours, Frank?" asked John North, and he eyed the new arrival
with no friendly eyes, for Chet had a proud and supercilious air that
did not add to his charm.
"Yes, he comes from the town where we spend our summers," replied Frank.
"Well, if it isn't Chet Sedley!" exclaimed Andy, coming up at that
moment. "How are fresh clams selling, Chet?"
Andy referred to the time when some of the bivalves had fallen from a
wagon on a new pair of tan shoes the dude had purchased.
"Oh, you mind your business!" retorted Chet. "I'll have you know you
can't play any more jokes on me. I won't stand it, and if you do I'll
report you to the head master."
"For cats' sake! Are you coming here?" demanded Andy.
"I certainly am," declared Chet. "An aunt of mine died and left me
a lot of money. My folks wanted me to come to a swell school, and I
picked out this one because I had heard your mother say it was a good
one. It doesn't look very swell though," and Chet, who had only gotten
off the river steamer a little while previous, looked about the unkempt
grounds and at the rather forlorn buildings.
"Oh, it's swell all right," said Jack Sanderson with a laugh. "It
swelled up so that it burst, and now it has to start over again."
Chet looked worried, but determined not to pay too much attention to
what the lads said, as he realized that he was probably being made the
butt of a joke.
"Introduce your friend," invited Ward Platt to Frank, and when the
latter attempted this Chet said with scornfully turned up nose:
"I don't know that I care to meet everyone. I expect to move only in
the best crowd and I think I'll pick my own friends after I've been
here a while."
"Oh, you will; eh?" exclaimed Frank. "All right, if he thinks he's too
good for us, fellows, let him alone. Come on, Ward, and see if you can
kick goal."
"Er--may I ask--where is the office of the head master?" began Chet,
for he was at a loss which way to go.
"You may ask, but I don't know as we'll tell you," said Andy. "One
thing though, keep off the gridiron. It might soil your shoes."
There was a laugh at this and Chet, darting an angry look at Andy and
Frank as the chief of his tormentors, hurried away toward the main
group of buildings.
"Doesn't seem very friendly," commented Duke Yardly.
"No, and I'm sorry he came here," said Frank. "He's a snob of the worst
kind. Riverview, bad as she may be off in other lines, hasn't had any
snobs since Welter left."
"Oh, I'm glad Chet has come," spoke Andy.
"You are; why?" asked Frank.
"Because he'll give us a chance for some fun," replied his brother.
"We haven't hazed any one yet and it's time we began. Chet will be our
meat. It will do more for the school than a football victory. I've got
a peach of a plan to do it."
"Yes, all we'll have to do will be to leave that to you," admitted
Frank with a laugh. "Well, let's go on with the game."
Andy's determination to haze Chet found unexpected favor with several
students. It appears that when Chet found out that the school was in
poor circumstances, which he did very soon after his arrival, he made
many mean and slighting remarks about not only that, but about the lads
who attended.
Now it is one thing to disparage yourself or your possessions, but it
is quite another matter when some one else does it. Consequently Chet
got himself heartily disliked before he had been at Riverview two hours.
His conduct in the dining hall at supper time added to this. He
appeared in a dress suit--something that had never been known to happen
at the school save at some formal banquet. Then Chet found fault with
the food and with those who sat next him at table, for being a late
arrival he was placed with the lowest form boys, a sort of grammar
grade.
"I'm not going to eat here!" Chet complained. "I want to be at the head
table."
"You will have to speak to Dr. Doolittle about it," said one of the
monitors who waited on the table.
"I will, and I'll have my seat changed too!" threatened the dude.
"Positively he must be hazed to-night," whispered Andy to Frank
and a select crowd of his chums, and they agreed to it. "Be ready
then," ordered the younger Racer lad, who had assumed charge of the
arrangements.
On the campus of Riverview there had been recently erected a large, new
and very strong flag pole. It was the gift of a former graduate, but as
yet the flag had not arrived. The halyards were all rigged, however,
and this suggested something to Andy.
"We'll tie Chet to the ropes and hoist him to the top," he said. "That
will be a sign that he's better than the rest of us, as he's so much
above us. It ought to satisfy him."
"Will it be safe?" asked Frank, who was more cautious.
"The pole and ropes are strong enough," said Jack.
"We can take some of the old mattresses that used to be in the
gymnasium," suggested Ward. "If he falls he'll land on them and not
hurt himself."
"Wait! A better plan yet!" cried Andy. "We'll have a tub of water at
the foot of the pole and lower him into that. If he's so hot for polite
society he'll get cooled off."
"Good!" cried the lads, and they laid their plans accordingly.
It was the hour of midnight when several stealthy figures stole along
the corridor leading to the room which had been assigned to Chet Sedley.
"Go easy," cautioned Andy. "Old Thorny may be on the job, and he'd
spoil the fun if he could."
"Suppose Chet makes a row?" asked Frank.
"I've got some rags I'm going to stuff in his mouth," answered his
brother.
They found Chet's door locked, and to their cautious knock he made
answer:
"Who's there?"
"We represent the society of Blue Bloods," answered Andy in muffled
tones. "We'd like to have you join. It is a very secret society and we
only meet at night, as the professors are opposed to it. Will you come
out and join?"
"Sure!" cried Chet, delighted to think that he had so soon been singled
out for the honor. "Wait until I dress."
"Never mind that," hastily urged Andy. "We will dress you in the robes
of the novice as soon as we reach our rooms. Slip on a bath robe."
"In a minute! In a minute!" said Chet hastily. They could hear him
moving about the room, and the next moment his door was opened.
"This way," whispered Andy, taking care to keep his face in the shadow
of the single hall light. "Take my hand. Move on, true and loyal
members of the Blue Bloods! We have the honored candidate!"
"I'm ever so much obliged for letting me join," began Chet.
"Silence!" whispered Frank. "You may not be so glad--later," he added
in a low voice.
The others managed to get Chet outside of the building before he
suspected anything, and without arousing any of the professors or
monitors. Then an unlucky gleam from a lamp shone on Andy's face. Chet
instantly drew back.
"No, you don't!" he cried. "I see your scheme now! You are going to do
something to me!"
"How'd you guess it?" demanded Andy.
"I tell you I won't go!" cried the dudish pupil, struggling to break
away.
"Quick with that gag or he'll arouse the school!" whispered Frank, and
a bundle of rags was quickly tied over Chet's mouth. His struggles were
in vain, as he was lifted up and fairly carried to the flag pole.
It was the work of but a few minutes to fasten the rope about him, and
Frank took pains to see that it would not slip loose, so there would be
no danger.
"Up with him!" exclaimed Andy. "He will be very much above us all
shortly."
Chet made inarticulate murmurs, but could not speak. His struggles
availed him nothing. A moment later he was being hoisted to the top of
the pole.
The boys were not cruel, and only held him there for a few seconds, as
they feared he would faint through fright.
"Is the water ready?" asked Andy.
"Ready, most noble knight of the flagstaff," answered Jack.
"Then give him the cleansing bath!" was the order.
The gag must have become loosened, for when Chet felt himself being
plunged into the cold water he let out a terrified yell.
"Cut it out!" ordered Andy, but Chet only yelled the more.
"We'd better vamoose," suggested Frank. "Take off the rope and run for
it. You run too, Chet, or you may catch cold. Run, you beggar! Run!"
and releasing the dripping figure Frank clapped Chet on the back,
shoving him toward the dormitory.
"Oh, I'll pay you for this! I'll pay you!" wailed Chet.
"Never mind, keep the change," said Andy laughing. "I guess you'll know
your friends after this. Come on, fellows, get rid of this tub," and
they picked it up and hastened off with it.
The hazers entered their dormitory by a side door, which they had
previously opened with a skeleton key in anticipation of haste, but
Chet ran for the front entrance. His yells had aroused Professor
Callum, who, ever on the alert, had arisen to see what the disturbance
was. He opened the front portal and discovered the shivering figure
there.
"Well, this is disgraceful!" the instructor exclaimed, as he recognized
the newcomer. "In school one afternoon and yet you go out after hours."
"It was a--a--ha--hazing!" stammered Chet.
"Ha! So much the worse! So you have been taking part in a hazing, have
you?" asked Mr. Callum. "You will be punished for that. To your room at
once!" and nothing Chet could say would appease the wrath, or make his
position understood.