IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY
Paul Babcock was more than glad to get on the eleven actively, and that
afternoon he showed it in his practice. The work was snappy from start
to finish and gave Mr. Dale great satisfaction.
"That is something like," declared the first assistant teacher. "Keep
it up and you will surely win."
After the practice was over Babcock left the field in company with
Dave. As the two strolled across the campus they passed Gus Plum, who
scowled deeply at his former player.
"Plum doesn't like it that you've come over to us," observed Dave. "He
looked like a regular thundercloud."
"He has nobody to blame but himself," answered Paul Babcock. "Even if
his team were still in existence I'd never play with him again. I want
to act on the square, and that is more than he wants to do."
"I've heard he wanted you to use foul play."
"Yes, he was at both Henshaw and me to do some dirty work. But we
declined, and I told him I had a good mind to punch his nose for
suggesting it. That made him boiling mad."
In due course of time came a letter from Mr. Richard Mongrace, stating
he was glad to learn the match was to come off on his new grounds, and
that he would do all in his power to make the two elevens and their
friends comfortable. The golden cup he proposed to put up cost exactly
one hundred dollars and was to belong to the school winning it twice in
two or three games, one game a year to be played for it.
Dr. Clay knew Mr. Mongrace well and one day drove over to see the new
grounds. He came back in an enthusiastic mood.
"Mr. Mongrace is certainly a fine man," said the master of Oak Hall.
"He has with him a sick brother who cannot leave the estate. This
brother used to be a famous football player on the Princeton team. For
his benefit Mr. Mongrace has laid out the field, and he is going to
have some of the best amateur teams in the country play there."
"That will cost some money," said Roger.
"Yes, but he is rich and can easily afford it. He has erected a fine
grand stand and will also put up a big tent, where refreshments will be
served to the visitors from both academies."
After that the doctor spoke about the coming event before the whole
school. He said he trusted that they would all act like young gentlemen
while guests of Mr. Mongrace and thus do their institution credit.
The only persons at Oak Hall who did not look forward to the match with
favor were Plum, Poole, and Jasniff. At first they thought to remain at
home during the contest, but afterwards changed their minds, the reason
being a plan which Nick Jasniff proposed.
Jasniff was thoroughly unscrupulous, and a year before had been
dismissed from another boarding academy because of his dishonorable
actions. He was a lad who was willing to do almost anything to
accomplish his end.
Jasniff's plan was nothing more or less than to play a trick on some
members of Roger's eleven, so that they could not take part in the
game. This would weaken the Oak Hall club to such an extent that they
would be likely to lose.
"Can we do it?" asked Poole.
"Certainly we can," answered Nick Jasniff. "Why, such things have been
done hundreds of times."
"Well, what do you propose?" asked Gus Plum.
"I'll tell you to-morrow. I've got to think it over."
"I wish I was dead sure Oak Hall would lose," whispered the bully of
the school. "We might make some money by the operation."
"So we could!" cried Nat Poole. "All the Rockville boys are betting
they will win."
"And we could bet the same way," said Jasniff, with a leer. "Only we'll
have to put up our money through some outsider."
"I can fix that," said Gus Plum. "I know a fellow in Oakdale who will
do it for us."
The day set for the great football match dawned bright and clear. As
soon as they could get away from their school duties Roger's eleven
went out for a short practice and Henshaw and the other substitutes
with them. Henshaw was sorry he was not on the regular team, but said
little about it.
While the practice was going on, Plum, Poole, and Jasniff watched all
the players closely, trying to gain the knowledge of some tricks and
signals, which they hoped later to divulge to the Rockville eleven.
The practice at an end, Babcock announced that he wanted to go to a
place called Leeton on an errand. Leeton was a small railroad crossing
two miles from the school, where Babcock had a relative living.
"Wouldn't you like to go with me?" he asked Dave. "We can go over on
our bicycles and be back inside of an hour."
Dave was willing, thinking the short spin on a wheel would do him
good. They soon set off, and before long were well on the road.
"There's our chance!" cried Nick Jasniff, as he and his cronies watched
the departure. "Just what I wanted!"
"Shall we go after them?" asked Plum.
"Sure!"
The bully and the others had bicycles--indeed nearly every youth at
Oak Hall had one, for the craze was at its height. The three set off
without delay, following the same road Dave and Babcock had taken.
Unconscious of the fact that they were being followed, Dave and his
companion spun along. There was a winding road, across a brook, then
up a hill, and over another small hill to the railroad crossing. At
several places pedaling was rather difficult, but they did not mind it,
being fresh and with good wind.
Arriving at the railroad crossing, Babcock stopped at the house for
which he was bound and executed his errand. Then the two lads got a
drink of water at the well and started on the return.
"I'll race you back!" cried Babcock.
"Better not race to-day," cautioned Dave. "We want to save our strength
for the game."
"All right, Dave, just as you say. But a little race wouldn't hurt me."
Not far from Leeton the road made a sharp turn, coming up close to the
railroad tracks. Here there was a steep down grade for three hundred
feet. As the boys neared the turn they began to coast, thinking the way
perfectly clear.
They were almost to the bottom of the hill when something happened that
filled them with alarm. Close to the side of the roadway stood a tall,
slim tree. As they came up the tree fell directly in their path.
"Look out!" yelled Dave, who was in advance, and then his bicycle
struck the tree and he was pitched headlong over the handle-bars.
Babcock also took a tumble, and both lads came down violently at the
side of the road, where there was a gully filled with rocks and hard
dirt. Both slid along, turned over, and then lay still.
A full minute passed and neither Dave nor Babcock offered to get up.
Then from out of the bushes near by Plum, Poole, and Jasniff emerged.
"We caught 'em right enough," muttered Jasniff. "The tree came down
just in time."
"Ar--are they hu--hurt much!" faltered Nat Poole. His face was as white
as death itself.
"They are certainly knocked out," answered Nick Jasniff, coolly.
"Oh, I hope they ain't dead!" gasped Poole, his knees beginning to
shake.
"They are not dead," announced Gus Plum, who was bending over the
fallen youths. "They are stunned, that's all." And he breathed a short
sigh of relief, for he had been fearful of serious results.
"We had better get away, before they come to their senses and recognize
us," went on Poole, who was the most timid-hearted of the unworthy trio.
While they were deliberating they heard the whistle of a locomotive
on the railroad and soon a long train of empty freight cars came into
view. Then, when about half the train had gone by, the cars came to
a sudden halt, brought to a stop because of a danger signal at the
crossing.
"What's the freight train stopping for?" asked Plum.
"Don't ask me," answered Nick Jasniff. "But I say," he added suddenly.
"The very thing!"
"What?"
"Let us put 'em both in one of the empty cars!"
"Oh, don't bother!" answered Nat Poole, who, had he had his choice,
would have wheeled away without delay.
"They are only stunned--they'll soon come around," went on Jasniff. "If
we leave them here they may get in the game anyway. We may as well send
them off to parts unknown!"
This plan appealed strongly to Gus Plum, and both he and Jasniff walked
to the train and looked up and down the long line of empty cars. Not a
soul was in sight.
"The coast is clear," said Jasniff. "Come on, we can do it in a jiffy,
and nobody will be the wiser."
They went over to Babcock, raised him up, and carried him to the
nearest of the cars. The sliding door was wide open, and they pushed
the unconscious form half across the car floor. Then they ran back and
picked up Dave. At that moment came the whistle of the locomotive.
"Hurry up, they are going to start!" said Jasniff, and they lost no
time in pushing Dave into the car. Then Jasniff rolled the door shut.
"Might as well lock 'em in," he suggested, but before he could
accomplish his purpose the train gave a jerk and went on its way. All
three of the students stared at it and watched it out of sight.
"They are gone, that's sure," murmured Gus Plum. His heart was beating
violently.
"Yes, and they won't come back in a hurry," chuckled Nick Jasniff.
"Maybe they will be carried clear to New York," said Nat Poole.
"If they are, so much the better."
"You are sure they weren't seriously hurt?"
"I guess not."
"If they are, and we are found out----"
"Who is going to tell on us?" demanded Nick Jasniff. "Don't you dare to
open your trap, Nat."
"Oh, I shan't say a word."
"Nobody saw us," said Gus Plum. "So, if we keep quiet, nobody will ever
know we had anything to do with it."
"What about the wheels?"
"Leave them right where they are. Somebody will pick them up sooner or
later. Both are marked Oak Hall and have the initials on them."
"Well, what are we to do next?" asked Gus Plum, after an awkward pause.
"Get out of here and wheel over to Oakdale," answered Nick Jasniff, who
had become the leader of the unworthies. "We can put our money in the
hands of Lancaster and he can put it up on Rockville for us. We are now
sure to win."
"Morr will put Henshaw in Babcock's place," said Poole, as they rode
away.
"Will he? Not after Henshaw has had his dinner," and Nick Jasniff
winked knowingly.
"Do you mean to dose him?" asked Plum.
"I guess I will. I sit close to him and I can drop a little powder in
his food which will make him feel weak and dizzy all the afternoon."
"Have you got the powder?"
"I can get it from Lancaster. He told me about it several days ago."
"It isn't poison, is it?" asked Nat Poole. He was beginning to grow
afraid of Nick Jasniff's bold ways.
"No, it won't hurt him a bit, only make him weak and light-headed for a
few hours."
"Then give it to him by all means," urged Gus Plum. "With Porter,
Babcock, and Henshaw out of the game Rockville is bound to beat, and if
we make the right kind of bets we ought to win a pot of money!"