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THE HEROES
OF THE SCHOOL
Or
The Darewell Chums
Through Thick and Thin
BY
ALLEN CHAPMAN
AUTHOR OF "BART STIRLING'S ROAD TO SUCCESS," "WORKING
HARD TO WIN," "BOUND TO SUCCEED," "THE YOUNG
STOREKEEPER," "NAT BORDEN'S FIND," ETC.
[Illustration:
_The_
GOLDSMITH
_Publishing Co._
CLEVELAND OHIO
MADE IN U.S.A.]
Copyright, 1908, by
Cupples & Leon Company
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. Expelling a Pupil 1
II. The Wrong Slide 9
III. A Queer Character 15
IV. A Hut in the Woods 22
V. The Challenge 30
VI. A Great Game of Ball 38
VII. Alice has a Chance 47
VIII. The Strange Boatman 52
IX. A Plot Against Bart 59
X. A Cow in School 67
XI. Honoring the Seniors 73
XII. Frank's Queer Letter 82
XIII. Sandy on Guard 89
XIV. Peculiar Operations 96
XV. Ned Stops a Panic 104
XVI. A River Trip 111
XVII. The Tramp's Headquarters 116
XVIII. A Night Scare 123
XIX. The Farmer and the Bull 130
XX. Followed by Sandy 137
XXI. At the Fair 143
XXII. Up in a Balloon 149
XXIII. Above the Clouds 157
XXIV. Into the River 164
XXV. Captured 175
XXVI. Planning to Escape 183
XXVII. The Escape 192
XXVIII. The Pursuit 199
XXIX. An Unexpected Meeting 208
XXX. Striking Oil--Conclusion 215
THE HEROES OF THE SCHOOL
CHAPTER I
EXPELLING A PUPIL
"What are you looking so glum about this morning, Stumpy?" asked Ned
Wilding as he greeted his chum, Fenn Masterson, otherwise known as
"Stumpy" because of his short, stout figure. "Haven't you got your
lessons, or are you going to be expelled?"
"I'm not to be expelled but some one else is, Ned."
"What's that? Some one going to be expelled?" asked Bart Keene, coming
up in time to hear what Fenn said.
"John Newton is," replied Stumpy.
"What's that got to do with you?" asked Bart, for, as had Ned, he
noticed that Fenn looked worried.
"It might have something to do with me if John--"
Just then the bell of the Darewell High School began to ring, and, as it
was the final summons to classes the three boys and several other pupils
hurried into the building. On the way up the stairs Ned Wilding was
joined by a tall youth with dark hair and eyes.
"What's this I hear about John Newton?" asked the tall lad.
"Hello, Frank! Why Stumpy says John's got to leave the school, but it's
the first I heard about it."
"Are they going to expel him this morning?"
"Seems so. We'll soon know."
A little later several hundred boys and girls were gathered in the
auditorium of the school for the usual morning exercises. When they were
over the principal, Professor McCloud, came to the edge of the platform.
"I have a very unpleasant duty to perform," he began.
Most of the boys and girls knew what was coming. The principal never
prefaced his remarks that way unless he had to expel a pupil. Ned and
Bart looked over toward where Fenn sat. They wanted to see if there was
any reason for Stumpy's seeming apprehension.
"John Newton!" called Professor McCloud, and a tall youth, with eyes
that squinted slightly, left his seat and shambled forward.
"It's coming now," whispered Fenn, and Frank Roscoe, who was sitting
beside him, looked at his chum and wondered.
"Any one would think it was you who had to face the music," declared
Frank.
By this time John Newton was standing in front of the raised platform on
which the principal and teachers sat during the morning exercises. He
did not seem to mind the humility or disgrace of his position. He turned
half around and looked toward Fenn.
"If he says anything--" began Stumpy, whispering to himself, but he did
not finish the sentence for Professor McCloud was speaking.
"John Newton," the principal said, "I am deeply grieved that I have to
do this. It is very painful." It was the same speech the pupils had
heard before. The principal always used it, with such slight variations
as might be necessary. "You have been dilatory in your studies. You have
been insubordinate. You have played mean tricks. You have refused to
mend your ways."
The principal took a long breath. He always did at this particular point
in his painful duty. But this time there was a variation from the usual
scene. John Newton stepped forward and addressed the principal. It was a
thing unheard of in the Darewell school.
"Professor McCloud," said John, "I want to say that while I'm partly to
blame in this matter, Fenn Mas--"
"That will do! That will do!" interrupted Mr. McCloud so sharply that
John started. A number of the pupils turned in their seats to gaze at
Stumpy, who looked painfully self-conscious.
"There's something in the wind," whispered Ned to Bart.
"I'm not going to take all the blame," persisted John, ignoring the
principal's command to remain silent. "Fenn Mast--"
"I said that would do," and Mr. McCloud spoke so decisively that John
remained silent. "I know what you would say," the professor went on.
"I have looked into that matter thoroughly. No one is to blame but
yourself, and your effort to shift the punishment to some other boy
does not do you any good. You should not have attempted to mention any
pupil's name. I will not refer to it again, except to say that no one
is involved but yourself. I am fully satisfied on this point."
Frank noticed that Fenn seemed much relieved at the professor's
announcement, and he wondered what connection there could have been
between his chum and John Newton.
"You have been given several opportunities to reform," the principal
went on, "but you have refused to profit by them. You are a dangerous
element to have in this school. Therefore, we return you to your
friends," and, with a wave of his glasses toward the door to emphasize
his remark, the principal indicated that John Newton might go. That
ended it. John was expelled.
The pupils went to their various classes, and, though there was
considerable whispering back and forth during the morning session as to
what caused John's expulsion, and what his reference to Fenn might mean,
there was no chance to discuss the matter until the noon recess. Then
questions and answers flew thick and fast.
"Now Fenn, tell us all about it," said Ned Wilding when he and the two
other boys who had remarked Stumpy's apprehension, were gathered in the
basement where lunches were usually eaten. "What was John driving at?
What were you afraid of?"
"Didn't you hear Professor McCloud say it was all ended and he was
satisfied I had no hand in it?"
"Yes, but that doesn't satisfy us," said Bart. "We want the whole
story."
"There isn't much to it," Fenn declared. "You must promise not to repeat
it."
"We'll promise but I guess John will tell it all over town," said Frank.
"You know John and I used to be pretty friendly," Fenn began, getting
his chums off into a corner. "He lives near me and I used to go fishing
with him once in a while. But he got down on me because I wouldn't lend
him my best reel one day, though for a while I didn't know he wasn't
friendly.
"He's always playing some kind of tricks in school, but most of 'em
aren't any worse than those we get up. But this last one was the limit."
"What was it?" asked Ned.
"He'd been reading some book on India, and how they catch tigers by
smearing bird-lime on the leaves near the water-hole. He made some of
the lime. I helped him. Got some of the stuff from the laboratory. Then
he put it all over the papers in Mr. McCloud's desk, one night after
school, and they got so fastened together they couldn't be separated."
"You don't mean to say you helped him do that?" asked Frank.
"Who said I did? I only helped make the bird-lime. He told me we could
catch rabbits with it. I didn't know what he was up to or I wouldn't
have done that much. When he learned he was discovered, for he left his
knife in the desk, he said he was going to make me take part of the
blame for helping him make the lime. That's what I was afraid of this
morning, when I heard he was going to be expelled."
"He did try to give you away," interrupted Bart.
"Yes, rather mean, too. But it seems Mr. McCloud had been investigating,
though I didn't know it. He must have found out that I didn't have any
hand in putting the stuff in the desk, even if I did help John make it."
"Lucky for you that he did," commented Ned. "Do you think John will try
to do anything more to make trouble for you?"
"I hope not," Fenn replied.
"He was always up to tricks," commented Frank. "Once he daubed tar on
the bottoms of his shoes and walked through the classroom, leaving black
marks all over. He pasted paper caps on the pestle when the chemistry
class was going to recite and Professor Long thought the powder he was
mixing went off at the wrong time."
"Yes, and do you remember the time he whistled like a bird in school,"
put in Ned, "and made the teacher believe a canary was loose somewhere.
My, but he can whistle!" he went on. "He can do as well as some of the
fellows on the stage. I'm sorry he got expelled, but I'm glad you're out
of it, Stumpy."