A MIDNIGHT FEAST
While the three students were discussing the situation the door of the
dormitory opened, and Sam Day and Shadow Hamilton entered.
"Hello, why weren't you down to supper?" asked Sam.
"We didn't get here in time," answered Roger. And then he related what
had occurred on Bush Island.
"It was just like Jasniff and Merwell," said Shadow. "And like old
Haskers, too! I suppose he is laughing to himself now because he made
you go without your supper."
"But I am not going without it," said Dave. "That is, not if you fellows
will do me a favor."
"Want me to get something from the pantry for you?" queried Sam,
quickly. "I'll do it--if it can be done."
"You can't get in the pantry any more," said Phil, with a wry face.
"Since Dave and I did the trick some time ago they keep the doors
locked."
"And that puts me in mind of a story!" cried Shadow. "Once a little
boy----"
"Quit it, Shadow!" interrupted Sam. "You don't expect Dave and Roger and
Phil to listen to your yarns when they are starving, do you? Tell the
story after they have filled up."
"Well, it was only a short yarn," pleaded the story-teller of the
school. "But, of course, if we can do anything----"
"You can--I think," said Dave. "But you must act quickly."
"What's to be done?"
"Since I have been here I have noticed a wagon going through on the main
road every evening about this time. It belongs to Rousmann, the
delicatessen man of Rockville. I wish you'd stop him and see what you
can buy for us." And as he finished Dave took a two-dollar bill from his
pocket and held it out.
"By hookey! I'll do it!" cried Sam, readily. "Come on, Shadow! Maybe we
can get enough to have a little feast to-night!"
"Not on two dollars," answered Phil. "Here's another fifty cents."
"Oh, I've got a little money of my own," returned Sam.
"So have I--thirty-five cents," added Shadow. "My allowance is behind
time. And that puts me in mind of another story. Two men were----Oh, but
I forgot, you are too hungry to listen to yarns. Well, I'll tell it some
other time," and away he went after Sam, out into the hallway and down
the broad stairs.
"If only they get there before that wagon passes!" sighed the senator's
son.
"Maybe the driver won't have anything to sell. He may be sold out," came
from Phil.
"Let us hope for the best," answered Dave, cheerfully. "He can't be sold
out of everything. Even a loaf of bread and some sardines wouldn't go
bad."
"Or some frankfurters," added Roger.
A few minutes passed, and Ben came up to the room, and the story of the
adventure on the island and with Job Haskers had to be told again. Ben
was as indignant as Sam and Shadow had been.
"I wouldn't stand for it!" he cried. "Why don't you report to Doctor
Clay?"
"Because he is away," answered Dave. "But I may report to him
to-morrow," he continued, thoughtfully.
A half-hour passed--to the hungry boys it seemed a long time--and then
came a clatter of footsteps in the hallway. The door was banged open,
and in came Sam and Shadow, followed by Gus Plum and Luke Watson, and
each carrying a fair-sized bundle under his coat.
"We got there just in the nick of time!" panted Sam, for he was somewhat
out of breath. "Fact is, I had to run after the wagon to stop it."
"And we got a dandy lot of stuff," continued Shadow. "Gus and Luke
helped us to buy it."
"We are in for a spread to-night," explained Gus Plum. "But you fellows
can eat all you wish right now."
The door was closed and locked, and one after another the bundles were
opened. The boys who had done the purchasing had certainly "spread
themselves," as Dave said. They had obtained some fresh rolls and cake,
an apple and a pumpkin pie, some cheese, and some cold ham and tongue, a
bottle of pickles, and five different kinds of crackers in boxes.
"This is certainly a spread and no mistake," said Dave, as he and Phil
and Roger viewed the eatables with keen satisfaction.
"Chip Macklin has gone off to a farmer's house for two quarts of milk,"
said Shadow. "And I told him to bring some apples, too,--if he could get
them."
"We'll have more than if we had been downstairs to supper," said the
shipowner's son.
"Whatever is left will do for our spread later," explained Sam.
"Whatever is left," repeated Shadow. "Say, that puts me in mind of a
story--and I'm going to tell this one," he added, as several of those
present gave a groan. "A little boy was looking for his shoes. He found
one and looked at it thoughtfully, and then said: 'I dess you is the
right one, and your brovver is the left one, but you is the left one,
and your brovver ain't left 'tall, 'cause he's gone.'" And the story
produced a smile all around.
In a few minutes came a triple rap on the door--a well-known signal--and
Sam opened the portal, to admit Chip Macklin. The small student carried
two bottles of milk under his coat, and his pockets were bulging with
apples and pears.
"Hurrah! Now we can have a square meal and no mistake!" cried Dave, as
glasses were produced, and the milk was poured out. "Chip, we owe you
one for this."
"You're welcome," answered the little lad, with a smile. He was glad to
be of service, in return for all Dave had done for him in the past.
The eatables were spread out on a studying table, and Dave and his chums
proceeded to "fill up," as Phil expressed it. They made a hearty meal,
and yet, when they had finished, there was a considerable portion of the
food left.
"We'll not touch the pies or the fruit," said Dave. "Those can be saved
for the spread later."
The boys were just clearing away the crumbs of the meal when there came
a hasty knock on the door.
"Who is there?" asked Roger, going to the door, but not opening it.
"It is I, Murphy," came in the husky tones of big Jim, the monitor. "If
anything is going on in there, I want to warn you that Mr. Haskers is
coming up--I heard him tell an under teacher."
"Thanks, Jim--we'll be ready for him," answered the senator's son, and
passed out a pear and an apple, and then the kind-hearted monitor walked
away again on his rounds.
The students worked hastily and noiselessly, and in less than three
minutes the remainder of the food was stowed away in a closet out of
sight, and everything about the dormitory was cleaned up. Then the lads
got out their books and writing materials.
"Come in!" cried Dave, when a knock sounded sharply, and the door was
opened, and Job Haskers presented himself. His face showed his
disappointment at finding everything as it should be.
"Oh, Mr. Haskers, you are just in time!" cried Phil, innocently. "Will
you kindly show me how to do this example in algebra?"
"And will you please show me how to translate this Latin?" asked Roger,
catching his cue from Phil.
"And I've got a problem in geometry that is bothering me," said Dave,
smoothly.
"I have no time for lessons now," answered the teacher, harshly. "I have
other duties to perform. If you will attend to the explanations given in
the classrooms you will need no extra aid," and thus delivering himself,
Job Haskers backed out of the dormitory as speedily as he had entered
it.
"Stung that time!" murmured Ben, as he closed the door once more. "I'll
wager an apple against a peanut that he thought he would catch Dave,
Roger, and Phil eating on the sly."
"Or off the table," added Sam, and then Ben shied a book at his head.
For over an hour the lads in the dormitory turned their attention to
their lessons. During that time some other occupants of Nos. 11 and 12
came in, and all were informed of the spread to be given at midnight. To
make things more lively, some boys from No. 10 were also asked to
participate.
"Of course you are going to ask Nat Poole and Guy Frapley," said Roger,
with a grin.
"Not on your collar-button!" replied Sam. "They can furnish their own
spreads--they and the whole crowd with 'em."
"We want to look out that they don't get wise to what we are doing,"
said Plum. "It would be just like Nat to give us away, if he knew."
"If he did that he ought to have his head punched," murmured Luke.
"Say, Luke, give us a little music, before it gets past hours,"
suggested Dave, and willingly enough Luke got out a banjo, tuned up, and
rendered several favorites. While the playing was going on, the door was
left open, and a small crowd congregated in the hallway to listen, for
Luke was really a skillful performer. All too soon the playing had to
come to an end, as the time for "lights out" arrived.
It was exactly twelve o'clock when Sam arose from where he had been
resting and made a light. At once the others also got up. All were
dressed, and it did not take long to bring the eatables from the closet
and push two studying tables together for a "banquet board," as Roger
dubbed it. He and Dave and Phil were not particularly hungry, yet they
entered with vim into the proceedings. The door between Nos. 11 and 12
was open, and those invited from No. 10 came in as silently as shadows.
Soon the feast was in full swing. The pies were large, and were cut into
just enough pieces to go around. The fancy crackers were passed around
in their boxes, and the apples and pears were placed on a tennis racket
and handed around, "like an old-fashioned contribution box," according
to Plum's way of describing it.
"We ought to have a speech!" cried Ben. "I move Dave Porter be called
upon to speak."
"Second the motion!" cried several others.
"Give us something on 'How to Learn Without Studying,'" suggested
Shadow.
"Or 'How to Do Algebra While You Sleep,'" said Ben.
"Or 'How to Make Haskers Reform,'" suggested Luke.
"Don't ask him to speak on the impossible," broke in Plum. "You'll never
get Jobey to reform--it isn't in him."
"I'm too full to make a speech," said Dave, with a smile. "Besides, we
don't want any noise up here, or we'll be spotted sure."
"I know what we ought to do!" cried Phil.
"What?" asked a chorus.
"Pay old Haskers back for the mean way he treated us. Can't we do
something to him while he is asleep?"
"We sure can!" answered Roger. He looked at Dave. "What shall it be?"
Dave thought for a moment, and then a broad grin overspread his
features.
"I wonder if we can manage it," he said, half to himself.
"Manage what, Dave?" asked several, eagerly.
"I think we can do it--if some of you fellows will furnish a stout
line. Several fishing lines twisted together will do."
"But what do you intend to do, Dave?"
"Make Job Haskers think there is an earthquake,--that is, if he is in
bed and asleep, and we can get into his room."
"Oh, he must be asleep by this time," said Sam.
"And here is a stout cord. I used it for flying my big kite," added Ben.
"Then, come on, and we'll give Job Haskers a surprise. But don't make
any noise, or we may get caught."