THE RUSH TO COVENTRY CENTER
"The sophs have found out where the canes are," Peter John almost
shouted.
"They have? How do you know?" demanded Will.
"I was in my bedroom and I heard them talking with Mott in our study
room."
"Who?"
"Tucker, Spencer, and Goodman."
"What did they say?"
"They said the canes were over in Coventry Center, at the minister's
house there."
Coventry Center was a little hamlet about seven miles distant from
Winthrop, and the excited freshmen had indeed stored a part of their
canes in the house of the worthy old minister of the village. They had
frankly explained to him what their purpose was and he had laughingly
consented to receive the coveted possessions in his home and store them
there for the four days that intervened between the time and St.
Patrick's day. And the freshmen had been confident that their
hiding-place would not readily be discovered. No one would suspect that
the parsonage would be selected or the worthy minister would act as a
guard. To make assurance doubly certain, however, only half of the canes
had been entrusted to the minister, and even those were divided--a
bundle containing a dozen being placed in the woodshed and the remaining
being stored beneath the hay in the little loft of the barn. The other
half of the class canes had been taken to a farmhouse a mile distant
from the parsonage and there concealed in an unused well, the mouth of
which was filled with rubbish and the _débris_ of a shed that had been
blown down by a severe windstorm that had occurred a few weeks before
this time.
As the utmost care had been observed by the committee having in charge
the purchase of the canes, and they had stealthily in a stormy night
taken their precious burdens to the two places of concealment they had
been confident, over-confident now it appeared, that their actions had
not been discovered.
Will and Foster had both served on the committee that had purchased and
hidden the canes, and when Peter John brought his unwelcome tidings that
the rival class was aware of the place where the canes had been stored,
it was difficult for them to determine whether anger or chagrin was
uppermost in their feelings. At all events they both were greatly
excited, and Will said as he hastily rose from his chair:
"How did they find it out?"
"I don't know. I didn't hear them say," replied Peter John.
"Did they find out that you were there?"
"No, they left before I came out of my room. The door was partly open
and I didn't dare stir hand or foot."
"Lucky for you, Peter John."
"Yes. I know it."
"What are they going to do?" inquired Foster, who up to this time had
been silent.
"They've gone over to get the canes."
"Gone!" exclaimed Will aghast.
"Yes. That's what Goodman said."
"How many went, do you know, Peter John?" demanded Foster.
"He said three."
"Do you know who they were?"
"No."
"When did they start?"
"Goodman said they went about an hour ago."
"Which road?"
"I don't know."
"Why didn't Mott go?"
"I don't think he knew anything about it before these fellows came and
told him."
"What did he do after they told him?"
"He slapped his legs and laughed."
"You say he went away with those fellows that told him about it?"
"Yes."
"Did they say anything about any other canes--" began Will. But he was
sharply interrupted by Foster and abruptly ceased.
"I didn't know there were any others," said Peter John. "Are there?
Where are they?"
"We haven't any time to waste here," said Foster, hastily donning his
sweater and putting a cap on his head. "Peter John, you go back to your
room, and if you hear of anything more go straight to Bishop with the
word."
"I'd rather go with you fellows."
"Not this trip. You'll have to be on the lookout here. Somebody must do
it and you're the one, Peter John. Come on, Will," he added, calling to
his room-mate and instantly departed from the room.
Ignoring Peter John, Will hastily followed Foster, and together the two
freshmen ran to Hawley's room. There a hurried consultation was held,
the result of which was that it was decided that Foster and Dana should
secure a car and drive swiftly to Coventry Center by one road, two other
classmates were to drive to the same destination by another road, while
Will and Hawley were to go on foot across the country and strive to
arrive at the minister's house by the time the others had done so. In
this way it was believed that every avenue of approach or retreat would
be covered, and that even if the sophomores had been first on the scene
they would still be unable to get away with their booty before they
would be discovered, and at least followed.
In a brief time Will and Hawley were on their way across the country,
leaving their more fortunate comrades, who were to ride, to follow as
soon as their conveyances could be secured. The ground was still frozen,
and in places there were patches of snow and ice, although the heavy
snowfall of the winter for the most part was gone. Their way led through
woods and over plowed fields, but the steady run or "trot" was
maintained uphill and down, and within an hour and a half from the time
they had departed from Winthrop they arrived at the confines of the
little hamlet of Coventry Center.
"See or hear anything, Will?" inquired Hawley, as the two freshmen
stopped and listened intently as they peered all about them.
"Not a thing," whispered Will in response.
The lights in the little homes were already out, for the people of
Coventry Center were not believers in keeping untimely hours, and the
twinkling lights of the little village for the most part disappeared
before ten o'clock arrived. It was about that hour when Will Phelps and
Hawley stopped at the end of the one straggling street to try to
discover if there were any signs of the presence of their enemies or
classmates.
"Shall we wait or put straight for the minister's house?" inquired
Hawley.
"Go there," replied Will.
"Look out! Don't let any one see you," said Hawley in a low voice as
they stealthily began to make their way up the street. Occasionally they
stopped to make sure that they were not being followed or to strive to
discover if their own friends were near. They had passed the little
white wooden church building and were approaching the parsonage when
both stopped abruptly.
"What's that?" demanded Hawley in a whisper.
"You know as much about it as I do. Come on and we'll find out."
The sound of voices could be heard from the rear of the house and from
the tones it was evident that the speakers were somewhat excited.
Furthermore Will was positive that he recognized the voices of two and
they were members of the sophomore class at Winthrop.
"How many are there?" whispered Hawley.
"Sounds as if there were six or eight. Hark! There's the minister
talking."
"What's he saying?"
"I can't make out. He's excited over something, though."
"Come on," whispered Hawley, "let's creep up around the corner of the
barn. We can see and hear too there, and if we're careful they won't
suspect us."
"It will be all day with us if they do," whispered Will in response.
Slowly and cautiously the two freshmen crept along the side of the
street and diagonally across the vacant field till they had gained the
desired corner of the barn. Then crouching low they peered forth at the
sight which could be seen in the dim light.
On the highest step of the rear piazza of his house stood Mr. Whitaker,
the minister of Coventry Center. He was a man at least sixty-five years
of age, genial and shrewd, the friend of every one in the region. On the
ground before him now five men could be seen and neither Will nor Hawley
had any difficulty in recognizing all five as sophomores. Will pinched
Hawley's arm in his excitement, but did not speak, though it almost
seemed to him that the thumpings of his heart must betray his presence
to the men who were before him.
Mr. Whitaker was speaking and instantly Will's attention was centered
upon what was being said. "No, young gentlemen, I am not willing that
you should enter my house."
"But, Mr. Whitaker," said one in reply whom Will took to be a sophomore
who roomed near him in Perry Hall, "we don't want to come into the
house--just into the woodshed, that's all."
"I cannot consent even to that."
"We'll not harm anything."
"You certainly will not if you do not enter."
"We've got to come in, Mr. Whitaker!" said the speaker a little more
boldly.
"And I forbid it."
An interval in the conversation then followed during which Will could
see that the sophomores were conferring. They had withdrawn to a place
about midway between the house and the barn and consequently were nearer
the hiding-place of the two freshmen than before, but both were
compelled to draw back for fear of being discovered and consequently
were unable to hear what was said.
In a brief time the sophomores returned to the piazza where the minister
was still standing. "Mr. Whitaker," began the leader.
"Yes, sir. At your service," responded the minister pleasantly.
"Why do you object to our coming in? You know we won't do any harm to
the place. You know what we've come for."
"Perhaps that's the very reason why I object."
"You don't have to stay here. We'll give you our word we won't harm
anything. All we want is to get those freshmen canes. You're not
responsible for them and you certainly don't mean to say that you would
stand up for that class. Why it's the worst that ever entered Winthrop."
"I have frequently heard of the class," said the minister laughing
genially as he spoke. "I have a grandson who chances to be a member of
it."
"I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to say that every fellow in it was a
poor stick. All I meant was that as a class it's the most conceited one
that was ever seen. That's what every one says."
"Doubtless," remarked Mr. Whitaker dryly.
"You don't care anything about the squabbles of the classes. It's
nothing to you anyway, Mr. Whitaker," pleaded the sophomore.
"What led you to suspect that the canes might be here?"
"It wouldn't be fair to tell that," laughed the sophomore. "We know
they're here all right, and that's enough."
"Would you believe me if I were to say to you that they are not here?"
"Yes, sir, I suppose we should," replied the sophomore dubiously, "but
you won't say it."
"Why not, since they are not here?"
"What?" demanded the entire party almost together.
"That is what I said. The canes are not in my house."
"In the barn, then?" said the leader suspiciously.
"No, they are not in the barn, either. There is not a cane on my place
except the one I occasionally use myself. If you think that will do--"
"But, Mr. Whitaker, the man was seen when he brought the canes here."
"Quite likely."
"And yet you say they are not here?"
"That is what I said. And what I still say."
"I don't understand--"
"I do not say they _were_ not here. All I say is that they _are_ not
here."
"They're gone? They've been taken away? Is that what you mean?" demanded
the astonished sophomore.
"Precisely."
"Let's go in and search anyway," said one of the party now thoroughly
angry.
"I advise you not to attempt that," said the minister quietly.
"Why not?" said the sophomore impudently.
"Because one of my neighbors is a deputy sheriff and housebreaking is a
somewhat serious offense."
For a moment the assembly was nonplussed, but their uncertainty was
speedily relieved, or at least interrupted, by an occurrence that
instantly caused them all to turn and flee from the place at their
utmost speed.