WHEN THE RED FIRE BURNED IN CHESTER
It was such a great victory that the boys of Chester laid plans to
celebrate by making a night of it, just as they always do in college
towns, when the local team brings home high honors, to be handed down
to posterity as great feats worthy of emulation.
On the way back home every fellow in the big carryall promised to come
out and join the parade that must circle through every street in town.
It would be led by a brass band, and they would march to the glare of
numerous bonfires, which of course the younger element could be
depended on to furnish. They had already doubtless taken note of every
old vegetable barrel that grocers unwittingly left outdoors nights, as
well as a few tar barrels in addition, all of which would help make
the heavens turn red under the glare, and add to the joyous occasion.
Jack tried to back out, but his mates would accept no excuses.
"You're no more tired than the rest of the bunch, Jack," Toby told
him; "and say, what is a victorious procession going to be like,
anyway, with the noblest Roman of them all absent? You are the captain
of the football squad, and everybody'll expect you to be in the front
rank. Just forget all your modesty for once, Jack, and make up your
mind to have a grand blowout."
"We certainly deserve it," snapped Joel Jack-man, "after putting up
such a royal fight against desperate odds. Why, when it drew near the
end I warrant you even the most loyal among our rooters began to turn
cold with fear that Chester would be left out in the count. But didn't
Packy McGraw and his crowd sing loud, though? That's what a cheer
captain can do for his side. Every time I heard them give that Chester
yell it seemed to put fresh heart in me."
"'Course you've just got to come out, Jack," protested Steve. "Why,
we'll gather around your shack and keep on yelling bloody murder if
you refuse, until your folks will show you the door. We want you, and
we've got to have you."
So, to "keep peace in the family," as Jack laughingly explained, he
consented, although with a shade of doubt.
"Keep things within reason, fellows," he urged them. "Don't let's be
too crazy with our success. It's true that we've done our town credit
today, and made old Joe Hooker happier than he's been for years,
because he believed in us to the end; but let's hold ourselves in
some."
"It only happens once a year, as a rule, Jack," said Toby Hopkins,
exultantly; "and my stars! we've just _got_ to blow off steam after
that great time, or bust, that's all."
Later on, after night had fully set in, the racket commenced. Small
boys began to set off firecrackers and Fourth of July pistols loaded
with blanks. Here and there the first bonfires started, until one
could hardly look up and down any street in Chester without
discovering one or more burning, with a host of busy little stokers
clustering around, and adding fresh fuel to the flames as new stores
were brought in by industrious scouts and raiders. It was a wise
citizen who, having an ash barrel setting in his yard, had had the
forethought to remove it to a place of safety; for the chances were
decidedly against its being found in its accustomed spot when dawn
came along.
Jack met Big Bob while on his way to the appointed rendezvous of the
football boys, where smiling Joe Hooker had also agreed to join them
for the parade. Indeed, he had a suspicion that Bob had come out of
his way in the hope of finding him at home. This was proven by the
first words the other spoke.
"Well, this is luck, Jack," said Bob, as he saw, by the light of a
street lamp, whom he had run across. "I was on my way around to make
sure you'd come out and join the boys. Then, again, I just wanted to
have a few words with you about--you know what I mean, Jack."
"Has anything happened, Bob?" asked the other, quickly.
"If you mean has the mystery been cleared up, I'm sorry to tell you
no," Big Bob replied. "But there has been a great change in my home
affairs, Jack. It's really wonderful, to me anyhow, because all my
life it seems that my father has held me at arms' lengths. Why, Jack,
what do you think, when I got home tonight, dirty as anything, and
with this bruise on my cheek where I struck the ground that time we
had the big smash, would you believe it, he actually shook my hand
with a vim, and told me he was proud of me. Why, I tell you that was
worth all I did in my humble capacity, to help win the victory, yes, a
dozen times over."
Jack did not laugh, although it seemed very humorous to hear a boy
make such a strange statement as that. Why, most fathers would have
said that much and ten times over; indeed, few could ever have allowed
such a gap of coldness to arise between themselves and their own
children. It was high time Mr. Jeffries awoke to a realization of the
fact that he had a boy of whom any father might well be proud. Yes, he
had shirked his duty as a parent long enough; and Jack was glad to
know the scales were being lifted from his eyes.
To himself Jack was saying that already it seemed as though great good
was coming out of Big Bob's misfortune. What would a dozen lost
letters count in comparison with the knowledge that his father had
begun to know him, and that the gulf hitherto existing between them
was in a fair way of being definitely bridged?
"It's strange how suddenly your father has become interested in boys'
sports, Bob," he went on to tell the other. "I happened to run across
Mr. Holliday this morning after I saw you, and he told me something
that interested me a good deal."
"About my dad, do you mean, Jack?"
"Yes, about him, Bob. Did you ever know he had contributed money
toward paying off what is still due on the new gymnasium? You know Mr.
Holliday is the chairman of the citizens' committee that has the
financial end of the undertaking in charge."
"Do you really mean it, Jack? My father give money for such a project
as that, when I've heard him say many a time that I was wasting every
cent I put in baseball togs and such things; and that when he was a
boy they had only a pair of skates, or a home-made sled, to have sport
with. Tell me more, Jack, please; you've got me all in a flutter now."
"Oh! Mr. Holliday, Adelaide's father, you know, simply said that Mr.
Jeffries had awakened at last to a realization of how much athletic
sports mean for the health of all boys who love to play ball, and
skate, and exercise in a gymnasium, for he had come into his office of
his own accord, planked down one hundred dollars in a check, and told
the chairman that if when they were making up their tally the funds
fell shy to call upon him for another like amount!"
Big Bob gasped, such, was his surprise and delight. He fairly bubbled
over when grasping Jack's hand and squeezing it unmercifully.
"Thank you for telling me that, Jack!" he cried. "It's certainly the
best thing I've heard this many a long day. I thought I was happy over
having had a share in our victory today; but say, that doesn't cut a
figure with the way I am thrilled by such glorious news. It means a
whole lot to me, Jack. After this I'll have a chance to know my
father, and he to understand me better. Oh! if only that one dark
cloud could be settled, how happy I'd be! Did that letter go across to
England, or was it lost out of my pocket on that fatal occasion when I
forgot?"
Jack, knowing that he could not say anything more to comfort Big Bob,
tried to relieve the tension by drawing the other's attention to
something else.
"We must devote ourselves from now on, Bob, to perfecting a new line
of attack," he went on to say. "Every member of the Harmony squad was
there in the front row, and simply devouring our methods of assault.
Depend on it, they will expect to profit from what they saw today."
"That's a sort of unfair advantage, it strikes me, Jack, since we on
our part know so little about their style of play. None of us has seen
them practice this season; and I heard that they had completely
altered their mode of attack and defense since last year."
"All right, we're going to be given a chance to learn something
between now and our Thanksgiving game; because, Bob, as you must know,
Harmony and Marshall are due for a fight next Saturday, the one before
the day we get busy again."
Bob gave a pleased cry.
"Why, of course, how silly of me to forget that important fact, Jack!
And, to be sure, the whole Chester football squad will be bunched
close to the line, watching every play that is made, and remembering
it for future reference. Do you think they will down poor old Marshall
easier than we did?"
"They ought to," came the reply, "because they have a team that works
like a well-oiled machine, I've been told. But wait and see. Lots of
sure things in football dope fail to work out when the trial comes
off. I've known a team that ran ten pounds heavier all through to be
smartly beaten by a more lively bunch, that knew just how to carry the
giants off their feet, and keep them from using their great strength.
But here we are at the church, and most of the boys seem to be on
hand."
It had, of course, been agreed that none of the boys should discard
their football togs, though given the liberty of washing up, and
making themselves a little more respectable. What would a lot of
victors on the gridiron look like in a procession, passing shouting
crowds of enthusiastic admirers, if they appeared dressed as if on a
Sunday parade?
Old Joe Hooker was also present, bubbling over with joy over the
success his proteges had won that afternoon. He freely predicted
another strong fight, with a possible victory in sight, when they
faced the Tigers of Harmony on Thanksgiving morning.
In due time the procession started. Crowds were in all the main
streets, and windows in adjacent houses had been illuminated in honor
of the occasion. Chester assumed a really festive air, and what with
the mad cheering, and the loud laughter, it soon became evident that
there was to be little sleep for anyone until the boys had exhausted
themselves, and the supply of barrels, as well as fire-crackers, gave
out.
Despite his objections they hoisted Jack on the shoulders of Steve
Mullane and Big Bob Jeffries, to lead the van. Then, as though it were
only fitting that good old Joe Hooker should share in the occasion, he
too was taken in hand, and carried in a chair close to Jack. Amidst
whooping crowds they passed, so that everybody might have a chance to
set eyes on the pair whom Chester honored that night; while the
explosions continued and the red fire burned in the streets.
But it was fated that the glorious day was not to be complete without
a touch of tragedy, for along about nine o'clock, when the rioters
were beginning to feel too tired to continue the march much longer,
and people were returning to their homes in great numbers, a sudden
sound rang out that sent a thrill through many hearts.
This was the loud, harsh clang of the fire-bell, telling that a real
conflagration was about to add its quota to the excitement of the
afternoon and evening.