THE AFTERMATH OF A GOOD DEED
"Well, this is the last chance we'll have to practice our secret
signal codes before we run foul of Harmony in the big game tomorrow!"
said Joel Jackman, on Wednesday afternoon, as he and several other of
the team arrived at the same isolated field, where we saw them working
under the direction of old Joe Hooker on that previous occasion when
Jack and Joel discovered the presence of spies, who later on turned
out to be three little maids from school, deeply interested in the
doings of the boys, and watching the play through a pair of opera
glasses.
"Yes, tomorrow morning is the grand and glorious occasion when we hope
to more than duplicate our past performance with Marshall," laughed
Fred Badger.
Joel cast a quick glance across the field. Jack smiled when he saw
that his attention was centered on the big oak, in the branches of
which they had found Mollie Skinner and her two girl chums snugly
ensconced.
"Still thinking of that other time, eh, Joel?" he asked, as the other
caught his eye and turned a little red.
"Why, you see, it's this way, Jack," stammered Joel; "I honestly
believe those girls were our mascots. They said they meant to wish,
and hope, and pray that we'd win the game against Marshall, and sure
enough we did that same thing. Now, why shouldn't history repeat
itself, I'd like to know? Suppose we did discover 'em peeking again,
wouldn't it make you believe we were bound to down Harmony tomorrow?
I'm not given much to superstition, but I own up I could see something
like a good sign about that sort of thing."
"Well, I happen to know that Mollie, for one, is over at her
grandmother's in Springfield today," spoke up Fred Badger, who of
course had heard about the visit of the trio of high school girls to
the big oak, and how Jack and Joel had to climb up and help them get
back to earth again. "But she'll be on hand for the game tomorrow; in
fact, she expects to be home tonight."
"Oh! leave it to little Freddy to know all about the movements of Miss
Mollie Skinner," crowed Phil Parker somewhat derisively; but then no
one paid much attention to what Phil said, because it was well known
that the said Fred had cut him out of Mollie's favors, for once upon a
time she and Phil had gone together to singing-school and parties.
They found most of the boys assembled, and waiting for the coming of
the coach, who had faithfully promised to be on hand that afternoon,
in order to go over the various signal codes again. Joe Hooker had not
yet put in an appearance, and several of the substitutes were enjoying
themselves punting the ball, doubtless also wondering if they were
going to be as luckless as before about breaking into the game, this
time with Harmony's Tigers.
"Jack," remarked Toby Hopkins just then, "I want to know what's
happened to keep you chuckling to yourself right along. I never knew
you to do such a thing except when you had something _especially_
pleasant to communicate."
"Do you know," spoke up Steve, "I was just thinking the same thing,
Toby. More than a few times I've seen Jack look around at the rest of
us, and grin as if he felt almost tickled to death over something."
"Well, I am," calmly remarked the object of this attack.
"Then why don't you up and tell the whole bunch what's in the wind,
Jack?" asked Joel. "It isn't fair to keep it to yourself hoggishly, is
it, fellows?"
"We demand that you confess, Jack!" said Big Bob, sternly.
Jack beckoned to the fellows who were knocking the ball about.
"Come over here, all of you, and gather around me," he said,
pretending to look very serious, but not making a great success of it.
"I've got something to communicate that may please the bunch, for it
concerns every one of us, as well as all other boys in Chester."
"Then it must be about the new gymnasium, Jack!" exclaimed Fred.
"Some one has given the project another boost," ventured Phil Parker.
"I wonder now if your dad, Bob, has planked down more hundreds after
what he's already donated. Is that it, Jack?"
"Mr. Jeffries has already done his whole duty in the matter, and
proven his interest in Chester boys," said Jack. "There happens to be
another gentleman in the town who up to date had a pretty poor opinion
of boys in general, but who's had a change come over him, a
revolutionary change, I should say, because he'd been in to see Mr.
Holliday, asking for facts and figures, and then binding himself to
stand for every dollar still needed to put the gymnasium on a firm
footing, without going one cent in debt!"
The boys held their breath for just five seconds. Then, as if by some
concerted signal, they burst out into one great shout, while several
threw their extra sweaters high in the air, as though bound to give
expression to the state of their feeling in some exuberant fashion.
"Great news this you've brought us today, Jack!" cried Steve Mullane,
his honest face lighted up with joy. "Now, what generous gentleman do
we have to thank for putting the project on such a solid basis as
that? All the boys of Chester will for ages to come feel bound to
honor his memory."
"What ails you, Steve, not to be able to guess ?" Toby demanded. "Have
you forgotten what happened the night after we licked Marshall, and
the Adkins house burned to the ground? Am I right in my guess, Jack,
and was this grand present made in the name of little Carl Adkins?"
"You've hit the nail on the head, Toby," admitted the leader of the
football squad. "It was old Philip Adkins, and Mr. Holliday said to me
that he had never seen such a change as has taken place in that man.
Why, he's smiling all the time now, and has been known to stop and
watch street boys playing marbles in the vacant lots, or kicking an
old fake football around in the side streets of town. Seems like the
old gentleman had just waked up, and begun to understand that boys
have their appointed place in the whole fabric of animated Nature, as
Mr. Holliday expressed it to me in his poetic way."
"Go on and tell us all about it, Jack," urged several, as they
continued to press around and listen to all that was being said.
"There isn't such a lot to tell, fellows," protested Jack. "Mr. Adkins
told me he would think matters over, and it seems that he has come to
a sensible conclusion. He signed an agreement with the chairman of the
gym. committee of finances, binding himself to pay all bills
outstanding after the present collections have been taken up. I
understand that this will be something like six thousand dollars, so
you can see that after all it sometimes pays to have a converted miser
in any community."
"Just what it does," agreed Steve, "because, once he sees things at
their true value, he's apt to give a heap more liberally than some
tightwads who never have had to turn over a new leaf."
"So you see," continued Jack, "we'll not have to worry any more as to
how the balance of the debt is going to be paid. When we open our new
and wonderful gym, containing all sorts of up-to-date appliances for
physical development, there will be no debt hanging over our heads. We
figured on having to give all sorts of entertainments the coming
winter, from basket-ball matches to minstrel performances, in order to
raise funds to help out; but now we can devote our time to having all
the fun going. You also remember the big promise several of the mill-
owners made, led by Mr. Charles Taft?"
"They agreed that if we could work wonders, and get the gymnasium
fully paid for when it started, they'd guarantee having a salaried
physical instructor engaged who would be there week in and week out,
ready to devote his entire attention to the job of building up weak
bodies, and giving counsel to those who might strain themselves too
much all at once. Yes, and everybody agreed that if any such
instructor were engaged we'd all vote to have our dear old Joe Hooker
installed. Well, that dream is going to come true also. Joe has signed
for a year and will begin his new duties on the first day of December,
so that he can be present to see that the apparatus is all properly
installed in the gym. when it arrives."
Again a mighty shout attested to the love those fellows felt for
smiling Joe, the old-time college player, who had been such a helpful
instrument in building up a winning baseball nine, and now a football
eleven, in Chester.
"There never was and never will be again a town more highly favored by
fortune than little old Chester," affirmed Steve Mullane, when he
could make himself heard above all the wild clamor. "While the spirit
is strong within us, fellows, let's give three cheers, first for Mr.
Philip Adkins, the boys' best friend; and then another series for our
own beloved Joe."
"There he comes now, hurrying along, with a limp, and waving his hand
to us!" exclaimed another boy.
The cheers were given with a will. Joe waved his hand again in
greeting. He must have guessed that they had heard about the contract
he signed that same morning in the office of his employer, Mr. Charles
Taft, whereby he agreed to be responsible for the upbuilding of the
new gymnasium, and the character of its many boy members, for the
period of a whole year, devoting his energies to the task, even as his
heart was already enlisted in the work.
"Is there anything else you want to tell us before we settle down to
business, Jack?" asked Toby Hopkins.
"Just one more thing," replied the other, still smiling. "It concerns
that poor little cripple and hunchback, Carl. He has a really
wonderful mind, once you get to know him, as so many of his type seem
to have; as though Nature to make amends for having cheated them out
of so many pleasures connected with boy life had given an additional
portion of intellect. Mr. Adkins came over to our house especially to
see me last night. Now although he completed those arrangements with
the chairman of the financial committee yesterday he never once
mentioned the fact to me. What he did say was that he had thought my
proposition over carefully, and was convinced that after all he had
made a terrible mistake in trying to shield Carl from contact with the
world that some day, if he lived, he must mingle with. So he has
determined that the boy shall go in and out as he wishes, meet other
boys, take the little knocks as others do, and have something to do
with the sports boys love so dearly. Of course he won't be able to
run, or attempt most things; but he can see others doing them, and
that will give him almost as much pleasure. Why, fellows, Mr. Adkins
fairly cried when he told me how the poor little chap hugged him after
he learned what big revolution was coming about in his daily life. But
here's Joe on hand, and ready to put us through our last signal
drills; so let's forget everything, except the game with the Harmony
Tigers tomorrow morning."