BIG BOB BRINGS NEWS
When his mother told Jack he was wanted at the 'phone on Thanksgiving
morning shortly after he finished his breakfast, he had a queer little
feeling down in the region of his heart, as though something was going
to happen.
"I've been half expecting it," he said to himself, as he hurried to
the stair landing, where the small table with the receiver stood,
handy to those above and below. "It would be pretty tough now if some
fellow called me to say he couldn't show up this morning for the game,
because he had been taken with the colic during the night, and was as
weak as a cat. Hello, there!"
"Jack, are you through breakfast?" asked a voice.
"Oh! it's you, is it, Big Bob?" Jack went on to say, his fears in no
way relieved by the discovery of the identity of the one who had
called him up. "Yes, I'm through eating. What's up?"
"I'm coming over right away, Jack. Got to see you--very urgent!"
Jack groaned. Then the blow was about to fall, and Chester would be
deprived of their best full-back. No one else could be depended upon
like Big Bob for kicking a field goal, or one after a touchdown.
"All right, come along. I'll try to brace myself to stand it!" he
said.
Bob did not make any further comment, but just before Jack caught the
click as of a receiver being placed on the hook, he thought he heard a
sound that was either a chuckle or a grunt, he did not know which.
So he waited for the other to make his appearance, waited, and puzzled
his head in the endeavor to guess what Bob would have to say,
inventing all sorts of possible excuses for wanting to give up
connection with the game. Jack was grimly determined that he would not
let go his hold on the big fullback until the last gasp. Surely he
must be able to advance some argument that would have weight with any
objections the other might raise.
But there was Bob coming as fast as he could walk, even breaking into
a little run at times. His case must indeed be a desperate one to make
him act like that. Jack went to the door to meet him, thinking the
worst. Of course, just at the last hour as it might be Bob's father
had put the vital question to him, asking squarely if he could vouch
for it that he had mailed that important letter; and poor Bob had to
confess his shortcoming. Then Mr. Jeffries, with a return of his old-
time sternness, had told the offender that in punishment he should not
be allowed to participate in the great Thanksgiving morning game with
boasting Harmony.
It was too bad, and Jack felt his heart sink within him like lead. The
morning had up to then seemed so crisp and promising that he had been
telling himself how even Dame Nature favored the football rivals, and
that everything was fine; but now all of a sudden the whole aspect
seemed to change.
He had refrained from opening the front door until Bib Bob mounted the
steps, on account of the cold wind that would enter. Now as he swung
it wide to allow the other passage Jack gave a tremendous start.
"See here, what's this mean? You don't look as if you brought bad news
along with you, Big Bob?" he fairly gasped, clutching the other by the
arm.
The Jeffries boy was grinning for all he was worth. Jack could not
remember ever looking upon a face that seemed so utterly joyous. His
eyes were dancing, and there was a flush in his cheeks that did not
even confine itself to that portion of his round face, for Big Bob was
as red as a turkey-gobbler strutting up and down the barnyard to the
admiration of his many wives.
"Bad news, Jack!" exclaimed the other in a half-choked voice; "well, I
should say not. It's the most _glorious_ news I'm rushing over here
with this fine morning. No one could have given me a more delightful
surprise than I got just a little while ago. Jack! I _did_ mail that
letter, of course I did, silly that I was to ever doubt such a thing!"
"How do you know now that you did?" asked Jack, thrilled with
satisfaction, while he dragged the other into the hall so that he
might close the front door.
"Why, while we were just finishing breakfast who should stop at the
house but Mr. Dickerson himself. He said an important letter had
arrived for father, and as he was on his way back home to have his
breakfast according to his usual habit between mails, he though he'd
fetch it along with him; for father and he are very good friends, you
must know, and Jack, when I saw that it was from London, you--well,
you could have knocked me over with a feather I was so excited. Father
read it, and I heard him tell mother that _two_ of his letters
did get across after all. So you see, Jack, he took a hint from that
article we left for him to see, and used the follow-up style of
correspondence. I've figured it all out, and know that a steamer
carrying a third letter couldn't have had time to get there. Besides,
I heard father say it was the first, and also the second letter that
landed, for his correspondent told him he had just received a copy of
the original, and hastened to reply to both."
Jack seized the other's willing hand, and the two indulged in a mutual
squeezing affair, in which the honors were about even. Big Bob
certainly looked happier than Jack could ever remember seeing him
before. Well, he had good reason for feeling light-hearted, since in a
flash he had been enabled to throw overboard the terrible weight that
had for days and weeks been lying upon his soul, and making life
unhappy for the poor fellow.
"But, Jack," Bob went on to say, earnestly, "right now I want you to
understand that I mean to profit by this thing."
"Yes, I remember you vowed you would, Bob," remarked the pleased
captain of the Chester eleven, once more easy in his mind, and no
longer seeing that horrible gaping weak spot in the line-up.
"This is going to be a lesson to me," continued Bob, soberly. "I've
turned over a new leaf for keeps. Just let me catch myself acting
careless again, whether in small things or in weighty ones, that's
all. If I do I'm resolved to punish myself severely. That fault has
_got_ to be conquered, once and for all."
"Fine for you, Bob," Jack told him. "And so in the end the terrible
trouble that threatened to break you all up, and keep you from
enjoying the sports you love so well, has turned out to be only the
best thing that could ever have happened to a fellow with a bad fault.
That's the way things often go, Bob. Every fellow can look back and
see a number of happenings that at the time he considered to be almost
calamities; but long after they are past he discovers that they only
forced him to change his calculations, much to his profit in many
ways; so that they turned out to be mere stepping-stones on the road
to success."
"Well," the other went on, "I just couldn't keep the good news from
you, Jack, so I ran over to tell, because you've been such a great
help to me in my time of trouble. And, Jack, there's something more.
Tonight, after the game's all over, I've made up my mind I'm going to
have a good heart-to-heart talk with my father."
"Yes, I think that would be a wise move for you, Bob," said Jack,
deeply impressed.
"I want him to know first of all what it was worried me all this
while; that instead of my being sick in body I was sick at heart, and
grieving because I had, as I feared, done him a great wrong. Yes, I'm
going to tell him everything, even to how we put that paper where he
could see it, so he might take a notion to write a second and a third
letter, and make dead sure. He must know that I've changed, and had my
lesson that will make me a different sort of a fellow. Besides, my dad
has changed, too, as you know; and I firmly believe that after this
we're going to be regular chums."
"It couldn't be better, Bob, and I certainly congratulate you on the
way things have come out. And of course, after such a glorious piece
of news striking you on this particular morning, you'll be able to eat
your Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie with the right sort of
spirit."
"Will I?" laughed the fullback; "well, they'll wonder whether there's
any bottom to my stomach today, for I've got a lot of neglected
dinners to make up for, you know. The sky never did look one-half so
bright to me as this morning, after I learned the great news. It would
seem cheery even if black clouds sailed over, and the snow began to
fritter down; because my heart is as light as a feather right now, and
there's no place for gloom down there."
"I'm glad in many ways that this has happened just now," continued
Jack. "First, I'm glad on your account, because you certainly have had
a rocky time of it for long dreary weeks. Then I'm rejoiced for your
father, because he has such a true-blue son, and has only just found
it out. Last of all, I'm feeling particularly joyful for the sake of
Chester, because after this, Bob, I expect you'll be in trim to play
the game of your life this morning against Harmony Tigers."
"Just you watch my smoke, that's all, Jack. Why, I feel as if I could
do almost anything, I'm that full of ginger and snap and happiness.
The cobwebs have all been swept clear from my brain, and Robert is
himself again. If I don't do Chester credit today just take my head
for a football, and boot it, that's what. But I must be going now,
because both of us have things to do before we dress to go out on the
field. This will be a banner day for the old town. It's been a long
time back since they've seen a genuine game of football here. I'm glad
you drew the choice, because in Harmony there's always an element that
tries to make it unpleasant for visiting teams, none of which is found
in Marshall or in Chester, where we treat our visitors as true
sportsmen should. Well, so-long, Jack. I couldn't keep such good news
any longer, you understand."
"And I'm mighty glad you didn't, Big Bob; for you've given me a whole
lot to be thankful over. When I heard some one wanted me at the 'phone
I was conjuring up all sorts of evil things happening that would
threaten our line-up. Even after I heard your voice I wasn't at all
sure but you meant to tell me your father had learned the truth, and
ordered you to stay at home today. But everything has come out gilt-
edged, and we can afford to laugh."
"Yes," sang out the happy Bob as he started for the door, "everything
is lovely, and the goose hangs high; only today I reckon the bird will
turn out to be a turkey instead. I'll be on deck long before time for
the game, Jack, and something tells me we're going to give those
fighters from Harmony the tussle of their lives, as well as win the
game from them."
"I hope you're a true prophet, Big Bob," laughed Jack, waving his hand
after his friend, and then closing the door.
Indeed, he felt, as he said, like "shaking hands with himself," the
reaction had been so great, and Bob's news so satisfactory. It might
be looked at as an omen of good luck for the momentous occasion.
Surely a day that had opened in such a glorious manner for Big Bob,
and the team in general, could not have bitterness and gall in store
for those gallant Chester fellows who expected to improve upon their
work in Marshall, and tear a victory on the gridiron from Harmony's
team.
Jack occupied himself in various ways until it was time for him to
sally forth and join his band at the rendezvous. Then in good time
they would head for the field, where they might expect to see a
perfect mob awaiting their coming.