Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck
Or
Working to Clear His Name
BY
ALLEN CHAPMAN
AUTHOR OF "TOM FAIRFIELD'S SCHOOLDAYS," "TOM FAIRFIELD AT SEA,"
"THE DAREWELL CHUMS SERIES," "BOYS OF PLUCK SERIES," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED
NEW YORK
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyrighted 1913, by
CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY
TOM FAIRFIELD'S PLUCK AND LUCK
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. AN INDIGNATION MEETING
II. BRAZEN DEFIANCE
III. THE ADVICE OF BRUCE
IV. HOW SAM TOLD IT
V. TOM DECIDES
VI. ON THE GRIDIRON
VII. A CROSS-COUNTRY RUN
VIII. LOST IN THE WOODS
IX. AN ANGRY FARMER
X. A HAY STACK FIRE
XI. HOT WORK
XII. ACCUSATIONS
XIII. THE POISONED HORSES
XIV. SAM HELLER'S EVIDENCE
XV. TOM'S SILENCE
XVI. TOM SEEKS CLEWS
XVII. THE EMPTY BOTTLE
XVIII. ON THE TRAIL
XIX. DISAPPOINTMENT
XX. MORE SEEKING
XXI. IN THE STORM
XXII. THE RAGGED MAN
XXIII. THE PURSUIT
XXIV. CORNERED
XXV. EXPLANATIONS
TOM FAIRFIELD'S PLUCK AND LUCK
CHAPTER I
AN INDIGNATION MEETING
"Well, well, by all that's good! If it isn't Tom Fairfield back again!
How are you, old man?"
"Oh, fine and dandy! My! but it's good to see the old place again,
Morse," and the tall, good-looking lad whom the other had greeted so
effusively held out his hand--a firm, brown hand that told of a summer
spent in the open.
"Any of our boys back, Morse?" went on Tom Fairfield, as he looked
around the campus of Elmwood Hall. "I thought I'd meet Bert Wilson or
Jack Fitch on my way up, but I missed 'em. How are you, anyhow?"
"Fit as a fiddle. Say, you're looking as if you had enjoyed your
vacation."
"I sure did! You're not looking bad yourself. Able to sit up and take
nourishment, I guess."
"You've struck it, Tom. But what did you do with yourself all summer?"
"Jack, Bert and another chum of mine went camping, and, believe me, we
had some times!"
"So I heard. I had a letter from Jack the other day. He mentioned
something about a secret of the mill, the crazy hermit and all that
sort. Say, but you did go some."
"That's right. It was great while it lasted. How about you?" and Tom
looked at his friend, Morse Denton, anxious to hear about his good
times.
"Oh, I went with my folks to the shore. Had a pretty good
summer--motorboating, canoeing with the girls, and all that. But I got
a bit tired of it. I came back early to get some of the football
material into shape for this fall," and Morse Denton, who had been
captain of the Freshman eleven, and who was later elected as regular
captain, looked at Tom, as if sizing him up as available pigskin
material.
"Well, I guess none of our crowd has shown up yet," went on Tom. "I
fancied I'd be a day or so early, as I wanted to have a good pick of
rooms. Got yours, yet?"
"Sure thing. I attended to that first. But there are some fine ones
left. Come on over to Hollywood Hall, and we'll see what'll suit you.
Try and get one next to mine if you can. Are Bert and Jack going to
room with you?"
"They are if we can get a place that will hold us."
"That isn't as easy as it sounds with the way you fellows do things.
But there's one nice big study near mine."
"Then I'll just annex it. Say! But it's good to be back. The old
place hasn't changed any," and Tom looked around admiringly at the
groups of buildings that made up Elmwood Hall. His gaze strolled over
the green campus, which would soon be alive with students, and then to
the baseball diamond and the football gridiron, on which latter field
the battle of the pigskin over the chalk marks would soon be waged.
"Well, they've done some painting and fixing up during vacation," said
Morse, as he linked his arm in that of Tom and the two walked on
together toward Hollywood Hall, the official dormitory of the Sophomore
class. "The gridiron has been leveled off a bit and some new seats put
up. Land knows we needed 'em! We'll have some great games this year.
You'll play, of course, Tom?"
"Maybe--if I'm asked."
"Oh, you'll be asked all right," laughed Morse. "Did you expect Bert
and Jack would be here?"
"I didn't know but what they might. I haven't seen 'em for the last
two weeks. After we closed our camp Bert went up in the country, where
his folks were stopping, and Jack took a little coasting trip on a
fishing boat. We were to meet here, but they must be delayed.
However, school doesn't open for a day or so. But I want to get my
place in shape."
"Good idea. That's what I did. Well, here we are," Morse added as the
two came opposite a large building. "Let's go in and see what Old
Balmy has in stock."
They advanced into the dormitory, being met in the lower hall by a
pleasant-faced German who greeted them with:
"Ach! Goot afternoons, gentlemans. Und it iss rooms vat you are
seeking?"
"Rooms it is, Herr Balmgester," replied Morse. "My friend, Tom
Fairfield, here, wants that big one next to mine."
"Vat! Dot large room for one lad?"
"Oh, I've got two friends coming," explained Tom. "I had a double room
over in the Ball and Bat," he added, referring to the Freshman
dormitory, "but there'll be three of us here."
"Ach! Dot iss goot! Two boys makes troubles," and the German monitor
of the Sophomore dormitory held up two fingers. "Three is besser--vat
one does not vant to do ven der oder two does makes like a
safety-valve; ain't it yes?" and he laughed ponderously.
"Oh, we'll be good," promised Tom, with a wink at Morse. "Let's see
the room."
It proved all that could be desired in the way of a study and sleeping
apartment for three healthy, fun-loving lads, and Tom at once signed
for it, feeling sure that his two chums, when they did arrive, would
approve of his choice.
"Well, now that's done, come on into town, and I'll treat you to ice
cream," invited Morse, for though it was late in September the day was
warm. "I'm in funds now," went on the football captain, "and I may not
be--later," he added with a grim smile.
"Oh, I don't know," said Tom, hesitatingly. "I rather thought I'd hang
around. Maybe Jack or Bert will come, and--"
"They can't get here until the five o'clock train, now," declared
Morse. "You've got time enough to go to town and be back again. Come
ahead."
"All right," assented Tom. "Wait until I get the porter to fetch my
trunk from the station."
The check having been given to the porter, Tom and his chum strolled
toward the trolley line that would take them into the small city of
Elmwood.
"Here comes the human interrogation point!" exclaimed Morse, when they
were almost at the trolley line.
"I thought he wasn't coming back to school," remarked Tom, looking
around.
"He did say he wasn't, but I guess his folks made him. He wanted to
branch out for himself and be a lawyer, I believe. He sure would be
great on cross-examining witnesses with the way he asks questions,"
finished Morse with a laugh.
A small lad was approaching the two friends on the run, and, as he
neared them, he called out:
"Hello, Morse! Say, Tom Fairfield, when did you get in? Did you have
a good time? I hear you went camping and discovered a hidden treasure.
Did it amount to much? How much did you get? Where's Jack and Bert?
Are you going in for football? Where are you rooming?"
Tom and Morse came to a stop. They eyed each other solemnly. Then Tom
said gravely:
"Isn't it a shame; and he's so young, too!"
"Yes," assented Morse with a mournful shake of his head. "I understand
that his case is hopeless. They are going to provide a keeper for him."
"Say, look here, you fellows!" exclaimed the small lad. "What's eating
you, anyhow? What do you mean by that line of talk?"
"Oh, he heard us!" gasped Tom, in pretended confusion. "I didn't think
he had any rational moments. But he has. There, Georgie," he went on
soothingly. "Go lie down in the shade, and you'll be all right in a
little while. Do you suffer much?"
"Say, what's the joke?" demanded George Abbot, the small lad referred
to. "Can't I ask you a question, without being insulted and called
crazy?"
"Sure you can, Why," replied Tom, giving the lad the nick-name bestowed
on him because of his many interrogations. "Of course you can ask one
question, or even two, but you can't fire broadsides at us in that
fashion. Remember that we have weak hearts."
"And our constitutions are not strong," added Morse.
"Oh, you be hanged!" murmured George. "If you can't--"
"Oh, come along!" invited Tom, catching him by the arm. "We're going
to town. It's Morse's treat. Yes, George, I did have a bang-up time
on my vacation. I'll tell you all about it later."
The three were soon on a trolley car and, a little later, they had
reached the town, heading for a drug store where ice cream sodas were a
specialty.
"It goes to the right spot!" exclaimed Tom gratefully, as he finished
what was set before him. "What do you say to a moving picture show?
It will pass the time until the last train gets in. Then for some fun
to-night, if Jack and Bert show up."
The others were willing, and soon, in company with some other Elmwood
Hall students whom they met, the boys went to the place of the moving
pictures.
"Well, it's almost time for the choo-choo cars to sand-paper in,"
remarked Tom a little later, looking at his watch as he and Morse paced
the depot platform.
"Yes, there she blows," remarked his companion, as a distant whistle
sounded.
"There they are!"
"There's Tom!"
"Hello, you old skate!"
"You got here ahead of us!"
"And there's Morse Denton!"
"'Rah for Elmwood Hall!"
"I see Joe Rooney."
"Yes, and there's Lew Bentfield."
"Hello, Bruce! Bruce Bennington," yelled Tom.
"Hello Tom! Didn't expect to see me back; did you?" and a tall,
well-browned lad, somewhat older than the others, leaped from the
still-moving train, and grasped our hero's hand.
The other remarks, preceding Thorn's, had come so fast and in such
confusion that it is impossible to declare who said which or what.
Then, when Tom had greeted Bruce, the Senior who owed so much to him--a
Senior who had returned for a post-graduate course--our hero spied some
others of his chums on the train.
"Jack! Jack Fitch!" he yelled. "Hello, Bert--Bert Wilson! I've been
waiting for you!"
"There he is! There's Tom!" yelled Jack, hauling in the head of his
chum Bert from one window, only to poke his own cranium out of another.
"Hurray!"
There was a rush of many feet, a tossing about of valises and suit
cases, the hoarse cries of hack drivers and expressmen, and, above all,
the greetings of the students, the smack of meeting palms and the
pistol-like reports of clappings on backs and shoulders.
"Three cheers for Elmwood Hall!" cried someone. They were given, and a
"Tiger" was called for, followed by the school yell.
"Say, Tom," began Jack Fitch, when he could get his breath. "What
about a room? Let's slip off and get one before this mob takes 'em
all."
"Go easy, son; go easy," advised Tom calmly. "All is provided for.
Just tell the man to send your luggage to Hollywood Hall, and all will
be well. Same to you, Bert. I've got a swell apartment for us three,
near where Morse hangs out."
"Good for you!" cried Bert.
"Trust Tom to look out for the sleeps and eats," laughed Jack. "Oh,
but it's good to be back!"
"Just what I said," declared Tom. "There's lots of good times in
prospect."
Together the four chums, followed by others of their acquaintance,
moved toward the Sophomore dormitory. The five o'clock train had
brought in many students, all of whom were in a hurry to pick out their
rooms.
"Say, this is a swell place all right," declared Bert, a little later,
when Tom had ushered his two chums into the cozy apartment he had
reserved.
"All to the plush furniture," added Jack. "You're all right, Tom. How
is it for getting in after hours?"
"Fine. It's right near a rear stairway. Oh, I saw to that all right.
And the monitor is Old Balmy--we can work him easy."
"Fine!" cried Bert. "Now let's get things straightened out, and unpack
some of our duds," for their baggage had arrived ere they had done
admiring their new quarters.
"We're Sophs now--don't forget that," advised Tom. "No more Freshmen!"
"And we can do some hazing on our own account," added Jack. "Oh,
glorious!"
There came a knock on the door.
"Come!" invited Tom.
The portal swung open to admit the form and features of little George
Abbot.
"Are you all here? When did you and Bert come? Is there any----"
"Stop!" thundered Tom, catching up a heavy baseball glove. "Halt in
your tracks, or it will be the worse for you! One more question, and--"
"You wait until you hear this one," said George calmly. "Maybe you
don't want to, though," he added mysteriously.
"What is it?" asked Jack, struck by something in the manner of the
human question box, and Tom lowered the glove.
"I was going to ask if you'd heard the news," went on George. "But if
you don't want to----"
"Go ahead, Why," invited Bert. "I'll listen, anyhow. What's the news?"
"Sam Heller and Nick Johnson just arrived in a big touring car. Sam
says it's his."
"Sam Heller here?"
"And Nick Johnson?"
"In a touring car?"
Tom, Jack and Bert asked the questions in turn. They fairly glared at
George. The latter, satisfied with the impression he had produced,
sank into an easy chair.
"They're here," he went on. "I just saw 'em come, and they're headed
this way."
"Sam and Nick going to room in the same dormitory with us!" gasped Bert.
"After what they did?" asked Jack.
"Helping to capture and hold us fellows prisoners," said Tom bitterly.
"We won't stand for it!" declared Bert vigorously.
"I should say not!" came from Jack indignantly. "We will have to do
something--protest--make a class matter of it. After what happened at
the old mill, for those snobs to have the nerve to come back to Elmwood
Hall. Why--"
"It is rather raw," interrupted Tom. "What shall we do?"
"Let's go out and confront 'em," suggested Bert. "If they have the
nerve to meet us face to face--well, I don't believe they will
have--that's all."
"Come on!" urged Jack, and he caught hold of Tom's arm and led him
forth to face their common enemies. The meeting of the chums, that had
started off so jollily, was now a session of indignation.