BRAZEN DEFIANCE
Talking over the unexpected news George Abbot had brought to them, and
planning what they would say to the two lads who had done so much to
injure them, our hero and his chums hurried out of the dormitory and
across the school campus.
"Where did you see 'em, George?" asked Jack, looking at the small youth
who had such fondness for asking questions.
"They just got in--fine big auto--they're over at 'Pop' Swab's soda
emporium, filling up on ginger ale, and poking fun at some of the new
fellows."
"Just like 'em," murmured Tom. "We'll do something more than poke fun
at 'em when we see 'em."
"That's what," added Jack.
"Maybe they aren't going to stay--they may have just come here for a
bluff, and are going away again," suggested Bert.
"How about that, George?" asked Tom, and the small lad, who was too
much engrossed with the possibility of some excitement presently to ask
his usual number of questions, replied:
"I guess they're going to stay all right. I heard Sam tell Nick to
hurry up and pick out a room in Hollywood Hall, or all the best ones
would be gone."
"By Jove!" ejaculated Jack. "They mean to stay all right!"
"If we let 'em," added Bert significantly.
"Come on," urged Tom. "If we're going to have a run-in with 'em, let's
have it in the open, before they get in the dormitory."
And while our hero and his chums are thus hastening to meet the lads
who had played such a mean trick on them that summer may I be permitted
a few pages in which to make my new readers a little better acquainted
with Tom Fairfield?
Tom, aged about sixteen, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Brokaw Fairfield.
He lived in the village of Briartown, on the Pine river, and had much
sport running his motorboat on that stream.
In the first volume of this series, entitled, "Tom Fairfield's
Schooldays," I related how Tom's father and mother had to go to
Australia to claim some property left by a relative. As it was not
convenient to take Tom along he was sent to school--Elmwood Hall--where
he boarded and studied.
Tom at once made friends and enemies, as any lad would. But his
enemies were few, the two principal ones being Sam Heller and Nick
Johnson, and they cordially hated our hero. Tom's chief friend was
Jack Fitch, with whom he roomed, though Bert Wilson, George Abbot, Joe
Rooney, Lew Bentfield, Ed. Ward, Henry Miller and a host of others were
on intimate terms with him. I might also mention Bruce Bennington, a
Senior when Tom reached Elmwood Hall, and with whom Tom soon became
friendly.
Dr. Pliny Meredith was headmaster at Elmwood. He was sometimes called
"Merry" because, as Jack Fitch used to say, he was so glum. But he was
a gentleman. Not so Professor Skeel, who was a taskmaster. It was
against Mr. Skeel that Tom led a revolt because of the professor's
meanness in Latin class.
How the boys went on a strike, how they were made prisoners, how they
escaped in a great storm, burned the effigy of Mr. Skeel at the flag
pole, and how Tom won the strike--all this is set down in the first
volume. There is also told how Tom saved Bruce Bennington from
disgrace, and was the means of Mr. Skeel fleeing in fear of discovery.
In the second book, entitled, "Tom Fairfield at Sea," I told how our
hero learned that the vessel on which his parents were sailing from
Australia had been wrecked. He at once set out to make the long voyage
to try to find some news of them or, if possible, to rescue them.
The steamer on which Tom sailed was wrecked, and he and some sailors,
together with a little boy, floated for some time on a derelict with
which the _Silver Star_ had collided. On the derelict, most
unexpectedly, came Professor Skeel, who was on his way to Honolulu when
the accident happened.
The dreary days of suffering oh the derelict, and in an open boat, the
meanness of Mr. Skeel and how Tom and his companions were finally
rescued, is all set down in the second book of this series. Tom
finally reached Australia and, setting out again, was just in time to
rescue his parents from the savages of one of the South Pacific islands.
Tom reached home in time to go back to school and take his second-year
examinations, which he passed, thus becoming a Sophomore.
Then came the long summer vacation, and as Tom had had enough of travel
he decided to go to the woods. In the third volume, called "Tom
Fairfield in Camp," I told of his experiences in the forest. With him
went Jack Fitch, Bert Wilson and a Briartown lad named Dick Jones.
Almost at the first Tom and his chums ran into a mystery. Near where
they pitched their tents there was an old mill where there was said to
be a treasure hidden. But an old hermit who owned the mill was seeking
for the treasure, and he was not the most pleasant character in the
world. At the very start he threatened the boys and tried to drive
them from the woods.
But they decided to have a hunt for the treasure. It did not add to
their pleasure to learn that Mr. Skeel, who had returned from Honolulu,
was also camping near the mysterious mill, and, most unexpectedly our
friends also learned that Sam Heller and Nick Johnson were also in the
same woods.
Tom and his friends had many experiences in camp, and with the old
hermit. Finally their motorboat was taken, and they were in sore
straits. But still they kept after the treasure.
Then Bert, Jack and Dick mysteriously disappeared from camp. Tom
suspected Mr. Skeel, and the two school bullies, Sam and Nick, of
having had some sort of a hand in the kidnapping of his chums.
How he traced them, recovered his boat, and found the secret passage
into the old mill, you will find told in my third book. Also how Tom
accidentally discovered the hidden room and the place where the
treasure was concealed. Mr. Skeel and the two Elmwood lads, who had
held Jack, Dick and Bert prisoners, fled in alarm, and the old hermit,
restored to his right mind through the finding of his wealth, lived a
peaceful life thereafter.
Once the secret of the mill was discovered, Tom and his chums had an
enjoyable time in camp. They remained until it was almost time for
school to begin, and then returned to their several homes.
And now, once more, they were together in Elmwood Hall, and, most
unexpectedly, had come the news of the return of the two bullies, Sam
and Nick. It was startling news, in a way, for, after the mean fashion
in which the two cronies had treated Tom's chums, when they were held
prisoners in the old mill, Tom scarcely believed that Sam and Nick
would dare show their faces at Elmwood Hall again.
"And yet they're here," said our hero, as he and the others hurried on
across the broad campus.
"And they're going to stay, if what George says is true," added Jack.
"Oh, it's true enough," declared the questioning lad.
"There they are!" suddenly exclaimed Bert Wilson, pointing toward a
small building just outside of the school property. It was a shack
where "Pop" Swab sold soda and "pop," from which he took his name.
"Yes, that's them all right," assented Tom.
"And some car they have," added Jack. "I wonder where they got it?"
"They won't have it long, if they treat it as recklessly as that,"
commented Bert, for the two lads having leaped into the auto, Sam threw
in the gears so clumsily that the machine was stalled, with a grinding
that did not augur well for the mechanism.
It was evident that the two cronies, having satisfied their thirst,
were about to drive on, but Sam's error made it necessary for him to
get out to crank the car again. This gave our friends a chance to come
up to them.
Sam had his back to them, as he bent over to take hold of the crank,
but something Nick said in a low voice caused him to turn around. Then
he saw Tom and the others.
There was something In Tom's manner that caused Sam to take an attitude
of defence, though our hero had no intention of coming to blows with
the bully.
The oncoming party of lads came to a halt a short distance from the
auto, and Sam, straightening up, surveyed them, a shade of wonder, not
unmixed with apprehension, passing over his face. Nick, sitting in the
car, openly sneered.
"So you've come back," spoke Tom cuttingly.
"Of course we have," answered Sam, breathing a little easier, as he saw
that he was in no immediate danger.
"And we're going to stay," added Nick with a laugh.
"You are?" Jack almost yelled.
"We certainly are," was the answer. "This is a free country, you know;
and we've paid for our board. See you later, fellows. Crank her up,
Sam!"
The brazen effrontery of the two amazed our friends. They had not
believed that the two cronies would come back. And that they would
dare remain, after what they had done, seemed incredible.
"Are you in earnest?" asked Bert, raising his voice to be heard above
the thundering exhaust of the auto which Sam started.
"Of course we are," declared Sam calmly, as he took his seat. "What's
the matter with you fellows, anyhow? Why shouldn't we stay?"
"You know why you shouldn't stay!" cried Tom, shaking his finger at Sam
and Nick. "After the mean trick you played on Bert and Jack, standing
guard over them in the old mill, in league with that scoundrel
Skeel--giving Jack and Bert only bread and water--after that you dare
come back here and expect to be treated decently? Well, you're
expecting too much, that's all I've got to say! We'll make Elmwood
Hall too hot to hold you! You'll live in Coventry all the while you're
here. You won't get a decent----"
"Oh, get out of my way, Fairfield, or I'll run you down!" snapped Sam,
as he threw in the gear and released the clutch, and, had our hero not
leaped back, he would have been struck by the heavy touring car.
"Well, of all the gigantic, unmitigated nerve!" gasped Jack, as he
stared at the swiftly moving car. "That is the limit!"