JACK IS PUNISHED
The show was a fairly good one, and Jack and the other boys, as well as
older persons in the audience, enjoyed the various numbers, from the
singing and dancing, to a one-act sketch.
More than one was anxious, however, for the time to come when the
amateurs would be given a chance. At length the manager came before the
curtain, and announced that those who wished might try their talents on
the audience.
Several of the boys began to call for this or that chum, whom they knew
could do some specialty.
“Give us that whistling stunt, Jimmy!” was one cry.
“Hey, Sim; here’s a chance to show how far you can jump!” cried another.
“Speak about the boy on the burning deck!” suggested a third.
“Now we must have quietness,” declared the manager. “Those who wish to
perform may come up here, give me their names, and I will announce them
in turn.”
Several lads started for the stage, Jack included. His chums called
good-naturedly after him as he walked up the aisle.
“I might as well have all the fun I can to-night,” thought our hero.
“When Professor Klopper finds out what I’ve done, if he hasn’t already,
he’ll be as mad as two hornets.”
The boys, and one or two girls, who had stage aspirations, crowded
around the manager, eager to give in their names.
“Now, one at a time, please,” advised the theatrical man. “You’ll each
be given a chance. I may add,” he went on, turning to the audience,
“that the prizes will be awarded by a popular vote, as manifested by
applause. The performer getting the most applause will be considered to
have won the five dollars, and so with the other two prizes.”
The amateurs began. Some of them did very well, while others only made
laughing stocks of themselves. One of the girls did remarkably well in
reciting a scene from Shakespeare.
At last it came Jack’s turn. He was a little nervous as he faced the
footlights, and saw such a large crowd before him. A thousand eyes
seemed focused on him. But he calmed himself with the thought that it
was no worse than doing as he had often done when taking part in shows
that he and his chums arranged.
While waiting for his turn Jack had made an appeal to the property man
of the auditorium, whom he knew quite well. The man, on Jack’s request,
had provided the lad with some white and red face paint, and Jack had
hurriedly made up as much like a clown as possible, using one of the
dressing-rooms back of the stage for this purpose. So, when it came his
turn to go out, his appearance was greeted with a burst of applause. He
was the first amateur to “make-up.”
Jack was, naturally, a rather droll lad, and he was quite nimble on his
feet. He had once been much impressed by what a clown did in a small
circus, and he had practiced on variations of that entertainer’s act,
until he had a rather queer mixture of songs, jokes, nimble dancing and
acrobatic steps.
This he now essayed, with such good effect that he soon had the
audience laughing, and, once that is accomplished, the rest is
comparatively easy for this class of work on the stage.
Jack did his best. He went through a lot of queer evolutions, leaped
and danced as if his feet were on springs, and ended with an odd little
verse and a backward summersault, which brought him considerable
applause.
“Jack’ll get first prize,” remarked Tom Berwick to his chums, when they
had done applauding their friend.
But he did not. The performer after him, a young lady, who had
undoubted talent, by her manner of singing comic songs, to the
accompaniment of the orchestra, was adjudged to have won first prize.
Jack got second, and he was almost as well pleased, for the young lady,
Miss Mab Fordworth, was quite a friend of his.
“Well,” thought Jack, as the manager handed him the three dollars,
“here is where I have spending money for a week, anyhow. I won’t have
to see the boys turning up their noses because I don’t treat.”
The amateur efforts closed the performance, and, after Jack had washed
off the white and red paint, he joined his chums.
“Say, Jack,” remarked Tom, “I didn’t know you could do as well as that.”
“I didn’t, either,” replied Jack. “It was easy after I got my wind. But
I was a bit frightened at first.”
“I’d like to be on the stage,” observed Tom, with something of a sigh.
“But I can’t do anything except catch balls. I don’t s’pose that would
take; would it?”
“It might,” replied Jack good-naturedly.
“Well, come on, let’s get some sodas,” proposed Tom. “It was hot in
there. I’ll stand treat.”
“Seems to me you’re always standing treat,” spoke Jack, quickly. “I
guess it’s my turn, fellows.”
“Jack’s spending some of his prize money,” remarked Charlie Andrews.
“It’s the first I have had to spend in quite a while,” was his answer.
“Old Klopper holds me down as close as if he was a miser. I’ll be glad
when my dad comes back.”
“Where is he now?” asked Tom.
“Somewhere in China. We can’t find out exactly. I’m getting a bit
worried.”
“Oh, I guess he’s all right,” observed Charlie. “But if you’re going to
stand treat, come on; I’m dry.”
The boys were soon enjoying the sodas, and Jack was glad that he had
the chance to play host, for it galled him to have to accept the
hospitality of his chums, and not do his share. Now, thanks to his
abilities as a clown, he was able to repay the favors.
“Well, I suppose I might as well go in the front door as to crawl in
the window,” thought Jack, as he neared the professor’s house. “He
knows I’m out, for that old maid told him, and he’ll be waiting for me.
I’m in for a lecture, and the sooner it’s over the better. Oh, dear,
but I wish dad and mom were home!”
“Well, young man, give an account of yourself,” said the professor
sharply, when Jack came in. Mr. Klopper could never forget that he had
been a teacher, and a severe one at that. His manner always savored of
the classroom, especially when about to administer a rebuke.
“I went to the show,” said Jack shortly. “I told you I was going.”
“In other words you defied and disobeyed me.”
“I felt that I had a right to go. I’m not a baby.”
“That is no excuse. I shall report your conduct to your parents. Now
another matter. Where did you get the money to go with?”
“I--I got it.”
“Evidently; but I asked you where. The idea of wasting fifty cents for
a silly show! Did you stop to realize that fifty cents would pay the
interest on ten dollars for a year, at five per cent?”
“I didn’t stop to figure it out, professor.”
“Of course not. Nor did you stop to think that for fifty cents you
might have bought some useful book. And you did not stop to consider
that you were disobeying me. I shall attend to your case. Do you still
refuse to tell me where you got that money?”
“I--I’d rather not.”
“Very well, I shall make some inquiries. You may retire now. I never
make up my mind when I am the least bit angry, and I find myself
somewhat displeased with you at this moment.”
“Displeased” was a mild way of putting it, Jack thought.
“I shall see you in the morning,” went on the professor. “It is
Saturday, and there is no school. Remain in your room until I come up.
I wish to have a serious talk with you.”
Jack had no relish for this. It would not be the first time the
professor had had a “serious talk” with him, for, of late, the old
teacher was getting more and more strict in his treatment of the boy.
Jack was sure his father would not approve of the professor’s method.
But Mr. Allen was far away, and his son was not likely to see him for
some time.
But, in spite of what he knew was in store for him the next morning,
Jack slept well, for he was a healthy youth.
“I suppose he’ll punish me in some way,” he said, as he arose, “but he
won’t dare do very much, though he’s been pretty stiff of late.”
The professor was “pretty stiff” when he came to Jack’s room to
remonstrate with his ward on what he had done. Jack never remembered
such a lecture as he got that day. Then the former college instructor
ended up with:
“And, as a punishment, you will keep to your room to-day and to-morrow.
I forbid you to stir from it, and if I find you trying to sneak out,
as you did last night, I shall take stringent measures to prevent you.”
The professor was a powerful man, and there was more than one story of
the corporal punishment he had inflicted on rebellious students.
“But, professor,” said Jack. “I was going to have a practice game of
baseball with the boys to-day. The season opens next week, and I’m
playing in a new position. I’ll have to practice!”
“You will remain in your room all of to-day and to-morrow,” was all the
reply the professor made, as he strode from Jack’s apartment.