A MISUNDERSTANDING
"Here's a letter from father--quite an important one, too," said Dick
as he joined his brothers in one of the rooms several days later.
"What about?" questioned Sam, while Tom looked up from a book with
interest.
"It's about Tad Sobber and that fortune from Treasure Isle," answered
Dick.
"What! Has that rascal showed up again?" exclaimed Tom.
"He has; and according to what father says, he is going to make all
the trouble possible for the Stanhopes and the Lanings,"
"That's too bad," said Sam.
"I'll read the letter," went on Dick, and proceeded to do so. In part
the communication ran as follows:
"You wrote that you knew about Sobber's call upon Mrs. Stanhope. Well,
after the girls left for Hope Seminary, Sobber and a lawyer named
Martin Snodd called upon Mr. Laning and then upon me. Sobber was very
bitter, and he wanted to know all about what had been done with the
treasure. He claims that he and his uncle, who is dead, were robbed of
the boxes. Evidently Sobber and the lawyer had talked the matter over
carefully, for the latter intimated that Sobber might settle the case
if the Stanhopes and the Lanings would give him seventy-five per cent.
of the fortune. Mr. Laning did not wish to go to law, and told Sobber
he might be willing to settle for a small amount, say two or three
thousand dollars. But Sobber wouldn't listen to this, and went off
declaring he would have it all.
"'Since that time Martin Snodd has been busy, and he has obtained a
temporary injunction against the Stanhopes and the Lanings, so that
they cannot touch a dollar of the money, which, as you know, is now
in several banks. The matter will now have to await the result of the
case, which will probably be tried in court some months from now.
"'I have learned that Sobber has little or no money, and that Martin
Snodd has taken the case on speculation, Sobber to allow him half of
whatever he gets out of it. Snodd's reputation is anything but good,
so I am afraid he will have a lot of evidence manufactured to order.
I have recommended a firm of first-class lawyers to Mrs. Stanhope and
the Lanings, and they will, of course, fight the matter to the bitter
end."
"This is too bad!" cried Sam after Dick had finished. "So the fortune
is tied up so they can't spend a cent of what's left?"
"They can't touch a cent until the courts decide who the fortune
really belongs to," answered Dick, "and if Sobber should win, the
Stanhopes and the Lanings will have to pay back that which they have
already used."
"Oh, how can Sobber win?" cried Tom. "Father said the Stanhope and
Laning claims were perfectly legal."
"True, Tom; but you can never tell how a case is going to turn out
in court. If this Martin Snodd is a shyster he may have all sorts of
evidence cooked up against our friends. Sobber would most likely
swear to anything, and so would some of the sailors saved from the
_Josephine_. And then there are some of Sid Merrick's other relatives,
who would try to benefit by the case. They'd probably testify in favor
of Sobber, for they wouldn't expect anything from Mrs. Stanhope or the
Lanings."
"But the records of Mr. Stanhope's business deals ought, to be clear,"
said Sam.
"They are not as clear as one would wish, so father told me," answered
Dick. He gave a long sigh. "Too bad! And just when we thought the
Stanhopes and the Lanings could sit down and enjoy all that fortune."
"I wonder if the girls know of this yet?" mused Tom.
"Most likely they have had word from home," answered Dick.
"It will make them feel pretty sore," said Sam.
"Yes, it would make anybody feel sore," answered the oldest Rover.
"We'll have to drive over and see, the first chance we get."
When they met the girls the boys learned that they knew all about the
affair. All were worried, and showed it.
"This will upset mamma very much," said Dora. "I am afraid it will put
her in bed."
"It's too bad, but it can't be helped," said Dick.
"Dick, do you think we ought to buy Sobber off?"
"No. He doesn't deserve a cent of that money."
"Papa says the case will not come up for a long time, the courts are
so crowded with cases," remarked Nellie. "He is about as worried as
anybody, for he has already spent several thousand dollars, and if we
lose he won't know how to pay it back,"
"We'll lend him the cash," said Tom promptly, and for this Nellie gave
him a grateful look.
The boys did their best to cheer up the girls, but their efforts were
not entirely successful. All felt that the coming legal contest would
be a bitter one, and that Tad Sobber and the shyster lawyer who was
aiding him would do all in their power to get possession of the
fortune found on Treasure Isle.
The girls were coming to the football game with Sam, and all said they
trusted Brill would win the contest.
"We are all going to carry Brill flags," said Grace, "and I am going
to root--isn't that what you call it?--as hard as I can."
"Then we'll be sure to win!" cried Dick.
Yet the oldest Rover was by no means confident. The Brill eleven had
heard that their opponents were in the pink of condition. They had
played three games already, and won all of them. Brill had played
against the scrub only, which was hardly a test of what it could do.
The day for the contest dawned clear and bright, and early in the
afternoon the visitors from Roxley, Hope, and other institutions of
learning, as well as from Ashton and other towns, commenced to pour
in. They came on foot, in carriages and automobiles, and on bicycles,
and soon the grandstand and the bleachers were filled to overflowing.
Flags and college colors were in evidence everywhere, and so were
horns and rattles.
While Dick was waiting to catch sight of the carriage containing Sam
and the girls from Hope he saw another turnout approaching. In it were
Mr. Sanderson and his daughter Minnie.
"Why, how do you do, Mr. Rover!" cried the girl pleasantly.
"Very well," answered Dick politely, raising his cap. "And how are
you?"
"Oh, fine! I made papa drive me over to see the game. It's going to be
something grand, so I've heard," went on Minnie, and then she added:
"Thought you and your brothers were coming to see us?"
"We--er--we haven't had much time," stammered Dick. He did not care to
add that when he went to see a young lady it was always Dora Stanhope,
and that Tom and Sam called only on Nellie and Grace Laning.
"I've been expecting you," said the girl with a pretty pout.
"Have Dudd Flockley and Jerry Koswell been there since?"
"Yes, both of them came once, and Flockley came after that, but I
refused to see them. Mr. Flockley wished to bring me to see this game,
but I sent word that I was going with papa."
"He ought to know enough to stay away by this time," said Dick. He
could think of no other remark to make.
"Can I get a seat anywhere?" asked Minnie, looking anxiously over in
the direction of the grandstand.
"I think so. Wait, I'll look."
"Hold on," put in Mr. Sanderson. "Just you take Minnie along, Mr.
Rover. I'll go and take care of the hoss. I can stand anywhere and
look on."
Minnie prepared to spring to the ground, and there was nothing to do
but for Dick to assist her. He wondered if Sam was coming with Dora
and the others, but did not see them. Then he led the way through the
crowd to where some seats were reserved.
"I think you'll be able to see nicely from here," he said.
"Oh, I know I shall." She smiled broadly at him. "You are very kind. I
don't know what I should have done if I had been alone--there is such
a jam. Oh, I do hope you win!" And Minnie beamed on Dick in a manner
that made him blush, for he saw that several were watching them.
"I must go now. It is getting late," said Dick after a little more
talk. He turned, to see Sam, Dora and the Laning girls only a few
seats away. Dora was looking fully at Minnie Sanderson with wide open
eyes and a flush mounting to her cheeks.
"Oh, so you've arrived!" cried Dick cheerily, but his voice had a
catch in it. Somehow he felt guilty, he could not tell why.
"Yes, here we are," answered Nellie.
"And what a crowd!" added Grace. Dora said not a word. She had stopped
looking at Minnie and her eyes were directed to nothing at all on the
football field.
"Well, Dora, are you going to wish me success?" asked Dick, bound to
say something.
"Oh, I guess all your lady friends will wish you that," was the answer
in a voice that did not seem like Dora's at all.
"Why, what's the matter?" he asked in a low voice meant only for her
ears.
"Nothing."
"But there is, Dora."
"You had better go down to the field now. I see the other players are
getting ready."
"But if you are angry at me--"
"Oh, I am not angry, so please leave me alone!" And now Dora turned
still further away, while something like tears began to spring into
her eyes.
Dick drew back, for her tone of voice nettled him. He felt he had done
nothing wrong. He did not see that look in her eyes, or he would have
understood how much she was hurt. He turned, nodded pleasantly to
Nellie and Grace, and hurried from the grandstand.
"Where have you been?" asked Tom when he appeared in the
dressing-room.
"Up on the stand, talking to the girls," was Dick's short answer.
"Anything wrong? You look out of sorts."
"No, nothing is wrong," answered the oldest Rover. But he felt that
there was something my much wrong, yet he could not tell Tom.
"I didn't do anything out of the way, I'm sure I didn't," Dick
murmured to himself as he prepared to go out on the gridiron. "Any
gentleman would have found a seat for Miss Sanderson. I suppose Dora
saw me talking to her, and now she imagines all sorts of things. It
isn't fair. Well, I don't care." And Dick whistled to himself, just to
keep up his courage. He did care a great deal.
At last he was ready, and he followed Tom out on the field. The Roxley
team had just come out, and their friends were giving them a royal
welcome.
"Roxley! Roxley!" they shouted. "They are the boys to win!"
"It's Brill this time!" was the answering rally, and then horns and
rattles added to the din, while banners were waved gaily in the
bracing autumn air.
Dick looked toward the grandstand, trying to single out Dora. Instead,
his eyes met those of Minnie Sanderson, and she waved both her banner
and her handkerchief. He answered the salute, and then turned to look
where Dora and the Lanings were sitting. Nellie and Grace, as well as
Sam, cheered him, but Dora took no notice. But she waved her flag at
Tom.
This last action made Dick's heart sink, figuratively speaking, to his
shoes. How could a fellow hope to play and win with his girl cutting
him like that? But then of a sudden he shut his teeth hard.
"I'll win even if she doesn't care," he told himself. "I'll not do it
for her, or myself--I'll do it for the honor of Brill!"