TOM TO THE RESCUE
While the car is speeding back to Elmwood Hall, bearing Tom and his
chums, and while our hero is endeavoring to bear up under the strain
of the unexpected and bad news that came to him, I will take the
opportunity to tell you something more about him and his friends.
As related in the first book of this series, entitled “Tom Fairfield’s
Schooldays,” the reason why he went to Elmwood Hall was because his
father and mother had to go to Sydney, Australia, to settle some
business affairs about a valuable property inheritance. They did not
want to take Tom with them, and so break up his schooling, so they
picked out Elmwood Hall for him to attend.
The same day that Tom received the news about going to boarding school
and heard that his parents were to start on a long trip, he met Bruce
Bennington, who had motored out to where Tom lived, in Briartown. Bruce
borrowed Tom’s boat for a row, and Tom was at once struck with the air
of trouble that brooded over the student--for Bruce let it be known
that he was a Senior at Elmwood Hall.
A little later, Tom started for the place of learning. Almost at the
outset he made an enemy of Sam Heller and his crony Nick Johnson. But
our hero also made friends, his chief one being Jack Fitch, with whom
he roomed in Opus Manor, the dormitory of the Freshmen.
Doctor Pliny Meredith was head master of Elmwood Hall, and among
the teachers was Dr. Livingston Hammond, a stout, jolly gentleman,
sometimes called the “Live Wire.” Doctor Meredith was known as “Merry,”
because, as Jack Fitch said, “he was so solemn,” though not at all grim
or forbidding.
There was also a certain Professor Burton Skeel, who was counted one
of the most unpleasant of instructors. It was he who had made trouble
for Bruce Bennington, in the matter of a forged promissory note, which
threatened to ruin the career of the Senior.
But Tom was able to help Bruce in an unexpected way, and get
possession of the note. The duplicity of Mr. Skeel was exposed, and
he left Elmwood Hall. Not before, however, he had been the cause of
considerable trouble.
His treatment of the students was so harsh that Tom proposed that they
go on “strike” against him, and refuse to enter his class room. They
did, Tom leading the revolt.
Our hero also led the escape from the school, when the whole Latin
division of the Freshman class was made prisoners. The boys intended to
desert to town, and stay there until Mr. Skeel was removed, but they
lost their way in a storm, and had to come back.
Tom, however, had prepared an effigy of the unpopular instructor, and
in the midst of a blinding snowstorm this effigy was burned on the flag
pole, Mr. Skeel trying in vain to stop the student’s fun.
Thus the strike was broken, and Tom and his chums won, a new Latin
instructor being engaged, and Doctor Meredith, though somewhat startled
by the curious revolt in his school, managed to get material from it
for a paper which he read before a very learned society.
But it was not all unpleasantness and strikes during Tom’s time at the
school. He had spreads, he took part in a big football game, and made a
sensational run, and he was champion of his class in the annual skating
race, though Sam Heller tried to trip him.
Mr. and Mrs. Brokaw Fairfield, Tom’s parents, had remained in Australia
ever since September, when they went there, to settle up the matter of
the property that had been left to them. Tom had spent the between-term
vacations with Jack Fitch, but the Easter one, his parents wrote him,
they wished him to spend with an aged aunt.
“And--and, maybe that’s the last letter I’ll ever get from them,”
thought our hero gloomily.
He was, as I have said, on his way back to the Hall from the theatrical
performance, when Jack Fitch had unexpectedly come upon the item of bad
news.
“Say, maybe this is nothing but a newspaper yarn,” suggested Bert
Wilson, for want of something better to say, after a period of tense
silence.
“I wish I could think so,” answered Tom gloomily. “But this paper is
a reliable one, and that cablegram came by the Associated Press. That
organization doesn’t send out false news very often.”
“But this may be just one of those occasions,” put in George. He was
not asking questions now. He, as well as the others, wanted to do all
they could for Tom, who was a general favorite in school.
“Well, of course, I’m going to hope so,” said our hero. “But that isn’t
going to stop me from doing things.”
“What is your plan?” asked Jack.
“I don’t just know. I want to find out about the truth of this dispatch,
if I can. I’m going to telegraph, or cablegraph--or--or, do something.”
“If we can do anything to help you, let us know,” suggested Bert.
“That’s right,” added George.
“My father has a lot to do with telegraph and cable companies,” said
Jack. “He has a brokerage office in New York. Maybe he could get some
information for you, by wire.”
“Perhaps he can,” agreed Tom. “I’ll ask him in the morning. Oh, I wish
it was morning now!”
It was rather a dejected group of students who quietly made their way
back into Elmwood Hall that night. Tom’s grief was like a pall over all
of them, and they would not have greatly minded if they had been caught
out after hours by some prowling monitor, or a late-staying professor.
But it was all too easy. They managed to get into the basement
unobserved, and Demy, the friendly and studious janitor, let the boys
into their corridor, whence they made their way to their rooms.
“By Jove, Tom, I wish I hadn’t bought that paper,” spoke Jack, as the
two chums were getting ready for bed.
“Nonsense! It wasn’t your fault, Jack; I’d have known it sooner or
later, and I’m glad to have it sooner. I can get busy quicker.”
“But even if the wreckage was found,” went on Tom’s chum, “that doesn’t
say that the _Kangaroo_ is lost. She may have been in a bad storm, and
some of her lifeboats may have been carried away. Why even if badly
damaged she could manage to keep afloat for a long time. A wooden ship
isn’t like a steel one, you know.”
“I suppose not. I’ll hope for the best.”
“And I’ll wire to dad for you the first thing in the morning,” promised
Jack.
Tom did not pass a very good night, sleeping only a little, and that
restlessly, and he was up early. So was Jack, and at the suggestion of
the latter they both obtained permission to go into town, and to absent
themselves from lectures that day.
“Of course, my dear lads, of course!” exclaimed Doctor Meredith
genially, when the case had been explained to him. “Do whatever you
think necessary. And I will help you all I can. I sincerely trust that
you will find the report unfounded, or, at least, that it is not as bad
as it seems.”
“Say, he’s all right, if he is a head master; isn’t he?” asked Jack,
as he and his chum were on their way to town, after an early breakfast
ahead of their class.
“He sure is. Skeel was the only thorn here, and he’s gone; thank
goodness!”
“I wonder where?”
“I don’t know. I heard he’d gone out west somewhere, changed his name,
and was trying to get a berth in a new school.”
The two lads made their way to a telegraph office, and, explaining
matters to the agent, he kindly offered to rush the messages for them.
Jack sent one to his father, requesting an answer as soon as possible.
“Now we’ll have to wait a bit,” suggested Jack. “Come on for a walk
around town.”
They were back at the office in a comparatively short time, however,
and waited there while the instruments nervously clicked off their
messages of cheer or sadness.
“Here comes one for you,” the operator suddenly said, and Tom stared
at the affairs of brass and rubber, vainly wishing that he could
understand the Morse code. Finally the agent handed over a moist slip.
“Sorry I have no good news for your chum,” Mr. Fitch wired his
son. “Have communicated with Sydney agency and they confirm
report. _Kangaroo_ may not be lost, but she is missing. Can I
do anything else?”
For a moment there was silence between Jack and Tom, and then the former
said:
“Well, it isn’t as bad as it might be. Only missing. She may be afloat,
and may limp into port. It will be hard waiting, though, for you, Tom.”
“But I’m not going to wait!” cried our hero.
“What?” asked Jack in surprise.
“I say I’m not going to wait for news. That’s the worst thing in the
world--waiting.”
“But what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to the rescue!” exclaimed Tom. “I’m going to quit school, go
to San Francisco, catch the first steamer I can for Australia, and hunt
up dad and my mother.”
“Great!” cried Jack. “By Jove, I wish I could go with you! When are you
going to start?”
“To-day, if I can get packed up. I’m off for Australia!”