CHAPTER XXI

MR. PENNIMORE CONSENTS

“There was only two or three minutes left and we knew if we missed a score that time Brewer would kick and we wouldn’t be able to get back again. So Alf Loring--he’s the fellow I wrote about last week, and he’s quarter-back on the First--called for a ‘one man’ forward pass and gave me the chance. It worked beautifully and Capes made a dandy throw over the line and right into my arms. I had only about ten yards to go and so that was easy enough. But the fellows think I won the game for them and are awfully tickled about it. Of course it wasn’t any more me than it was Capes and Loring and the other fellows who made it possible for me to get the ball and make the touchdown, but it’s nice having the fellows like you, even if you don’t deserve it.

“It was a hard old game and a lot of us got bunged up, but not badly, except the fellow who played quarter for us most of the game. His name is Clapp. He got tackled hard by a big Brewer player and had to go off. But nobody thought much about it until we got home and the doctor looked him over. Now they say he’s got a fracture or a displacement or something of some little bone in his spine and he’s out of the game for the rest of the season and will have to be put in splints or a plaster cast or whatever it is they do to you. That leaves us in a bad way, for if anything should happen to Loring we’d be in a pickle. Payson is going to take King, the Second Team quarter, on to the First as substitute, but King has never played much and hasn’t had experience like Loring and Clapp. That leaves us without a good quarter to run the Second, and I guess we’ll be pretty easy the rest of the season.

“I got out of the Brewer game with only a bunged-up eye. It’s pretty sore but it doesn’t amount to anything. A Brewer chap gouged me with his elbow, I think. If you read this part to mother tell her that the Brewer game is the _only rough one we have_ and that even if I should get into the Broadwood game, which isn’t likely, _I won’t get hurt_.

“I’m having a dandy time now. The fellows are awfully nice and I like the place first-rate. Tubby Jones and I are getting on real well together. He isn’t so bad when you understand him. His friends are worse than he is. There’s a fellow named Hiltz who is a great chum of Tubby’s and I can’t stand him at all. He comes from New York City and to hear him talk you’d think there wasn’t another city in the country.

“I’m going to the Pennimore’s for luncheon again to-day. They are awfully nice folks and Mr. Pennimore treats me just as if I was one of the family. It’s been very jolly having them to visit. Tell Mae that the dog is all right. He didn’t get burned at all. He’s a fine old fellow and he and I are great friends. I think he likes me almost as well as he does Gerald. I’m getting on pretty well with my studies, although I’m rather busy nowadays with football. After the Broadwood game I’ll have more time. I’m not shirking anything, though; they won’t let you do that here. Wednesday I’m going to the Cambridge Society with Alf Loring. He’s going to introduce me to the fellows. He says the best fellows in school belong to Cambridge. Now I must stop and get ready for Sound View. Give lots of love to mother and Mae. I’m getting sort of shy of cash, so when you write you had better let me have a small advance on my December allowance. With much love, DAN.

“P. S. It snowed here last night, not much but enough to cover the ground. Now it is warm and sunny again and the snow is almost gone. They say it gets very cold here in February.”

Dan had been excused from church attendance on account of the injury sustained in yesterday’s game. It was only a black eye--although Loring declared that it was green and purple and red instead of black--but there was a bandage around it and Dan didn’t consider himself presentable enough for church. So he had put in the time writing to his father. As he had the room to himself and a vast quiet reigned over the dormitory he had been able to scrawl off twelve pages without difficulty. But the only portion of the letter of interest to us was that quoted. After he had finished his exciting post-script he sealed and addressed the letter and got ready for his visit to Sound View.

He dropped the letter into the box in front of Oxford and then went swinging down the hill, across the bridge and into the woods. Gerald and he had contrived a short cut by loosening two of the palings in the fence back of the stables. It was a tight squeeze, but you could make it all right if you didn’t care much what happened to your buttons. Mr. Pennimore and Gerald had not yet returned from church, said the butler when Dan reached the house, but would be back in a few moments. So Dan found a warm, sunny corner of the terrace and perched himself on the balustrade and swung his feet and whistled until the car came into sight down the avenue.

“That’s one thing that’s the matter with Gerald,” said Dan to himself with a disapproving shake of his head. “He rides around too blamed much in that automobile. He’d be a lot better if he did more walking.” Then he jumped down and went to meet his hosts at the steps.

“Dan, Dan, what do you think?” cried Gerald as he leaped out of the car. Dan shook his head smilingly as he gave his hand to Mr. Pennimore.

“I’m going to Yardley! Father’s consented! And I’m going right away!”

“Well, not exactly,” corrected his father pleasantly.

“After Christmas, Dan! Isn’t that bully?”

“Fine!” answered Dan bewilderedly. He looked at Mr. Pennimore for corroboration. That gentleman nodded his head.

“Yes,” he said as he climbed the terrace steps, “I thought I might as well give in now as later. You are a determined antagonist, Dan, and a graceful surrender is better than a humiliating defeat.”

“You couldn’t find a tutor!” crowed Gerald.

“Well, that’s true, too,” laughed his father. “Perhaps that’s the principal reason, Dan. That and the fact that I shall be abroad for two months in the latter part of the winter. If I take Gerald with me he will miss a good deal of schooling, and if I leave him at home in New York I’ll be worried about him all the time I’m away. It’s pretty bad being a hen with one chicken, Dan. So I concluded that I’d let Gerald go to Yardley when the new term begins. If it’s possible I want you and he to get a room together, or a couple of rooms, whatever’s best. I’ll go up and have a talk with Doctor Hewitt in the morning.”

“And we’re going to stay on here over Christmas, until school begins,” cried Gerald. “Isn’t that great?”

“I’m awfully glad,” said Dan sincerely. “You won’t have to bother about Gerald if you leave him at Yardley, sir. I’ll look after him as much as I can, and I’ll get him into our Society and introduce him to the best fellows.”

“Thanks, Dan, that’s what I want you to do,” said Mr. Pennimore. “Keep an eye on him and--well, I don’t want you to fight his battles for him, Dan, but maybe you can keep him out of some mischief.”

“Anyhow,” laughed Dan, “our buildings are all made of stone or brick and don’t burn easily!”

During luncheon Gerald refused to allow the conversation to roam for a single instant from the great topic and it was discussed and rediscussed from soup to finger bowls. Afterwards there was a lazy hour in the library during which Mr. Pennimore nodded over his book and Gerald exhibited his stamp collection. Then the touring car rolled up to the door and there followed a glorious trip that took them for miles and miles along the edge of the Sound in the genial afternoon sunlight and brought them home again as the twilight fell.

After supper that Sunday evening Alf Loring came up to Dan’s room for a visit. Tubby and Jake Hiltz were present when he arrived and Tubby at once began to be unpleasant.

“I didn’t suppose you were speaking to common folks now, Loring,” said Tubby with a grin. “I’m real flattered.”

“What’s flattered you?” asked Loring cheerfully.

“Why, you speaking to me,” answered Tubby. “You’re the whole thing on the team now, aren’t you?”

Loring frowned but kept his temper.

“Pretty much, thank you, Tubby,” he said. “I believe there are several other fellows on it, but I never pay any attention to them; except Vinton here. Vinton’s our forward pass expert and something of a hero just at present. I have to be condescending to him.”

“I thought so,” sneered Tubby. Hiltz grinned maliciously.

Dan took the conversation in hand and he and Loring talked football for awhile, the others listening and finding nothing to say. But Tubby wasn’t one to remain long in silence when he could think of anything unpleasant. And presently,

“Say, Loring, I suppose you’ll be captain next year, won’t you?”

Loring flushed and bit his lip.

“Shut up, Tubby!” said Dan angrily. “Don’t be an ass!”

“Me? Oh, I beg pardon, I’m sure,” said Tubby with simulated concern. “Loring seemed to be making a hard try for it, and I thought--”

Loring jumped up, reached across the desk and slapped Tubby’s face. It wasn’t exactly a love-pat, nor did it sound like one. In striving to get out of reach Tubby went over backward in his chair and lay, feet in the air, a much surprised, very angry and exceedingly eloquent youth. But Loring put a stop to his remarks.

“You’re a beastly little cad, Tubby,” flared Loring, “and for two cents I’d drop you out of the window. If you say anything like that to me again I’ll lick you till you can’t stand on your fat feet!”

He went to the door, turned and smiled deprecatingly at Dan.

“Good-night,” he said. “I’ll see you to-morrow. Sorry you’re hitched to such a silly ass. Come and see me.” He nodded to Hiltz and went out.

Tubby’s subsequent remarks weren’t fit for publication until Dan put an end to them.

“You deserved all you got, Tubby,” he said disgustedly. “If you can’t behave decently to my friends when they visit me you had better find another room.”

“Your friend!” jeered Tubby. “A fine friend he is! You wait until after the big game, Dan; he won’t recognize you then when he meets you! Besides, this is more my room than it is yours. If you don’t like my company you can get out yourself!”

“Well, I’m thinking of it seriously, Tubby,” answered Dan quietly. Tubby stared with open mouth, started to say something, thought better of it and turned to Jake Hiltz.

“You’re a nice chum, you are!” he sputtered. “Why didn’t you smash him?”

“Why didn’t you?” asked Hiltz with wounded dignity.

“Because I couldn’t get up, that’s why! But I’ll get him yet! You wait and see! No fellow can hit me and not get what’s coming to him! You wait and see what happens to Mr. Bully Loring! You--”

“Oh, cut it out, Tubby,” said Dan wearily. “You know you wouldn’t dare make a face at him!”

“Wouldn’t I? You’ll see what I dare! Come on, Jake, and let’s get out of here. Vinton wants to write an apology to Loring for my impoliteness in not getting up and letting him kick me!”

They went out, Tubby banging the door behind him. Dan sighed, and then, recalling the picture presented by Tubby with his feet in the air, laughed.

It is well to laugh while one may.