Chapter 14

RIPLEY FALLS INVADES THE TOWN.

The story of Grant Mackerly's attempt to place a boycott on Alan soon leaked out among the boys, and great was the merriment it aroused at the Hall.

In the ridicule and disgust which the incident produced the prestige of the rich man's son was lost forever. No one pitied him. It was all his own fault, and even his quondam friends deserted him, while his appearance would have been the signal for a universal grin.

Strange to say, he had not been seen at the Hall since he had made that proposition to Archer and Shriver, and now a couple of days had passed and no sign of him.

He did not respond to his name either in the assembly or recitation-rooms, and Doctor Bostwick began to think something was wrong.

He summoned Lewis Archer one day in passing and asked him if he could call at the Mackerly residence and obtain some news of the missing boy.

"I am afraid that he is ill," said the good principal, "or something unusual has happened to him. I have never known him to have been absent for so long a time without sending in an excuse or asking for leave."

Archer called that very afternoon at the house on the hill, and, after repeated ringings, Mrs. Weldon, Grant's aunt, came to the door.

"What's become of Grant?" asked Archer. "Doctor Bostwick sent me up to inquire about his absence. He's been away from the Hall for three days."

"Yes, I know he has," answered Mrs. Weldon; "but please tell Doctor Bostwick I don't know the reason for his absence, except that one day he came home and said he was too ill to stay at school, and the day before yesterday he borrowed some money from me and went to Buffalo, where his uncle lives. I hope Doctor Bostwick will be patient with him. His father is away, too, and won't return till over a week."

"Well," cogitated Lewis, as he carried this information to the doctor, "that's very satisfactory, I must say. I wonder what Doctor Bostwick will think?"

The principal of Whipford Hall looked puzzled as Archer related to him the account of Mackerly's whereabouts, but said nothing except, "I will communicate with Grant's father on his return," and thanked his schoolmate for the call he had made and bowed him out.

When the examination took place, Grant Mackerly was still absent, and it was understood that no word had been received from either himself or his father.

As a consequence he was dropped to the foot of the class, and a poor report was sent to his home.

Alan was overjoyed to find that he was very near the head, and still more so when he saw the accounts of his progress in study which was to be sent to Beniah Evans. The principal complimented him on his good work, and hoped he would keep it up.

Alan inwardly resolved to do so, and remit no exertion which would cause him to forge to the front at Whipford.

It was now the first week of November, and he had been at the Hall for nearly two months and was getting along famously with both the pupils and teachers.

As far as his intimacy with Cole, Taft and Kimball was concerned, it continued with unabated ardor and remained unbroken. The four of them conned their studies over to each other in their rooms, and Alan got many an idea from the older and more experienced genius of King Cole.

As for football, they were the backbone of the team, and many a new trick in the game was invented by one of them as they sat together in the autumn nights over the sputtering lamp.

By the boys of the school they came to be known as the "Big Four," and it was to them that every one looked to uphold the honor of the Hall, both in study and athletics.

The team kept on practicing with persistent regularity, and the interest in the championship, which had somewhat abated after the Jamesville game, now began to arouse, for the Ripley Falls contest was at hand.

For three weeks the eleven had had a holiday, and played no heavy games except on two occasions, when a delegation from the Whipford Athletic Club had given them a sample of hard playing, and, sad to say, beaten them on both meetings. It was no wonder, though, for their team was composed of full-grown young men, some of whom had been to college and all of whom were in business or lived in the neighborhood.

It was no disgrace to be defeated by such good material, and while the Hall team went into the fight with no expectation of winning, they came out with a great stock of experience and many new points. It was a good practice to them, and a couple of the Athletic Club players took their eleven in hand and coached them for a whole week. Every boy was developing into a fine all-around player.

One Saturday afternoon in the middle of November, on a dull and chilly day, the team from the High School at Ripley Falls came over with a full complement of players, and the whole school to a boy following on their footsteps.

They were an enthusiastic but orderly crowd, and had the most implicit confidence in their team. In truth, their eleven deserved it, for they had met both Davenport and Jamesville and whipped those teams by good scores--the former by 16 to 4, the latter by 25 to 8, thus rendering their chances for the pennant null.

So far, they had won the same number of games as either the Whipford or Weston, and stood neck to neck with them in the race.

There was more uncertainty about to-day's game than any the Hall boys had yet played, but none of them would hear of defeat for an instant.

"What!" exclaimed Ike Smith, who was worked up to the shouting point, and who had heard one of the boys express a doubt as to the team's ability to win except by a stroke of luck. "What do you say? Our eleven be frozen out? I guess not, young fellow. Look at Cole, just coming out of the gymnasium. Why, he's cooler than most of us. There comes Heathcote now and Kimball, and there's Teddy Taft. Hooray for the Big Four! Come, fellows, let's give them a cheer."

The group of Hall boys whom Ike headed followed his instructions and gave the four players a rousing yell of encouragement, which was duly appreciated.

As the four made their way to the scene of the conflict, Percy's field, Ike and his company got together and marched up to the station, with the purpose of meeting the visitors.

When the train rolled in, carrying the High School boys, the latter, on alighting, were both surprised and pleased to see a whole line of Hall boys drawn up with military precision on the other side of the road, and saluting the newcomers with uplifted hands.

The fellows from Ripley Hall formed in twos in short order, and, escorted by their opponents, proceeded down the road to Percy's field. Ike Smith, who was in his element, led the procession, and his proud strut was something comical to see.

The appearance of the two contending factions in one parade was a surprise to the town's-people who had gathered to see the game, and they greeted the young collegians with applause.

After a few preliminary movements, the boys of the opposing schools settled in one place of their leaders' choosing, and waited for the contest to begin.

The grounds were in fair condition, and had been put in good order by a number of the boys the day before. They had been measured off under the supervision of Mr. Nicholson, so that the field was a perfect rectangle of three hundred and thirty feet in length by one hundred and sixty in width, the five-yard lines and bounds being marked with streaks of lime, so that there could be no mistaking them.

Some of the boys had borrowed a roller from Mr. Percy, and by dint of much work had succeeded in leveling the field and pressing down the uneven spots. Although it was a fair place for playing, and, as the small field directly back of the Hall could not be utilized, this was of very good service. Unlike the Davenport grounds there was no stand, and the spectators moved from one end of the field to the other, keeping pace with the players. As the boys would rather stand than sit, it made no difference to them, and the majority of the others had vehicles in which they stood to view the play.

"Oh, if we only had the athletic grounds!" remarked Archer, who was gotten up in the height of fashion and carried a cane on which was a yard or so of blue ribbon. "That's the place for a game."

"It costs too much," replied Ike, "and we can't very well charge an admission."

"They're fine grounds and no mistake," said another. "But here come the teams. Little Dick Percy is running ahead."

In another moment the two elevens had vaulted the rails and burst into the grounds amid the cheers of their respective schoolmates.