Chapter 14

"HARDTACK" RALLY

"Well," commented Fred, as they made their way toward the bus which was filling up rapidly, "I'm glad that he's the exception and not the rule. A very little of him will go a good way with me."

"Yes, that's a case where 'enough is plenty,'" assented Granger.

The Rushton boys' bags were slung into a wagon standing alongside the bus and their trunks followed. Then the lads took the only seats remaining in the bus, the door slammed to and they were on their way to Rally Hall. The students inside were in high spirits, and as the Rushton boys looked around at their companions they were ready to believe Melvin Granger's statement that they were all around good fellows. Brown as berries from their summer outings, full of the zest of living, their bright eyes and boisterous laughter showed that they were kindred spirits to the newcomers.

"I don't see our grouchy friend here with the rest," Fred remarked, as he looked around.

"Not with the common herd," grinned Melvin. "There he goes now," as they heard the honk of a horn, and an automobile swept by, leaving a cloud of dust behind it.

In the driver's seat, holding the wheel, was their acquaintance of the train, while slumped down beside him was a smaller youth, with little, shifting eyes and a retreating chin.

The fellows in the bus looked at each other understandingly.

"Andy and his valet," one of them remarked.

"Yes," replied Granger, to the unspoken question in the eyes of the brothers, "he's got an auto of his own. Keeps it in a garage down in the village."

"To tell the truth," he went on, "that's half the trouble with Shanks. He has more money than is good for him. His father's a millionaire they say--got a big woolen mill somewhere down in Massachusetts. But if he knows how to make money, he doesn't know how to bring up a boy. Andy's the only son, and his father lets him have all the money he wants, and doesn't ask him what he does with it. He's always been allowed to have his own way, and it's only natural that he should think he owns the earth. And that's one of the reasons he wanted to have four seats to himself in the train this morning, even if some one else had to stand."

"One of the reasons, you say. What are the others?" asked Fred.

"Well, I guess the others must be set down to Andy's unfortunate disposition," laughed Granger. "There are other fellows here who have rich fathers, but they're good fellows just the same."

"Was that really his valet who was in the auto with him?" asked Teddy.

"No," replied Melvin, with a smile, "that's only the name the fellows gave to Sid Wilton. He plays second fiddle to Shanks. He's always at his beck and call, and ready to fetch and carry for him. He jumps through the hoop and rolls over and plays dead whenever Andy gives the word.

"But here we are now," the other youth went on, as the bus turned from the road into a broad avenue, shaded by elms and maples. "Behold, gentlemen and fellow citizens," he jested, "the far-famed institution of learning known as Rally Hall!"

The boys leaned out eagerly to see what would be their home for many months to come.

Before them rose a massive building, three stories in height, made of pressed brick and with white granite facings. A wing at right angles to the main building on each side, gave it the form of three sides of a square.

A wide flight of stone steps led to the main floor, which was devoted to class rooms and the offices of the institution. On the second floor were the dormitories, varying in size, and containing from eight to twelve beds each. The rooms of the principal and teachers occupied the greater part of the third floor, while a section in the left wing was set apart for the janitor and the other employees of the school.

Before the building stretched a large campus, covering several acres. Most of it was lawn, although it was interspersed with bits of woodland. On one side of it was a large frame building, used as a gymnasium, and immediately adjoining was the athletic field. This was very large and was kept in superb condition. There were a number of tennis courts, but the major part was reserved for baseball and football. A full-sized diamond was surrounded with smooth turf that shone like green velvet, though browning a little in places under the September sun. A half mile running track encircled the whole field.

Directly in front of the Hall, at the foot of the gently sloping campus, lay Lake Morora. It was about two miles in length by three-quarters of a mile wide and was dotted by several tiny islands. It was the most beautiful body of water the boys had ever beheld, and they fell in love with it at once.

"My! isn't it a peach?" murmured Teddy.

"It sure does make a hit with me!" agreed Fred emphatically.

"It's a dandy, all right," was Granger's comment, "and the fellows have no end of fun on it. But come along now," he added. "You'll have plenty of time later on to ask 'what are the wild waves saying?' But just at present, we'd better hunt up old Hardtack."

"Hardtack?" asked Fred wonderingly.

"Sure!" grinned Granger, "the boss of this shebang."

"Oh!" exclaimed Fred, a light breaking in upon him, "you mean Dr. Hardach Rally?"

"Dr. Hardach Rally," said Melvin, with mock solemnity, "is the very man I mean.

"Naturally," he went on, "I don't call him 'Hardtack' to his face. It wouldn't be exactly healthy to do it."

"Hardtack," chuckled Teddy. "Wouldn't Uncle Aaron have a fit if he knew the fellows called him that?"

"The name fits pretty well, too, I guess," laughed Fred. "From what we've heard, he must be a terror."

"Oh, I don't know," rejoined Granger. "He isn't exactly a cooing dove in disposition, and if a fellow tries any monkey business, he comes down on him like a thousand of brick. Still, he's not such a bad kind after all. He's pretty severe, and he won't stand for a shirk or a crook. But if a fellow's white and tries to do the square thing, he'll get along and not find Hardtack too hard to digest."

By this time they had mounted the steps, and Granger, who had taken an instant liking to the boys and had made himself their "guide, philosopher and friend," led the way to the private office of the head of Rally Hall.

A gruff "come in" was the answer to his knock, and they entered the study.

It was a large square room with a polished hardwood floor. Behind the flat mahogany desk sat Dr. Hardach Rally.

He was lean and spare and above middle height. He wore a pair of horn spectacles through which peered a keen, uncompromising pair of eyes. He gave the impression of a stern man, but nevertheless a just one.

"Good afternoon, Granger," he said stiffly, and his eyes rested inquiringly on the two boys.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Rally," replied Granger. "These friends of mine are Fred and Teddy Rushton. I met them at the railroad station."

Dr. Rally shook hands with the newcomers and asked them to be seated. Then Granger excused himself and with a whispered "see you later" hurried from the room.