Читать книгу Dick Merriwell's Assurance; Or, In His Brother's Footsteps - Burt L. Standish - Страница 6

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It was a hard game to lose, and the Fardale boys felt pretty sore over it. Not a few blamed Dick for not putting Arlington out earlier in the fatal seventh. It was generally admitted that Fardale would have won had Flint heard Dick’s cry to Jolliby as he was running after that long fly.

Among the cadets, there were a few fellows who seemed to feel well satisfied over the result, although they took care not to let this be generally known.

Hector Marsh found it difficult to repress his pleasure and pretend to be regretful. To Preston he secretly said:

“If I had planned that game it couldn’t have pleased me better. Arlington got his bumps and was taken out by Merriwell, and then Merriwell lost the game. Two mighty idols have tottered a little this day. You bet your life Arlington is sore!”

“I know he is,” nodded Preston. “Any one could see that when he went to the bench.”

“He will hate Merriwell for taking him out.”

“I don’t think Merriwell did it on his own responsibility. I saw Day speak to him.”

“That won’t make any difference to Arlington; he will be just as sore with Dick.”

In truth Chester was in bad humor. Having pulled on his sweater, he refused to accompany the rest of the team to the gymnasium when they retired there to bathe and change their clothes. He watched for his sister and her companions as they came down from the grand stand, and joined them.

“Well, what do you think?” he asked, with a sneering smile on his face. “Wasn’t that a fine game?”

“Oh, Chester, I am awfully sorry!” exclaimed June. “It was too bad!”

“Well, I am not sorry. I am glad of it! If those fellows had supported me right through the game the way they started off we might have won in a walk.”

“Just what I said,” agreed Zona. “I knew I was right about it!”

Seeing the mood her brother was in, June said nothing to arouse him further. As they left the grounds they found Mrs. Arlington’s carriage, with a driver on the seat, waiting outside.

“Come, girls,” said June; “there is room for all of us.”

Doris, however, who was on the verge of shedding tears over the game, was anxious to get away by herself, and declared she meant to make a short cut to Lakeside Academy.

“I will go with you,” said Zona. And they started off while Chester was helping his sister into the carriage.

Arlington did not permit them to go far alone, for he hastened to overtake them, expressing his desire to accompany them.

“We don’t need any one,” said Doris, immediately feeling sorry she had not accepted June’s invitation.

“You can’t be sure about that,” said Chet. “You have to go through the woods, and there are tramps in this vicinity.”

“I am glad you’re going along with us,” said Zona. “I told the girls you were not being supported. They couldn’t seem to see it that way, but I knew it.”

“Oh! June doesn’t know much about baseball, anyway,” said Chet. “She couldn’t tell whether I was getting proper support or not. But I think even Miss Templeton will acknowledge that Merriwell wasn’t supported. Look how those two chumps ran into each other and lost that fly.”

“That was too bad,” confessed Doris, in a low tone. “I think Dick would have saved the game but for that.”

Arlington laughed.

“Why didn’t he leave me in the box?” he cried. “It would have been just as well, and it might have been better. I could have stopped that streak just as well as he did. After putting me in to pitch this kind of a game, it was up to him to let me finish it.”

“Did he ask you to pitch?” inquired Doris.

“Of course he did! I didn’t want to pitch that game. I knew what I was going against. He didn’t want to pitch it, either, and that’s why he put me in.”

“You can’t mean that he was afraid to pitch this game?”

Chet shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t know what you call it. If he wasn’t afraid, why didn’t he pitch it? He’s ready enough to pitch a game he thinks he can win.”

“Now, that’s just what I said,” cried Zona. “I thought it strange he should put you in to pitch such a game, when he thinks himself the greatest pitcher in the school.”

“Well, you know he is a fine pitcher!” flashed Doris. “Every one knows that.”

“Oh, of course, of course!” laughed Chester. “But he’s got brains enough to know when he is outclassed. Those chaps are professionals. What makes me tired is the fact that every one seems to think Mr. Merriwell perfect in every respect. I don’t pretend to be perfect myself. I have one or two faults, and he has his. For one thing, he talks too much to fellows he is friendly with. I could tell you something that would interest you, Doris.”

“Me?”

“Yes, indeed!”

“Why, what could you tell me?”

“Oh, never mind,” said Chet tantalizingly. “You think he is all right. I won’t say anything about it.”

Doris flushed.

“Do you mean to insinuate that he has been talking about me?” she asked.

“I won’t say another word,” declared Arlington, shaking his head. “I didn’t meanmean to say that much.”

At the same time he winked slyly at Zona.

They walked on in silence, Doris having grown pale. After a time she suddenly turned to Chester, saying:

“I don’t think it right for you to insinuate anything without making an explanation. You ought to tell me what you meant.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” he declared. “Forget it!”

But it was not easy for Doris to forget, and when they came to the rustic bridge over Ripple Brook she paused there, looking down into the water.

Behind Doris’ back Chet made a signal to Zona, who did not understand it at first; but she finally drew aside.

Arlington leaned his elbows on the rail close beside Doris, speaking in a low tone.

“Do you want me to tell you the truth?” he asked. “Do you want me to tell you just what Dick Merriwell said?”

“I don’t believe he said anything.”

“All right; we will let it drop.”

But, girllike, Doris’ curiosity was aroused, and she felt a strong desire to hear what Arlington seemed willing to tell.

“If he did say anything, go ahead and tell me,” she finally urged. “But don’t tell me anything save the truth.”

“No danger that I will do that,” he asserted, with an air of apparent sincerity. “Of course, you met Dick first and were friends with him before my sister came to Fardale. I have heard all about it. I know the whole business. I know, too, that you and Hal Darrell were pretty good friends before Dick interfered between you.”

“He never interfered.”

“Well, that’s what I have heard. Why, a fellow at school told me that Merriwell himself said he cut Darrell out with you.”

Again the girl’s cheeks blazed.

“I don’t believe he said it,” she indignantly declared.

“Well, that’s the talk at school. They say he brags about it to his friends. He claims he can get any girl stuck on him if he tries.”

“Somebody has been lying about him.”

“If that is true, how do the boys know that your father and Hal’s father, who were great chums, put it up to make a match between you when you were old enough? Who told that? Isn’t that one of the secrets you told Dick Merriwell yourself?”

Doris refused to answer. Her heart was beating furiously and she felt herself trembling a little.

“Miss Templeton,” Chet went on, “I don’t like to see you deceived by any fellow. You ought to know by this time that Dick Merriwell thinks more of my sister than he does of any one else. I will tell you what I have heard that he has said about this affair. He has told his friends that he hoped you would let him alone and take up with Darrell again.”

Quick as a flash, Doris straightened up, her eyes full of fire.

“Whoever has said such a thing, Chester Arlington, has lied,” she blazed.

Again he shrugged his shoulders.

“Perhaps they have,” he admitted. “I am only repeating the gossip of the school.”

“Well, I wish to hear no more of it. I wish you to let me alone. Come, Zona!”

Doris stamped her foot.

“You will leave us this minute!” she cried. “You pretend to be a gentleman. If you are you will not force yourself on us any more!”

“Oh, very well,” smiled Chester. “Sometime you won’t feel this way toward me. Good day!”

He lingered on the bridge and watched the girls as they climbed the path and disappeared into the budding woods. Zona turned to look back and waved her hand at him, to which he replied in like manner. When they had vanished, he muttered:

“The seed is planted; we will see what it grows into. I will win by fair means or foul!”