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Read Ebook: The high school rivals by Webster Frank V
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Ebook has 1657 lines and 42110 words, and 34 pages
"Well, I don't know about his athletic standing, but I do know I don't like Mr. Montgomery's eyes," rejoined the latter; "he can't look you in the face."
This dispute had passed unnoticed in the welcoming of Bart. As he took his seat in the center of the Second Form students, Lefty exclaimed:
"Now we're all back."
"Not yet," returned Buttons.
"Who's missing?"
"Fred Markham."
"Oh, he'll not be back," sneered Bart Montgomery.
"Why?" chorused several of the boys, while all the others gathered closer.
"You know his father failed, don't you?" demanded Bart.
"Sure," said Buttons, "but how does that affect Fred?"
"He can win the Second Form Scholarship in Science--that'll give him cash enough, if he's short of money," protested another.
"Oh, it isn't lack of rocks that will keep him away," asserted Bart contemptuously.
"Then what will?" persisted Buttons.
All the former students who had returned to Baxter were aware that a rivalry had sprung up the previous year between Fred Markham and Bart Montgomery, due to the former's increasing ability, both in his studies and in athletics, which threatened to wrest the Form leadership from Bart. But they had supposed it to be an honest, schoolboy rivalry, and the tone in which Bart spoke of Fred surprised them.
As both boys were popular, they had many followers among their own and the Third Form students, and unconsciously these divided, Fred's supporters gathering about Buttons, who was championing their absent leader, the others about Bart.
Noticing that he had by far the most numerous following, Bart's pride got the better of his discretion and he retorted:
"If you want to know so much, I'll tell you. You know some men fail in order to make money."
"You mean Fred Markham's father failed dishonestly?" demanded Buttons.
So pointed was the insinuated accusation that, young people though they were, the other students realized its seriousness, and with solemn faces awaited Bart's reply.
The attention of all the scholars hanging upon the answer, none of them had noticed the approach of a well-built, manly young fellow, whose open, honest face and frank blue eyes were in striking contrast to the crafty, though handsome, features of Bart. As a result, the late-comer had reached the edge of the crowd just as Bart exclaimed:
"That's just what I mean. My father was the principal creditor. So I guess I know."
At these words there was a sharp intaking of breath by the divided groups, and Buttons retorted:
"I don't believe it. Fred Markham's father is an honest man."
"Thank you, Buttons," exclaimed a strained voice.
At the words, all eyes were turned in the direction whence they came, and as the boys recognized the speaker, shouts of "Here's Fred! Hello, Cotton-Top! Now say that to his face, you Bart!" filled the air.
"Who said my father was dishonest?" demanded Fred.
"Bart did!" chorused several.
Striding to where the calumniator stood, Fred looked straight in his face.
"Did you say my father was dishonest?"
But the accuser did not have the courage to say in the presence of the son what he had said in his absence, despite the fact that he overtopped Fred by a good two inches, and temporized:
"I said there was something queer about your father's failure. My father said so."
"What do you mean?" snarled Bart.
"Anything you want to think," returned Fred.
Drawing back his right hand, Bart hissed:
"I'll teach you to say things about my father, you puppy! Even before yours failed mine could buy him and sell him."
"Because your father had more money doesn't make mine dishonest," retorted Fred, squaring himself to ward off the expected blow.
But before it could be delivered, a stern voice exclaimed:
"Boys, what does this mean?"
"The Head! The Head!" gasped several of the onlookers, and like magic the crowd of students melted away, leaving Mr. Vining, for it was the principal of the school, with Fred and Bart. A moment he gazed from one to the other of the lads.
"Second Formers should set an example of good behavior, not bad," he said. "Bart, come to my office at once. Fred, I shall expect you at the end of thirty minutes."
FACING SUSPENSION
From behind trees and other points of vantage, scores of eyes had watched the headmaster, as, silent and with the gentle dignity that endeared him to his students, he entered the school building, followed by the unwilling Bart.
The town of Baxter would never have been distinguished from countless other prosperous country villages had it not been for the High School. And Mr. Vining's personality had made that institution what it was--the best in the county.
Never for an instant did the headmaster forget that he had once been a boy himself, wherefore he had been able to look with indulgence upon the harmless pranks of the lads and girls under his charge. It had been his good fortune to attract assistants who held the same general ideas, and, as a result, the one hundred and twenty pupils in the school were more like a big, happy family than anything else.
For the most part, the students lived in Baxter, but each year saw more and more scholars come from other towns.
Due to his understanding of young people, Mr. Vining had established the policy of allowing them to settle their differences themselves, only interfering in cases of unusual seriousness.
But fighting in public was tabooed--and because they knew this, the students had fled when his unheralded arrival had put a stop to the quarrel between Fred and Bart.
No sooner had he disappeared within the building, however, than the scholars emerged from their hiding places.
Swarming about Fred, they looked at him like one about to receive condign punishment.
"You're a nice one, you are, to get Bart in trouble on the very first day of school," came from the lad called Taffy.
"Then he shouldn't have said such things about my father," retorted Fred.
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