CHAPTER I
IN TROUBLE
"We ought to be there pretty soon now; eh Frank?"
"Yes; the captain said it wasn't a very long trip, and we've been on this boat quite a while."
"I wonder what Riverview Hall looks like—what sort of a school it is?" and Andy Racer glanced at his older brother as they paced the deck of a river steamer that was plowing its way up a pleasant stream.
"I don't know, Andy," and Frank Racer seemed a bit puzzled. "It must be a good school, or dad and mother wouldn't have picked it out for us."
"Yet neither one of them saw the place before they decided on it," objected Andy with a smile on his pleasant face.
"Except that mother knew Dr. Wesley Doolittle, the principal, and she thought we needed to go to some quiet place, after the lively times we had this summer."
"Smoked lobsters!" exclaimed Andy. "I hope it's nottooquiet. I want to have some fun when I go off to boarding school. Say, Frank, see that man sleeping over there by the smokestack?" and the lad motioned in the direction.
"Yes, I see him. What of it?"
"I've got one of those rubber spiders in my pocket. You know, the kind that you dangle on a string. I'll sneak up behind him, and hold it over his head. Then you make a loud noise and he'll wake up. He'll have a fit when he sees a big bug about to fall on him. Come ahead," and Andy, who was always on the alert for fun or a joke, started toward the man.
"No, you don't!" exclaimed Frank quickly. "I've gotten into enough trouble with you and your jokes since we started from New York. You wait until you get to school before you try any more funny business. Have you forgotten how the lobster you wanted to nip Chet Sedley nipped you?"
"Wow! I should say not. But this trip is getting slow. I wish something would happen. Come on, let's go on the upper deck where we can see better. We may sight Riverview Hall."
"Oh, we'll see enough of that before we get through with it. But, Andy, I'm as anxious as you are to know what kind of a place it is, and I won't be sorry when we locate it. Come on; walking about is more fun than standing still."
The two boys, Frank Racer, aged about fifteen and his brother Andy, a year younger, who were on their way to boarding school for the first time in their lives, walked away together.
They had left their home in New York city early that morning, and after traveling some distance by train had boarded the steamer that was to take them to Riverview Hall, an institution of learning located on Halcyon river in the western part of New York state.
The boat was making fair time up the stream, which was a good sized one, and quite broad. As the craft made a turn, giving a good view for some distance up the river, Andy, who had taken a position well forward, on the upper deck, uttered a cry.
"See, Frank!" he exclaimed, catching his brother by the arm. "There's some sort of an academy or college, right on that point of land about a mile up. That's a dandy location. And say, it's a big school, too. There'd be lots of chance to have fun on the water there. I'll bet they have rowing races. Crackey! we'll have some sport!" and Andy began capering about on the deck.
Frank looked interested and gazed at the big, and evidently new college, or school, which they were rapidly approaching.
"If that's Riverview Hall," he said, "it's all right, and a better place than I expected. That doesn't look like a nice, quiet school though, such as mother thought she was picking out. But I'm going to ask some one."
"Oh, that's Riverview all right," Andy insisted. But Frank had turned aside, and was speaking to a gentleman who had approached the lads.
"Can you tell me, sir," asked the older lad, "if that is Riverview Hall? We expect to attend school there."
The gentleman looked to where Frank pointed.
"That," he replied with a smile, "is Waterside Hall. It is one of the best schools in this part of the country. It is not so very old, but there are more students than it can accommodate. It's a fine place. I have a boy going there," and he seemed very proud of the fact.
For a moment Andy and Frank were a little bit too disappointed to speak. Then Andy asked:
"Isn't Riverview Hall somewhere about here?"
"Oh, yes, about five miles farther up the river."
"Is that anything like—I mean what sort of a place is it?" and Frank anxiously waited for the reply.
The gentleman looked critically at the two lads.
"Riverview Hall," he said slowly, "well, it was a good school once, but now—" he paused and shrugged his shoulders. "It's old and out of date," he went on. "In fact it is fast losing what little prestige it had. It isn't to be compared with Waterside Hall. Nowthatis a school to be proud of!" and he waved his hand toward the group of buildings, surrounded by a green campus that came to the river's edge. The boat was just opposite it now.
"But Riverview Hall," the man added, "I wouldn't let a son of mine go there, and I wouldn't advise any one to go who wanted to be at a real, live, up-to-date school," and then, evidently forgetting that our heroes had remarked that they expected to attend Riverview Hall, the gentleman turned aside, unconscious of having said anything to cause the lads uneasiness.
Andy and Frank continued to gaze regretfully at the big new school they were passing. They could see groups of students—early term arrivals—running about, while another group of lads were just putting into the water a fine eight-oared shell.
"Did you hear what he said, Frank?" asked Andy in a low voice.
"Sure. I couldn't very well help it."
"Riverview Hall old and out-of-date," murmured Andy slowly.
"He wouldn't let a son of his go there," added Frank.
"And we're going as fast as the boat can take us," went on his younger brother with something like a groan. "Say, we're in for it now, for keeps! And see what we're missing." He waved his hand toward Waterside, which they were now leaving behind. "Why didn't dad and mother pick out that place for us?" he asked.
"Give it up," replied Frank. "It's too late now."
Almost despondent over the reputation that had been so unexpectedly given their prospective school, and yet hoping against hope that it might not turn out as badly as they expected, the lads went to a lower deck.
"Maybe that man didn't know what he was talking about," suggested Andy, when they had reached a quiet corner, just outside one of the small cabins.
"I'm afraid he did," said Frank. "He said he had a son going to Waterside, so he must live around here and he's probably acquainted. Well, we've got to make the best of it. I guess—"
But Frank did not finish what he was going to say. His words were interrupted by hearing a voice, evidently raised in anger, as this exclamation was audible:
"Well, I'll tell you one thing, Miss! That money has got to be paid, and that's all there is about it! If your mother can't pay it, then I look to you. I want my rights!" and there came a sound of a fist being banged down most emphatically on woodwork.
"Oh, sir! Can't you wait a little longer? You know we would pay you if we could. But we can't raise any cash on those securities, as we expected, or we—"
"That will do now, young lady. I've listened to enough excuses. I want my money, and if I don't get it I'll take means that you and your mother won't like. Do you hear me?"
Once more the fist was banged down. It was followed by a sound indicating unmistakably that a girl was sobbing. Andy and Frank looked at each other. Then they gazed in through the cabin door, near which they were standing, and saw a very pretty girl, about fourteen years of age, confronted by a tall, grizzled man, wearing a rusty black suit and a black string tie fastened around an old-fashioned collar. The man's countenance was in keeping with his clothes. He was smooth shaven, but his face was full of wrinkles. There were hard lines about his mouth, the corners of which were drawn down, while his eyes, which peered out from behind large spectacles, had shaggy, overhanging brows.
"Nice looking chap—not," murmured Andy.
"Hush!" whispered Frank. "Come away, it's none of our affair."
But, before they could move, the girl burst into such a fit of crying that the sympathies of both lads were aroused. The man and the girl were the only occupants of the cabin, and there was no one else near on the outside deck save Andy and Frank. The girl continued to sob pitifully, her face covered with her hands.
The man took her roughly by the arm. The girl raised her tear-stained face and indignantly pulled herself away. The man took a step toward her and the girl's face grew white with fear. She seemed about to scream.
"I can't stand this!" murmured Frank to Andy. "I'm going to help her in her trouble, whether it's our business or not."
"And I'm with you!" exclaimed Andy.
Frank stepped into the little cabin. The two occupants of it were too excited to notice him for a moment. Then the Racer lad said:
"Excuse me, Miss, but I see you are in trouble. Can I help you in any way? My brother and I would be very glad to. Is there anything we can do?"
The girl looked at the two lads gratefully, though in some surprise. There was a look of anger on the face of the crabbed man.
"I—I thank you very much," said the girl in a low voice. "I think that Mr. Callum forgot himself for a moment. He will not be guilty of such conduct again." She looked at him fearlessly. "It is very kind of you," she went on, addressing the lads, "but there is nothing you can do, thank you so much, though." She smiled through her tears; smiled at Frank, so Andy said afterward. "Mr. Callum will not annoy me again."
This seemed to be too much for the crabbed old man.
"Look here!" he cried in anger, addressing Frank and Andy. "What right have you got to interfere with me? This is none of your business."
"It's the business of every gentleman when a lady is in distress to try to help her," replied Frank quickly.
"Well, you mind your own affairs and let mine alone!" snarled the man. "I can attend to my own business. I'll settle matters with this young lady and perhaps in a manner she doesn't like. As for you young fellows, take my advice and don't interfere with me. I won't stand it! I tell you I won't stand it!"
He smote the palm of one hand with the fist of the other and fairly glared at the boys. Frank returned his gaze fearlessly.
"Now you mind that!" went on the man. "I don't want you interfering in my affairs, or you'll wish you hadn't. As for you, Miss Morton—I'll see you or your mother again," and with that the unpleasant personage turned on his heel and strode out of the cabin door, casting a look full of meanness at our heroes.
The girl and the two boys stood facing each other in the little cabin.
"It was very kind of you," she murmured, looking at Frank, and blushing slightly.
"Are you sure there is nothing we can do to help you?" eagerly asked the elder Racer lad. The girl was fast recovering her composure, and the traces of tears were vanishing.
"No, thank you," she said gently. "It's just some trouble about money matters that I hope will soon be straightened out. I did not know he was aboard or I would not have come by this boat."
"Well, if there is anything we can do, please let us know," went on the elder lad. "My name is Frank Racer, and this is my brother Andy."
"I am Miss Gertrude Morton, of Dailsburg," said the girl as she shook hands with the boys. "I can't thank you enough for what you did. I don't suppose he meant any real harm, but he frightened me."
"The brute!" murmured Frank, clenching his fists as he looked at Miss Gertrude's pretty face.
"Do you boys live around here?" she asked, after a pause. "I live just a few miles up the river, not far from Riverview Hall."
"Is that so?" exclaimed Frank—very eagerly Andy thought. "We are going to school there. We're on our way now."
The girl looked very much surprised.
"By the way, who was that man who spoke so harshly?" asked Andy.
"Why, don't you know him?" inquired Miss Morton. "If you—but you say you are just going to Riverview Hall. Then you will soon make his acquaintance, for he is Professor Thorndyke Callum, the head assistant at Riverview."
For a moment amazement held Frank and Andy dumb. Then the older lad exclaimed:
"Great Scott! Head assistant at Riverview! What are we up against? He'll have it in for us after what we did."
The girl looked half alarmed and half amused as she bowed to the boys and left the cabin. Andy and Frank stood staring at one another.
"We sure are up against it!" murmured the younger lad at length. "A punk school to start with, and in bad with the head professor from the very beginning! Wow! Wow! What are we going to do, Frank?"