CHAPTER III
"I'LL STICK IT OUT!"
"Are you hurt, Andy? How did it happen?" cried Frank, turning from the window and hurrying to the wreck of the bed, in which his brother was still entangled.
"No, I'm not hurt; of course not. How could a fellow get hurt falling in a soft bed?"
"But what happened?" asked Frank.
"Great Scott! How do I know? I just gave a spring on here, and—"
"Your spring was too much for the bed spring, I suppose," remarked Frank, laughing when he saw that Andy was all right. "Here, give me your hand, and I'll pull you out."
With his brother's help the younger lad was soon on his feet again. Ruefully he surveyed the tangle of bed and bed clothes.
"Say, this is like a lot of other things around this school," remarked Andy. "It's got the dry rot. I never thought a bed wouldn't stand at least one handspring. Why the side pieces have cracked right in the middle." He bent over to look at the wrecked bed, which was one of the old-fashioned, wooden kind.
"You sure have put it out of commission," said Frank. "And what a racket you made! They must have heard it out on the campus. It's a wonder Mrs. Stone hasn't come up to know if we're trying to tear down the dormitory."
"Well, I didn't mean to do it," returned Andy, which was his usual excuse when any of his jokes or tricks went wrong. "I was just trying to see—"
He was interrupted by hearing some one hurrying along the corridor. Then came an imperative knock at their door.
"Who is in there?" demanded a sharp voice.
"We—we are," answered Andy, while he helped Frank to pick up the scattered clothes.
The portal swung open, disclosing to the lads the form and features of Professor Thorndyke Callum. There was a stern look on his face, and he fairly glared at them through his big glasses.
"What does this mean?" he asked. "I return to my duties at this school, and I am in my room, getting ready to take charge of my classes when I am disturbed by a disgraceful noise under me. What does it mean? How did it happen? Did you come here to repair the beds of the institution?"
"No sir, we are students here," explained Frank. "We have just arrived. My brother was trying the bed, and—"
"It broke!" interrupted Andy with just the trace of a smile on his mischievous face. "I—I guess I must have come down on it too hard."
"What! You students here? It's a disgrace!" burst out the professor. "I shall at once report you to Dr. Doolittle, and he—"
By this time Mr. Callum had advanced farther into the room. Frank and Andy had been standing with their backs to the light so that their faces were in a shadow. Now the professor could see them plainly. He stopped suddenly on recognizing in them the lads who had interfered with him on the boat. His face at once became more stern and forbidding.
"You boys students here?" he exclaimed as if not believing it.
"Yes—yes, sir," answered Andy ruefully.
"And aren't you the same lads who so unwarrantedly meddled with what did not concern you between myself and Miss Morton this afternoon?"
"Yes, but we didn't think—" began Frank.
"Silence! That is enough!" burst out the crabbed man. "You can not turn Riverview Hall into an institution such as are some of the disgraceful colleges. Such conduct will not be tolerated here! I repeat, young men, such conduct will meet with the severest punishment here! I have no doubt but that some silly prank was responsible for this. I shall report you to Dr. Doolittle. And so you are students here! Humph! We shall see!" and with a significant look on his face the unpleasant professor withdrew.
"Well, if that isn't the limit!" exclaimed Frank.
"Worse and more of it," agreed Andy. "I wonder where I am going to sleep to-night?"
His question was answered a moment later by the entrance of Mrs. Stone, the housekeeper. She threw up her hands when, on looking in through the open door, she saw the wrecked bed.
"Oh, I've been afraid something like this would happen!" she exclaimed. "None of the beds are strong enough for two big boys to sit on at once."
"But we didn't do that," explained Andy. "I—I er—sort of came down heavy on it, and—"
"Yes, I heard the crash," said the matron with a smile. "I came as fast as I could."
"Professor Callum was just here, and he is going to report us to the doctor," said Frank.
"Well, don't worry," advised the matron. "I will explain matters to him. I have told him that some of the beds are too old to use, but he doesn't seem to pay any attention to me. It's like many other things around here."
"Say, whatisthe matter at Riverview, Mrs. Stone?" asked Andy eagerly. "There's something wrong; isn't there?"
"Wrong? No, nothing wrong!" replied the housekeeper. "Useless you call a lack of money wrong. Dr. Doolittle hasn't enough funds back of his institution, that's all. But please don't ask me any questions. Now I will have to transfer you to another room, or bring another bed in here. I guess the first is easier."
Asking the boys to follow her she led them to another apartment farther down the corridor. Andy was glad she did not ask for particulars about how he came to "come down sort of heavy" on the bed.
"There, I think these beds are better," she said, as she left them. Andy approached one.
"Here, what are you going to do?" asked Frank quickly. "No more monkey-shine business."
"I wasn't going to," answered Andy indignantly. "I just wanted to lay my finger on one and see if it would stand up."
"Which—the bed or your finger?" asked Frank.
"Both. Yes, it's all right," spoke the younger lad as he gently, and with an exercise of studious and elaborate care, pressed on the middle of the bed. "I think we can sleep in it. Let's get out some of our older togs and go outside to see what some of the fellows look like. I'm afraid we're not going to like this place."
They donned garments in which they felt more at home, and soon were strolling over the overgrown neglected campus. They met a number of lads and soon struck up an acquaintance with them. To one in particular, Jack Sanderson, they took quite a notion. He was an athletic looking lad, and they learned that he was as fond of water sports as they were.
"You say you've been here two years," remarked Frank to Jack, after a while, during which they had been strolling about, "then what ails this place, anyhow? Why isn't the baseball diamond and the football gridiron kept in better shape? What's the matter with the boathouse? Why isn't the campus kept better?"
"That's a heap of questions," said Jack. "I guess Flopps, the gardener, is so busy that he hasn't had time to cut the grass, but, as for the others, there are two reasons. One is that the fellows don't seem to take any interest in sports, and the other is that Dr. Doolittle has about all he can do to make both of his money ends meet. He hasn't any to spare on diamonds or gridirons. That's why."
"But why don't the fellows get together and do something?" Andy wanted to know.
"It wants someone to wake them up," Jack said. "I tried it, but I couldn't do anything. The football team fizzled out, and so did the baseball nine. Oh, this is a tough place! I wish dad would let me go to a live college. But it seems he knew Dr. Doolittle years ago, and he thinks he's a great scholar. And so he is!" went on Jack eagerly. "There isn't a better teacher anywhere than he, but some of the other teachers are fierce!"
"How about Professor Callum?" asked Frank.
"What! Old Thorny? He's the limit. Don't get in his bad books if you can help it."
"I guess we're there already," said Andy softly.
"Come on over this way," said Jack suddenly, as he linked his arms in those of the Racer boys. They noted that two other lads were approaching.
"Why, what's the matter?" asked Andy. "Don't you want to meet those fellows?" for Jack had turned aside.
"No," answered their new chum.
"Why not?" Frank wanted to know.
"Oh, that tall one is Gerald Welter, and he thinks he's the cock of the walk. He's a sort of leader among a certain crowd here, and he's always trying to pick a quarrel. I always keep out of his way."
"Who's with him?" inquired Andy.
"That's Luke Moss, his particular crony, and Luke is about as bad as Gerald. They'll get in a fight with you if they can. They always do with new fellows."
"Well, I don't know as I'd mind much," replied Frank, looking critically at Gerald as the latter swaggered past.
"Oh, you don't want to do that!" exclaimed Jack in some alarm. "He's a hard hitter and a great scrapper."
"Well, I'm something of a hard hitter myself," calmly said Frank. "I'm not looking for a fight, but I'm not going to run away from any fellow here. If I've got to fight I'll do it."
"And so will I!" exclaimed Andy.
The boys walked on a little farther until the sound of a bell was borne to them across the campus.
"Supper!" cried Jack. "Come on, Frank and Andy. You'll have to sit at the freshman table, but that's close to mine. I'll show you the way."
The food was fairly good, though as Frank and Andy said afterward, there might have been more of it. Following the meal they joined Jack, who introduced them to Ward Platt, his chum, who seemed a nice sort of chap.
"We'll stroll about a bit," said Jack, "and then I have to go in and do some studying. Where are you fellows sleeping?"
Andy named their room number.
"That's just around the corner of the corridor from mine," spoke Jack. "I'll try to sneak in and see you after I get through boning away. So long."
Neither Frank nor Andy thought it wise to speak about the broken bed yet. They wanted to await developments. As they started for their room they were met at the entrance of the dormitory by Professor Callum.
"Humph! So you are quartered here!" he exclaimed, eyeing them with no friendly glance. "Well, I want to warn you that I will tolerate no nonsense in this building. I am in charge. No nonsense, mind! I am now going to report you to Dr. Doolittle."
Frank and Andy walked on in silence for a moment.
"I guess he's going to make trouble for us, if he can," observed the older lad at length.
"It seems so," agreed Andy. His voice was despondent. They reached their room and lighted the gas. It burned dimly for the tips were old fashioned. "Say, this is the limit!" exclaimed the younger lad. "We can't see to read by that. And look at this room! It gives me the creeps. Say, Frank, this is the extreme edge. A punk school, no athletics, a dub crowd of fellows, except maybe one or two and a professor down on you from the start! I'll tell you what we'll do! Let's go back home! I can't stand this!"
Frank was silent for a moment. He gazed about the dismal room, and out over the dark and deserted campus. He looked in the direction of the neglected baseball field. Then he walked over and put his arm around his brother's shoulder.
"Andy," he said, "thisisa pretty tough place, I'll admit. It doesn't seem as if we could stand it, but I believe there is good stuff in Riverview. Some of the fellows have the making of good football or baseball players in them, to say nothing of a rowing crew. I've been sizing them up.
"It's true there must be something wrong with Dr. Doolittle's management, but probably he's doing the best he can. I don't like to desert in the face of trouble, and I'll tell you what I'm going to do."
"What, Frank?"
"I'm going to stick it out right here, and see what I can do. Are you with me? Will you stick?"
"By Jove! I will!" cried the younger brother, and their hands met in a firm clasp. Though Riverview Hall did not know it, the dawn of a better day was breaking with the advent of the Racer boys.