CHAPTER XI
BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT
The door slammed behind Professor Callum. It seemed to break the spell of silence that hung over all.
"Oh, what a mean man!" exclaimed Grace Knox.
"Isn't it a shame!" echoed Gertrude.
"I'm so sorry on account of you boys," spoke Mrs. Morton. "It was fine of you to come to offer help, but you never thought of being caught, I dare say."
"Oh, yes we did," spoke Frank. "We always take that chance when we run the guard. But it doesn't matter."
"What will he do to you?" Mrs. Morton wanted to know.
"Oh, make us do a lot of lines in Latin prose," answered Andy.
"Then you won't be expelled?" asked Grace.
"No danger of that," laughed Frank. "They need all the students they can get at Riverview. But I wouldn't like dad and mother to hear that we were reported, especially when it isn't for anything very wrong."
"If you could only get back to the school before he does, you might be in your rooms, and he would hardly know whether he saw you here or not," said Miss Gertrude with a mischievous smile.
"But they can't," said her mother. "Mr. Callum will catch the next trolley, and there isn't another for an hour."
There was an apprehensive silence. Then Grace Knox cried:
"I have it! The very thing! If you got in ahead of him, could you get to your rooms quietly?" she asked.
"I guess we could manage it," declared Frank with a look at his brother.
"Then here is my plan. You can't hope to get in ahead of him on the trolley, but you can in an auto."
"Where can we get an auto?" asked Frank eagerly.
"My brother has one. It's speedy, and in good running order. I'll telephone and have him bring it over here and he can run you to Riverview in a few minutes. Then——"
"Leave the rest to us," said Andy with a chuckle.
The home of Miss Knox was not far from the Morton house, and Grace's brother Will was soon on hand with the car. He laughed when the need of haste was explained to him, for there had been no time in summoning him by telephone to tell why he was wanted.
"It'll be a good joke," he said. "I wish I was at school again."
"We're a thousand times obliged to you," said Frank, as they started off after saying good-bye to the girls, and after Frank had renewed his promise about the bonds.
It was a quick run to the school, and the boys asked Will Knox to stop the car a short distance from their dormitory so that no one would hear the noise of the engine.
"Think you can get in?" he asked, as he prepared to turn back.
"Sure," whispered Frank, as he and his brother moved forward in the darkness. It was comparatively an easy matter to effect an entrance to the dormitory. Like many other things about the school, the door locks were broken, so the lads had no difficulty in swinging back a side portal. Then, removing their shoes, they went softly to their rooms.
"Thorny isn't back yet or we'd hear a commotion," was Frank's opinion, with which Andy agreed.
They lost no time in undressing and getting into bed. Then they waited the arrival of the crabbed teacher, which they felt could not be long delayed.
They were just beginning to get drowsy, in spite of the excitement of the evening, when they heard voices and steps in the corridor of the lower story.
"There he is!" exclaimed Andy.
"Sure. Keep quiet," advised Frank.
"I tell you they are out!" they heard Mr. Callum saying. "I saw them over in Dailsburg not an hour ago. It is impossible for them to have returned. I caught the first car back."
"But I hardly understand how they could have been out," answered a voice which the boys recognized as that of Professor Dickson. "I have heard no one enter or leave the building since the hour struck."
"Humph! You don't know those boys," said the crabbed instructor sneeringly. "We will go to their room, and find it vacant."
"Wait and see," murmured Frank.
The footsteps approached their apartment. The boys could hardly keep from laughing, but somehow they managed it. So confident was Mr. Callum of finding our heroes out that he did not knock, but entered at once. Frank had been careful to leave the door unlocked.
"Now we shall see!" exclaimed Mr. Callum in triumph, as he lighted the gas. "I will go at once and report to Dr. Doolittle that——"
He stopped in confusion, for looking at him from their respective pillows were the boys he had thought in Dailsburg.
"What—how come you—what are you doing here?" stammered the surprised professor.
"Why, this is our room," spoke Frank innocently. "We always sleep here, Mr. Callum. Did you want us?"
"Want you? You—you—What were you doing in Dailsburg this evening?" he almost shouted.
"Were we in Dailsburg to-night?" asked Frank innocently of his brother.
"Hum!" mused the younger lad, as if trying to remember. "Perhaps we may have been."
"Enough of this nonsense!" exclaimed the professor. "I know that you were, and you shall be punished for it. Professor Dickson, remain here on guard, and I will go summon Dr. Doolittle."
"Oh, will it not keep until morning?" the mathematical instructor wanted to know.
"Not with such boys as we have to deal with," was the snarling answer. "I want them punished." Probably it was as much because of their interference in the professor's money matters, as because of their breach of the rules that the lads were to suffer.
"And you say you met them in Dailsburg, and yet found them in bed when you arrived?" our heroes presently heard the voice of Dr. Doolittle asking, as he accompanied Mr. Callum along the hall.
"That is correct, sir."
"Might you not possibly be mistaken?"
"In regard to what?"
"Why, Professor Callum, you might not have seen the Racer boys in Dailsburg."
"Humph! I amsureI did. You might as well say they are not in their beds at this moment."
The venerable head of the school entered the apartment of Frank and Andy. Mr. Callum with a look of triumph on his face followed.
"Has the physician seen them?" asked Dr. Doolittle vaguely, reaching for Andy's pulse. "Are you in much pain now, my boy?"
"Pain?" gasped Andy.
"Oh, I beg your pardon. It is my absent-mindedness I'm afraid," explained the master. "I thought I had been called to see you because you were ill. I remember now. It was because—really, Professor Callum, I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to tell me why you summoned me. I have forgotten."
"It was because these boys were out after hours without permission!" exclaimed the irate instructor.
"Is this true, boys?" asked the doctor a bit sternly. He never doubted the word of a student.
"Yes, it's true," said Frank. "We had very important business in Dailsburg, and——"
"Well, as long as you found them in when you returned, and as long as Professor Dickson, who, I understand, had your place as in charge of the dormitories, did not see any breach of the rules, I think we will overlook it this time," said the doctor kindly. "I have another matter, about which——"
"But I can't understand how they got here!" exclaimed Mr. Callum.
"Perhaps it was all an optical illusion," suggested Professor Dickson.
"Sir! Do you wish me to disbelieve the evidence of my own eyesight?" demanded Mr. Callum pompously.
"No, of course not," answered the doctor, rubbing his thin white hands vigorously. "But we will regard the case as settled. Go to sleep, boys. It is late. And, professors, perhaps a happier day is dawning for old Riverview. My friend, Mr. Lairman, the millionaire, is going all over the grounds with me to-morrow and he will then give his decision about investing in a half interest. I am sure he will, and then we will see great improvements here. Come to my room and we will discuss them."
"But——" protested Mr. Callum.
"Oh, let the boys alone," urged Professor Dickson. "I think they played a right smart trick, and I'd like to know how it was done."
"I'll find out!" exclaimed Mr. Callum vindictively. "I will not let this rest here."
Their voices trailed off in an indistinct murmur, and Frank and Andy, chuckling over the success of their plan, fell asleep.
All over the school the next morning it was rumored that the millionaire was "sizing things up." The boys saw him being escorted over the unkempt campus, out on the neglected diamond and gridiron, about through the buildings sadly in need of repair, and toward the ruined boathouse.
"Say, I hope he sets aside a fund for a shell the first thing he does!" exclaimed Frank.
"Yes, and he ought to endow a football team. We'd be right in it then!" declared Austin Vedder.
"And have the diamond put in shape ready for next season," added Sam Shull.
"Oh, it's great to be a millionaire!" declared Jack.
It is doubtful if many lessons were well recited that day, as so much interest was taken in the visit of the rich man. He was escorted about by Dr. Doolittle, who seemed to think that the troubles of Riverview were about over. The visitor was entertained by the doctor that evening, leaving at a late hour.
But there was a rude awakening the next day. Professor Callum presided at chapel in place of the venerable doctor.
"I regret to say," spoke the unpopular teacher, "that Dr. Doolittle is not well this morning. He has had a great disappointment. I presume some of you have heard of the prospects for an endowment of this school. Those hopes are at an end. The gentleman concluded not to invest."
That was all that was said, but it was enough.
"Good-bye to our diamond," murmured one lad.
"No football this year," added another.
"I guess we'll have no crew," came from Frank.
"Silence!" exclaimed Professor Callum. "You will go to your classes."
And the boys, with lagging feet and with sorrowful faces, went. Their hopes had been raised only to be dashed to the ground. Old Riverview Hall looked more seedy and gone to ruin than before.