CHAPTER XXVI
ON THE GRIDIRON
There was an investigation the next day, and Chet was allowed to tell his side of the affair.
"Hazing!" exclaimed Professor Callum, who, as head assistant, heard all cases with Dr. Doolittle. "Such a thing has not occurred in Riverview before in many years."
Dr. Doolittle murmured something that sounded like "It might have been a good thing if we had had more of it," but of course thatmightnot have been what he said.
"Are you willing to tell all about it, and disclose the names of those who took part in the disgraceful affair?" asked Mr. Callum of Chet, who was closeted with the instructor and the master. "If you do we may be easier on you."
"I'll tell everything," said the dude.
Thereupon he related how he had been summoned to join the Society of Blue Bloods.
"Ha!" exclaimed Mr. Callum. "Then it would appear that you are not as innocent as you would have us think. You were ready to violate the school rules by going out after hours to join a secret society. That was very reprehensible—very. You must be punished for that. I shall have you do two hundred lines of Latin prose for me. Now you may tell us who those were who hazed you. Is not that proper, Dr. Doolittle?"
"Hum—er—yes, I suppose so," murmured the doctor doubtfully.
Chet said nothing.
"Well?" exclaimed Mr. Callum. "We are waiting. Who were the disgraceful students who hazed you—ran you up to the top of the flagpole, as you say, and dropped you into a tub of water? Who were they?"
"I'm not going to tell!" suddenly exclaimed the new student.
"You are not going to tell?" cried Mr. Callum, amazed.
"No. If you're going to make me do a lot of that Latin stuff, after I've been hazed, I'm not going to squeal on those fellows. I won't tell!"
Mr. Callum was dumbfounded. He gazed at Dr. Doolittle.
"Ah—er—um—quite right," said the doctor. "I don't blame you for not telling, Sedley. You may go."
"But—but, my dear Dr. Doolittle!" exclaimed Mr. Callum. "We must maintain discipline!"
"But there must be no tale-bearers in Riverview!" said the doctor sharply. "You may go, Sedley."
And Chet went with a queer feeling. Somehow he was pleased with himself, and when the other lads heard how he had kept silent some of them said:
"Say, Andy, that fellow we hazed isn't so bad after all."
"No. Perhaps he has the makings of a decent chap in him, if he'd stop thinking so much about his clothes," answered Andy.
It is true that Chet's refusal for "peaching" was mainly due to the fact that he felt the punishment inflicted on himself to be unjust, and so he would not aid the school authorities, but in spite of that he had taken a step forward. And, while he did not become popular during his stay at Riverview, and while he did much to annoy our heroes, he was considerably improved.
Meanwhile football practice went on. Gradually the raw material was being developed into shape, and finally Professor Hardin, one of the younger members of the faculty, came out one day to watch the lads kicking the ball about. At the close of practice he called Andy and Frank Racer aside.
"If you would like me to, I will coach you boys," he said. "I used to play on the Yale team." His tone was modest.
"Are youthatHardin?" cried Frank. "Coach us? Say, it would be the best thing in the world for us! Maybe we can get up a 'varsity team after all."
"There is no doubt of it," replied Mr. Hardin. "You have some good material in the two scrub elevens."
Thus it came about that a 'varsity team was formed. It was no easy work picking the eleven and their substitutes, for there were some jealousies, but finally eleven lads were named and it was admitted that they were the pick of the school. Jack Sanderson was named as captain, Andy had the position at quarterback, which he had longed for, and Frank was right halfback.
"Now if the grounds were only in decent shape, maybe we could get a game with Waterside or Milton," said Andy one day.
"The only way to get the gridiron in shape is to do it yourselves," said Mr. Hardin. "It will be good training for you boys. I think we can find some shovels, picks and wheelbarrows. We can't do much with the grandstands except to make them safe, but that's something. What do you think about it?"
"We'll do it!" cried Frank; and then he and his brother broached the subject to their fellows. The result was that in the next week the gridiron took on a much different appearance. The weeds disappeared; the humps of dirt were leveled off, and the leaning fences straightened. New goal posts were secured, and the grandstands made tolerably secure in case of a crowd.
"Now what we want is some games with good schools!" said Jack Sanderson one day, following a hard struggle between the 'varsity and scrub.
"Well, there's only one way to get them," said Frank.
"How?"
"Challenge Waterside and Milton. I'm going to do it right away. They can't any more than laugh at us and turn us down." And in his capacity as manager Frank hurried off to write the letters.