But, oh, what a shout came dimly to his ears! What a wild riot of cries! He tried to look down and see whether he had crossed the line before he stumbled, but he could only see the brown earth and green grass. He heard someone still running after him. He lifted his head. There, just before him, was the goal line.
With the energy of despair,he raised the ball in his arms, and placed it over the chalk mark, holding it there with all his remaining strength, when someone threw himself fiercely upon him.
It was Langridge, eager, wrathful and almost beside himself with rage. But he was too late. The ball was well over the last line, and, knowing from the attitude of the Boxer player that itwasthere, the great throng of Randall men and women, young men and maidens, joined in one great cry:
“Touchdown! Touchdown!”
It was—the winning touchdown, for, as the other players, some fearful, some hoping, came rushing up, the final whistle blew, ending the contestthat had resulted in championship for Randall.
And then, welling over the field once more, came softly the song: “Either We Conquer, or We Die!”
There were bonfires that night at Randall—bonfires in which the football suits were burned, for the eleven broke training in a blaze of glory. Also there were feastings, for there was no ban on eating now. And, likewise, there was much rejoicing. For was not Randall champion again? Had not her loyal sons again won a victory on the gridiron? Therefore, let the gladness go on!
Sid was the lion of the hour. It was his great run—his struggle against long odds—that had won the big game, and he was carried on the shoulders of his mates, and his name was heralded in song and story.
“Oh, it was great, old man, great!” cried Tom, as they walked together from the gymnasium, where there had been a sort of impromptu joy-meeting after the feast.
“Nothing like it ever seen at Randall,” declared Phil.
“Nothing like it ever seenanywhere,” put in the big Californian.
“I never could have done it, if you hadn’topened the hole for me, Frank,” spoke Sid, gratefully.
“I just had to open that hole,” was the retort. “I felt that I’d tear those fellows limb from limb if they didn’t give way, and——”
“They did,” finished Phil, with a laugh.
They had met their girl friends after the game, and had received their congratulations. Then had come a happy time, walking with them, then the feasting, and now our friends were on their way to their room.
“There are only two things that are bothering me,” remarked Tom, thoughtfully.
“What’s that—Langridge?” asked Phil. “Say, he must have felt sick when he got to where Sid was, and saw that it was a touchdown, all right! Did he hurt you, Sid?”
“Well, he knocked the wind out of me—that is, what there was left to knock. But I guess he didn’t mean to.”
“Oh, he meant it, all right,” declared Tom. “But I wasn’t thinking of Langridge. I was going to say that the two things that bothered me was the mystery of the chair and the clock.”
“That’s so,” came from Phil. “I wonder who that fellow was, and how the deed came to be in his chair?”
“We must tell Prexy about it,” decided Sid. “It may have a bearing on the case.”
They were deep in a discussion of possible explanations of the various problems that vexed them, when they turned down the corridor that led to their room. There was so much noise going on out on the campus—shouts and yells, and the students circling about the bonfires—that the footsteps of our friends made no sound. That is why they were close upon a figure crouched in front of their door before the kneeling one was aware of their presence. Then the figure started away. But Phil was too quick, and grabbed it.
“I’ve caught you!” cried the quarter-back. “So you sneaked back, to see if you could find the deed, eh?” for he thought he had the stranger who had before visited them.
“By Jove, it’s Lenton!” cried Tom, catching a glimpse of the face of the captive. And indeed it was the odd student who was such an expert with the file.
“And he’s got a false key!” added Sid, as he saw a bit of brass in the lad’s hand. “Here, you little shrimp, what do you mean?” and Sid shook the lad.
“I—please—I didn’t mean anything,” was the stammering answer.
“Weren’t you trying to get into our room?” demanded Tom.
“Yes, I—I was, but——”
“Where’s our chair?” came fiercely from Phil.
“I haven’t got it! I never had it.”
“Did you take our clock, and afterward exchange it?” asked Tom, determined to solve part of the mystery, if not all.
“Yes, I had it, and I—I was coming back to borrow it again,” answered the odd student.
“Borrow it?” repeated Sid.
“Yes, that’s all I did with your alarm clock. Oh, fellows, I didn’t mean anything wrong. I’ll tell you all about it.”
“You’d better,” said Phil, keeping a hold of the intruder’s collar. “Come inside.”
They entered the room, and Tom locked the door.
“Well?” asked Phil, suggestively, as he pointed out a chair to Lenton. “We’re ready to hear you.”
“I borrowed your clock to take a wheel out,” said the odd student, simply.
“To take a wheel out?” repeated Sid, in amazement.
“Yes. In an alarm clock there is a certain size cog wheel that I could find nowhere else. Fellows, I am making a new kind of static electric machine, and I needed a certain sized wheel. I tried everywhere to get one, and I couldn’t afford to pay for having one made. Then, one day, I happened to see your alarm clock in here. I thought, perhaps, that it would have in it the wheel Iwanted. I made a false key, sneaked in, and took the clock out. Then I happened to think you’d want a timepiece, so I brought in that mahogany one—it was a present to me from a friend in Chicago, but I didn’t care for it. The wheels weren’t right.”
“I guessyou’vegot wheels,” murmured Phil.
“Your alarm clock had just the right size wheel in it,” went on the odd student, “so I took it out, and made my electrical machine. Then I made another wheel that would answer as well in your clock, and I made the exchange back again. Now my electrical machine is broken, and I need another wheel from your clock, and——”
“You were going to sneak in again and take it,” broke in Sid.
“Yes. I made another false key, for I accidentally left the first one in the door when you came and surprised me, the day I brought your clock back.”
“Why didn’t youaskus for the clock?” inquired Tom.
“Because I was afraid you wouldn’t let me take it. I heard the fellows say how fond you were of it. I thought you wouldn’t miss a wheel from it, if I gave you a better clock.”
“Anotherone—not abetter,” insisted Phil. “But did you drop a letter in here one day?”
“Yes, I did, to Bert Bascome, and I wondered what had become of it.”
“We found it,” said Tom. “Was there something in it about a clock?”
“Yes, I bought an expensive alarm clock from Bert, but I wrote rather sharply to tell him it wasn’t any good. It had the wrong kind of wheels. Bascome was mad at me for not keeping it to pay off some of the money he owes me. That’s all there is to tell.”
“And it’s enough,” declared Sid. “I guess that explains everything. Bascome’s denial was justified.”
“And we thought Langridge had a hand in it,” went on Phil. “But there is still the chair and deed to be explained.”
“I don’t know anything about the chair,” insisted Lenton, and they believed him. “But could I have——” he hesitated.
“Do you want the clock?” asked Tom.
“I—I just want to take out one of the wheels. I’ll put in another just as good,” promised Lenton, eagerly. And they let him have the battered timepiece.
“Now, if we could only explain the chair matter as easily, all would be well,” commented Phil, when Lenton had gone.
They had not long to wait. A little later a message summoned them to the office of Dr.Churchill. The president greeted them pleasantly.
“I have just had the lawyers here,” he said, “and they state that the quit-claim deed which you boys found is genuine, and the very one that was missing. It brings to an end the suit against the college, and I wish to once more thank you lads. The prohibition of silence is now removed, and you are at liberty to tell your friends the good news.”
“But you have not heard it all,” said Tom, and he told about the visit of the excited stranger just before the game.
“I think I can explain that,” went on the president, with a smile, “and also tell you where to find your chair.”
“Can you?” cried the three, eagerly.
“Your visitor was a Mr. James Lawson,” continued Dr. Churchill, “and he was the one who made the claim against the college, being a distant heir of Simon Hess. Without the quit-claim deed being available to us, he was the ostensible owner of our property. How he got possession of the deed he would not say, though the lawyers and I questioned him.”
“Was he here?” asked Phil.
“Yes, your actions evidently frightened him, for he called a little while ago to say that he gave up all claims to the land. He stated that he thought he had a right to the deed.”
“How did it get in the old chair?” asked Tom.
“Being an heir of Simon Hess,” went on the doctor, “this Mr. Lawson had some of the old family furniture. Among the pieces was a chair, similar to yours, which I understand was also a Hess heirloom. Your chair was taken by a man whom we engaged temporarily to do some janitor work. He sold it to a second-hand dealer, and I have only to-night learned his name and address. The janitor was dismissed shortly after being hired, as it was found that he was dishonest. To-day I received a letter from him, begging forgiveness, and telling about the chair he sold from your room. But he did not mention a clock, for I understand you also lost a timepiece.”
“Oh, we have that back,” said Tom. “But about the chair?”
“I’ll come to that, and tell you where to get yours. It seems that Mr. Lawson retained possession of the quit-claim deed, which he would not tell how he obtained.
“One night, when looking it over in his home, near Rosedale, he was interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Not wishing his caller to see the deed, he slipped it under the lining of the seat of the old chair. Business matters came up immediately afterward, and he went out, forgetting about the document, which was left in the seat.
“The next day his wife, who liked new insteadof old furniture, sold the old armchair to a second-hand dealer, deed and all, though, of course, she did not know of the paper. Naturally, when Mr. Lawson heard of his loss, he was frantic, for on the deed his whole claim depended. He intended to destroy the document to prevent it ever being found by anyone so that it would benefit Randall. But he reckoned without fate, which stepped in most opportunely. He sought the old chair, but it had gone from dealer to dealer, until finally a Mr. Rosenkranz got it.
“You obtained it from him just before Mr. Lawson called to claim his furniture, and later he came on to the college. The rest fits in with what you already know.”
“Well, wouldn’t that——” began Tom, and then he happened to remember that he was in the president’s presence, and he stopped.
“Your old chair is at this place,” went on Dr. Churchill, giving the address of a small dealer in a nearby city. “You may go and get it any time you like,” the good doctor concluded. “And now I think that this clears up the mystery. But, before you go, let me congratulate you on the magnificent victory of this afternoon. The nine did exceedingly well.”
The president smiled benignly, unconscious of the “break” he had made in calling the eleven a “nine,” and the boys, joyful over the prospect ofan early recovery of their chair, left the office. At last the mystery was ended.
There was more rejoicing in Randall when the facts regarding the quit-claim deed became known, and the next day formal notice of the withdrawal of the suit was filed. There was some talk about prosecuting Mr. Lawson, but there was a doubt as to his real criminality, so nothing was done.
And thus ended the troubles of Randall, not only from a legal standpoint, but also from an athletic, for her title to the championship of the gridiron was firmly established. But there were other battles of the field to come, and those who are interested in them may read thereof in the next volume of the series, to be called: “For the Honor of Randall; a Story of College Athletics.”
“They look like twins, don’t they?” remarked Tom, a few evenings later, when, having recovered their own chair, it was placed beside the one left by Mr. Lawson, for he did not come to claim it.
“Yes, if we had two more, we’d have a collection, and there’d be one apiece,” added Phil.
“Oh, the sofa’s good enough for me,” came from Sid. “I hope nobody borrows that to take out a wheel, or some of the stuffing.”
“And the clock ticks as naturally as it always did,” commented Phil, as he took a seat in oneof the easy chairs, for Lenton had returned the timepiece.
“And they lived happily forever after,” murmured Tom, now half asleep, for it was warm in the room. “I say, are you fellows going to the next Fairview frat. dance?”
“Are we? Wild horses can’t hold us back!” cried Sid, with energy.
“Good!” murmured Tom, still more sleepily, and then, as the chums lapsed into silence, there sounded the loud and insistent ticking of the battered alarm clock.
THE END
THE BASEBALL JOE SERIES
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An old sailor knows of a treasure lost under water because of a cliff falling into the sea. The boys get a chance to go out in a submarine and they make a hunt for the treasure.
The Speedwell Boys and Their Ice Raceror The Perils of a Great Blizzard
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When Bob and his chum went to Beacon Beach for their summer vacation, they were plunged, almost at once, into a strange series of events, not the least of which was the sinking of the Sea Hawk. How some men tried to get the treasure off the sunken vessel, and how Bob and his chum foiled them, and learned the secret of the lighthouse, form a great story.
Bob Dexter came upon a man mysteriously injured and befriended him. This led the young detective into the swirling midst of a series of strange events and into the companionship of strange persons, not the least of whom was the man with the wooden leg. But Bob got the best of this vindictive individual, and solved the mystery of the log cabin, showing his friends how the secret entrance to the house was accomplished.
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Fred Fenton the Pitcheror The Rivals of Riverport School
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Fred Fenton in the Lineor The Football Boys of Riverport School
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Fred Fenton on the Crewor The Young Oarsmen of Riverport School
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Fred Fenton: Marathon Runneror The Great Race at Riverport School
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Transcriber’s Note:A List of Illustrations has been provided for the convenience of the reader.Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected except as noted below.Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.Changed “Haddonville” (p. 257) to “Haddonfield”, the name of the town nearest Randall College.
Transcriber’s Note:
A List of Illustrations has been provided for the convenience of the reader.
Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected except as noted below.
Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved.
Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved.
Changed “Haddonville” (p. 257) to “Haddonfield”, the name of the town nearest Randall College.