CHAPTER XIII
As captain of the First, or School team, Sandow was in charge of all the sports for the lower Forms, so that his command to repair to the basement, to elect the leader of the Seconds' football eleven, was obeyed.
Swept along by the rush of his classmates, Fred was unable to escape from them, until he reached the door leading to the gymnasium. But he quickly took advantage of the opportunity, and in the semi-darkness, which enveloped the stairs, his absence was not noted.
Scarcely had he started back, however, than he came face to face with Alice Montgomery.
At the unexpected meeting, the girl flushed, then dropped her head with the evident intention of passing without speaking.
But Fred did not propose to let her.
"I say, Al—Miss Montgomery, it was mighty good of you to enroll for the Scholarship," he exclaimed impulsively. "If you hadn't come in, I don't believe the others would—and the award would have been passed for this year."
"Then your winning it means a great deal?" queried the girl, deciding from the earnestness with which Fred spoke, that he probably had entered more for the money involved, than for the honor.
"Indeed, it does, Miss Montgomery."
"I'm so glad—I mean I'm glad my entering gives you a chance to win the Scholarship," she corrected hastily. "And—Fred—I wish you'd keep on calling me Alice. 'Miss Montgomery' is my name to those I don't like."
And with this glimpse of her attitude upon the rivalry existing between her brother and Fred, the girl hastened on her way to the classroom.
For a moment, Fred gazed after her in speechless amazement.
"Well, of all things!" he murmured to himself, when at last he had recovered from his surprise. "It's lucky Bart wasn't round. He's brute enough to be mean to his own sister."
Further consideration of Alice's words was prevented by the noisy appearance of several boys from the basement.
"Hey, you Cotton-Top, what are you lallygagging up here for?" demanded Soda, as he caught sight of Fred. "Get a move on and come down. We need your vote."
Thus besought, the left half-back opened his mouth to speak, but the others would not let him, seizing him and carrying him downstairs by main force.
When Sandow had called the Seconds to order, he briefly asked for nominations for captain.
Promptly, Taffy proposed Bart's name, while Soda performed the same office for Fred.
No other names being suggested, the leader of the Firsts called for a vote.
"Let's not have ballots—let's just state our preference, when our name is called," suggested Lefty.
This proposition evoked a storm of protest, and, as time was pressing, Sandow ordered ballots to be used.
"Just write the name of your preference on a piece of paper and bring it to me," he directed.
Quickly the boys obeyed, and when all had cast their votes, the captain of the school team counted them.
"The vote's a tie," he announced. "Seven for Bart and seven for Fred."
"Move we leave it to Sandow to choose the captain," exclaimed Buttons.
But action of this motion was prevented by Soda.
"There are fifteen who can vote, counting Clothespin," he shouted, "and only fourteen votes have been cast. Who's missing?"
Attention thus directed to the fact that all the boys were not present, they quickly counted noses, and Fred's absence was learned.
"Grand-stand play—to keep away when he knows his name will be voted on," sneered Taffy.
"Probably thought he couldn't keep from voting for himself, unless he stayed away," added Bart.
"Bet you voted for yourself," retorted Shorty.
But Sandow checked the controversy in its bud.
"Order!" he commanded. "Some of you go find Cotton-Top, and bring him here."
It was in response to these instructions, that the boys dragged Fred, so unceremoniously, down the stairs.
His arrival was greeted with shouts of delight from his followers, and of derision from Bart's.
"What do you want of me?" inquired the boy, ignoring the greetings and comments that were hurled at him.
"Why did you not come to the meeting when you knew it was the most important of this semester, being for the purpose of electing the captain of the Second football team?" demanded Sandow, assuming all the dignity his position, as leader of the First Form, gave him. For, though he was one of Fred's intimates, such was his conception of his duty to Baxter, that he never allowed his friendships to interfere with the good of the school.
"As my entrance for the Scholarship told you all, I have decided to give up football for this year," began the boy.
"You mustn't desert the team!" "Traitor!" "How much is Landon paying you?" were some of the cries that greeted this announcement.
Flushing at the charges, Fred squared his shoulders.
"Give me a chance to finish, will you?" he exclaimed hotly.
"Order!" demanded Sandow. "If any one else interrupts, he'll lose his vote!"
This drastic ruling had the effect of silencing the boys, and Fred resumed.
"When I found I could not play on the team, I—well, I decided I didn't want to be present," he explained.
"But why can't you play and try for the scholarship, too?" demanded Lefty.
"Because I'm not clever enough in science."
"Then give up science. You'll fall down on the scholarship, anyhow. But if you stick to the team, we'll win from Landon, sure," declared Taffy.
"I may not obtain the scholarship—but I must try for it," returned Fred quietly.
"Must need the money pretty bad," sneered Bart.
"Montgomery, for that nasty and uncalled-for remark, you lose your vote," cried Sandow.
This decision threw the boys into an uproar, so great that it was heard above stairs and members of the First and Lower Forms descended to learn its cause.
Paying no attention to it, however, Sandow prepared more ballots, then called upon the Seconds to vote again.
Before they could do so, however, Fred obtained permission to speak.
"As I shall not play this year, my name, of course, cannot be voted upon. Inasmuch as the first ballot resulted in a tie, between Bart and myself, I ask those who voted for me to support Bart."
"I ASK THOSE WHO VOTED FOR ME TO SUPPORT BART"
"I ASK THOSE WHO VOTED FOR ME TO SUPPORT BART"
"I ASK THOSE WHO VOTED FOR ME TO SUPPORT BART"
"Good boy!" "That's the talk!" interrupted several.
"I, therefore, move that Bart Montgomery be elected captain of the Baxter Second football team by acclamation," concluded Fred.
Although the boy's chums realized such sportsmanlike action was in keeping with his character, its unexpectedness took their breath away, and they stared at one another in silence, while Bart's adherents dared not say anything, lest they prejudice their favorite's chances to obtain the coveted honor without a contest.
"Any one second the motion?" asked Sandow, when several moments had elapsed without such action.
But no one spoke.
"Second it, Buttons," exclaimed Fred, in a whisper, audible to all.
"Yes—I will—not," growled the boy.
"Do I hear any one second the motion?" asked Sandow again. "If not, we will proceed to ballot."
The words drew the eyes of the boys to the speaker, and under cover of their distraction, Fred made his way to Bronson, to whom he spoke vehemently, with the result that just as the leader of the Firsts started to hand out the ballots, a voice cried:
"I second the motion!"
Instantly the boys turned to see who had spoken, but they were too late.
"The motion is made and seconded that Bart Montgomery be elected captain of the Second Baxter football team by acclamation," announced Sandow. "All in favor say 'Aye.' Contrary, 'No.' The 'Ayes' have it."
"Snap judgment! Move a roll call!" protested Shorty Simms.
The leader of the Firsts, however, ignored the comment.
"In consequence of this vote," he continued, "I declare Bart Montgomery elected to the captaincy. All members and candidates for the Second be on the campus at three, this afternoon, for practice. Meeting's adjourned."
Their favorite elected, Bart's followers crowded about Fred, slapping him on the back, and telling him he was a good fellow, their anger at his decision not to play forgotten in their triumph.
On the other hand, Fred's chums held aloof from him.
"I'd like to know who seconded that motion," snarled Buttons.
"And I," chorused Shorty. "We'd make him go some, eh?"
Fortunately for Bronson's piece of mind, he was out of earshot of these threatening words, or he might have betrayed himself.
By this time, all the boys had gone upstairs, leaving Sandow, Hal Church and Fred alone.
Going to the boy, the leader of the Firsts put his arm around Fred's shoulder.
"Won't you really try for the team?" he asked. "The Second will never have a good show against Landon."
"You know I'd like to, Sandow, but I can't," replied Fred, a catch in his voice.
"You know the game, so you won't need much practice," urged Hal.
"More than I can give, though. I'll need every spare minute for science."
"But what's the honor—" began Hal, when Fred interrupted him.
"It isn't thehonor—it's the money," he said. "I want you fellows to understand, so I'll tell you: father wrote me to try for the two hundred because mother needs it. I'm not any too good at science, so you see I've got to study like the old Harry. I don't want her or father to think I am letting fun interfere with helping them."
As the two older boys listened to this manly statement, they understood as never before the strength of Fred's character.
A moment or two they stood in silence, then each seized a hand impulsively.
"I hope you'll win," said Sandow, and Hal echoed the sentiment.