Batting to Win: A Story of College Baseball
CHAPTER XXIX
THE SOPHOMORE DINNER
When Phil, Tom and Dutch Housenlager came from Holly's room thatevening, they were just in time to see Ford Fenton emerge from hisplotting conference with Bascome and his cronies.
"I don't like that," exclaimed Phil. "Ford has been in with thosefellows for some time."
"Probably trying to think up some scheme so he can get to be baseballmanager next year," suggested Tom.
"No!" cried Phil. "By Jove, I believe I have it. Come on back to Holly'sroom for a few minutes," and he took hold of his chums and fairly ledthem away, much to their mystification. There was another conference,which lasted a long time, and for a day or two thereafter much activityin the ranks of the sophomores.
The dinner was to be a "swell" affair, to quote Holly Cross. Anelaborate menu had been decided on, and there were to be several"stunts" more or less elaborate on the part of the "talented" membersof the class. The affair was to be held in a hall in Haddonfield, andthe great object of the second-year fellows, of course, was to preventthe time and place of the dinner becoming known to their enemies, thefreshmen.
"Do you s'pose they'll bite?" asked Tom, an evening or two later, ashe, together with Phil and Sid and Holly, were in the room of the"inseparables."
"It depends on us," answered Holly, who was the president of thesophomores. "I think they'll trail along when they see us go out."
"If they don't have some of their number trail after the main bunch,"spoke Phil.
"We'll have to take our chances; that's all," came from Sid. "Well, arewe all ready?"
"Pretty nearly," answered Holly. "I want to wait until it's a littledarker. Then we'll slip off. I hope the chap is there with the auto."
"He promised to be," said Tom, and they sat about, waiting impatientlyfor the hour of action to arrive. It came finally, ticked off by theimpatient little clock, and four figures stole from the sophomoredormitory, and hurried across the campus.
"There they come," said Tom, in a low voice, a moment later. "They'retrailing us all right. See 'em sneaking along on the other side?"
"Sure," spoke Phil. It was just light enough to discern a number ofhazy figures creeping along a boxwood hedge.
"See anything of that traitor, Fenton?" asked Holly, in a low voice.
"No, he's with the other crowd," answered Tom. "He's in fear of his lifethat we'll find him out."
"As if we hadn't already," added Sid.
Hurrying along, the four lads entered a trolley that was headed forHaddonfield. They looked back, as they were on the platform, and saw theshadowy figures leap into an auto which they knew belonged to BertBascome.
"They're coming," spoke Sid.
"And we'll be ready for 'em," added Tom.
A little later Tom and his chums were in the town and they hurried to abuilding, containing several halls or meeting rooms, where the studentsfrequently held dinners, or gave dances and other affairs.
"Did you see anything of them since we arrived?" asked Holly of Tom asthey scurried into the structure.
"No, but they'll be on hand. Ford has tipped them off all right; thelittle puppy! Say, what ought we to do to him? Tar and feathers, or givehim the silence?"
"We can settle that later," remarked Phil. "Just now let's see how wemake out against the freshies. It's tough to have to acknowledge thatthere's a traitor in the class."
"It sure is. Come on, now I hope everything is here."
A man came out of a room as the four sophomores knocked on the door.
"All arranged?" asked Tom eagerly.
"Yes. Now I hope you young gentlemen don't have too much of a fight.Don't break the furniture."
"Not any more than we can help," promised Sid.
"When the other fellows come--I mean the freshmen, let 'em right up,"instructed Holly. "We'll be ready for 'em. Are the rear stairs clear?"
"Yes, you can slip out that way, and I put double locks on the dooryou'll go out of."
"And a spring lock on the one they'll enter by?" asked Tom.
"Yes, just as you told me. Now don't do too much damage," and the man,the proprietor of the place, seemed somewhat apprehensive.
"Oh, we'll pay for everything," agreed Holly. "Well, we're ready anytime Bascome and his crowd are."
"I'm glad the sophs didn't think of a game like this to play on us whenwe tried to break up their dinner last year," observed Sid, as the fourentered the room.
The place presented a curious sight. There was a table set as if for abanquet, with plates, knives and forks, glasses, and with the usualcandles burning in silver candelabras. At the head of the banquet boardwas a stuffed figure, representing a Randall college student, with thecollege colors in gay ribbons pinned on one side of his caricature of aface, while the sophomore hues adorned the other side.
"Got the camera and flash powder?" asked Holly.
"Right here," answered Sid, who, because of his knowledge in that line,had been selected for this post of honor.
"They'll be here pretty soon now," prophesied Tom. "Bascome has hiscrowd in waiting somewhere, and he just lingered around college until hesaw us start. Then they'll delay until they think we're all here, andthey'll rush in, and make a rough house."
"That is, they _think_ they will," corrected Phil, with a grin. "Irather think they'll be surprised some."
The four moved about the room, completing their arrangements, while Sidbusied himself with a large camera, which was focused on the doorleading into the banquet hall, and got ready a flashlight powder.
"I think I hear them coming," spoke Tom in a whisper, about half an hourlater. "Get ready, Sid."
"I'm all ready."
They listened. Out in the corridor there were shuffling noises, as ifseveral persons were trying to walk quietly. There was a brushingagainst the door, and a cautious whisper.
Suddenly the knob of the portal was tried, and a voice in the hallcried:
"Give up, sophs! We've got you!"
Several bodies flung themselves against the door, and to the surprise ofthe freshmen, who were headed by Bascome and Delfield, they found thatthe portal was not locked. It opened easily--so easily, in fact, thatseveral of the lads fell to the floor, and the others rushed overthem. There was a scene of confusion, and this probably prevented theattacking freshmen from seeing that only four sophomores were present.The first year lads caught sight of the table, with its glistening arrayof silver and glass, and they took it for granted that they were in thebanquet place of their enemies.
"Come on, fellows! We've got 'em!" yelled Bascome, scrambling to hisfeet. "Upset things, and then capture Holly Cross. There he is!"
With a yell his cronies sprang to obey the sporty freshman. They fairlytumbled over each other until they filled the room. Then, with a bang,the door by which they had entered slammed shut behind them, fasteningwith a strong spring lock on the outside.
"All ready with the camera, Sid!" cried Holly.
"All ready," answered Sid.
Then, for the first time the freshmen seemed to realize that only asmall number of sophomores were present--four, who were ensconced behinda table, and near an open door.
"Welcome to our banquet, freshies!" cried Tom.
Holly Cross caught up the effigy of a sophomore and tossed it atBascome. The freshman leader, taken by surprise, clasped the figure inhis arms, and Phil yelled:
"Let 'em have it, Sid!"
There was a blinding flash, and a dull boom, as the flashlight powderexploded, and it was followed by a gasp of fear from the freshmen. ThenHolly switched on the electric lights, which had been turned off, andaddressed the huddled group of freshmen.
"Gentlemen, I hope you enjoy your call," he said. "As for us, we haveto leave you, as we are already a little late for the banquet. This isonly a sample of what we will have, and as a sort of memento of thisauspicious occasion, let me inform you that we have a flashlightphotograph of you in your most interesting poses. Bascome, smile alittle, if you please--tha
t's it--look pleasant. That will do. You maylay aside the rag doll now."
With a strong expression the freshman president cast aside the effigy,and yelled:
"Fellows, we're stung! But we can prevent these four from going to thebanquet, anyhow! Get at them!"
He leaped across the table, followed by several of his fellows.
"Too late! Sorry to leave you!" cried Tom, as he and his chums glidedthrough the open doorway behind them, Sid taking the camera with him.
The door was hastily pulled shut, and bolted, barred and locked, just asthe group of infuriated freshmen threw themselves against it.
"Trapped!" Tom heard Bascome shout from the other side of the portal."Try the other door!"
"That's locked, too," came the despairing cry. "We're caught!"
"That's it!" cried Phil exultantly. "Ta-ta, freshies! Next time youlisten to a traitor, take care to lay better plans. We're off to ourannual feed. When you get out come along, and we'll give you theleavings. You can have Fenton, too," and the four who had successfullyturned the trick on their class enemies, hastened off, leaped into awaiting auto, and were soon at the banquet hall, where their fellowswere anxiously expecting them.