CHAPTER XXIV
THE SAVING OF BRUCE
"What have you there, Tom?" asked Jack. They were in their room, sometime after the riot over the burning effigy, and following a morebountiful supper than they had partaken of in many a long day. They hadtalked over the events and Sam Heller's desertion.
"Oh, but you should see those boys eat!" exclaimed Mrs. Blackford to herhusband, after a visit to the dining hall.
"I don't blame them," was the answer. "I'm glad it's over, and that theyhave won. I never did like that Skeel." The monitor had confided to Tomthat as soon as Doctor Meredith had word of the return of the studentsfrom their unsuccessful trip toward the town, he had ordered a bigsupper gotten ready. And now Tom and his chum were in their room, tiredbut happy.
"This," remarked Tom, as he looked at the object to which Jack referred,"this is a pocketbook I picked up out on the campus near the flag pole.Some one dropped it during the excitement, I guess. I'll see if there'sa name in it, so I can send it back."
He opened it. There were some banknotes and a number of papers. Tomrapidly looked the latter over, and, as he caught sight of one, heuttered a whistle of amazement.
"What's the matter?" asked Jack, who was getting ready for bed. "Whosewallet is it?"
"Professor Skeel's."
"Nothing remarkable in that; is there?"
"No, but it's what I found in it. Now I know why he has such a hold overBruce, and what that lad's trouble is. Look here, Jack," and the twoboys bent their heads over a slip of paper.
"I should say so!" exclaimed Jack. "No wonder he looked troubled, andacted it, too. What are you going to do about it?"
"I'm going to save Bruce; that's what I'm going to do."
"How?"
"I don't just know yet, but I'll find a way."
There was subdued excitement the next morning when the Freshmen fileddown to breakfast, and the talk was of nothing but the uprising of thenight before. Sam Heller was practically ignored, but he did not seem tomind.
"Are we to get bread and water this morning, Blackie?" asked Tom, of themonitor, at the same time playfully poking him in the ribs.
"No, sir, the usual meal."
"And are we still locked in?" demanded Jack.
"No, sir, you can go wherever you like. Chapel I should imagine, first."
"Oh, of course," agreed Tom. "I want my eggs soft boiled," he added mostprosaically.
On the way to the morning devotions Tom pulled out the wallet.
"I guess I'll send this over to Skeel's house, instead of taking itmyself," he said to Jack. "It might raise a row if I went there." And,requesting one of the assistant janitors to do the errand, Tom proceededto chapel. Thus the wallet was returned to its owner, but minus acertain bit of paper.
"Well, you fellows certainly cut things loose!" exclaimed BruceBennington admiringly to Tom, as he met our hero later. "You won handsdown. I wish I could do things as easily as you seem to do," and hesighed. Tom noticed that the look of worry and trouble on the Senior'sface was deepened.
"Look here, Bruce!" exclaimed Tom. "I wish you would tell me exactlywhat your trouble is. Maybe I can help you."
"No you couldn't."
"I think so," and there was a peculiar note in Tom's voice. "Tell me,"he urged. The two were walking by themselves over a deserted part ofthe snow-covered campus. The storm had ceased, and the day, thoughclear, was quite cold. The weather was crisp and fine.
"Hanged if I don't tell you!" burst out Bruce. "I don't know why it is,but I took a liking to you the first time I saw you. I had half a notionto tell you then, but I didn't. I haven't told anyone--I wish, now, Ihad. Now I'm going to tell you. It's come to a show-down, anyhow. I wasjust on my way to see Professor Skeel. He's at the bottom of my trouble,as you may have guessed. He has sent for me. The jig is up."
"I'll go with you," volunteered Tom. "I fancy I know part of yourtrouble, at least."
"You do?" burst out Bruce in amazement.
"Yes. Look at that," and Tom held out a bit of paper.
"I say, Tom," hailed Jack from a distance, as he came running up. "Whatare we to do? There's a notice posted, saying we are to go to Latinrecitation to Professor Hammond, temporarily, and then afterward theFreshmen are to meet Doctor Meredith and Professor Skeel. That looks asif we hadn't won after all. The boys are anxious."
"I'll be with them in a little while," answered Tom. "It's all right.We win the strike all right, only things have to be adjusted formally Isuppose. But I'll say this. I'll never apologize to Skeel, and he's gotto promise to be decent, or the strike will begin all over again."
"Hurray! That's the stuff!" cried Jack. "That's what we want to know.But aren't you coming to the lecture?"
"In a little while--yes. I've got something else on hand now, Jack."
"All right!" called his chum, knowingly. "I'm on. See you later," and heran off. Jack turned to Bruce.
Over the face of the Senior had come a curious change. His troubleseemed to have vanished.
"Tom--Tom Fairfield!" he exclaimed. "You've done me a service I cannever repay. Look here, this is a forgery!"
"A forgery?" asked the amazed Freshman.
"Yes, that's never my signature to that promissory note! In fact, thewhole note is forged. It's a little like my writing, but I know I neversigned it. Say, I'm free, now!"
"You'd better tell me more about it," suggested our hero. "If I'm tohave it out with Skeel for you, I'd better know all the facts."
"Sure. I'll tell you. It won't take long. I made an idiot of myself,to be brief. You know my father is well off, and he makes me a goodallowance. One of his rules, though, and one I never broke but once, wasnever to gamble, and another was never to sign a note. I broke both.
"Last year when I was a Junior I got in with a fast set of fellows. Wedidn't do anything very bad, but one night there was a game of chancein one of the rooms. I was urged to play, and, not wanting to be akill-joy, I foolishly agreed. I knew dad would never forgive me if hefound it out, but I didn't think he would. He had said I would have toleave school, and go to work, if I gambled, or signed a note.
"Well, I lost, as most anyone will if he keeps it up long enough. I lostall my ready money, and I got in debt. I had no way of paying, and theJunior to whom I was indebted suggested that I give him my I. O. U. forthe amount. I did, scribbling a promissory note on a piece of paper. Thesum was quite large, and I see now what a chump I was. But I expected tobe able to pay in time, and the fellow said there was no hurry.
"But when my next allowance came I went out on a lark, and we did somedamage that we had to pay for. This took all the cash I had, and Iowed more. I dared not ask for additional money, for I did not want toexplain to dad how foolish I had been on two occasions. I went to theJunior, told him my predicament, and he kindly offered to wait for hisdebt, though the note was overdue.
"Then, most unexpectedly, this Junior's father died, and left him alot of money. He left school in a hurry to arrange his affairs, andgo abroad. The night before he left he wrote me a letter saying he haddestroyed the promissory note, and said that I need not pay it, as itwas a foolish debt at best.
"That made me happy until all at once the storm broke. Just before theclose of school last term Professor Skeel sent for me. He told me hehad a note of mine, and demanded payment. I was dumbfounded, and said Ididn't know what he meant.
"He explained that before leaving, this junior, whose name I won'tmention, had sold my promissory note to him, and that as he now owned itI must pay it to him. I said he was mistaken, and told about the letterI had."
"Why didn't you show it to him?" asked Tom. "That would have been goodevidence."
"Very foolishly I had destroyed it as soon as I read of my release fromthe obligation. I did not want a scrap of paper around to remind me ofit. So I had no proof, and Skeel only laughed at me. He said he heldthe note, and he showed it to me hastily, but I thought it was the realthing. He threatened, if I did not pay, to tell dad, and I knew w
hatthat meant, for, somehow, Skeel had learned about the game of chance.
"And that was my trouble. It's been hanging over me since last termand Skeel has been at me several times this term to pay up. He's beenputting the screws on harder and harder, and today was the last day. IfI couldn't pay he was to send word to dad, and demand the money fromhim. I did try to raise the cash to settle, and I've paid something onaccount, but I never could raise enough, for something always seemed tohappen to use up my allowance, and I had no good excuse for asking formore."
"Why didn't you write to this Junior, asking if it was true that he haddestroyed your note, as he said in his letter?" Tom inquired.
"I did, but I never could reach him. He went traveling in Europe. Butit's all right now. I see the whole game. The Junior did tear up mynote, but probably Skeel found the pieces, somehow. He made a forgedcopy of the note, enlarged the amount, forged my name to it, and theJunior's endorsement, and relied on my fear of publicity to make me pay.But I can now see that this is a fake!" and Bruce held up the document.
"Then the sooner we tell Skeel so to his face the better," said Tom,firmly. "Come on, we'll beard the tyrant in his den!"
And they went.
"You sent for me, Professor Skeel," began Bruce, when he and Tom wereadmitted to the study of the unpleasant Latin teacher.
"I did, but I have no desire to see _this_ young man!" and he glared atTom. "I demand that he withdraw at once."
"And I refuse!" exclaimed Tom. "I am here to represent Mr. Bennington,as--er--a sort of counsel."
"Then he has told you of his folly, eh?" sneered the professor. "Thereis no longer need for me to keep quiet about it. Are you ready to paythat note, Bennington, or shall I inform your father about your debtsof honor? Remember I came into possession of the note honestly, as thethird party, and the law will recognize my claim. You are not a minor,and you can not plead that. I bought the note from the student to whomyou gave it. Now, are you ready to pay, or shall I expose you?"
"I am not going to pay," said Bruce, quietly.
"Then I'll disgrace you!" stormed Mr. Skeel.
"Have you the note in question?" asked Tom, quietly.
"Yes, but what is that to you? I can produce it when the time comes,"and the professor tapped a black wallet lying on the table before him.It was the one Tom had found and returned.
"You need not trouble," said our hero quietly. "_We_ can produce thenote now. Here it is--the forged note!" and he held it in view, butsafely out of reach of the professor, who had sprung to his feet in rageand amazement.
"Wha--what!" he cried. "Where--where did you get that?"
Hurriedly, and with trembling hands, he began searching through thewallet.
"It was there--it's here now," said Tom, quietly. "And if you make anymore threats, or attempt in any way to annoy my friend here, I shall laythe whole matter before Doctor Meredith," went on the calm Freshman. "Idon't know but it is my duty to do it anyhow," he added. "Forging notesand names is a serious crime."
Professor Skeel sank back in his chair, his face the color of chalk. Hislips moved, but, for a moment, no sound came forth. Then he hoarselywhispered:
"Don't--don't expose me--I--I'll apologize. It was all--all a mistake.I--I--!"
He faltered, and Tom, not wishing to prolong the unpleasant scene, saidto Bruce:
"Come."
The two walked out, silently, Tom handing the forged note to his friend.No one had a claim on him now.
"Tom Fairfield, you have saved me from disgrace!" said Bruce feelingly,and the two clasped hands in a firm grip.