CHAPTER X--THE JOKE ON HESTER
After all, Centerport was just a big, inland town. It was no metropolis.Especially was the neighborhood of Central High mostly of thatcomfortable residential quality that is the charm of most old towns.Central High was the new school, East and West Highs being both smallerand much older buildings.
This middle of the city was called "on the hill" and was really muchhigher than the surrounding flatland where the business section of thecity had originally been built. Two railroads ran into the town and itswater freighting was considerable.
At the westerly end of beautiful Luna Lake Rocky River flowed into it atLumberport, another thriving city; at the easterly end of the lake thewaters flowed out through Rolling River at Keyport. These smaller citieseach supported a good High School, and the rivalry in boys' sports amongthe five schools of this district had always been keen.
Now it was proposed that the girls should strive for the honor of theschools and it was reported from Lumberport and Keyport that the Girls'Branches had been organized in the high schools of those towns withgreat enthusiasm. Centerport's East and West schools were slower torespond. Central High usually led the way in most innovations.
The knoll on which Central High and the surrounding residences stoodsloped easily toward the shore of the lake. Along the lake shore,although it was in the very heart of the city, lay several fine estates.The city was slowly condemning some of these and turning them intopublic parks and playgrounds. Here the three high schools had theirbathing pavilions, and it was also at this point that Central High hadbeen fortunate in obtaining the field to be devoted to the girls'athletics.
This was a convenient location for all the scholars attending CentralHigh, a breezy piece of ground with a splendid outlook over the lake andto Cavern Island, in its center. Cavern Island was an immensely popularpicnic ground, and in the summer season excursion boats that plied thelake made landings at it. But a portion of the island was wild and woodyenough to please the most romantic.
Whiffle Street was shaded with great elm trees. Indeed, all thatvicinity of Central High was shady and quiet. Almost all the houses onthe street had lawns and well-kept gardens. Henry Grimes's house--muchmore ornate and imposing than the Beldings' home--stood three or fourblocks along the street from where Laura and Chet lived.
The nominating committee of the M. O. R.'s appeared in Whiffle Streetjust about dusk. They had already gathered most of the girls selectedfor initiation, and quite a column of laughing young people walked, twoby two, behind their four sponsors.
They brought forth Josephine Morse from her mother's little cottage atthe end of the street--"the poverty end" Jess always called it--and thenapproached the Belding house. Laura was on the porch, eager enough; shehad noticed ere they arrived, however, an unaccountable gathering offreshmen and other girls farther along the street--toward the Grimeshouse. Bobby was with that crowd, and much laughter came from it.
"I wonder what those children can be up to?" wondered Laura.
But when the head of the procession of candidates for M. O. R. honorsappeared, Laura forgot the freshies and Bobby and ran down the walk tojoin the older girls; Miss Prime had beckoned to her.
"Fall in line, Miss Belding," commanded the senior, and Laura did so.
The procession continued along the street, followed by the laughingcomments of the adults who leaned upon the gates, or sat on the porchesof the houses it passed. At the Grimes's gate the crowd of freshmenopened solemnly to let the older girls through.
Upon the Grimes's porch stood Hester and Lily. Indeed, Hester ran downthe steps when the head of the M. O. R. candidates reached the gate. Butthe procession kept right on. Neither Miss Prime, nor Mary O'Rourke, orthe other two seniors looked Miss Grimes's way.
"Why, I thought you said you were touched, Hessie?" cried Lily, in herhigh drawl.
There was immense giggling on the part of the freshmen crew outside thegate. But Bobby hushed it by a sharp:
"Attention!"
Silence followed among the crew. Bobby stepped forward, drew a batonbe-ribboned like those carried by the nominating committee of theM. O. R. She raised it on high. It was noticeable that most of hercompanions had bits of paper in their hands; from these papers theyproceeded to chant the following:
"Where Bedelia wore her necklace Where the cow had tonsilitis Where the chicken got the hatchet Where the graceful swan's delight is "Oh!
"Where the fat man's collar pinches Where the hangman ties the noose Where the lady wears the boa Where the farmer grabs the goose "Oh! Oh!
"Where Napoleon received it When he fought at Waterloo, In that very same location Little Hester got it, too! "Oh! Oh! Oh-ho-ho!"
The procession of candidates passed on; but they heard, and the wholestreet heard! And for fear anybody should fail to understand the trickthat had been played upon the unfortunate daughter of the wholesalebutcher, Bobby cried:
"Notice my baton? Don't you want to be 'touched' with it, too, Lily? Oh,my!"
Hester could not even speak. She ran into the house to escape thelaughter. Never had Bobby Hargrew played so cruel a joke. But she hadbeen stung pretty hard by the false testimony Hester had given againsther anent the fire at the school; and for once Bobby had not been above"getting square."
But had the girl known what would result from this practical joke ofhers--had she for a moment suspected how one of her very best friendswould be caused to suffer for _her_ sin, honest Bobby would have gone toHester Grimes there and then and most humbly begged her pardon.