CHAPTER XIII
AN UNEXPECTED MEETING
TRUE to his promise, Mr. Melton made his appearance at the south end ofthe campus a little after three o'clock of the following day. The threefriends were there to meet him, and they exchanged hearty greetings.
"There's so much we want to show you that we hardly know where tobegin," said Bert. "What shall we show him first, fellows?"
"Let's start with the library," suggested Dick, "that's one of thehandsomest buildings. When he sees all the books he'll get the idea thatwe're very literary, and first impressions are lasting, you know."
"I'm afraid it wouldn't do any good," said Bert. "He'd just be gettingthat impression, and then Tom would pull some of his low comedy stuffand queer the whole thing. We can never palm ourselves off as highbrowswhile he's around."
"Just because you're unable to appreciate the little gems of wit I offeryou from time to time, you have to go and run them down," protested Tom."It isn't my fault that you haven't sense enough to laugh at them. It'syour misfortune, that's all."
"Well, I'll do my best to bear up under the deprivation," laughed Bert."But here we are, Mr. Melton. What do you think of the outside?"
While he and Tom had been exchanging thrusts the little group had beenstrolling toward the library building, and by this time had reached thebroad flight of steps that led up to it. There they halted while Mr.Melton examined the front of the building.
"It is very handsome," he commented; "if its interior answers to itsouter appearance it must be a beautiful place."
"I think you'll find that it does," said Bert; "but the best way to tellis to go inside."
Accordingly, they ascended the stone steps and, entering the massivedoors, found themselves in a lofty hall, from which branched the variousreading rooms. Everything was in perfect harmony and taste, and Mr.Melton was outspoken in his expressions of admiration.
Leaving the library, the boys showed their friend all the collegebuildings--the recitation hall, the dormitories, the chapel and thegymnasium. Mr. Melton seemed attracted most of all by the latter, andexamined the different athletic apparatus with the greatest interest.
"You certainly have everything that modern science can furnish,"commented Mr. Melton enthusiastically. He lingered long by the swimmingtank, in which a number of athletic young fellows were disportingthemselves.
"How would you like to visit the engine room?" asked Dick. "To my mindthat's the most interesting place in the college."
"I'd like it first rate," said Mr. Melton; "anything in the way ofmachinery can always be sure of getting a respectful hearing from me."
The three friends accordingly guided him down into the engine and boilerrooms, sacred ground to which few visitors ever penetrated. Here wasmachinery of the latest and most up-to-date patterns, and Mr. Meltonlistened attentively while the boys explained to him the uses of thevarious mechanisms. They were familiar with everything in the place, andtheir listener knew enough about machinery to readily understandeverything that they told him. They spent over an hour altogether in theengine room, and when at last they emerged into the upper regions againMr. Melton drew a long breath.
"It's certainly a wonderful place," he said with enthusiasm; "and I envyyou boys the chance you have of getting an education in a such acollege. It's a privilege that you'll probably appreciate ten yearsfrom now even more than you do at the present time."
"Possibly," said Bert with a note of doubt in his voice. "But I don'tthink we'll ever take any more pride in the old college than we do rightnow."
"Nope, can't be done," said Tom flippantly; "any place that can giveBert three such meals a day as he gets at the training table is sure tomake a hit with him."
"_I'll_ make a hit with a brick if you make any more comments of thatkind," threatened Bert; "and what's more, you'll be _it_."
"I call you to witness, Mr. Melton," said Tom, turning to thatgentleman, who by now was laughing heartily, "this low person hasthreatened to land me with a brick if I make any further criticism ofhis bad habits. Now, what I want to know is, is this, or is it not, aland of free speech? Is a freeborn American citizen to be threatened andbullied by a----" but here his protest ended in a muffled roar, as Dickand Bert pounced on him and wrapped their coats tightly about his head.
"It's the only way to make him quit," apologized Bert to Mr. Melton.Then, addressing the muffled Tom, "Will you promise to be good if we letyou out?"
The only answer was a series of wild plungings, that ended by landingthe three in a tangled heap on the grass. At last Tom managed to gethis head free, and struggled to his feet.
His laughing comrades also scrambled to theirs, and they stood facingeach other.
"Well," said Tom, smoothing down his rumpled mop of hair, "you knew youwere tackling something, anyway."
"It was quite exciting," laughed Mr. Melton. "If you boys play footballin the same fashion you employed then, I don't see how your opponentsever have a chance."
"They don't when they have me to deal with," said Tom unblushingly;"it's only when the rival teams come up against Dick or Bert that theyhave an easy time of it."
Bert and Dick passed this remark over with the silent contempt they feltit warranted, and asked Mr. Melton what he would like to do next.
"Anything you suggest will suit me," replied that individual. "I placemyself entirely in the hands of my friends."
"Well, then," suggested Dick, "why not go over and watch the boyspractising football? There's always a few kicking the ball around, evenwhen there's no regular practice on the programme, and sometimes theyplay sides. It won't hurt to go over and see what's doing, anyway."
As Mr. Melton expressed himself as agreeable to this plan, theystrolled over toward the campus, and were soon standing on the sidelineswatching the practice. There was a goodly number out, and the airresounded with the smack of leather against leather as the pigskin wassent soaring high into the air, to be caught expertly as it descendedswiftly toward the earth. A few of the regulars were out, and it waseasy even for a stranger to distinguish them by the deftness and quicksureness of their actions. The others sometimes missed hard catches, butthese veterans, with clocklike precision, were always in position tomake the most difficult catches without even the appearance of effort.
"Looks easy, doesn't it?" said Bert to Mr. Melton.
"Well, I wouldn't say that exactly," said Mr. Melton, "but I've no doubtit looks a good deal easier than it really is. I have had enoughexperience of life to realize that nothing is as easy as it looks. Manypeople never realize that though, and the result is they never try hardenough, or at least, when they do realize it, find it too late to doanything."
They watched the practice a short time longer, and then as the afternoonwas getting well along, Mr. Melton looked at his watch and said he wouldhave to get back to his hotel. They were just turning away when theycame face to face with Hendricks, who was hurrying toward the scene ofactivities. He and Mr. Melton had hardly glanced at each other when theyeach gave a shout and rushed forward with outstretched hands.
"'Bull,' you old reprobate, is it really you!" exclaimed Mr. Melton,pumping the coach's hand up and down like a pumphandle.
"It certainly is, old timer," replied Hendricks, "and you sure are awelcome sight to me. But how in the name of all that's good did youhappen to get here?"
"I came as a guest of our young friends here," replied Mr. Melton; "theymentioned your name, but I didn't think that it might be you. It's someyears now since we were together last."
While all this had been going on, the three boys had looked onwonderingly, but it did not take long to explain matters. It seemed thatHendricks and Mr. Melton had once been members of a hunting party, andhad scoured the Rockies together in search of game. They had formed afriendship then that had never grown cold. Through the years that hadelapsed since their last meeting it had lain dormant, but now, at sightof each other, blazed up again brightly.
After a little further talk, Mr. Melton
insisted that the coach and thethree boys come to his hotel for dinner and spend the evening there."You can tell me what to order now," he said, cutting short Hendrick'sobjections, which, to tell the truth, were not very strong. "I'll orderexactly what you say, and it will be just the same as though you wereeating dinner at the training table. That's satisfactory, isn't it?"
"Why, I suppose it will have to be," laughed the coach; "if you'llfollow out that programme I'll consent. But you can bet your boots Iwouldn't do it for everybody."
"All right then that's settled," said Mr. Melton; "so make out yourmenu, and I'll hustle back to my hotel and make arrangements."
Hendricks fished out an old envelope and jotted down a list of edibles,starting with "beefsteak." This he gave to Mr. Melton, and then theyshook hands and after saying good-by to the boys, Mr. Melton hurriedaway in the direction of his hotel.
Not long afterward the three comrades, accompanied by the coach, set outfor the same destination. When they arrived they were greeted by acordial welcome, and shortly afterwards dinner was served.
It consisted of nothing but the plainest and most nourishing foods, andHendricks expressed himself as feeling perfectly satisfied. After themeal they repaired to Mr. Melton's rooms, and for a couple of hours thetwo old friends swapped yarns, while Tom and Bert and Dick listenedwith the greatest interest. They told tales of adventure by field andforest, and the time passed like magic. But "Bull" Hendricks was not tobe beguiled into forgetting the time, and shortly after ten o'clock heglanced at his watch and rose.
"Time to be going, boys," he announced crisply. "I'm sure it would be apleasure to stay all night, but rules are rules, you know."
"Well, I'd like to have you stay," said Mr. Melton, "but far be it fromme to try to urge you against your judgment. I hope, though, that therewon't be as much time between our next meeting as there was between thelast, old fellow."
"So do I," responded Hendricks heartily as they shook hands, "but solong till then, anyway."
"Good-by," said Mr. Melton, and then shook hands with the boys. "I'mafraid I won't see you fellows again this trip, although I'm going tomake a desperate effort to stay East until the big game comes off," hesaid. "I've got to get a very early train for New York to-morrow, so Iguess we'd better say good-by now until the next time."
The boys shook hands with him warmly, and then started downstairs. Mr.Melton followed them to the door, and the last thing they saw as theylooked back was his sturdy bulk outlined in the square of light formedby the open doorway.