CHAPTER XVIII.
GAMMA TAU RECEIVES A SHOCK.
It was two weeks after the great game with Warwick, and things inQueen's School had settled down into their normal condition. Theelection of the captain had taken place a few days after the closinggame, and the choice was on Boston Wheeler, the fullback. The schooldid not particularly like the choice, although Wheeler was reallya fair player, and had, while he was a member of Gamma Tau, showedhimself to be a man of rather good judgment.
"He's the best of the bunch," announced the Wee One, who had kept upthe friendship with Frank and his friends. The Wee One had just nowdropped into Frank's room to talk over the situation.
"Do you think he'll make a good leader?" questioned Frank.
"Yes, if he doesn't take too much advice from Chip Dixon. It's asure thing that as long as Dixon is on the eleven he will work it forhis friends, and he will work Wheeler for his friends."
"It's queer to me," said Frank, "that as bright as he is about mostthings, he can't see where his playing favorites hurts himself, andthe team and the school. Although Jimmy was better than Hillard, hefought him off as long as he could. I believe if Jimmy had been inthat game all through it the score would have been different. What doyou think?"
"Yes, I think the score would have been smaller for Warwick, butJimmy alone couldn't have stopped it. The trouble was with thecaptain. He couldn't pull his men together when the test came. Theyplayed good ball in spots, but they had it in them to play it all thetime. Gamma Tau is responsible for the poor athletic showing here atQueen's. And, speaking of Gamma Tau, have you heard that they arepledging for the March elections?"
"No, I hadn't heard. Are they?"
"Yes. I've been wondering if they've called on you."
"Me? Gracious! You know that Chip Dixon would rather stick me thanhave me in Gamma Tau," said Frank.
"Perhaps so, but he isn't all of the Society. There are some goodfellows in it, and they don't take his view. What would you do if itwere offered to you, Frank?"
"I don't want it, and I wouldn't take an election."
"Yes, but Alpha Beta is the only other; you're sure to get asked bytheir scouts. I wonder they haven't been around yet."
"I don't want Alpha Beta either. I don't see that it is necessary forme to be in a society, is it? What good is Alpha, anyway?"
"Well, it's made up of the left-overs from Gamma Tau, as I told youwhen you came here. It hasn't any weight. It's the Gamma that is theColossus around whose legs we all crawl."
"I'm not going to crawl around Gamma Tau. I don't like what it standsfor, so I'm going to stand for myself. I can get along without it."
"Hear, hear, fine sentiments from Mr. Frank Armstrong. Hurray forhigh morality----"
The Wee One was interrupted by the opening of Frank's door. Jimmyentered.
"Hello," he said, "glad to see you. Hope I'm not intruding."
"Oh, not at all. We were just talking about Gamma Tau and her scoutswho are out pledging for the elections."
"Well, that's just what I came over here to talk to Frank about."
"I'll be going then," said the Wee One, sliding down from the windowseat.
"No, don't," cried Jimmy. "You're just the Solomon whose advice Ineed. You are bowed down with the wisdom of the ages. Stay where youare."
"I'm on my pedestal again," announced the Wee One when he had climbedback to his commanding position. "Fire away, and I'll pass judgmentwith the help of the whole jury, Frank Armstrong. Have they asked youto come into the fold?"
"That's just it. Cuthbert, of the baseball team, and another fellow Idon't know, came around half an hour ago and asked to see me alone.They fired poor Lewis out of the room, locked the door, and thenbegan to ask me fool questions about myself. I didn't know what theywere driving at, but after a while Cuthbert stopped beating aroundthe bush, and asked me how I'd like to wear a Gamma Tau pin."
"And you said you'd rather have a rose," interjected the Wee One.
"No, I didn't. I just said I hadn't thought about it. Apparently hehad the notion that I should have fallen head-over-heels into theplan. I hadn't been thinking about any such possibility, and I satthere like a dummy."
"And what happened? You are killing me with impatience!"
"Well, they began to tell me some of the advantages of belonging toit----"
"And some of the disadvantages of not belonging, eh?"
"No, they just hinted at those," said Jimmy, smiling. "They said thatI had made a good showing in football----"
"No credit to them," snorted Frank.
"And that if I kept on there would be a good chance for me to makethe captaincy, if I came into Gamma Tau."
"They emphasized the IF, I suppose?" inquired the Wee One.
"Well, it was a little like that. They intimated that with Gamma Taubehind me I could have anything I wanted."
"Yes, that's exactly what they think. But maybe there'll be a changesome of these fine days."
"Well," said Jimmy, "I'm here for advice. What do you think I oughtto do?"
"Don't you know what to do?" said Frank.
"I think I do, but I don't want to make mistakes, and I thought I'dlike to talk it over with some one. My own notion is that Gamma Taucan go hang. I don't like the bunch that is in Gamma Tau, and I don'tlike the way they are running things in this school."
"You don't mean to say that another Freshman has chucked down poorold Gamma Tau?" said the Wee One, in what he pretended was anawe-struck whisper. "Frank here, has just been firing hot shot intothem. It's a rebellion of the Freshman class, that's what it is, Itell you."
"Quit your jollying, Patty," said Jimmy. "Before Cuthbert and theother fellows got out of my room I told them that I guessed I'd takea chance on staying out, and if I couldn't make good on merits I'dhave to make bad. They said not to make up my mind in a hurry, andthat they'd see me again."
"A throw-down for the Gammas. Hurrah, hurroo! But it's all off withyou now. You have digged your grave, as they say in Shakespeare;it's your athletic grave. You're as good as dead now. Go and buy anice, sweet little headstone and mark it: 'Sacred to the memory ofthe rising athletic hopes of James Turner. Erected by the Gamma TauSociety.'"
It seemed like a dread prophecy to both the boys, who had come to theschool hoping that they might be able to do something for the schoolbesides their school work, something to help the honor of the schoolon field or river, and silence fell for a time on the gay talk. Asthey sat there, steps were heard on the stairs.
"S-s-s-h!" whispered the Wee One. "I'll bet a dollar it's the Gammascouts come to have a whack at Frank. Jimmy, you and I hide." Theysprang from their seats and scampered to Frank's bedroom, wherethey drew the curtain, from behind which they could hear everythingthat might go on in the room. The Wee One's guess was good, for thetwo were scarcely concealed when the footsteps stopped at the door,and there was a knock. Frank had snatched a book from the table andplaced himself in the attitude of study.
"Come in," he called.
The door opened and in walked the Gamma scouts, Cuthbert and hisfriend.
"Sit down," said Frank courteously, rising and offering his visitorschairs.
"What did I tell you?" whispered the Wee One to Jimmy, "They're afteryour young friend."
"How do you like Queen's?" was Cuthbert's first query. "Pretty goodplace, isn't it?"
"I haven't been here very long," said Frank, "but I think it's fine.If we only had some good athletic teams here! Seems to be a dandybunch of fellows."
"Yes, I guess it's one of the best schools in this part of thecountry," said Cuthbert. "We are not so big as Andover nor Hotchkissnor Hill School, but size isn't always the best thing. We are closertogether than these big schools, and in a small school all the bestfellows get together easier." Cuthbert settled himself in his chair,and threw back his coat, displaying the handsome Gamma Tau pin on hiswaistcoat. It was a well-known thing that a glimpse of the Gamma pinhad often settled the case of the doubting ones, when it fl
ashed itsradiant message to the candidate.
But it did not dazzle Frank the least little bit.
"Yes," he said, "we have everything here, I guess, excepting goodathletic teams." He said it so innocently that Cuthbert, who lookedup quickly, did not know whether he was hinting at Gamma's part inthe "good" athletic teams or not. At Frank's words the Wee One gaveJimmy his elbow so hard behind the curtain that that individualstaggered and almost lost his balance.
"Well," continued Cuthbert, settling back comfortably, "we mighthave better teams, and we are going to have them. Things have beenbreaking badly for us for some time, but there are good times ahead."
"I hope so," said Frank, "we need better times."
Again there was a scraping sound behind the curtains, but Cuthbert,not noticing it, went on: "You have a friend named Turner, who livesin the other end of Warren, haven't you?"
"Yes. He's one of my best friends."
"Well, we want him in Gamma Tau," said Cuthbert, coming straight tothe point. "He's a likely fellow, and we think will make good. Infact, we'd like to have you both come into our fraternity. The firstelections are in March. It is considered a very great honor to get afirst election. You play baseball, don't you?"
"Yes, a little."
"Pitcher, I hear."
"Yes, pretty poor, though."
"Well, that's all right. You will improve. We want you to be one ofus, and to use your influence with Turner. You will be both takenin together. It doesn't often happen to Freshmen. I didn't get myelection till my second year, and I thought I was pretty lucky then."
"And you want me to use my influence with Turner?"
"Yes; neither of you know, perhaps, that Gamma controls the schoolathletics, and it can help a fellow a great deal with the honors ofathletics."
"Doesn't a fellow stand as good a chance outside of Gamma as inside?"
"No, I shouldn't say he did. Most of the athletes are with us, andwe run things about as we wish them. May we have your word that youwill come along and bring Turner with you? It is a distinct honor,you understand."
"I thank you very much for the honor," said Frank, steadily, lookingstraight at Cuthbert, who expected a favorable reply, "but I do notcare to accept an election. I think Turner has the same opinion."
"But why?" said the amazed Cuthbert.
"According to all I hear, Gamma Tau has been responsible for all thedefeats in the school teams for the last three or four years. As yousaid yourself, you run things to suit yourselves and elect your owncaptains. It doesn't strike me as the right way to do it. They say afellow who isn't in Gamma Tau has no chance. If that's the thing thatdecides it, I guess I'll stay outside."
Cuthbert rose to his feet as though he had sat on a tack, and hisfriend followed suit. "You'll be sorry for this night, my boy," saidhe, striding to the door and jerking it open. "I can tell you nowthat for Freshmen you and your friend Turner have put yourselves inwrong, and if I can help it you will not have another chance."
"Is that all?" said Frank, rising.
"Yes, that's all," shouted Cuthbert, and out they went, and bangedthe door after them.
The scouts were hardly off the stairs when the Wee One and Jimmyburst forth, holding their sides with laughter. "Hasn't he the nastytemper, though!" cried the Wee One. "Now you're both buried in thesame grave. We'll erect a double monument for Turner and you. Wow!but Gamma will be hopping mad."
"Let them," said Frank. "I don't care a hooter. If I can't get on ateam without bootlicking that crowd, I'll stay off it."
"Me, too," said Jimmy.
"And me, too," said the Wee One, assuming a dramatic attitude, andthumping his narrow chest. "I wouldn't take the position of footballcaptain from the Gamma if they offered it to me."
At that moment a great clattering was heard on the stairs--some onepounding up in undignified haste.
"They're coming back to capture you," cried the Wee One, "and takeyou to their lair by main force. Skip." But before any one had timeto move, Lewis burst in at the door with his jaw hanging and his eyespopping out of his head.
"The ghost!" he gasped, "the ghost! I was out behind Warren on thebank a minute ago, and it came walking straight for me, and I beatit for here at a mile a minute."
The boys dashed for the windows which looked out on the meadow andplaygrounds. Sure enough, there in the light of the half-moon wentthe figure in white, sailing over the ground. They all watched itwith staring eyes, and while they were looking it stopped, made asmall circle, then headed off down behind the football stands anddisappeared.
The boys watched till it had gone, and then turned and looked at eachother in amazement.