Frank Armstrong at Queens

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  A GIFT AND A THEFT.

  In Frank's room that night there was a conference. The Wee One wasgiving his advice about how a skating race should be won. It was hisnotion that one should lay back of the leader, let him cut out thepace, and then beat him out just before the finish.

  "I don't agree with you at all," cried Jimmy. "In the hundred anyway,you can't lay behind. You have to dig in for everything that's in youright from the start. I'm going to plan to go as fast as I can allthe time, and get going as fast as I can as soon as I can."

  "And I guess in my race I can't do much laying back either," saidFrank. "Channing is entered in that half-mile for Warwick, and hehas a long, powerful stroke. I was noticing him the other day. Hegoes like a breeze, and never seems to tire. And then there's Chip.I don't think I can beat either one of them. No, Mr. Patterson, I'mgoing to skate for all I'm worth all of the time, like Jimmy. If Ionly had a pair of skates that fitted me I'd have a better chance,but as it is, I'm afraid if Queen's wins, Chip will have to do it,for Robbins isn't fast enough to get away with Channing."

  "Well, I'd rather see Warwick win than Chip," said the Wee Onevindictively. "I'm going to pin my colors on you, Frank, and you'vegot the speed if you can last the distance out."

  "I'll do the best I can," said Frank, "and if I can beat Dixon I'llbe thankful, because he has stepped on me every time he got a chancesince I came. And it's natural that I should want to get back at himsomehow."

  "Why didn't you get a pair of skates to fit you, anyway?" said theWee One.

  "Well, in the first place I didn't have the time, and in the secondplace I didn't have the price. The kind I want are those Ruddockskates, those long, thin, light ones with plates that screw to thesoles of your shoes. Both of them put together would only weigh halfa pound. And they cost money, my son," added Frank. "I'll have sixpairs when I'm a millionaire. I'll have to do for Freshman year onmy old Christmas present of two years ago. Now I'm going to ask youfellows to skip. I've got a lesson to prepare, and I'm going to geta good, big sleep to-night and then another good, big one to-morrownight and then I'll be ready for the fray."

  "All right, Mr. Athlete," said the Wee One. "That means, Jimmy, thatwe are chucked out. Good night."

  Frank was early in bed for he was determined to put all the chancesthere were in his favor. He slept like a top and was only aroused byDavid who was up uncommonly early.

  "Going to take a little walk," said David; "it's early yet. See youlater."

  Frank was not through his ablutions when there was a knock at thedoor, and a messenger appeared with an express package. It was doneup in stiff, grey paper, and inside the outer wrapping was another,and inside that an oblong paper box. When he got down to the box andopened it there lay a beautiful pair of Ruddock skates with long,thin, straight blades, the very things he had been wishing for.Inside was a card and on the card in script the name:

  "Mr. John R. Powers."

  "This is David's work I'll bet a dollar, and that's the reason he dugout of here so early. He knew they were coming."

  There were tears of pleasure in his eyes as he tried the new skateson his shoes. They were just the thing in every way.

  "What a bully fellow David was to think of such a thing"; and then atthe thought of what he might do with them, his heart jumped--"Theymay give me a better chance to win," he whispered to himself.

  Frank saw nothing of David till afternoon, for the latter hadsucceeded in dodging him, but finally he was cornered, and pleadedguilty to telephoning to his father the day the carnival was decidedupon.

  "I knew you couldn't do your best with the old, short things youhad, and, oh, Frank, I want to see you win this race. Try them thisafternoon and see how you like them."

  "I can't help but like them," said Frank. "It was awfully good of youto do it, David. If I can't win with these I ought to be sent back tokindergarten."

  And Frank did try them that afternoon, and they were all he coulddesire. The lightness was a relief to his feet after the heavierold skates, and the way he went over the course made the fellows whohappened to be on the river, open their eyes in astonishment. ChipDixon was one of these, and he noted the flash of the new skates andFrank's increased speed. But Frank had no time to give to Chip'senvious eyes. He skated back leisurely up the course, tried a fewstarts and then swung into a steady stroke down over the courseagain. Every one along the half-mile was watching as he flashed past,going at great speed, and heads went wagging wisely.

  "Armstrong for my money," said one of the boys. "He goes like a bird."

  Frank finished the half, sat down on the float, removed the skatesand headed for his room. Remembering, however, that he wanted somebooks, he changed his course and entered the library. He laid theprecious skates down on a bench in one of the little alleys of thelibrary, the better to continue the search. He may have been five orten minutes at the work in hand, but he found the books he wanted andturned to pick up his skates. They were gone!

  Frank dived frantically into the other alleys where he had been andlooked everywhere. They were nowhere to be seen. He went to the deskand asked the librarian seated there, if he had seen "a paper box, solong, right over there." The assistants were called and questioned,but none of them had seen any such thing. There had been a dozen boysor more in the library, and they were coming and going, but neitherthe librarian nor the attendants had seen the missing package. Frankwas heart-broken.

  "Some one has picked them up by mistake, or perhaps Jimmy or Lewistook them as a joke and they'll be at my room when I go there."

  But the skates were not at his room. Jimmy and Lewis were hunted up,but neither of them had been near the library.

  "Was Dixon around," inquired Jimmy, "when you were at the library?"

  "You're always thinking of him," said Frank. "I don't believe he'shalf as bad as you try to make him out. No, I didn't see him there,but I did see him on the ice and he saw the skates, for I saw himstop and look at them."

  "Well, you can bet he knows something about them."

  "I don't believe it," said Frank. "He couldn't be so contemptible."

  At supper Frank confided his loss to David.

  "I've got no luck at all. I shouldn't have let them leave my hands,"said Frank in a passion of regret. "Serves me right."

  "It is too bad, that's a fact," returned David. "But you must notblame yourself. It might have happened to any one. You couldn't keepthem on your feet nor in your hands all the time. Don't worry aboutthem. They may turn up, and if they don't you'll win anyway."

  But Frank was inconsolable. He picked the old skates up from thecorner where he had thrown them. They were as heavy as lead. He threwthem down again almost discouraged, and all of David's cheerful wordsseemed to give him no help. He retired early, but had a bad night ofit, dreaming that he was left far behind and that the crowd whichwatched him in the race yelled and jeered at him when he crossed theline minutes after the winner.

  He felt better next morning, and still better when at about teno'clock a big grey motor car rolled through the Queen's gate and setdown at the head of the yard none other than his father and motherand Colonel Powers who had come up for the day. The Colonel had runup from New York in his big six-cylinder "Crescent," and had stoppedlong enough at Milton to pick up the Armstrong family. Perhaps theparents only happened there on that day, but perhaps David's letterhad something to do with it. Anyway, there they were. There was areception in Frank's room, and during it the loss of the skates cameout.

  "They may turn up yet," said Colonel Powers, "but perhaps it won'tmake such a difference as you think."

  In spite of the loss it was a jolly party which sat down at the guesttable in the dining-room that noon. The term was nearly over, and ithad been one full of interest and some satisfaction. Frank and Jimmyhad to tell in minute detail of David's great climb to save the WeeOne, who was later brought around to the table and introduced to thevisitors, and he, too, added his word of praise for David
who waswell-nigh bursting with embarrassment. He had thought that everyonehad forgotten about the incident as he himself had almost forgotten.After the meal was over the guests had to see the burned end ofWarren which was now undergoing repairs.

  In the course of the inspection David somehow evaded the party, andwhen they reached Frank's room again David was not with them.

  "Where is David?" Frank inquired.

  "He was with us a minute ago," said Mr. Armstrong.

  "Just dropped out of the procession," said Colonel Powers. "He's alittle shy and did not relish being talked about, I guess. He said hewas going down to see Henry, the driver of the car. They are greatcronies. He may have gone for a little ride with him."

  The races were set for two o'clock and it was now one o'clock.

  "I must leave you," said Frank, "and go to the gym. I'd like toknow where in thunder David is. I want to have him with me. He's socomforting, you know," and he picked up the clumsy skates from thecorner. "A good place to see the finish of the races is from theshore road," he told them. "The road comes very near to the riverjust at the course."

  Then in answer to the Colonel's offer to give him a motor ride to theracing course he said: "No, thank you, I'll skate up. But I wish Iknew where David was."

  "Good luck to you, my boy," called out Mr. Armstrong as Frank turnedto go. "Win if you can, but if you can't, it's no disgrace. I knowyou'll make a good fight." Mrs. Armstrong put her arm around herson's neck, and kissed him for luck, and Colonel Powers patted hisshoulder kindly.

  "I know you're going to win, Frank. We'll find David and bring him upin the car. Good bye."

  Frank hurried to the gym where he found everything in a bustle withthe men preparing for the great event. Every one was going. From thewindows where he was getting into his jersey and sweater he couldsee a steady procession of skaters from down the river, attracted tothe ice carnival between the two schools. But his heart was sad andheavy, and he felt slow and logy. He tried to shake the feeling off,but couldn't.

  "I guess it's all up with me in that half mile," he thought. "I can'tdo anything with these things," kicking savagely at the old skateswhich lay on the floor.

  But it was time to be going, and with Jimmy he walked to the float,strapped on his skates, and started slowly up stream. He had hardlya word to say all the way up, while Jimmy was happily cheerful, andtried to work Frank into the same frame of mind.

  In ten or fifteen minutes they were at the start of the hundred yardrace where they found half the school crowding close to the course,and several hundred spectators waiting around. The crowd was everymoment growing larger, and Mr. Parks and several assistants from bothschools were hard put to it to keep the course clear.

  Soon the Warwick representatives in the different events were on thescene, and as it was approaching the hour of two, the guards skatedup and down frantically calling: "Keep back, keep back, the race isgoing to start right away."

  Frank watched it all as though from a trance. He seemed to have nolife for it, and no heart for the struggle which was coming. Theskates felt like lead. And just now, to make him feel worse, ChipDixon flashed past up the course with a brand-new pair of Ruddocks onhis feet, smiling and confident.