Captain of the Crew

“That’s Nesbitt,” explained Dick. “He’s English, and has rowed some at home; I believe he finds our stroke rather difficult; but I think he’ll do well; he’s my roommate, and I know that he’s the sort of fellow that’ll keep on trying until he gets what he’s after.”

Kirk nodded approvingly.

“I shouldn’t wonder. English, eh? That explains that body-swing of his, I suppose. Well, I guess he’ll turn out well, though I believe he’ll do better at four when we get into the water. Now, I’ll have a look at the other squad.”

“It’s all very well for Kirk to talk about making Taylor come back,” said Dick to himself that evening, “but I wish he had it to do. However, I suppose I’ll have to make a stab at it. But I’d rather have a tooth pulled. We do need him, though, and that’s a fact, and what I’ve got to do is forget what I like and don’t like, and work for the crew. I’ll go around and see him to-morrow. No, by Jove, I’ll go to-night; there’s no time like the present for anything disagreeable!” And he jumped up, threw aside his book, and began to struggle into his coat. Trevor glanced up in surprise.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Over to the village to see Taylor.”

“Phew! what a growl; want me to go along?”

“No, not unless you want to sit on the steps and wait for me; I’ve got to see him about something private.”

Trevor grinned.

“Fancy, now! Honest, Dick, if you’re going to punch his head, I’d like blooming well to help you.”

“I dare say,” laughed his roommate, “but I’m not going to punch his head. Coming along?”

“And sit on the front doorstep in this weather and twiddle my thumbs? I fancy not, my dear. As the vulgar manner of speech hath it, ‘Guess again!’” And Trevor snuggled up ostentatiously to the warmth of the blaze. But after Dick had taken his departure he laid down his book and eyed the flames thoughtfully.

“I rather wish I had gone along,” he muttered. “It’s just possible that he is going to punch Taylor, after all.”

CHAPTER XVI

A DECLARATION OF WAR

Dick was lucky enough to find Roy Taylor at home, huddled close to the fireplace, and evidently busy with his studies. His welcome to-night was less suave than on the occasion of Dick’s previous visit. His greeting was almost impolite, and Dick, who on his way from the yard had resolved to keep his temper no matter what happened, already felt his anger rising.

“I came to see you about crew work, Taylor,” he began. “In the first place we need you in the boat; in the second place we’ve got to have you.”

“My dear chap – ” began Taylor in bored tones.

“No, wait a minute,” interrupted Dick. “Let me have my say. You’ve left us in a hole. It would have been better if you hadn’t started training at all; better than letting me think you were going to row and then backing down in this way; as I say, it leaves us in a hole. Besides that, it’s not – not patriotic. You know what a hard time we’ve got ahead of us; you know that we’ve got to have good material if we are to win out from St. Eustace; and you know that when you cut rowing you’re doing about all in your power to get us beaten.”

Taylor flushed angrily.

“That’s tommyrot!”

“No, it isn’t; it’s the truth; you know it is, Taylor. And you know very well that if the fellows learned it you couldn’t stay here.”

“Well, on my word!” ejaculated Taylor; “you’ve got a lot of cheek to sit there and – and throw insults at me. You must be crazy!”

“I don’t think so; and I’m not insulting you, at least not intentionally. But I am telling what’s so. You’ve taken about the meanest course in the matter you could, and all the school would say so if they knew.”

“I suppose that’s a threat,” sneered Taylor.

“No, it isn’t. I have no intention – ”

“But let me tell you that I don’t care a fig for all your nasty insinuations, Hope; you can tell all the lies about me you want to. I don’t believe that the fellows will call it dishonest for a chap to give up crew work because he finds that he can’t do justice to his studies; I don’t believe that they will call it mean. I tell you, Hope, you crew and football and baseball beggars have got a false notion of school life; you think that all a chap comes here for is to row in your dirty old boat, or mess round with a football; that study is a secondary consideration. But it’s not that way, by ginger; no, sir; that’s where you are off!”

“That’s nonsense,” replied Dick calmly. “And you know well enough that I don’t think any such thing, nor do any of the fellows here. What I do think is that the average fellow can do his studies and take part in sports and be all the better for it. Look at the Honor Men of last year; look – ”

“I don’t care a fig for the Honor Men of last year. What I say – ”

“Taylor, when you tell me that you’ve chucked rowing because you can’t keep up with your studies you’re saying what isn’t so,” cried Dick.

“Oh!” Taylor glared with an ugly expression in his eyes. “Oh, is that so? Maybe you know all about my affairs – better than I do, perhaps?”

“I know that much,” answered Dick, striving to speak calmly. “I know that the reason you’ve left the crew is because you want to do all you can to prevent me from turning out a winning eight. And I know you want to do that because you have a grudge against me for beating you last spring for the captaincy. I know that much, Taylor, and I want you to know that I know it. We might as well understand each other right here and now.”

Taylor’s snarl died away, and he grinned mockingly across at Dick.

“All right, my smart friend. Supposing that is so? Mind, I don’t say that it is so; but supposing it is, what are you going to do about it?”

Dick hesitated for an instant and the grin on Taylor’s face widened as he saw it.

“Perhaps you’re going to tell that yarn to the fellows?”

“No,” answered Dick; “I’ve thought of that, but I’m no tell-tale; and, besides, it wouldn’t do any good. It might make things unpleasant for you – ”

“If any one believed it,” sneered Taylor.

“But it wouldn’t better the crew any. And that’s all I care about, Taylor. I’m captain this year, and I’m going to turn out a good crew; I’m going to do it in spite of you or anything you can do!”

“Dear me, dear me, you ought to go into melodrama, Hope; you’d make a hit, really you would.” Then his manner changed suddenly, and he leaned forward toward the other, scowling darkly. “Look here, I don’t mind telling the truth, Hope, to you; I’m not afraid of anything you can do. You’re right about the captaincy; you’re right about the grudge, if you care to call it that. Let me tell you: This is my last year here. I’m not going up to college like you; I mean a college where they have rowing; I’m going to Tech. Ever since I came here I’ve wanted to be captain – for one year if no more; that’s been my – my ambition, if you like; I’d set my heart on it. I went into rowing when I was a junior; made a place. The next year I went into the varsity boat. The next year I hoped to be captain, but I missed it; Brown won it, hang him! Last spring I thought I had it at last; there was no reason why I shouldn’t have had it; I’m a good oar, as good as there was in the last year’s varsity; I’m old enough; and I’m a senior. But no, you had to spoil it; you were popular with the crew, more popular than I was; and you had Beck with you. If it hadn’t been for Beck I’d have made it, I know; but he wanted you to have it.”

“Beck had no part in the election,” said Dick.

“He didn’t attend it and he had no vote, but don’t you suppose the fellows knew what he wanted? Of course they did; they were willing to please Beck; and so they chose you captain. And that’s why I’ve no love for you. I’ve worked all the fall and all the winter, so far, to keep the fellows from joining the crews; and I’ve succeeded, too; and I’m going to keep on unless – ” He paused and dropped his gaze from Dick’s face for an instant.

“I see,” said Dick, with traces of wonderment in his voice. “But what – what does it all lead to? You may bring defeat to Hillton, but how will that better things? You wanted the captaincy; I can understand that; I – I think I’m sorry you were disappointed – ”

“Cut it out!” growled Taylor.

“But it’s too late now, isn’t it? Haven’t you made trouble enough? As far as I’m concerned personally I don’t care a row of buttons whether you have it in for me or not, but what’s the use in taking your spite out on the whole school?”

“Maybe it isn’t too late,” answered Taylor, smiling oddly. “You see, I know pretty well what sort of a chap you are; you’re one of those conscientious dubs; you’d do all kinds of stunts and be tickled to death if you thought you were helping the school. And you’re honest all through; if you lied to any one – even yourself – you’d go off into a corner somewhere and throw a fit! I’ve taken all that into consideration.”

“Drop that,” said Dick stiffly, “and say what you mean.”

“All right. Look here; do you want Hillton to win the race? Very well; and do you think she can do it with the material she’s got now?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Oh, no you don’t; and if you do you’re mightily mistaken. I said a while ago that you’d find a man for my place at seven, but you won’t; there isn’t one to be found; there isn’t a fellow that’s heavy enough for it. I know; I’ve watched what’s going on, and I know who you’ve got. And you’ll lose other men before long; I’ve fixed that. Now, listen; there’s just one way you can turn out a crew that will run away from St. Eustace: that’s by getting me back into the boat, keeping all the experienced fellows you’ve got, and getting one or two good men that will only go in for crew work when I ask them to.”

Taylor paused and smiled triumphantly. Dick clenched his hands, fighting down an almost overpowering impulse to leap across the width of the hearth, and – yes, as Trevor had suggested – punch Taylor’s head!

“That makes you mad, eh?” grinned his host.

“What are you driving at?” cried Dick angrily. “If you’ve got anything to say, say it and get done.”

“Well, I’ve got an offer to make,” replied Taylor softly. “I’ll go back to work and bring three, possibly four, good fellows with me, and do all I can for the success of the crew, if – ”

“If what?”

“If you’ll resign from the captaincy.”

Dick stared at the other for a moment in speechless amaze. For the first time a full understanding of Taylor’s conspiracy came to him; but even then he could scarcely believe that the other was in earnest.

“But – how would that help you?” he gasped.

“I should get the captaincy, because according to the bargain you would promise to do all you could to help me get it. Well, what do you say?”

Dick jumped up and stared angrily at the other’s smiling, imperturbable face.

“I say no! I say you’re a mean, contemptible scoundrel, Taylor. And I’ve heard enough; you make me sick!” He buttoned his coat with fingers that trembled despite him, and strode to the door. Taylor’s face was flushed, and he arose and took a step after him. Then he stopped and, seemingly with an effort, laughed harshly.

“I thought you’d refuse at first,” he said. “There’s no hurry; think it over. You’ll consent in the end because” – he raised his voice, for Dick was already in the hall – “because it’s the only way you can make sure of success for the crew.”

Dick strode down the stairs without replying, and plunged into the darkness toward the academy, striding along as though shod in seven-league boots, in an unconscious effort to escape from the fury that possessed him. At the gate leading into the yard he paused breathlessly, looked about him, and laughed shortly.

“And I started out with the resolve to keep my temper!” he sighed.

As he reached the head of the stairs the sound of a voice, even-toned, monotonous, met his ears, and as he approached Number 16 he discovered that it issued from that study. He paused outside the door and listened; Trevor was apparently translating aloud:

“‘The hippopotamus is esteemed sacred in the Papremis district, but in no other part of Egypt. I shall describe its nature and properties. It has four feet, which are cloven – like the devil’s – or like an ox’s; the nose is short and tip-tilted – like Trevor Nesbitt’s – and the teeth are prominent – like Professor Sharp’s; it resembles a horse in its mane – ’”

“Excellent, Nesbitt, excellent,” said a deep voice, for all the world like Professor Garrison’s. “Hence, gentlemen, we have the saying ‘Remember the Mane.’ Proceed, Nesbitt.”

“‘It resembles a horse in its mane, its tail, and its voice; it is of the size of a big ox, and has an epidermis – otherwise, and in vulgar parlance, a skin – so remarkably thick that when dry it becomes very offensive.’” The monotonous voice paused; apparently the rendering of the latter portion of the narrative was not quite satisfactory. But the second occupant of the study was evidently lenient, for the deep voice said:

“Proceed, Nesbitt; that is correct.”

“He’s reading Herodotus,” said Dick to himself. “But who in thunder is that with him?”

“‘The Nile,’” continued Trevor, “‘also produces otters, which Egyptians venerate, as they do also the fish named lepidotus – so called on account of its spots, which resemble those of a leopard – and the eel; these are sacred to the Nile, as among birds is one named chenalopex.’ What is that, professor?”

“The chenalopex,” responded the deep voice, “is a bird – ”

But Dick’s curiosity got the better of him at this point, and he opened the door and entered. At the study table was Trevor, Dick’s volume of Herodotus open before him, and a Greek lexicon at his elbow. Dick stared about the room in surprise. Save for Trevor and himself it was empty.

“What in thunder – ” he began.

“Hope,” said Trevor, pointing a paper-knife at him in the manner of Professor Garrison, and speaking sternly in deep tones, “take your seat, sir. The habit of tardiness appears to be growing upon you, sir. Pattern your conduct upon that of the excellently punctual Nesbitt.”

Dick seized Trevor’s head and rubbed his nose violently into Herodotus. “You silly chump, you! What do you think you’re doing?”

“Amusing myself, I fancy. What can a chap do when his roommate goes off and leaves him this way?” He struck the paper-knife against the green shade of the drop-light. “Beg pardon, professor, I believe the bell rang.” Then, in the professor’s voice, “The bell, Nesbitt? Ah, the time passes very quickly when deep in the beautiful utterances of Herodotus. We will begin to-morrow where we leave off this morning, at the seventy-first paragraph.” Trevor slammed the book shut, jumped up, and grinned at Dick.

“You’d better be learning your own lessons than mine,” laughed the latter. “And, now that Professor Garrison’s gone, I propose to go to bed.”

Long after the light was out Trevor sat up suddenly and asked:

“I say, Dick, did you thump Taylor?”

“No,” was the drowsy answer. Trevor snuggled back under the clothes, grumbling.

“What do you expect to amount to when you grow up,” he asked disgustedly, “if you continue to neglect your opportunities in this way?”

The next day Waters, rowing at five in the first squad, informed Dick that, because of not having enough time for his studies, he had decided to stop work with the crew.

CHAPTER XVII

IN THE BOAT

When, on the following Saturday, Coach Kirk again visited Hillton, Dick had a sorry report to make: Taylor obdurate; Waters gone; two members of the second squad ill.

“Taylor absolutely refuses, eh?” said the coach, studying Dick’s face. “Well, if he won’t he won’t, and we must do our best without him. And Waters has dropped out, too, you say? He was at five, wasn’t he? Well, that’s another good man lost. You’ve tried to persuade him to come back?”

“Yes; I did all I could.”

“Ah! Is Waters a particular friend of Taylor’s?”

“I think they’re rather chummy.”

“I see. Well, Hope, I can’t pass behind you in this matter; it’s your business to look after the fellows, and if you can’t get them to stay in training, that ends it. We must do the best we can with what we’ve got. We’ll try Nesbitt at four to-day, and put Rankin of the second squad into Waters’s place. And, by the way, we’d better divide the second; make a third squad. That will leave two over, won’t it? Two men, I mean? I thought so. I wish to goodness we had a second set of machines here. However – By the way, Hope, you’re not looking very fit to-day; feel pretty well, do you?”

“Yes; I’m all right; didn’t sleep very steady last night, I guess.”

“Well, you’ll have to look after yourself carefully. If you go off your feed we will be in a hole. Now I want to see Beck a minute or two before we start to rowing.” And Kirk strode out onto the floor, and as he went he said to himself: “Plain as daylight; Hope and Taylor are at loggerheads, and Taylor’s persuaded Waters to leave. Nice state of affairs!”

February passed into March, and March, after performing its usual æolian repertoire, subsided toward the end of its reign in preparation for a lamblike exit. And one morning Dick pushed up the blind and, according to his custom of weeks past, looked toward the river. And, lo, the water sparkled deeply blue under a springlike sun, and, save for a patch here and there along the margins and in the lee of the islands, was clear of ice.

“The river’s open at last!” he shouted to Trevor. And that youth hurried to the window to see the marvel with his own eyes.

“Good work! I say, Dick, it looks warm enough to go in swimming. Will we get out to-day?”

Dick shook his head.

“I guess we’ll wait until Saturday.”

“Saturday! But, jumping jiminy, this is only Tuesday!” exclaimed Trevor. “How can you expect a chap to grind away in the gym on a day like this?” He pushed the window up and threw himself over the sill, kicking his heels delightedly and breathing in the fresh, moist air greedily. A fringe of icicles above dripped water down onto his bare neck, and he giggled hysterically. “Just like a needle bath,” he sputtered.

“Come on and get dressed,” said Dick, “and let’s go over to breakfast.”

“All right; wait until I eat an icicle.” He reached up and broke off several. “Have one?”

“No, and no more will you,” replied Dick, knocking them out of his hand. “When you’re in training for the boat you can’t eat icicles; they’ll give you pains in your tummy.”

“Rot,” said Trevor; “there’s nothing more healthful than a nice underdone icicle just before breakfast.”

The boat-house on the following Saturday afternoon was a scene of much activity and color. The fellows turned out almost to a man for a look at the crews at work, and the second and third squad stood by and watched enviously while their more fortunate friends lifted one of the long cedar shells from the house and placed it in the water at the end of the float. The coxswain, an upper middle lad named Keene, called the numbers, and, one by one, Trevor by virtue of his place at four, leading, the first squad entered the boat. Kirk contented himself to-day with a point of vantage on the landing, for the tiny naphtha launch was not yet ready for duty.

“Get your feet into the stretchers, men, and see how they feel. How is that, Six, too long? Hold her steady, you fellows. That’s better, isn’t it?” And when the last stretcher had been placed to suit: “Keene, keep the boat in the stretch here by the landing and inshore as much as you can. All right.”

“Get ready,” called the coxswain. The boat was pushed off from the float. “Forward!” The crew moved up with their slides. “Paddle!” and the shell floated out into the stream, her bow pointing up the river. “Easy all!” The paddling ceased and the boat lay motionless. “Forward!” The eight bodies bent. “Are you ready? Row!” and the blades swirled through the water and the boat leaped forward. Dick, at stroke, pulled leisurely, and after the first three or four strokes the rest of the eight caught the time, and the locks clicked in unison. At a little distance up-stream the boat was turned, and, with the same long, leisurely stroke, was brought back and past the landing, where Kirk, eagle-eyed, watched the work silently. Down-stream the shell was again turned, and, when it was once more opposite the float, was brought to a stop.

“Seven, keep your eyes in the boat and watch the stroke,” called Kirk. “Five, you’re too late every time. Four, you don’t finish out. Bring your hands home. Two, keep your shoulders down at the finish. Cox, watch the boat; coming down just now she rolled like a log; keep an eye on Three and Bow; I think they’re the offenders. Try it again.”

And off went the boat once more, turned, passed the landing, and finally was again brought up that the coach might continue his criticism. Then the first squad was released and the second was given a few minutes instruction in watermanship, merely taking their places in the boat, handling the oars and paddling to and fro about the float. The third squad followed, and as each was released it was sent off for a run.

Among the fellows who watched the work of the crews that afternoon was Roy Taylor. It would, perhaps, be more truthful to say that he divided his watching between the crew and the coach. And from the latter he learned as much as from the former, and what he saw was evidently to his liking, for he went off up the steps whistling thoughtfully but with satisfaction.

“I’ll give Hope another three weeks to come around,” he said to himself, as he passed Society House and turned toward Academy Building. “If by that time he hasn’t consented to give me the captaincy, I’ll – I’ll eat my hat. I never saw such a duffer in a boat as that fellow they had to-day in my place at seven. And Kirk thinks the same way, too; he tried to hide what he felt, but I know his way of tugging at his mustache and grinning pleasantly when he is worried; and he was worried to-day, all right. And I don’t blame him” – with a grin – “for there are three men in that first squad that wouldn’t last half a mile in a race with a girls’ school! Oh, yes, I guess old Hope will be around to see me before long!”

And Taylor pushed his way past the green leather doors of the library and, finding a book, went busily to work with pad and pencil – for whatever else might have been said about Roy Taylor, he was at least diligent at his studies, and stood high in his class.

Dick, followed by Trevor and the rest of the first squad, finished a mile run over the soft road, and came swinging up to the gymnasium an hour before supper-time, panting and tuckered, but in a most enjoyable glow and with appetites that protested strongly against the time that must elapse ere they could be satisfied. After a shower-bath Dick and Trevor walked across to Masters together, and, pulling a blanket over their feet, perched themselves on the broad window-seat in the lingering glow of the sun, and leaned back luxuriously against the pillows. Ever since the morning four days previous, when Dick had looked out to find the Hudson clear of ice, the boys had scorned fires, and, although the room had a way of getting cold toward evening, they insisted that spring had come, and that wood fires were a survival of the dark ages of midwinter. Trevor stretched his arms and yawned, and the Latin book on his lap fell unheeded to the floor.

“That was something like, to-day,” he said. “It was worth all that work in the gym, every minute of it. I say, Dick, Kirk looked rather well satisfied with us, I thought, eh?”

“He looked that way,” answered Dick, “but don’t deceive yourself into thinking that he felt so. Not a bit of it; he was grumpy clean through; you could tell that by his grin; he always grins when he’s grumpy; makes you think of the – thingumbob – what is it that cries when it eats people?”

“Mouse?” asked Trevor innocently.

“Get out! Crocodile, I mean. That’s Kirk’s way. No, he wasn’t happy to-day, and I don’t blame him, for, oh, Trevor, my child, Jones fills Taylor’s place about as well as a wax doll would. And Rankin means well, but hasn’t got it in him, and Arnold’s just a makeshift, after all; I thought he was going to prove a good man; and Milton doesn’t seem to understand what he’s doing half the time.”

“And Nesbitt rows as though he was chopping wood,” laughed Trevor, with a questioning accent.

“Nesbitt will do, I guess, after he’s been at it a little longer,” answered Dick. “Hang it all! I rowed like a kid to-day myself! I don’t know what’s got into me. I wish – by Jove! I honestly do wish that Taylor or anybody else was captain, Trevor!”