From School to Battle-field: A Story of the War Days

by Charles King

  CHAPTER XI.

  When the order "Take up" was finally given that afternoon to the arrayof fire companies that covered the first and second fire districts, mostof Pop's boys were still among the swarm of spectators. The fire hadbroken out soon after nine o'clock, and not until one were some of thecompanies sent home. Under the system existing in those days everyengine, hose, and hook and ladder company whose station was north ofTwenty-second or south of Sixtieth Street had had to answer thatalarm,--old "Black Joke," Engine Company 33, having to drag their heavy"Carson" machine all the way from the neighborhood of Fifty-ninth Streetand Broadway. There was nothing left of the house in which the firestarted, and neighboring buildings were badly scorched in places andmore or less damaged by water. There were no "chemicals" then. Thestable had been in danger several times, and Pop's boys had performedprodigies of valor early in the affair, leading out the affrightedhorses and wheeling buggies and wagons into the street. The cars onFourth Avenue had to stop for over an hour, so numerous were the linesof hose, and both that avenue and Twenty-fifth Street and the roofs andwindows of adjoining buildings were thronged with lookers-on. The Doctorwas much displeased on his arrival to find his back windows occupied onboth floors by total strangers, who made themselves perfectly at homeand couldn't be induced to leave by any intimation of the janitor thatthe principal would like to close up. The Doctor was more thandispleased when he heard from Halsey of the filching of the gold. Nopupil saw that interview. A few of the smaller boys were at the backwidows, but only John noted the two in their grave consultation, and hewas promptly ordered to leave the room, and could only guess what wasgoing on until the following day. As the firemen stretched theirdrag-ropes and started for home Halsey suggested summoning the boys backto their seats and studies, but Pop said no,--it was too late in theday. He wished to think, and, tucking the cash and checks in an insidepocket and his cane under his arm, leaving Halsey to see to the closingup of the rooms, the Doctor went slowly down-stairs and out upon thecrowded street. He had had to thread his way through the jam atTwenty-fifth Street, and wanted no more of that. A line of hosestretched along the sidewalk from the hydrant at the corner below, andhe looked upon it with stern and scholastic disapproval, but followedits lead and came upon a familiar face. It being a "neighborhood" fire,the Metamora Hose had run over from Fifth Avenue and Twenty-firstStreet, being almost as soon upon the scene as 61. Taking the hydrant atTwenty-fourth Street, her men had unreeled up the avenue and around thestable, giving their "butt" to Lexington 7, who, with their bigdouble-decker, came speeding over from Third Avenue. And now theprettily painted hose carriage was drawn up close to the curb atTwenty-fourth Street, and half a dozen young fellows were lolling aboutthe wheels and tongue, smoking and talking loudly, with much exaggeratedimitation of the Bowery dialect of the day. But the slangy, swaggeringtalk came to sudden stop. Two cigars, at least, were tossed or droppedinto the flooded gutters, and two or three hats were lifted as Hoover,Briggs, and a "horsey" young man, whose specialties were cock-fights and"canine sports," suddenly recognized the Doctor. With grave dignity Poplifted his beaver, and his stern eyes gazed in disapprobation upon theparty. He knew the others, as he did his own black sheep, at a glance.There were the Hulkers, the flashiest of New York youths, the objects ofhis especial dislike. He had known their father, a worthy man despitehis swiftly acquired wealth, and the boys, too, had spent six monthswithin the Doctor's walls before the death of that lamented financier.But a doting mother had long since withdrawn them from the tyranny andoppression to which her beloved sons were there subjected. The Doctorhad his regular habits and his regular route. No boy there had everknown him to turn southward from his school door before this day, andhis coming suddenly upon them was a shock so severe that it dashed forthe moment even Briggs's effrontery. Hoover turned a sickly yellow, andlooked as though he would have been glad to crawl under the hosecarriage. Briggs "made a sneak" to get the reel between him and theDoctor's glowering eyes, but Pop halted short and stood with pointedcane, and Briggs saw it was useless and crawled out again. "Smoking!"said the rector, comprehending the sextette in general condemnation."Idling! Wasting the substance of honest men in forbidden and stolenindulgence. Here, you, sir!" to Briggs, "get you gone out of this. Gohome and study, and if you miss a line of to-morrow's lessons I'll packyou out of school." "Pack" as a verb and "copious" as an adjective werepets in the rector's school vocabulary. "The same to you, my horseyyoung friend, Mr. Brodrick. As for you," he continued, addressing theHulkers and their companion, who, with hands in pockets and hats tippedback, were striving to keep up appearance of bravado, "I shall reach youthrough another channel." Then, his manner suddenly changing, he turnedon Hoover, now blinking and sidling away through the quickly gatheringknot of inquisitive folk. "Hoover, come with me," he said, and Hoover,who looked as though he would give a year of his life to get out of theway, meekly slunk along at the Doctor's side.

  Majestically the rector strode across the street and went on southward,vouchsafing no word to the culprit on his left. There were still curiousknots of loungers along the avenue. One or two companies were manningthe brakes in Twenty-fourth Street, the hose of their engines beingcarried through the basements of the red brick houses to the rear of thewrecked premises. Furtively Briggs and Brodrick watched the pair untillost to sight, all but the Doctor's hat, in the throngs along the walk.Then an anxious, nervous glance was exchanged, and Brodrick whispered tohis freckle-faced schoolmate. "What's he heard, d'you s'pose?" was hisquery.

  "We'd better look up 61 and see what the other fellows know," saidBriggs, in low tone, while the Hulkers, now that the rector was wellaway, resumed their loud laughter. "You go, Brod; I can't show up inthat crowd just now." The memory of the assault on Snipe was still freshin the minds of some of the lads. Very possibly it was this that heldthe Hulkers and their henchmen so far away from the fire itself and fromthe spot where, over a block away, 61's white hose-reel and silver lampscould be seen above the crowd. Even now that shame and suspicionattached to George Lawton's name, those fellows, lately his accusers, ifnot indeed his active assailants, felt it unsafe to venture among a lotof the First Latin.

  Brodrick peered up the street and shook his head. "Not if the courtknows herself," he said, with the Bowery drawl; then, turning to Hulker,"Sa-ay, Skinny, gimme 'nother seegar." But the Hulker apostrophized as"Skinny" declined.

  "You've cleaned me out of the last one. Go buy some if you want 'em."

  "I ain't got a dime. Hope to drop dead next minute if I have. Sa-ay,lend me five dollars till Christmas on that watch-chain?" he pleaded,lifting a clumsy production from a waistcoat-pocket. But the next minutehe thrust it back in haste and confusion. Beach, with observing eye,came sweeping down upon them. "Mr. Halsey wishes to see you both atonce," said he, with scant ceremony. "Lose no time," and, though themessage filled them both with uneasiness, neither dare disregard it.

  Halsey sat at the old table as they slunk into the school-room. Two orthree First Latin men and Second Latin boys were grouped about him;John, the janitor, was dodging about the door. Every boy in the numberhad on his overcoat, but at least half a dozen others had left theirshanging on the rack.

  "Yes, sir, I know whose they are," Doremus was saying. "There'sBeekman's, and there's Bagshot's, and that's Prime's, and those areSecond Latin coats," he added, with proper indifference to the infantgarments. Halsey thought a moment.

  "They must still be somewhere about," he said, tentatively, as Briggsand Brodrick ranged up behind the smaller lads. "Where's Hoover?" hequestioned. "He was with you a moment ago."

  "Gone with the Doctor, sir," said Briggs, glad enough to have no harderquestion to answer.

  A long hook-and-ladder truck that had been standing for some hours infront of the school was being reloaded with its ladders, and its gongwas sounding to recall scattered members of the company. Some small boyshad tiptoed to the window to feast their eyes on the unaccustomed sight."There's some of our fellows over by 61's Hose now, si
r," piped ajunior, and John was bidden to go and again summon all stragglers intoschool. Ringing of his bell had only resulted in derisive comment amongthe firemen. Some company just starting for home was receiving thecustomary "hi, hi" of the hangers-on about the other machines, andJohn's mandates produced no immediate effect. At last, however, the boyscame straggling up in knots of two or three, and presently perhaps adozen were added to the group about the master's table. He was listeningrather absently to the excited talk. No less than six or eight of theyoungsters had personally rescued as many horses apiece, despite thefact that there never were more than twenty of those quadrupeds, alltold, in the adjoining stable. Halsey made Briggs repeat his statementas to Hoover and seemed disappointed. "Is this all you can find?" hefinally said to the janitor, and John declared it was.

  "Didn't you tell me Prime was down there, somewhere?" asked Halsey ofDoremus.

  "He's sure to be, sir. His coat's here yet."

  So again the janitor was sent forth, and again came back to say he couldsee nothing of the lad, and at last the master decided to keep theothers no longer. Bagshot took his coat and left. There were only tworemaining on the rack when the usual hour for closing school drew nigh.The occupants of the rear windows by this time had satisfied theircuriosity and departed, and John had been ordered to keep the doorsclosed and to admit no more. For some reason Halsey seemed to hang on toBriggs to the very last, and he and Brodrick were still fretting aboutthe benches, awaiting the master's permission to retire and glancingapprehensively at each other from time to time.

  At last Halsey beckoned them to his side.

  "Where were you when the class followed me into the other room?" askedhe of Briggs.

  "_With_ 'em, sir!" said Briggs, with eagerness. "Wasn't I, Brodrick? Wewere among the first to follow."

  "Yes, sir," asseverated Brodrick as positively. "We chased right inafter you."

  "How long did you stay in there?" asked Halsey. "I'm told you were amongthe first to bolt down-stairs--before school was dismissed."

  "A minute or two, anyhow," declared Briggs. "I thought school wasdismissed or I wouldn't 'a' run."

  "Did the whole class follow? Did any remain?" he asked, searching theanxious features before him. He and Beach had already talked this overamong themselves. John, too, had been examined, but further testimonywas needed. Briggs reflected.

  "Hoover was there, sir, and Shorty Prime."

  "When you came out, do you mean?"

  "Ye-ye-yes, sir. 't least Prime was. I didn't see Hoover."

  "Where was Prime? Are you sure he was there?"

  "Right up at the Doctor's desk, sir, where you were sitting."

  "He was there still when you came out?"

  "Ye-yes, sir. Wasn't he, Brodrick?"

  Brodrick thought so, but couldn't be sure. He had "grabbed his cap andrun." "They were all rushing down from the English departmentup-stairs."

  Halsey's dark face was very dark now. His eyes were full of doubt anddread. "I want you to be very careful of what you say, Briggs, and tosay nothing to anybody of what you have said." And while they were stillin conference steps were heard upon the stairs, and presently in camethe two pony members of the First Latin, Prime and Beekman, and Primewas a sight to behold.

  "What on earth have you been doing with yourself?" queried Halsey, as hehalf turned and looked the youngster over from head to foot. Shorty'sclothes were wet and bedraggled, his face smudged with soot, but hiseyes sparkling with life and animation. He had not looked so much likehis old self since Lawton's disappearance.

  "Had 28's pipe, sir, the last hour," said the boy, with a grin of pride."They were only pumping easy to soak down the ruins, and their fellowswere tired out and let me and Julian have it."

  "Where's Julian?"

  "Gone home, sir. He's wet through."

  "So are you, but--don't go just yet. That's all, you others," saidHalsey, whereat the three slowly vanished, leaving only the janitorstaring at the door.

  "Go out and shut that door, and keep it shut," said Halsey, shortly, tothe open-mouthed servitor, and then he turned on the boy, now warminghis hands at the big stove. "Prime," said he, "you were with me at thedesk when that alarm came. What became of you? What did you do?"

  "I, sir? I went like a streak for 61."

  "At once, do you mean?--right after the class ran after me into Mr.Meeker's room?"

  "_Before_ the class ran after you," said Shorty, with an injured air. Nofireman would waste so many valuable seconds. "I was down-stairs andout of the school before they were fairly off the benches."

  "How could you get your cap, sir?"

  "Didn't take it, sir! I ran bare-headed to Twenty-sixth Street, hopingto be the first to give 'em a still before I saw 'em coming."

  "Give them a still! What's that?"

  "A still alarm, sir. Give them a tip to the fire. But it must have beengoing some minutes. They were spinning down the avenue by the time I gothalf-way. Then I came back for my cap, and school was coming out."

  "Did you speak to any of them? What boys saw you coming back?" askedHalsey, thoughtfully.

  "Oh, I don't know, sir," answered the youngster. "Everybody was excited,I suppose, but me. I've always run to fires since I was knee-high. Theywere all shouting. You were just coming out of Mr. Meeker's room, and Inearly ran into you."

  "Do you mean you ran to Twenty-sixth Street and back in that time?"

  "_More_'n that, sir. I ran half-way to Twenty-seventh and out into thestreet and grabbed hold of 61's rope. There were only six or sevenfellows on her, and I ran with 'em to the corner hydrant."

  Something of the master's trouble was now reflecting in the pupil'sface. Something in the minuteness of Halsey's questioning suggestedgraver trouble. "I hope nothing's wrong, sir," said Prime, anxiously."I know I oughtn't to have run when I did without permission, but--wedon't have a fire next door every day."

  Halsey rose and placed the long, lean hand on the little fellow'sshoulder. Two years and more he had known him. He and "Tut" had givenhim the first touches in Latin and Greek, and, as head-master, Halseyhad had many an occasion to reprove or reprimand, for high spirits ormischief led to many a scrape, yet there was kindness, there was even atouch of tenderness, in the master's tone as he answered.

  "Perhaps you ought not to have run when you did," said he, "but, as itis, I'm thankful."

  And Shorty could have sworn Othello's swarthy hand was trembling.

  Two minutes later the master had taken the names of two of 61's men whowere on the rope when Shorty joined them. Then, bidding him say nothingof this conversation to any schoolmate until after the Doctor's comingon the morrow, Halsey bade him hurry home and get a rub-down and dryclothes. As Shorty turned to the rack for his overcoat a sudden thoughtstruck the master.

  "Where was the letter written--Lawton's letter--that you took to theDoctor this morning?"

  "It didn't say, sir. It was postmarked Bridgeport, but--that don't proveanything. Somebody else could have put it in for him there."

  Jerking the overcoat from its peg and tossing it carelessly over hisarm, something bright came spinning out of the pocket, bounded to thefloor, and rolled in easy circle up in front of the master's table,where it struck a crack, spun on edge a second, and then settled with ametallic buzz and bur-r-r, and then lay still and shining opposite themiddle bench. Halsey started and stared, with a gleam in his eyes.Shorty, surprised, sped after it, stooped and picked it up, then held itbetween his thumb and forefinger, gazing at it in astonishment. "Why,Mr. Halsey," he cried, "it's a ten-dollar gold piece!"

  "Yes," said Halsey, "I know. See if there are any more."