Football -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Juvenile fiction
“I know,” said Leonard. “You’re probably dead right, Slim, but just
the same I’d swap my right to that dinner for a ham sandwich. As the
well-known proverb says, Slim, ‘A sandwich in the hand is worth two
portions of chicken on the plate.’”
“Shut up. Here’s High street. The place is in the next block. We’ll get
there in time, too.”
High street proved to be a rather narrow thoroughfare not quite so well
lighted as the street they were leaving. The stores had a somewhat
second-class appearance and the names on the signs and windows were
frequently foreign. In brief, High street impressed one as being a
street that had seen better days. The principal shopping thoroughfare
lay one block south, and as the boys neared the corner of Moody street
the rattle and clang of Market street’s traffic was borne to them.
And as they neared that corner Leonard exclaimed: “Must be a fire or
something, Slim. Look at the crowd!”
A little way beyond the corner of the cross street was a throng that
stretched from side to side. Further on, jutting out above the sidewalk
on the right, was a gayly illuminated sign that announced in electric
lamps: “Kingman’s Restaurant.” Slim looked and slowed his steps.
“Freshies,” breathed Slim. “A whole blamed army of ’em, General!”
Leonard could see for himself now that the crowd was composed of
boys and knew that Slim was right. The latter drew him aside to the
entrance of a shop. “Let’s consider a bit,” said Slim. “Suppose
they’ve got another gang at the other side, too, eh? Must have, for
there’s probably not more than fifty in that bunch there.” He peered
down the street to confirm this statement. Then he laughed. “You’re
lucky, after all, General,” he said. “There’s a lunch room right
opposite where you can get your sandwich!”
“But what are we going to do?” asked Leonard anxiously.
“Well,” answered Slim, “I guess there’s just one thing we can do, and
that’s buck the line. There doesn’t seem much chance of running the
end, eh? Let’s go, General!”
They set forth again side by side, appearing as casual as they might,
reached the corner, paused to let an automobile pass and approached the
throng. Just then a small youth darted past them and gave the alarm
shrilly:
“_Staples! Staples!_”
A roar of cheers and laughter went up, and the freshman horde moved to
meet them. Cries of “Welcome, Soph!” “Dinner’s ready, Staples!” “Way
for the President!” mingled with jeers and cat-calls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account