“I have done what I could,” replied Frank. “Listen, don’t you hear that popping sound? It’s Cuthbert Lee on his motorcycle. I ’phoned to him over home that he was needed here to prevent a clash, and he’s come on the jump!” CHAPTER XII A POPULAR BOY “Frank, you’re a wonder; and I don’t care who hears me say it!” exclaimed Minnie, as she saw a cloud of dust down the road, with a boy on a motorcycle heading it. “Nobody but you would ever have thought of such a splendid scheme!” “Well, all I hope, then, is that it works,” replied the boy; “for they’re just ready to take a whack at each other right now.” He ran toward the noisy crowd, and shouted at the top of his voice: “Here’s Cuthbert Lee come over to see us, fellows!” Even the mention of the name of the most popular boy in all Bellport acted as a soothing salve upon the excited minds of the wrangling lads. They drew back just in time to avoid the first blow, which must have precipitated the battle, and been followed by bloody noses and bruised faces. Some of them even began to look ashamed to be caught in such a business as creating bad feeling between the neighboring towns. Cuthbert Lee was wise enough to know that nothing could be accomplished by accusing his friends of wrongdoing. He began by asking the cause of the trouble, and smoothing things down so ably that in a short time he had the Bellport boys cheering him wildly. “Don’t let anybody think Bellport has a case of cold feet,” he declared. “We believe we’ve got the athletes to carry off some of those prizes, anyhow, and we’re just going to prove it when the time comes. I’ve watched every arrangement closely, boys, and I give you my solemn word for it, I honestly believe the arrangements have all been made in a spirit of fairness.” “Hear! hear!” shouted a Columbia boy, beginning to be once more drawn toward the old rivals of Bellport, whom they had cheered wildly many a time after a game had been won or lost, and respected in the past as true sport-lovers. “Why,” continued Cuthbert, feeling that his case was already as good as won, “at the meeting which I had the honor to attend, the gentleman who offered these fine prizes was _very_ particular to say, time after time, that he wanted the neighboring towns to feel that they had just as good a chance to win as Columbia. He was so broad-minded, fellows, that once our representative had to actually object, and say that Bellport didn’t need to be favored. Does that look like the committee meant to side-track us? I never knew of a fairer arrangement between schools than the one governing this meet. And that’s positive truth, believe me, fellows. You know I wouldn’t deceive you for anything in the world.” They began to look very foolish now and the Columbia boys were giving Cuthbert Lee a salvo of loud cheers. Such friendly sentiments touched their boyish hearts as nothing else could do.