As he spoke, he dexterously emptied his glass out of the window. Rex
was quick to follow his example.
“Those fellows don’t know when they’ve had enough,” he said, “and
somebody ought to keep a level head on his shoulders to look out for
them.”
Rex’s heart sank within him. And it was for this that he had spent the
money he had been saving for his mother’s birthday gift! for this he
had deceived this mother! for this told those falsehoods to Roy!
“Are you fellows ready for another round?” called out Stout, looking
over at them. “Slip up to the captain’s office and get a settler.”
His voice already began to sound thick.
“We must go and pretend to join them,” Atkins whispered.
So glasses were filled for the third time, and on this occasion Atkins
retired with Rex to the other side of the room, and watching his
opportunity, poured his punch into the water pitcher. Rex, in trying to
do likewise, let slip the glass, and it fell with a crash into the
basin.
A roar of laughter greeted the incident.
“Good for you, Pell,” cried Tom Cheever. “Trying to infuse a little
life into the party. That’s right, my boy, that’s right.”
The fellow came over toward Rex, walking a little unsteadily, and with
such a leer in his eye that Rex shrank back against the wall.
At that moment Harrington came up and put his arm around Rex’s neck.
“I always said that Reggie Pell was a gentleman,” he mumbled. “Now you
can see it for yourselves.”
“And his clothes fit him,” added Dan Tilford, as a special mark of
approval.
“Oh, they imagine they’re having no end of sport,” whispered Atkins.
“Look at Harrington. He’s half seas over, too.”
He was so far over, indeed, that he was very ill for a time. It was a
fearful scene.
“Here, Pell,” Atkins called to him from the bed where he had gone to
look after Cheever. “See what you can do for your friend.”
And Rex went over to Harrington and tried to pilot him to a seat. Then
he held the other’s head and shut his eyes, while he wondered if there
was ever such a donkey on the face of the earth as he, Reginald Pell,
to do all that he had done for this.
If it hadn’t been close on to midnight he would have gone home there
and then. But now Harrington was well nigh helpless, and Rex knew
nothing about New York. Where was he going to sleep that night?
Harrington was in no condition to have questions put to him now.
A fixed look came over Rex’s face.
“I must go now,” he said, looking around for his hat and valise.
“What, you’re not going off and leave Harrington, are you?” asked
Atkins.
“I can’t do anything more for him and I must get out of this place.
Perhaps I’ll call in the morning to see how he is. Good night. I’m much
obliged to you.”
“Well, I suppose you are better off out of here, but aren’t you going
to hire a room in the hotel?”
“No, I want to get as far away from the place as possible.”
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account