CHAPTER X
THE BANNER PARADE
Instantly following Hiram's words a hub-bub burst out in the gymnasium.Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and the crowd of boys split upinto two factions.
There were those who were with Joe and Tom in their contention, and whothought that they had not been given a fair opportunity. Among thesewere, of course, the lads who had not hitherto belonged to the athleticcommittee, and who had been induced by Tom to put in their applications.
On the other side were what might be called the "conservatives," thosewho, while not exactly favoring Hiram and his high-handed methods,preferred to take the easiest way and let the old order of thingsprevail.
Then, too, was a smaller crowd of distinct "Shellites" as Peaches dubbedthem--friends and close cronies of the manager who sided with him in allthings and looked upon him as a sort of hero. Chief among them, ofcourse, was Luke Fodick, and perhaps next in line stood Charlie Borden,who had replaced Peaches at first.
"It's a rotten, mean shame!" burst out Teeter as he came over to whereTom, Joe and Peaches were standing. "I'm not going to stand for it,either!"
"Well, what can you do?" asked the practical Peaches. "They have it onus good and proper. There's the rule."
"Well, I don't like it, but I'm going to stay here just the same,"snapped Tom.
"And so am I," added Joe frankly. "There's no use saying I don't care,for I do. I'd like to get on the team. But if I can't--why I'll root for'em, that's all."
"Maybe you'll be picked as one of the subs," was what Charlie Bordensaid. "We always have lots of them to make up the scrub nine. Butfrankly, Matson, I don't think you'll pitch. Frank Brown is going tomake good, and if he doesn't Larry Akers will."
He turned to join some of his own particular crowd, and with themcontinued the discussion of the unexpected turn given to the athleticmeeting. Hiram and Luke were surrounded by a throng of their cronies,and from time to time there could be heard from them such remarks as:
"Serves 'em good and right for trying to butt in."
"What right have new fellows to try to run our affairs for us, anyhow?"
"You sat on 'em proper, Hiram."
"Yes, Luke and I fixed up that scheme," answered the bully, with nolittle pride.
Joe heard, and the thought came to him that possibly there might be asplit in the ranks of the lads--a school divided against itself, and onhis account. He took a quick resolve.
Striding over to Hiram he held out his hand, saying with a frank smile:
"Hiram, don't think for a minute I'm sore. It's all right, and I haven'ta word to say. I did want to get on the nine, but I realize that I am anew lad here, and maybe next year things will be different. I'm for theteam first, last and always. Will you shake on it--you and Luke?"
For a moment the bully eyed our hero. Luke, too, gazed at him with asneer on his face. Then as a little murmur of admiration for Joe'sconduct arose--a murmur in which some of Hiram's own friends joined--thelatter knew that it was the wisest policy to be at least outwardlyfriendly with Joe.
"All right, Matson," replied Hiram. "I guess you can come in. I'm sorryif you feel hurt about the way we run things here at Excelsior Hall,but----"
"Not at all--'to the victors belong the spoils,'" quoted Joe. "Maybeyou'll let me play on the scrub."
"Sure, if there's a chance," put in Luke eagerly. He, too, saw which waythe wind was likely to blow, and noting that Hiram had changed hisconduct toward Joe it was up to the bully's toady to do the same. "Youcan play on the scrub all you want to," Luke added.
Hiram held out his hand and, though the clasp he gave Joe might havebeen more friendly, our hero took the will for the deed. Luke, also,shook hands, and thus, for the time being, the threatened breach wasclosed. But Joe knew, and Hiram knew, that never could there be realfriendship between them.
Some of the lads began leaving the gymnasium now. There was more talkabout the coming ball season, and some still persisted in denouncing thehigh-handed methods of the manager and his crowd. But in the mainthe feeling was smothered, due chiefly to Joe's manly act. The youngpitcher even remained for a while chatting with Hiram, Luke and some oftheir cronies.
"Say, you sure did have your nerve with you, when you shook hands withthose two sneaks," remarked Tom, when he and Joe reached their room, alittle later.
"Yes, it did take nerve, but it was the only thing to do. I'm a thousandtimes obliged to you, Tom, for what you did for me, and----"
"For what I didn't do for you, I guess you mean," interrupted his chumwith a smile. "Well, I meant all right, but they beat us out. ButI'm not done trying. Joe, you're going to pitch on the first nine ofExcelsior Hall before this season is over, or I'll eat my hat."
"I wish I could believe so," replied Joe with a little sigh of longing.
Baseball practice formally opened the next day, which proved unexpectedlywarm and springlike. The diamond was in good shape, and a crowd of ladsturned out. A host of candidates did their "stunts" and Luke and Hiram"sized them up." Joe wanted to pitch on the tentative scrub nine that waspicked to play against the first team, but Luke, who seemed to manage thesecond squad as well as the first, sent our hero out in the field, as healso did Tom.
"Never mind," consoled Peaches, who was on the first team. "Luke doesn'tcaptain the scrub when it's formed regularly, and when the fellow ispicked out who is to have charge I'll speak for you, Joe."
"Thanks. I would like a chance to get in the box."
That the first nine had many weak spots was soon made plain to captainand manager, and, to give them credit, they at once set at workcorrecting them.
"I'll get Dr. Rudden out to give you fellows some pointers as soon aswe're in a little better shape," said Hiram, referring to the instructorwho usually acted as coach.
"Yes, and you fellows need it all right," said Tom in a low voice.
"Everybody in the gym right after the game," ordered Hiram, during alull in the play. "We're going to arrange about the Blue Banner parade."
"What's that," asked Joe of Teeter.
"Oh, every year all the teams in the Interscholastic League meet andhave a parade to sort of open the season. The nine that holds the bannermarches at the head, we have a band, and after that a little feed andit's jolly fun. You'll like it."
"Morningside holds the banner now, doesn't she?"
"Yes, worse luck. It ought to come here, and would have if Hiram andLuke had run things differently last year. But they wouldn't listen toreason. Well, I've got to play ball. See you at the meeting."
The regulars won the ball game by a small margin, and then thelads trooped off to the gymnasium to the meeting. It was much morefriendly and enthusiastic than the organization session had been, andarrangements were quickly made for taking part in the annual parade.
"As is the custom," said Hiram, "we will all meet on the grounds of theschool that holds the Blue Banner--that's Morningside, I'm sorry to say,but next season will be different. We are going to win the Blue Bannerthis time."
"That's what he always says," murmured Peaches in Tom's ear.
"So we will meet on the Morningside diamond, do the regular marchingstunt and have a feed there. It will be necessary for you fellows tochip in for part of the expenses as our treasury is low just now. Itwon't be much. Now the parade committee will meet to talk over details,and so will the rooting crowd. Get busy now, fellows; we want to make agood showing in the parade."
The Interscholastic League, of which the Blue Banner was the trophy,consisted of these schools beside Morningside Academy and ExcelsiorHall: Trinity School, Woodside Hall and the Lakeview PreparatoryInstitute--or, more briefly the Lakeview Prep., which I shall call it.
In the parade of the nines of these institutions, and the followersof them, there were always some novel features, and the lads tried tooutdo each other in singing, cheering or giving their school yells. Acommittee generally had charge of the cheering and yelling contingents,and this body of students for Excelsior
now got busy making up newwar-cries.
The day of the parade was a glorious one. It was Saturday, naturally,as that was the only time the students could be free. Early in theafternoon a big crowd left Excelsior Hall, the nine and the substitutes,including Joe and Tom, in their uniforms, each carrying a bat as aninsignia of office. Morningside Academy was about five miles fromExcelsior, and could be reached by trolley. Several special cars carriedour hero and his companions.
All the other marching contingents save Trinity were on hand when theExcelsior lads arrived at Morningside, and they were noisily greeted. Afew minutes later the Trinity lads arrived and then pandemonium brokeloose.
"Say, this is great!" cried Joe, as cheer after cheer, and school-yellafter school-yell, rent the air. "I guess we'll have some fun after all,Tom."
"Oh, sure. It's jolly."
The managers of the parade were rushing wildly to and fro, trying to getthings in shape for the start. Lads who had not seen each other for sometime were exchanging greetings, and the members of the various nineswere talking "shop" to their hearts' content.
"Get in line! Get in line!" cried the marshals. "We're going to start."
The lads were to parade around the Morningside diamond, as a sort oftribute to the winning team of the league, and then go down through thetown to the public square, where the yelling, cheering and singing wouldtake place. Then they were to come back to Morningside for the feast.
The band struck up a lively air and a silence fell over the crowd. Then,out from the midst of the throng came the lads of Morningside. Theywere to lead the line, as was their right, by virtue of being champions,and as they swung into formation Joe looked at them with critical eyes.Here was the doughty foe of his school.
His gaze fell upon one sturdy lad who carried a staff--carried itproudly--and no wonder, for, floating from it was the Blue Banner,glorious in gold embroidery and silver lace--the Blue Banner of theInterscholastic League--the trophy which meant so much.
"'Rah! 'Rah! 'Rah!" yelled the lads. "Three cheers for the Blue Banner!"
And how those cheers welled out! The lad carrying the banner dipped itin response to the salute.
Joe felt his heart strangely beating. A mist of tears came into hiseyes--not tears of regret, but rather tears of joy and pride, that hebelonged to the school which had a right to fight for that banner. Ah,if he could but enter that struggle himself!
Slowly the Morningside lads filed to their places. Louder played theband. There were more cheers, more salutes to the blue trophy, and thenthe banner parade was under way.