CHAPTER XVIII
"FIRE!"
"Where are you fellows taking us?" demanded Joe, as they walked softlydown the corridor.
"Toot-Toot!" was all the answer he received.
"Say, we don't mind having fun," added Tom, "but if you fellows aregoing to cut up any, we want to know it."
"Toot-Toot!" came again in imitation of a whistle. It was evident thatthis was a sort of signal or watchword among the members of the Order ofChoo-Choo.
"These aren't Peaches, Teeter, and our fellows," spoke Joe into Tom'sear as they were forced to descend a back and seldom used staircase.
"That's right," agreed Tom. "I wonder who they are?"
"Some of the seniors, maybe," suggested the young pitcher. "I wish Iknew where they are taking us."
"The candidates who are about to be initiated into the Mystic and SacredOrder of the Choo-Choo will kindly keep quiet!" came the quick commandfrom the leader. "Silence is imperative to have the spell work."
"Oh, you dry up!" retorted Joe.
"Silence!" came the command again, emphasized this time by a dig in theribs.
"You quit----" began our hero, but his voice ended in a grunt, for someone had hit him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He wasindignant, and had half a mind to make a fight for it then and there.But he was practically helpless, and was descending a flight of stairswhich made it dangerous to chance a scuffle. He made up his mind tofight when the time came.
"If you fellows----" began Tom.
"Silence over there!" hissed one of the white-robed figures. "If theytalk any more, Master of Ceremonies, gag 'em."
"Right, Chief Engineer," was the hollow answer.
Tom thought it best to keep quiet. Silently the little crowd advanced.They halted at the door of one of the many store-rooms in the basementof the largest of the school dormitories. One of the lads opened theportals with a key. It was as black as pitch beyond.
"Enter, timid and shrinking candidates," commanded some one. "Enter intothe sacred precincts of the Choo-Choo."
"Not much I won't!" declared Joe. "I can't see my hand before my face,and I'm not going into a dark room, not knowing what is there."
"Me either!" declared Tom.
"It is so ordered," came the deep voice of the leader. "Enter or bethrown in!"
Joe turned, trying in vain to pierce the disguise of the black mask. Hestruggled to free his arms from the rope that bound them, but could not.He was half-minded to strike out with his feet, but he was now sosurrounded by the initiators that he could not. Besides, if he did thathe might lose his balance and fall hard. Tom was in like straits.
"Forward, march!" came the command.
"I'm not going in I tell you!" insisted Joe.
"If he doesn't go in, shove him," came the command.
Joe, as he felt that resistance was useless, started forward. It wasbetter to keep his own footing, if he had to go in the room and not runthe risk of being shoved down.
Advancing cautiously, followed by Tom, the young pitcher stepped overthe threshold. Almost instantly he felt cold water spurting up aroundhis ankles, and he sought to draw back. He did not want to fall into adeep tank, with his arms bound.
"Go on! Go on in!" was the command and he felt himself being shoved frombehind. There was no help for it, but to his relief he found, as headvanced, that the water did not come higher than his knees.
"Great Scott! What are we up against?" asked Tom.
"Search me," responded Joe.
"Silence! Blindfold 'em!" came a command, and before they could haveprevented it, had they been able, Joe's and Tom's eyes were covered withbig handkerchiefs.
"Keep on!" was the order again, and the candidates did, soon steppingout of the water upon the solid floor.
"Tie their feet," was the next order, and this was done. "Now,candidates," spoke the leader, "you have crossed the river of blood andthe first part of your journey is over. But, to be good and loyalmembers of the Mystic and Sacred Order of Choo-Choo, it is necessarythat you make a noise like a locomotive. Go ahead now, puff!"
For a moment Joe and Tom hesitated and then, absurd as it was, theyentered into the spirit of the affair and gave as good an imitation aspossible of a steam locomotive in operation.
"Very good! Very good," was the comment. "Now go up grade," and theblindfolded candidates were forced to go up a steep incline of boards,slipping and sliding back half the time.
"They are coming on," commented some one. "At the next stop they takewater. Hose-tender, get ready!"
"Hold on! What are you going to do?" demanded Joe.
"You'll see," was the answer. Joe and Tom were led to another part ofthe room. It was dimly lighted now, as they could see, for a faint glowcame under the handkerchiefs.
A moment later each of the luckless candidates felt a cold stream ofwater strike him full in the face. They tried to duck, and to turn theirheads away, but the others held them until the upper part of theirbodies were thoroughly soaked.
"That's enough for steam," came the order from one of the party. "Now tosee how they can carry passengers. Off with their bonds, but keep theblinders on."
This was done.
"Down on your hands and knees, candidates," came the order, and Joe andTom had nothing for it but to obey.
A moment later some one sat on each back and again came the order:
"Forward march!"
Now Joe, while liking fun as well as any lad, thought there was a limitto it, and to the indignities of the initiation, especially in amythical society which they did not care about joining. When a heavylad, therefore, sat down on our hero's back Joe made up his mind thatmatters had gone far enough.
"Go ahead! Carry your passenger!" was the command.
"Not by a jugful!" cried Joe, and with a quick motion he stood up,spilling off the lad on his back. The latter hit the floor with aresounding whack. The next instant Joe had torn off the blindinghandkerchief, and made a grab for the lad whom he had upset. He tore offhis mask and there was revealed the scowling face of Hiram Shell.
At the same moment Tom had done the same to his tormentor, discoveringLuke Fodick under the black mask.
"Oh, so it's your crowd, is it Hiram?" asked Joe.
"Yes, and by Jove, you'll suffer for this! Why aren't you sports enoughto take your initiation as the others do?"
"Because we don't choose to," replied our hero.
"Then I'll make you!" cried Hiram, doubling up his fists and leaping atJoe. "Come on, Luke, give 'em what's coming to 'em!"
"Two can play at that game," spoke Joe coolly. He noted that the roomhad been roughly fitted up as a sort of society meeting chamber. At theentrance was a long, narrow and shallow tank of water. It was throughthis that Joe and Tom had waded.
"I'll fix you!" cried Hiram.
"All right," agreed Joe easily. "As well here and now as anywhere,anytime."
He threw himself into a position of defense as Hiram came on. Luke wasadvancing toward Tom, while the others, still wearing their masks,looked on in anticipation.
There might have been two stiff fights the next moment had there notsuddenly sounded from without a series of startled cries. Then came theclanging of bells, and above the riot of noise the lads heard some oneshouting:
"Fire! Fire! Fire!"