CHAPTER IV--JUNE'S PROMISE
The hilarious fellows were repeating "The Red and Black" when Dickpassed down-stairs in search of the boy whose bicycle had been smashed.Dick had been thinking of that lad. The boy had not raised a fuss overthe destruction of his wheel, and Merriwell admired him for hisbehavior.
The boy was sitting on the hotel steps, mournfully trying to bend thetwisted spokes back into shape. A number of his friends had gatheredaround him.
"It's tough on you, Sammy," said one of the group. "No fellow has aright to grab a chap's wheel and smash it like that."
"He didn't mean to do it," said Sammy.
"That don't make no difference! He hadn't any right to take it at all."
"He did it to chase the runaway and save the girl."
"Well, you didn't start the runaway. You wasn't to blame for it.Somebody oughter to pay you for your wheel."
"The fellow whose sister he saved said he'd give anybody a hundreddollars to stop the horse. Why didn't he keep his word? Then DickMerriwell could pay me for my bike and have fifty dollars left."
Dick was deeply moved by this, and he came down the steps at once. Theboys looked a bit startled as they saw him and realized he might haveheard some of their talk.
"So you won your bicycle in a race at a fair, Sammy?" he said.
"Yes," said the boy, and there was a little choke in his throat. "It wasthe best wheel I ever had. Judge Merritt put it up as a prize for thebest rider."
"An' he thought his son was going to git it," put in a little fellow;"but Sammy he jest beat Arthur Merritt out at the finish an' got thewheel, though Art was the maddest feller you ever saw."
"Well, it's a shame to have your wheel smashed after you worked so hardfor it," said Dick. "What did you do with your other wheel--the one youhad before you got this one?"
"I sold it. It wasn't much good, anyhow, and it only cost me ninedollars second-hand. But I earned all the money to buy it myself."
"Did you race on your old wheel at the fair?"
"Oh, no! I never could have won on that. Fred Thurston let me have hiswheel to race on."
"Well, this bike is ruined, that's plain," said Dick, as he examined theill-fated bicycle. "You'll never ride it again."
"I guess that's right," nodded Sammy sadly. "But you stopped the horseand saved the girl."
Not a whimper, not a sign of anger, only regret for the loss of thewheel and satisfaction because Dick had been able to save June.
Young Merriwell realized that the boy was something of a hero, with amost remarkable disposition.
"Don't worry, Sammy," he said, smiling reassuringly. "You shall haveanother wheel, and I will buy it for you--a wheel just as good as thisone."
"Pardon me," said a voice that startled Dick and caused the boys tostare as June Arlington herself came from the hotel and tripped down thesteps. "I claim the privilege of buying another wheel for him. No; it isright, Mr. Merriwell! My father will gladly furnish the money when hehears how this wheel came to be broken. I'll write him all about it thisvery day."
"Hush!" grunted one of the boys doubtingly, speaking in a low tone to acompanion; "that's a big bluff! That's jest so Sam won't raise a rowabout it."
"She's trying to make Sam think her father has money enough to buy afifty-dollar wheel every day if he wants to," said the other, joining inthe doubtful derision.
June was forced to smile. Sammy had risen and taken off his cap whenDick lifted his.
"It's plain your friends haven't much faith in my promise," said June.
"That's all right," declared the owner of the wheel. "I believe it,anyhow. Of course, I feel pretty bad over my wheel, but I'm glad thehorse was stopped before you was hurt."
June's expressive eyes glowed.
"Thank you," she said. "Did you ever hear of D. Roscoe Arlington?"
"No; I--why, do you mean the big railroad man?"
"Yes."
"Oh, I've heard of him!"
"He is my father, and I promise you that he will buy another wheel foryou at----"
"Excuse me," put in Dick. "But I was the one who snatched the bicyclefrom this boy and smashed it, so it is I who should provide for theloss."
"Not at all," declared June, with almost haughty decision. "You did itwhile trying to save me from harm, and the debt is mine. I insist, and Ishall be angry if you do not let me refer this matter to my father, whowill certainly replace this wheel with the very best bicycle money canprocure."
Dick saw that she was very much in earnest, and it was plain that Junewas accustomed to have her own way in most things. He was obliged toyield gracefully.
June borrowed a pencil and piece of paper from Dick, after which shenoted the answers of the boy in regard to the kind of a wheel he wanted,height of frame, gear, saddle, pedals, and so forth. She was perfectlypractical in this, and when she had finished questioning Sammy she wasin condition, if necessary, to go out and purchase the bicycle herselfand get exactly what the lad most desired.
Dick's admiration for June Arlington grew steadily. He noted that shewas perfectly cool and self-possessed, for all of the recent adventurethrough which she had passed, and that, to a large extent, she waslacking in the frivolity and giggling giddiness that marred the naturalcharm of many girls near her age.
"If I had the money with me," said June to Sammy, "I would pay you foryour wheel right here; but I haven't that much, and, besides, I think itpossible you will get a far better machine if you permit my father toselect it for you."
"Oh, I'm willing to do that!" exclaimed the boy; "and I thank youfor----"
"I am the one to thank you," said June. "You happened along at just theright time to aid in stopping that runaway."
This made the boy feel very good, while some of the fellows who stoodnear grew jealous and tried to sneer.
June shook hands with Sammy, promising he should hear from Mr. Arlingtonwithin a week, and then she turned back into the hotel, telling Dick shewished to speak with him. The moment she entered the hotel the otherboys surrounded Sammy. One of them, a raw-boned, freckled chap withdirty teeth, gave Sammy "the laugh."
"You're a soft mark!" he said. "Why, if you'd raised a big fuss youmight have frightened her into paying for your bike right off--that is,if her father is the big gun she says he is."
"Go on, Spike Hanlon!" exclaimed Sammy. "What do you take me for? Iain't built that way!"
"Because you're easy. Mebbe you'll get another bicycle, and, then again,mebbe you won't! Soon as she gits outer town she'll never bother aboutit no more. You let her soft-soap you and fool you jest because sheshook hands with ye! Yah!"
"Now, close your face!" exclaimed Sammy, flushing hotly and showinganger for the first time. "If you say anything more about her I'll soakyou in the mouth!"
Which demonstrated that Sam had temper and could be aroused to anger,for all that he had taken the smashing of his wheel so mildly.
At once the boys began to take sides. The majority were with Sammy, buttwo fellows sidled over and joined Spike Hanlon.
"You hit me," said Hanlon, "and I'll break your head with a rock! That'swhat I'll do, softie! I'm glad your old wheel was smashed. I'm glad ofit, and I'll bet you a hundred dollars you never get another one! Yah,yah! Thought you was big because you beat Art Merritt and got a finebike, didn't ye! Well, now you ain't no better off than any of us! Youain't so well off, for my brother's got your old wheel, and he lets meride it when I want to! Yah! yah! yah!"
But Hanlon had carefully placed himself at a distance by walking away ina sidelong fashion, and he took to his heels, whooping and laughingscornfully as Sammy made a move as if to rush at him.
"Don't you mind, Sammy," said one of the friends who had sided with him."Spike's jealous. He's been so ever since you won your bike. And I thinkyou'll get a new wheel all right."
"I know it!" said Sam, with the utmost confidence. "That girl's allright, and I'd bet my life she'd have the wheel sent to me! Then won'tSpike feel sick!"
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