XVI NEW PLANS
"Polly," said Jasper, "could you come into the den?"
"Why, yes, Jasper," she cried, in surprise at his face. "Oh, hasanything happened?"
"No," he said, but the gloomy look did not disappear. "Oh Polly, it'stoo bad to ask,--were you going to study?" with a glance at her armfulof books.
"No--that is, I can do them just as well after dinner." Polly droppedher books on the hall chair. "Oh, what is it, Jasper?" running after himinto the den.
"It's just this, Polly, I hate to tell you--" He paused, and gloomsettled worse than ever over his face.
"Jasper," said Polly quite firmly, and she laid her hand on his arm, "Ireally think you ought to tell me right away what is on your mind."
"Do you really, Polly?" Jasper asked eagerly.
"Yes, I do," said Polly, "unless you had rather tell Mamsie. Perhapsthat would be best, Jasper."
"No, I don't really think it would in this case, Polly. I will tellyou." So he drew up a chair, and Polly settled into it, and he perchedon the end of the table.
"You see, Polly," he began, "I hate to tell you, but if I don't, why ofcourse you can't in the least understand how to help."
"No, of course I can't," said Polly, clasping her hands togethertightly, and trying to wait patiently for the recital. Oh, what could itbe!
"Well, Pickering isn't doing well at school," said Jasper, in a burst.It was so much better to have it out at once.
"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, in sorrow.
"No, he isn't," said Jasper decidedly; "it grows worse and worse."
"Dear me!" said Polly again.
"And now Mr. Faber says there isn't much hope for him, unless he picksup in the last half. He called me into his study to tell me thatto-day--wants me to influence him and all that."
All the hateful story was out at last. Polly sprang out of her chair.
"You don't mean--you can't mean, that Pickering will be dropped,Jasper?" she cried as she faced him.
"Worse than that," answered Jasper gloomily.
"Worse than dropped!" exclaimed Polly with wide eyes.
"To be dropped a class wouldn't kill Pick; so many boys have had thathappen, although it is quite bad enough."
"I should think so," breathed Polly.
"But Pick will simply be shot out of the school," said Jasperdesperately; "there's no use in mincing matters. Mr. Faber has utterlylost patience; and the other teachers as well."
"You don't mean that Pickering Dodge will be expelled?" cried Polly in alittle scream.
"Yes." Jasper nodded his head, unable to utter another word. Then hesprang off from the table-end, and walked up and down the room, as Pollysank back in her chair.
"You see, it's just this way, Polly," he cried. "Pick has had warningafter warning--you know the teachers have a system of sending writtenwarnings around to the boys when they fall behind in their work--and hehasn't paid any attention to them."
"Won't he pay attention to what the teachers write to him, Jasper?"asked Polly, leaning forward in her big chair to watch him anxiously ashe paced back and forth.
"No, calls them rubbish, and tears them up; and sometimes he won't evenread them," said Jasper. "Oh, it's awful, Polly."
"I should say it was," said Polly slowly. "Very awful indeed, Jasper."
"And the last time he had one from Herr Frincke about his German, Pickbrought it into the room where a lot of us boys were, and read it out,with no end of fun over it, and it went into the scrap-basket; and hehasn't tackled his grammar a bit better since; only the translationshe's up a trifle on."
"Oh, now I know why you wouldn't go to ride with me for the last week,"cried Polly, springing out of her chair to rush up to him, "you've beenhelping Pickering," she declared, with kindling eyes.
"Never mind," said Jasper uneasily.
"And it was splendid of you," cried Polly, the color flying over hercheeks. "Oh Jasper, I do believe you can pull him through."
"No, I can't, Polly." Jasper stood quite still. "No one can pull himthrough, but you, Polly."
"I!" exclaimed Polly in amazement. "Why, Jasper King!" and she tumbledback a few steps to stare at him. "What _do_ you mean?"
"It's just this way." Jasper threw back his hair from his hot forehead."Pick doesn't care a bit for what I say: it's an old story; goes in atone ear, and out at the other."
"Oh, he does care for what you say," contradicted Polly stoutly, "everand ever so much, Jasper."
"Well, he's heard it so much; perhaps I've pounded at him too hard. Andthen again--" Jasper paused, turned away a bit, and rushed back hastily,with vexation written all over his face. "I must speak it: I can't helphim any more, for somehow Mr. Faber has found it out, and forbids it;that's one reason of the talk this morning in his study--says I mustinfluence him, and all that. That's rubbish; I can't influence him."Jasper dashed over to lay his head on the table on his folded arms.
"Polly, if Pick is expelled, I--" he couldn't finish it, his voicebreaking all up.
Polly ran over to lay a hand on his shaking shoulders.
"What can I do, Jasper?" she cried brokenly. "Tell me, and I'll do it,every single thing."
"You must talk to him," said Jasper, raising his head. It filled Pollywith dismay to see his face. "Get him in here; I'll bring him over andthen clear out of the den."
"Oh Jasper!" exclaimed Polly, quite aghast. "I couldn't talk toPickering Dodge. Why, he wouldn't listen to me."
"Yes, he would," declared Jasper eagerly; "he thinks everything of you,Polly, and if you'll say the word, it will do more good than anythingelse. Do, Polly," he begged.
"But, Jasper," began Polly, a little white line coming around her mouth,"what would he think to have me talk to him about his lessons?"
"Think?" repeated Jasper, "why, he'd like it, Polly, and it will be thevery thing that will help him."
"Oh, I can't!" cried Polly, twisting her fingers. Then she broke outpassionately, "Oh, he ought to be ashamed of himself not to study; andthere's that nice Mr. Cabot, and his aunt--"
"Aunt!" exclaimed Jasper explosively. "Polly, I do believe if he hadn'ther picking at him all the time, he would try harder."
"Well, his uncle is different," said Polly, her indignation by no meansdying out.
"Yes, but it's his aunt who makes the mischief. Honestly, Polly, I don'tbelieve I could stand her," said Jasper, in a loyal burst.
"No, I don't believe I could either," confessed Polly.
"And you see, when a boy has such a home, no matter what they give him,why, he doesn't have the ambition that he would if things weredifferent. Just think, Polly, not to have one's own father or mother."
"Oh Jasper!" cried Polly, quite overcome. "I'll do it, I will."
"Polly!" Jasper seized her hands, and held them fast, his dark eyesglowing. "Oh Polly, that's so awfully good of you!"
"And you better run right over, and get him now," said Polly, speakingvery fast, "or I may run away, I shall get so scared."
"You won't run away, I'll be bound," cried Jasper, bursting into a merrylaugh, and rushing off with a light heart. And presently, in less timethan one could imagine, though to Polly it seemed an age, back he came,Pickering with him, all alive with curiosity to know what Polly Pepperwanted of him.
"It's about the play, I suppose," he began, lolling into an easy-chair;"Jasper wouldn't tell me what it's all about; only seized me by the ear,and told me to come on. Draw up your chair, Jasper, and--why, hullo!where is the chap?" swinging his long figure around to stare.
"Pickering," began Polly; and the den, usually the pleasantest place inall the house, was now like a prison, whose walls wouldn't let herbreathe, "I don't know what to say. Oh dear me!" Poor Polly could get nofurther, but sat there in hopeless misery, looking at him.
"Eh--what? Oh, beg pardon," exclaimed Pickering, whirling back in hischair, "but things are so very queer; first Jasper rushes off like alunatic--"
"And I am worse," said Polly, at last finding her tongue
. "I don'twonder you think it's queer, Pickering, but Jasper does so love you, andit will just kill him if you don't study." It was all out now, and inthe most dreadful way. And feeling that she had quite destroyed allhope, Polly sat up pale and stiff in her chair.
Pickering threw his long figure out of the easy-chair, rushed up anddown the den with immense strides, and came back to stand directly infront of her.
"Do you mean it, Polly?" His long face was working badly, and his handswere clenched, but as they were thrust deep within his pockets, Pollycouldn't see them.
"Yes," said Polly, "I do, Pickering."
He stalked off again, but was back once more, Polly wondering how shecould possibly bear to tell Jasper of her failure, for of coursePickering was very angry; when he said, "Polly, I want to tell yousomething."
"What is it?" Polly looked at him sharply, and caught her breath.
"I won't drag Jasper down, I tell you, with me. I'll get through somehowat school. I promise you that. Here!" He twitched out his right handfrom its pocket, and thrust it out at her.
"Oh Pickering Dodge!" exclaimed Polly in a transport, and seizing hishand, it was shaken vigorously.
"There, that's a bargain," declared Pickering solemnly. "I'll getthrough someway. And say, Polly, it was awfully good of you to speak."
"It was awfully hard," said Polly, drawing a long breath. "Oh, are yousure you are not vexed, Pickering? Very sure?" And Polly's face droopedanxiously.
"Vexed?" cried Pickering. "I should rather say not! Polly, I'm lazy andselfish, and good for nothing; but I couldn't be vexed, for 'twasawfully hard for you to do."
"I guess it was," said Polly. Then she gave a little laugh, for it wasall bright and jolly again, and she knew that Pickering would keep hisword.
And that evening, after Jasper and she had a dance--they were so happy,they couldn't keep still--in the wide hall, Jasper burst out suddenlywith a fresh idea.
"Polly," he said, drawing her off to rest on one of the high, carvedchairs, "there's one more thing."
"Oh, what is it Jasper?" she cried gaily, with flushed cheeks. "Oh,wasn't that spin just delicious?"
"Wasn't it?" cried Jasper heartily. "Well, now, Polly," flinging himselfdown on the next chair, "it's just this. Do you know, I don't believe weought to have our play."
"Not have our play?" Polly peered around to look closely into his face."What do you mean, Jasper?"
"You see, Polly, Pick was to take a prominent part, and he ought notto, you know; it will take him from his lessons to rehearse and allthat. And he's so backward there's a whole lot for him to make up."
"Well, but Pickering will have to give up his part, then," said Pollydecidedly, "for we've simply got to have that play, to get the money tohelp that poor brakeman's family."
Jasper winced. "I know; we must earn it somehow," he said.
"We must earn it by the play," said Polly. "And besides, Jasper, wevoted at the club meeting to have it. So there, now," she brought uptriumphantly.
"We could vote to rescind that vote," said Jasper.
"Well, we don't want to. Why, Jasper, how that would look on our tworecord books!" said Polly in surprise, for Jasper was so proud of hisclub and its records.
"Yes, of course; as our two clubs united that evening, it must go downin both books," said Jasper slowly.
"Yes, of course," assented Polly happily. "Well, now, you see, Jasper,that we really _can't_ give it up, for we've gone too far. Pickeringwill have to let some one else take the part of the chief brigand." Forthe little play was almost all written by Polly's fingers, Jasperfilling out certain parts when implored to give advice: and brigands,and highway robberies, and buried treasures, and rescued maidens, andgallant knights, figured generously, in a style to give immensesatisfaction.
"And the play is so very splendid!" cried Jasper. "Oh dear me! whatought we to do, Polly?" He buried his face in his hands a moment.
"Pickering must give up his part," said Polly again.
"But, Polly, you know he has been in all our plays," said Jasper. "Andhe'll feel so badly, and now he's got all this trouble about his lessonson his mind," and Jasper's face fell.
Polly twisted uncomfortably on her chair. "Oh dear me!" she began, "Isuppose we must give it up."
"And if we gave it up, not altogether, but put it off till he catches upon his studies," suggested Jasper, "why, he wouldn't be dropped out."
"But the poor brakeman's family, Jasper," said Polly, puzzled thatJasper should forget the object of the play.
"Oh, I didn't mean that we should put off earning the money, Polly,"cried Jasper, quite horrified at such a thought. "We must do somethingelse, so that we can sell just as many tickets."
"But what will it be?" asked Polly, trying not to feel crushed, andsighing at the disappearance of the beautiful play, for a time at least.
"Well, we could have recitations, for one thing," said Jasper, feelingdreadfully to see Polly's disappointment, and concealing his own, for hehad set his heart on the play too.
"Oh dear me!" exclaimed Polly, wrinkling up her face in disdain."Jasper, do you know, I am so tired of recitations!"
"So am I," Jasper bobbed his head in sympathy, "but we boys have somenew ones, learned for last exhibition, so Pick won't have to take amoment from his lessons. And then we can have music, and you will play,Polly."
"Oh Jasper, I've played so much," said Polly, "they're all tired ofhearing me."
"They never would be tired of hearing you, Polly," said Jasper simply."Every one of us thinks you play beautifully."
"And tableaux and an operetta take just as much time to rehearse," musedPolly, thinking very hard if there wasn't something to keep them fromthe dreaded recitations.
"And I just loathe an operetta or tableaux," exclaimed Jasper, with suchvenom that Polly burst out laughing.
"Oh Jasper, if you could see your face!" she cried.
"I shouldn't want to," he laughed too; "but of all insipid things, anoperetta is the worst; and tableaux--the way Miss Montague drilled anddrilled _and_ drilled us, and then stuck us up like sticks not to movefor a half-hour or so, nearly finished me."
"So it did me," confessed Polly. "And besides, it would take a greatdeal more time to go through all that drilling than to rehearse theplay."
"Of course it would," said Jasper, "so tableaux, thank fortune, are notto be thought of. I think it will have to be recitations and music,Polly."
"I suppose so," she said with a sigh. "Oh Jasper!" then she sprang offfrom her chair, and clapped her hands. "I've thought of the very thing.I believe Mr. Hamilton Dyce would tell some of his funny stories andhelp out the program."
"Capital!" shouted Jasper; and just at this moment the big front dooropened, and the butler ushered in Miss Mary Taylor and Mr. Dyce.
Polly and Jasper rushed up to the visitors, for they were primefavorites with the young people, and precipitated upon them all theirwoes. The end was, that they both promised beautifully to do whateverwas wanted, for Miss Mary Taylor sang delightfully.
"And Pickering is safe, Polly, for I know now he'll go through the lasthalf," cried Jasper as they ran off to study their lessons for the nextday.