CHAPTER IV
THE NEW FELLOW
"Something's up," remarked Tom in a whisper.
"Sure," assented Phil. "But who is it?"
"I'll take a look," volunteered Sid, and, with a quick motion he turnedout the electric light, somewhat of an innovation in Randall. Then hetiptoed to the door, which he opened on a crack. Through the aperturecame the noise of retreating footsteps, and it was evident to thestrained ears of the four chums that someone was going down the hall,toward the broad stairway that led out on the campus, while someone elsewas proceeding toward the main part of the dormitory, where Proctor Zanehad a sort of auxiliary office.
"Who is it--can you see?" demanded Tom Parsons, in a hoarse whisper.
"No! Keep still, can't you? Wait until he gets under the hall light,"was the reply from Sid.
"One of 'em was Franklin, the monitor for this floor; I'm sure of that,"declared Phil. "I know his voice."
"And the other----" began Tom.
"It's that new fellow," interrupted Sid as he, just then, caught aglimpse of the youth who had caused the disturbance. "He came inyesterday, don't you remember. He's in the soph. science division.Gabbler--Rabbler or some such name as that."
"I know!" exclaimed Tom. "It's Shambler--Jake Shambler. He introducedhimself to me after first lecture. Rather fresh, I thought him, even ifhe did make the soph. class. What's he doing?"
"Going out, as near as I can tell," replied Sid. "He must have had ascuffle with Franklin. Well, it's none of our funeral. Let's turn in.I'm dead tired."
"What sort of a chap is he?" asked Frank, in rather idle curiosity, aswith the light once more switched on, the four boys proceeded to getready for bed.
"Not our sort at all," replied Tom. "Decent enough appearing, and allthat, but the kind that thinks he knows it all. That was a fair sample,the way he talked to the monitor just now."
"Serve him right if he got caught," murmured Phil.
"Oh, he'll get it all right," declared Sid. "Pop Zane isn't as easy ashe was when we first came here. He's right up to the mark, and if thisShambler thinks he can shuffle off the campus, and come back when itpleases his own sweet will, he'll have another guess coming. What did hesay to you, Tom?"
"Nothing much."
"It must have been something."
"Well, I was in a hurry, and I didn't pay much attention. He wanted toknow something about athletics, whether we'd have a ball team or not. Isaid we probably would, and then he wanted to know what show there wasfor track athletics. I didn't know, so I couldn't tell him. Then Ithought he was getting too friendly on short notice, so I shook him."
"Nice way for one of Randall's old stand-bys to treat a stranger, in astrange land," commented Phil.
"Oh, he won't be a stranger long," declared Tom. "He has brass enough tocarry him anywhere. He'll get along. I don't believe we want him in ourcrowd, anyhow."
"All right," assented the others and then, as the last bell, for "lightsout" resounded through the dormitory, they leaped into bed.
If Jake Shambler, or any others who tried to "run the guard" that nightwere caught, it did not come to the notice of our friends. They awokebetimes the next morning, and, as usual hastened to chapel, making thelast of their simple toilets on the way, for, somehow, neck scarfsnever did seem to lend themselves to quick tying, in the early hours ofdawn.
"Well, I hear you lads had a grand time last night," remarked HollyCross to the "inseparables," as they paused on the chapel steps. "Savedfair maidens in distress, and all that sort of thing."
"Oh, we were on the job with the bob," laughed Tom. "Where were you?"
"Doing the virtuous--boning Latin."
"Like Caesar!" exploded Sid.
"No, Cicero," said Holly gravely. "Vandal, to doubt the word of yourbetters!"
"Oh cheese it, Holly. You----" began Phil, but the warning bell usheredthem into the sacred precincts of the chapel, over the exercises ofwhich Dr. Churchill presided with his usual solemnity.
"There's Shambler," spoke Tom in a low voice to Sid, as the four filedout, soon to separate in order to attend different classes.
"Who, that big chap with the red cap?"
"That's the fellow!"
"Looks as though he had plenty of bone and muscle," commented Frank.
"He's coming over here," went on Tom. "We'll have to be decent to him, Is'pose."
Shambler approached. There was a certain breezy air about him, agood-natured manner, and a seeming feeling of confidence, that, whileit might be all right, once you had made friends with him, yet wasrather antagonizing at first appearance. It was as if the new studenttook too much for granted, and this is never overlooked among collegelads.
Shambler nodded to Tom, in what he meant to be a friendly fashion, andbegan to keep step with him. Then he spoke.
"I say, I didn't know it was the fashion at Randall for everybody to goto bed with the chickens."
"It isn't," said Tom shortly.
"It seems so," was the rejoinder. "I was out for a lark last night, andI couldn't find anyone from around here to have fun with. I went pastyour room and it was as dark as a pocket--you're on my corridor; aren'tyou--sixty-eight?"
Tom nodded.
"Well, you certainly were sporting your oak. Did you hear the run-in Ihad with a monitor? Beastly fresh. I made out all right, fooled theproc. good and proper. I wish you had been along. Are these yourfriends?"
Shambler included Sid, Phil and Frank, in a comprehensive wave of hishand, and there was no choice but for Tom to introduce them, which hedid with the best grace possible.
"Glad to meet you!" exclaimed Shambler, holding out a muscular hand. "Ihear you're in the athletic set. That's where I want to get, too, thoughI'm fond of a good time, and not too much training. I had bully fun lastnight. Met some fellows from Boxer Hall, and we stayed in town quitelate. Don't you ever hit it up?"
"Not very often," replied Sid, a bit coldly. "Well," he added, "I'mgoing to leave you fellows. I've got a lecture on."
"So have I," added Tom, and, not to his very great pleasure, Shamblerlinked his arm in that of the pitcher's, and walked off with him,remarking:
"I'm due for the same thing, old man. Do you mind if I sit with you? I'dbe glad if you'd give me a few pointers. They do things a bit differentlyat the lectures here than at Harkness, where I came from. The old man'sbusiness changed, and I had to come here. How about cutting lectures?"
"It can be done," spoke Tom coldly, for it was not his habit to indulgein this practice. There were a few other commonplace remarks, and thenthe college day fairly began.
Not until that afternoon did Tom meet his three chums again, and then,in coming from the last lecture of the day, he heard footsteps behindhim, and turned to see Shambler hurrying to catch up to him.
"I say!" began the new student. "I meant to tell you. I met some finechaps last night from Boxer Hall. They're coming over this afternoon tocall for me. I was wondering whether you and your chums wouldn't like tocome out with us. We're going to hire a drag and take a ride."
"I don't know," began Tom. He appreciated the spirit in which Shamblergave the invitation, and yet he did not altogether like the fellow.Besides, he did not want to break up the pleasant relations so longexisting among the inseparables, and he knew that spirit would vanish ifa fifth member was introduced.
Still he did not quite see how he could "shake" Shambler. Ahead of himTom saw Sid, Phil and Frank waiting for him, and on their faces hedetected a look of annoyance, as they beheld his companion. But theproblem was solved for him.
"By Jove! There are the Boxer Hall boys now!" cried Shambler, waving hishands to some youths who were discernable on the far side of the bigcampus. "Come on over, and we'll have some fun."
Tom took one look at the two newcomers. In an instant he recognized themas the enemies of himself and his chums--Fred Langridge and his crony,Garvey Gerhart.
"I--I'm afraid you'll have to excuse me," murmured Tom.
"Why--what's w
rong?" asked Shambler, curiously.
"Well, the fact of the matter is that your new friends would hardlythank you for bringing us together," answered Tom simply, as he swungoff and joined his chums, leaving a rather mystified student standingstaring after him.