CHAPTER V. MR. RATHBURN MAKES A SPEECH
Frank's seat in the schoolroom was directly in front of that occupied byJohn Haynes. Until the announcement of the prize John and he had been onfriendly terms. They belonged to the same class in Latin, and Frank hadoften helped his classmate through a difficult passage which he had notthe patience to construe for himself. Now, however, a coolness grew upbetween them, originating with John. He felt envious of Frank's success;and this feeling brought with it a certain bitterness which foundgratification in anything which he had reason to suppose would annoyFrank.
On the morning succeeding the distribution of the prizes, Frank arrivedat the schoolhouse a few minutes before the bell rang. John, with half adozen other boys, stood near the door.
John took off his hat with mock deference. "Make way for the great prizeessayist, gentlemen!" he said. "The modern Macaulay is approaching."
Frank colored with annoyance. John did not fail to notice this withpleasure. He was sorry, however, that none of the other boys seemedinclined to join in the demonstration. In fact, they liked Frank muchthe better of the two.
"That isn't quite fair, John," said Frank, in a low voice.
"I am always glad to pay my homage to distinguished talent," Johnproceeded, in the same tone. "I feel how presumptuous I was in venturingto compete with a gentleman of such genius!"
"Do you mean to insult me?" asked Frank, growing angry.
"Oh, dear, no! I am only expressing my high opinion of your talents!"
"Let him alone, John!" said Dick Jones, "It isn't his fault that theteacher awarded the prize to him instead of you."
"I hope you don't think I care for that!" said John, snapping hisfingers. "He's welcome to his rubbishing books; they don't amount tomuch, anyway. I don't believe they cost more than two dollars at themost. If you'd like to see what I got for my essay, I'll show you."
John pulled out his portemonnaie, and unrolled three new and crispbank-notes of ten dollars each.
"I think that's pretty good pay," he said, looking about himtriumphantly. "I don't care how many prizes Rathburn chooses to give hisfavorite. I rather think I can get along without them."
John's face was turned toward the door, otherwise he would have observedthe approach of the teacher, and spoken with more caution. But it wastoo late. The words had been spoken above his ordinary voice, and weredistinctly heard by the teacher. He looked sharply at John Haynes, whoseglance fell before his, but without a word passed into the schoolroom.
"See if you don't get a blowing-up, John," said Dick Jones.
"What do I care!" said John, but in a tone too subdued to be heard byany one else. "It won't do Rathburn any harm to hear the truth for oncein his life."
"Well, I'm glad I'm not in your place, that's all!" replied Dick.
"You're easily frightened!" rejoined John, with a sneer.
Nevertheless, as he entered the schoolroom, and walked with assumedbravado to his seat in the back part of the room, he did not feel quiteso comfortable as he strove to appear. As he glanced stealthily at theface of the teacher, who looked unusually stern and grave, he could nothelp thinking, "I wonder whether he will say anything about it."
Mr. Rathburn commenced in the usual manner; but after the devotionalexercises were over, he paused, and, after a brief silence, during whichthose who had heard John's words listened with earnest attention, spokeas follows:
"As I approached the schoolroom this morning I chanced to catch somewords which I presume were not intended for my ear. If I rememberrightly they were, 'I don't care how many prizes Rathburn gives hisfavorite!' There were several that heard them, so that I can beeasily corrected if I have made any mistake. Now I will not affectto misunderstand the charge conveyed by these words. I am accused ofassigning the prizes, or at least, one of them, yesterday, not withstrict regard to the merit of the essays presented, but under theinfluence of partiality. If this is the real feeling of the speaker, Ican only say that I am sorry he should have so low an opinion of me.I do not believe the scholars generally entertain any such suspicion.Though I may err in judgment, I think that most of you will not chargeme with anything more serious. If you ask me whether a teacher hasfavorites, I say that he cannot help having them. He cannot help makinga difference between the studious on the one hand, and the indolent andneglectful on the other. But in a matter like this I ask you to believeme when I say that no consideration except that of merit is permitted toweigh. The boy who made this charge is one of my most advanced scholars,and has no reason to believe that he would be treated with unfairness.I do not choose to say any more on this subject, except that I havedecided to offer two similar prizes for the two best compositionssubmitted within the next four weeks. I shall assign them to the best ofmy judgment, without regard to the scholarship of the writer."
Mr. Rathburn spoke in a quiet, dignified manner, which convinced allwho heard him of his fairness. I say all, because even John Haynes waspersuaded against his own will, though he did not choose to acknowledgeit. He had a dogged obstinacy which would not allow him to retract whathe had once said. There was an unpleasant sneer on his face while theteacher was speaking, which he did not attempt to conceal.
"The class in Virgil," called Mr. Rathburn.
This class consisted of Frank Frost, John Haynes, and Henry Tufts. Johnrose slowly from his seat, and advanced to the usual place, taking careto stand as far from Frank as possible.
"You may commence, John," said the teacher.
It was unfortunate for John that he had been occupied, first, bythoughts of his rejected essay, and afterward by thoughts of the boatwhich he proposed to buy with the thirty dollars of which he had becomepossessed, so that he had found very little time to devote to his Latin.Had he been on good terms with Frank, he would have asked him to readover the lesson, which, as he was naturally quick, would have enabledhim to get off passably. But, of course, under the circumstances, thiswas not to be thought of. So he stumbled through two or three sentences,in an embarrassed manner. Mr. Rathburn at first helped him along.Finding, however, that he knew little or nothing of the lesson, hequietly requested Frank to read, saying, "You don't seem so wellprepared as usual, John."
Frank translated fluently and well, his recitation forming a veryfavorable contrast to the slipshod attempt of John. This John, in aspirit of unreasonableness, magnified into a grave offense, and a desireto "show off" at his expense.
"Trying to shine at my expense," he muttered. "Well, let him! Two orthree years hence, when I am in college, perhaps things may be a littledifferent."
Frank noticed his repellent look, and it made him feel uncomfortable. Hewas a warm-hearted boy, and wanted to be on good terms with everybody.Still, he could not help feeling that in the present instance he hadnothing to reproach himself with.
John went back to his seat feeling an increased irritation againstFrank. He could not help seeing that he was more popular with hisschoolmates than himself, and, of course, this, too, he considered ajust cause of offense against him.
While he was considering in what way he could slight Frank, the thoughtof the boat he was about to purchase entered his mind. He brightened upat once, for this suggested something. He knew how much boys like goingout upon the water. At present there was no boat on the pond. His wouldhold six or eight boys readily. He would invite some of the oldest boysto accompany him on his first trip, carefully omitting Frank Frost. Theslight would be still more pointed because Frank was his classmate.
When the bell rang for recess he lost no time in carrying out the schemehe had thought of.
"Dick," he called out to Dick Jones, "I am expecting my boat up fromBoston next Tuesday, and I mean to go out in her Wednesday afternoon.Wouldn't you like to go with me?"
"With all the pleasure in life," said Dick, "and thank you for theinvitation."
"How many will she hold?"
"Eight or ten, I expect. Bob Ingalls, would you like to go, too?"
The invitation was eagerly acce
pted. John next approached Henry Tufts,who was speaking with Frank Frost.
Without even looking at the latter, he asked Henry if he would like togo.
"Very much," was the reply.
"Then I will expect you," he said. He turned on his heel and walked offwithout taking any notice of Frank.
Frank blushed in spite of himself.
"Don't he mean to invite you?" asked Henry, in surprise.
"It appears not," said Frank.
"It's mean in him, then," exclaimed Henry; "I declare, I've a great mindnot to go."
"I hope you will go," said Frank hastily. "You will enjoy it. Promise meyou will go."
"Would you really prefer to have me?"
"I should be very sorry if you didn't."
"Then I'll go; but I think he's mean in not asking you, for all that."