CHAPTER X
AN OBSTINATE REBEL
"What's that?" demanded Frank, looking Bob over in a quiet but resoluteway.
"I said it," observed Bob Upton obstinately. "I don't go to that school."
"Nonsense!" retorted Frank simply with a laugh.
He understood that a crisis had come. He read in the face of his companiona set purpose, and he prepared to meet the dilemma squarely.
"I think all the more of you, Bob," he observed, "for speaking your mindright out, but you'll have to change it this time."
"Why will I?" demanded Bob.
"Because I'm going to convince you that your scheme won't work at all."
"We'll see," muttered Bob.
"We will," declared Frank. "In the first place, you're thinking things outwrong. In the second place, I've promised your stepfather to take you tothe academy."
"What of it? I didn't agree."
"No; but I never break my word. I'm going to fill my contract, if I have tocarry you to Bellwood School."
"You'll have to do it, then," retorted Bob Upton. "I shan't budge an inch."
"I won't argue with you, Bob," said Frank evenly. "I'll give you someadvice----"
"Don't want none," flared up Bob.
"Then I'll give you two minutes to resume the tramp."
Frank took out his watch and held it in his hand, surveying his opponentwith a pleasant smile. Bob Upton with scowling brows dug his shoes into theground for sixty seconds, and then began to back away.
"It won't do," said Frank, stepping after him and seizing his arm firmly."Come, now, be a good fellow."
"You let me alone."
"I shan't."
There was a vigorous struggle. Bob was stoutly built, but he was no matchfor Frank. The latter laughed at his threatening struggles.
"Give me a chance to fix my shoe, will you?" growled Bob as he gave up thefight and Frank released him. Then he stood patiently awaiting hispleasure, while his companion fumbled at his feet.
Bob's back was to Frank, but the latter suspected no trick. Of a sudden,however, Bob whipped off both shoes, flinging them into the creek, his capafter them, stripped his coat from place and tossed it also into the water.Then he flopped flat to the ground.
"I won't go another foot," he declared. "I'll rip every stitch of clotheson me to tatters and I'll fight like a wildcat before I'll make anotherstep."
Frank's eyes flashed. His settled will showed in his resolute face.
"All right," he said quietly. "If you want to be handled like a wildcat, Ican give you the treatment."
Quick as a flash Frank sprang to a plank reaching a few feet out into thestream. It appeared to have been a landing place for small boats. Lyingacross it was a piece of rope, evidently used in securing some water craft.Seizing this, Frank made a leap back to his stubborn companion, jumpedsquarely astride of him, and snatching his knife from his pocket, cut therope in two. In a jiffy he had bound the struggling hands of Bob. Heperformed the same function for his feet. Then, arising, he looked downsteadily at his helpless captive.
"I can carry you easily that way," he observed.
Frank went along the banks of the stream until he found a long branch.There was little current to the rivulet, and he soon fished out thefloating coat and cap. One of the shoes had sunk, but it was in shallowwater, and he managed to rescue this also.
"You're making a good deal of trouble, Bob," he remarked, "but you'll thinkbetter of it when you get cooled down."
All the stubborn resistance began to fade from the face of the wretchedlad. He realized that he had found his master. The mute misery andhelplessness in his eyes appealed more strongly to Frank's sympathies thanhad his former unpleasant mood.
"See here, Bob," said Frank, sitting down beside his companion, "whilethese articles are drying, better listen a bit to reason from a fellow whowants to be your friend. Will you?"
Bob turned his face away, his laps puckering.
"Oh, leave me alone," he sobbed. "I've got no friends. I never had any. Iwish I could die and be out of everybody's way, that's what I wish."
"See here, Bob," said Frank, "that's downright wicked, if you mean it. I'dlike to know what's the matter with you? Can't you see any sunshine inlife?"
"Sunshine!" retorted Bob hotly. "Oh, yes, lots of it. Blazing, blisteringsunshine in the harvest fields, where those big, selfish louts mystepfather told you about were loafing. Many a night I've crawled up to bedso tired and sore I could hardly get there, to have those fellows tormentme or kick and cuff me because I wouldn't sneak down into the cellar andsteal cider or preserves for them. I tell you, my stepfather has treated mewrong. I tell you, that heartless family of his had made my life so dark,I'm just discouraged."
Bob Upton broke down and cried bitterly. Frank felt very sorry for him.
"Bob," he said, "I'm glad you told me all of this. I begin to understandnow. They haven't given you a fair chance; I see that. They've cowed youdown and have nearly broken your spirit. All right. Show them that you'regoing to make something of yourself, all the same. We all have ourtroubles," and Frank told something of his own irksome, unpleasant lifewith his fault-finding aunt.
It was by slow degrees that Bob Upton livened up and then braced up. No onecould help liking Frank Jordan.
"You're a cracking good fellow," said the farmer boy at last. "I hope itisn't like the spurts Jeff Upton used to have one day, and wallop me likethunder the next."
"I'll see to it that no one wallops you or jumps on you," promised Frank."You keep right with me till you learn the ropes and unlearn all thebitterness those relations of yours have put into you. I'm going to haveyou and me paired off for the same room, if I can."
"Say," choked up Bob at this, "any fellow who would do that, after seeinghow measly mean I can be, is a brick. Just wait. When the time comes that Ican show you what I think of you, I'll be there, true as steel."
"I believe you will," said Frank heartily. "You've been a good deal of amartyr, Bob Upton, and--there's your chance to be a hero! Quick, formercy's sake, stop that runaway!"
Frank shouted the words excitedly. He had removed the ropes from Bob'swrists and ankles, and they had been standing near the coat spread out onthe grass while they conversed. A clatter and wild shouts had suddenlypierced the air, and whirling about Frank saw coming down a steep roadwaytoward the river a spirited team of horses attached to a light carriage.
It had two seats, but the front one held no driver. In the rear seat,clinging frantically to one another and swung dangerously about by theswaying vehicle, were two affrighted children.
Frank was speedy, but Bob Upton was quicker. It amazed and gratified Frankto see his companion dart off like a shot. He himself ran to where the roadcurved down to the river to obstruct the runaway's progress when it reachedthat point. Bob, however, who knew all about horses from his farmexperience, had made a rush on a short cut to intercept the runaway horsesbefore they reached a spot where the descent was sharp, and where deepravines showed on either side of the winding roadway.
Frank ran with all his might up the road, but Bob Upton by his short cutreached the point where it narrowed in an incredibly brief space of time.He had to catch at saplings and bushes to make the ascent. He was so far inadvance of our hero that, while Frank continued running, he foresaw that hecould not be first on the scene, and he watched Bob's progress withadmiration and suspense.
Bob Upton did a risky thing. He seemed to think only of diverting orstopping the runaway team--anything to keep the spirited horses fromreaching the dangerous point where the road narrowed.
Frank saw him pick up a great tree branch lying on the incline. Bearingthis before him, Bob ran at the fast approaching horses with a loud shout.
Squarely into their foam-flecked faces the farm boy drove the branch,dropped hold of it, and let it rest on the carriage pole. The horses rearedand tried to turn. Quick as lightning Bob grabbed a bit strap in eitherhand, gave them a jerk, then grasped the nose o
f each horse, and broughtthem to a panting standstill.
A man, the driver, pale and breathless, came running up from behind asFrank reached the spot.
"Oh, you've saved them! Oh, I'll never leave them unhitched again! Boy, youshall have my month's wages--all I've got--for this!" shouted the manhysterically.
"Get the lines," directed Bob. "The horses are restive yet. Hold them tillI see what the matter is."
His practiced eye had noticed one of the horses acting queerly with onefoot. As the driver gained the front seat and held the team under control,Bob picked up the off foot of one of the animals.
"This is what started them," he explained, holding up a sharp, long thorn.
"Say, who are you--what's your name? I want to see you again about this."
"Nothing to see me about," responded Bob. "Glad I was on hand, that's all.If you loosened that check rein your horses will go a great deal easier."
"He's Robert Upton," spoke Frank, determined to give his valorous comradeall the distinction he deserved. "Bob," he added, as the restive teamproceeded on their way, "you have been something of a martyr--now you are apositive hero."
"Pshaw! that little thing!" observed Bob carelessly, but his face flushedat Frank's honest compliment. "I've had a wild stallion drag me all arounda forty-foot lot, and never got a scratch."
"You've made a fine beginning in the new life, Bob; you can't deny that,"said Frank. "Come, get on your duds and let's travel."
Half an hour later, within the classic precincts of the big hall oflearning on the hill, Frank Jordan and Robert Upton were duly registered asstudents of Bellwood School.