CHAPTER IX A TOUGH PROPOSITION
"Now, boys," said Coach Tyler on Friday afternoon, at the close of ameeting of the football team, "take the rest of the day off."
Tyler did not believe in working a team up to the very last minute, andnever had his men on the field the day before a big game.
"Take things easy," he went on. "Drop football out of your minds andconversation. Stay out of doors as much as possible. Don't do anythingexciting, and get to bed early. The train leaves South Street Station at8:30, and I want you here in the gym at eight sharp!"
"Let's go for a little spin," suggested Tut Miller to Jack Dunn as theystrolled out onto the campus. "It's only half past one. Tyler iscertainly getting big-hearted."
"I've got a paper to write for--" began Jack.
"Oh, come on!" urged Tut, dragging him toward a yellow roadster parked onthe drive. "You'll have plenty of time to do that later. Some friends ofmine want to meet you."
Reluctantly Jack got into the car, wondering a little at the unusualrequest. Tut settled himself in the driver's seat, quickly swung themachine out onto Grover Road, and headed for the country. Jack had neverbeen very chummy with this big blond Soph with the protruding jaw andnarrowed eyes which looked at you speculatively, as if you were a bugunder a microscope. He was always friendly, almost too friendly; onesometimes wondered if he were laughing scornfully, away down inside ofhim.
Neither boy spoke until they had turned onto Route 8, one very littletraveled at that hour of the day; then Tut began smoothly: "These friendsof mine live about ten miles out on this road; some fellows I knew inprep school. They're awfully keen on football, and like to be able to saythey've met this or that celebrity. Been at me for some time to bring youout. They run a big roadside stand; have several cabins, and I guessthey're making a pretty good thing of it; always have plenty of dough tospend."
Jack, for all his popularity, was a modest fellow and hated being shownoff. If he had known where they were going, he would have managed toevade the trip; but Tut had trapped him, fairly and squarely. Nothing forit now but to get the meeting over with as quickly as possible.
Tut drove rapidly, and before long drew up at a tourist camp in a grovesome feet back from the road. Three fellows a little older than theGranard boys came out to greet them. They were husky, finely builtindividuals, all with bright red hair, blue eyes, and a strong familyresemblance.
"The Holm brothers," said Tut, with a wave of his hand. "I don't need totell you boys who this is!" slapping Jack on the back. "Everybody knowshim, at least by sight."
"Mighty glad to meet you," said each in turn, as he grasped Jack's handin a vise-like grip.
The five stood for a few minutes talking of various unimportant matters;then Seldon, the oldest Holm, proposed showing Jack around the place.
"Some of our cabins are pretty nice," he said; "and farther back in thegrove there is a stream beside which we have built ovens and tables."
Bernard, the second brother, promptly moved to their side as Jackmurmured a polite assent to the proposal.
"I'll stay here with Vin," said Tut, "and help keep store."
After Seldon and Bernard had proudly displayed their property, of whichJack was able to approve quite honestly, they stopped for a moment at arustic bridge which led back from the picnic grounds to a deep woods.
"We've a proposition to make to you, Dunn," began Seldon abruptly,"somewhat of a surprise to you, and probably not a very agreeable one;but just keep cool and think it over a bit before you decide. Briefly,it's this: we Huron Prep fellows always hang together, and let nothingstand in the way of promoting the welfare and reputation of our school.We want Tut to have his big chance in the Greystone game. Now, what willyou take to stay out of it?"
For a fleeting second, Jack's impulse was to knock the fellow over intothe stream below; but some more cautious instinct immediately urged uponhim the wisdom of proceeding carefully.
"Well," began Jack, as slowly as his fast-beating heart would allow,"naturally, since I've never given a thought to such a question, I'm notprepared to answer it on the spur of the moment."
"Take your time," urged Bernard, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
Jack's brain fairly raced. If he refused, since they strongly outnumberedhim, they could readily keep him a prisoner until after the game. Yet toaccept was definitely out of the question; he'd be just a plain cur totake a bribe. How could he get away from them without either definitelyaccepting or refusing? That seemed to be his only chance. What an easymark he had been!
"How long am I to have to decide?" he asked, finally.
"Until Tut's ready to go back," replied Seldon, who, leaning against abig oak tree, was watching Jack closely.
"Let's go back to where the others are," suggested Jack; "I'd like totalk to Tut before I decide."
"No objection to that, I guess," replied Bernard, looking at his brother.Not a chance of this fellow getting away when there were four of them toprevent such a contingency. Much better for Dunn to accept the bribe (forthat meant Tut would have his place for the next two years, as well as atthe Greystone game) than it would be to have to keep him prisoner untilafter Saturday. Why had the fellows urged Tut's being helped with hiscourse at Granard except so that Huron could have a representative on thebig team? Tut had played mighty good football at prep school, but thisupstart kept him from his rightful place here. Pity they hadn't gottenrid of him before. It took the Greystone game to wake them all up. TheGreystone supporters would be glad to see Dunn out of the game; theydidn't know how good Tut was.
"Now let's get down to business," said Seldon briskly, when they joinedthe others who were standing at the edge of the grove. "Tut, Dunn wantsto talk over the proposition with you before he decides."
Jack managed to get on the outside of the group, from which point he hada straight and unobstructed path to the yellow car which was parked atthe farthest point of the Holm property and headed toward Granard. Tutmust have turned it around so as to be ready for a quick get-away ifnecessary. The Holms probably had a car; but it was not in sight.Wherever they kept it, it would take at least a few minutes to get itstarted and out. True, Tut could have him arrested for going off with hiscar, but he'd have to run the risk.
"Well," Tut was saying, "spill it!"
"If I should decide to take the money, how would you explain my absence?"
"We thought you'd play up sick, and just stay at home," put in Seldon.
"That would be sheer foolishness," retorted Jack. "Tyler would send Docto examine me, and he'd find me perfectly O. K. How would it do for me togo to Greystone, just as if nothing had happened, and start the game;then get hurt and have you put in in my place?"
"That would seem more natural," answered Tut, looking at Seldon forapproval; but that sturdy individual frowned.
"How could you fake that any better than being sick before you went?" hegrowled.
"Just this way. I'd make a run, stumble, fall, and lie still on thefield. When they picked me up, I'd go limp and not be able to stand atall. I could fool anybody who'd never seen me do it before. Let me showyou what I mean, and then see if you don't think it would work outperfectly. When I fall, you come and try to stand me up, Tut."
Jack looked questioningly at the Holms for permission to stage his act.
"Go ahead," replied Seldon curtly.
Instead of making directly for the yellow roadster, as he had intended,Jack cleverly ran about a bit, close enough to the others for them tohave been able to seize him any moment they chose.
"This is just warming up a bit," he said, smiling, as he passed the groupfor the second time. "In a minute or two I'll put on my act."
Jack sensed, rather than saw, that the tenseness with which they hadwatched his start relaxed somewhat as he continued to warm up. Then likea catapult he hurled himself forward and sprinted to the car. With abound he was in the driver's seat, the ignition was on, the clutch w
asthrown in, the car shot out onto the road. Wild shouts from those leftbehind.
Jack realized that it would be foolhardy to stay on Route 8; so at thefirst crossroad he turned off into a road which he thought would bringhim out at Portersville, a suburb of Granard. The road was a winding one,but he made good time and met no other cars. He kept close watch in themirror for his pursuers, but the road behind him basked quietly in theafternoon sunshine.
Just as he turned into the road leading into Portersville, a stretch ofheavily wooded highway, he saw a big blue car coming toward him. In itwere four big fellows wearing blue and green ribbons in theirbuttonholes--Greystone colors. All this, Jack took in at a glance as hesped onward. The blue car slowed down, turned around, stopped for amoment, then came on with a burst of speed, passed him and swung sharplyacross the road, directly in his path. It was so unexpected that Jack hadto jam on the brakes suddenly to avoid crashing into the larger car.
"What--" he began angrily, when he noticed that the three individuals whohad tumbled out of the car and were coming toward him had handkerchiefstied over the lower part of their faces.
"A hold-up!" thought Jack. "Foolhardy to try to resist them."
Without a word they seized him, dragged him out of the yellow roadster,then two of them hurried him over to the blue car while the third movedthe smaller car over onto the shoulder. A blindfold was tied tightly overJack's eyes, he was tumbled into the tonneau, and the big car started offfor--somewhere.