CHAPTER XIV
JOSIAH CRABTREE IN DIFFICULTY
Dora Stanhope had witnessed the approach of the boys, and now shecame out into the garden again and confronted them. She blushedprettily upon seeing Dick and several others with whom she wasacquainted.
"I understand that Mr. Crabtree is about to be married," said Dickin a low tone.
"Yes, he insists on marrying my mother this afternoon. He hasbeen at her about this for several months," answered Dora betweenher sobs.
"Evidently you oppose the marriage."
"I--I hate Mr. Crabtree!" came almost fiercely. "He is--isnothing like my poor dead papa was."
"I believe you, Dora," answered Dick. "I don't see what yourmother can find in him to like. We hate him at the academy."
"I know it--and I imagine Captain Putnam is preparing to get rid ofhim, for I heard he was corresponding with a teacher in Buffalo--onewho has been head master in a military academy out in that vicinity."
"Indeed! I hope we do get clear of him--and I wish you couldget clear of him too."
"It doesn't seem as if I could," sighed Dora. "He has wound mymother right around his finger, so to speak. But what are thoseother boys going to do?" And she pointed to the balance of thecadets, who were following closely upon the wheels of thecarriage, which had turned into the highway leading to Cedarville.
"I'll go after them and see," said Dick, and turned to leave.Then he came to a halt and turned back. "Dora, I am awfully sorryfor you," he whispered. "If I can ever do anything for you, don'thesitate to call on me."
"I'll remember that, Dick," she replied gratefully, but neverdreamed of how much she would one day require his aid.
When Dick joined the crowd he found it on all sides of thecarriage, shouting and hurrahing wildly. At first Josiah Crabtreepretended to pay no attention, but presently he spoke to thedriver, and the turnout came to a halt.
"Students, what does this unseemly conduct mean?" he demandedharshly.
"Why, Mr. Crabtree, is that you!" exclaimed Frank Harrington inpretended surprise.
"Yes, Harrington. I say, what does it mean?"
"We are out playing hare and hounds, sir."
"But you are following this carriage."
"Oh, no, sir, we are following the paper scent, sir," answeredLarry Colby, and pointed to the pieces of paper, which FredHarrison was slyly dropping just in front of the horses.
"Then our carriage is on the trail," sighed Josiah Crabtree. "Itis very annoying."
"Oh, it doesn't bother us much, sir," answered Frank coolly.
"Bother you! It is myself and Mrs. Stanhope to whom I referred.Make the hares take another course."
"Can't do that, sir, until we catch them."
"But why must you keep so close to this carriage?"
"I don't know, sir. Perhaps it is the carriage which is keepingclose to us."
Josiah Crabtree looked more angry than ever. He spoke to thedriver, with a view to increasing the speed of the team, but Borgyhad entered into the spirit of the fun at hand, and he was,moreover, a great friend of Dora, and he shook his head."Couldn't do it sir," he said. "I wouldn't want to run the riskof winding them."
"Do you mean to say they cannot outrun these boys?" demanded thehead assistant at Putnam Hall.
"Hardly, sir--the lads is uncommonly good runners," answeredBorgy meekly.
"I will show you how to manage them!" ejaculated Josiah Crabtree,and stepped over to the front seat.
"Oh, Josiah, be careful!" pleaded Mrs. Stanhope.
"I know how to drive horses, so don't worry," answered Crabtree,and took up both reins and whip. Before Borgy could stop him hehad given one of the horses a smart cut on the flank.
The steed was a spirited one and not used to the whip, andscarcely had the lash landed than he gave a wild leap into theair, came down, and broke into a mad run, dragging his mate withhim. A second later the carriage struck a stone, bounced up, andBorgy was pitched out, to land in the midst of some bushes growingby the roadside.
The bolting of the team proved almost fatal to the boys in front,who scattered just in time to let horses and carriage pass themwith lightning-like speed. Then the cadets gathered together andstared blankly at one another.
"It's a runaway!"
"Serves old Crabby right, for hitting the horse!"
"Yes, but he and the lady may be killed!"
Such were some of the cries. As soon as they could recover, thewhole party made after the carriage, now disappearing around abend.
"They'll never get around the next turn alive!" said Captain HarryBlossom, who was running beside Tom. Soon Dick joined the pair.
In the meantime Josiah Crabtree was filled with terror over thesudden turn of affairs. He dropped the whip and tugged first atone rein and then the other.
"Whoa! whoa!" he cried in a hoarse whisper. "Whoa!"
But instead of slackening their speed, the team moved on fasterthan ever, the carriage rocking violently from side to side.
"We will be killed!" moaned Mrs. Stanhope. "Oh, why did I nottake Dora's advice and have a regular wedding, as she proposed!"
"I will--will stop them!" panted Crabtree. "Whoa, you brutes,whoa!"
"Whoa, Peter; whoa, Jack!" added Mrs. Stanhope timidly.
For an instant the horses seemed to take notice of the lady'svoice, but only for an instant; then they went on as fast as ever,around another bend, and down a rocky stretch, lined on eitherside with trees and bushes.
Suddenly there came a crash, as a wheel came off the carriage.Then came a second crash and Mrs. Stanhope was hurled forth amongsome bushes. But the turnout continued on its way, JosiahCrabtree clinging to the wreck, until at last he too was hurledforth, to fly up among some tree branches and remain there for thebest part of ten minutes.
When the crowd of cadets reached Mrs. Stanhope they found the ladyunconscious and evidently suffering from a broken arm. Several ofthem, including Dick, Tom, and Sam, did what they could for her,while others ran off to find Josiah Crabtree and to summon adoctor.
It was several minutes before the head assistant at Putnam Hallcould be helped out of the tree. He came down in fear andtrembling, so overcome he could scarcely stand.
"How--how is Mrs. Stanhope?" was his, first question.
"We don't know," answered several of the cadets, and JosiahCrabtree hobbled back to find out.
The shades of night had long fallen when Mrs. Stanhope wasconveyed to her home, and a doctor was brought from Cedarville andthe Lanings were informed of what had happened. The doctor saidthat a rib as well as the left arm had been fractured, and thatthe lady must be kept quiet for at least two months. At once Doraset about doing what she could for her mother, and Nellie Laningremained at the homestead to assist her. No one seemed to careabout Josiah Crabtree, and he was allowed to hobble back to PutnamHall on foot.
"It was the fault of those boys," he muttered to himself. "I'llget even with them, see if I don't!"
But his chances of "getting even" while at the academy werespeedily nipped in the bud by Captain Putnam, who did not sayanything on Sunday, but interviewed the head assistant early onthe day following.
"It is perhaps needless for us to go into the details of what hasoccurred, Mr. Crabtree," said the owner of the Hall. "Yourcontract with me comes to an end next month. I will pay you infull tomorrow and then I wish you to remove yourself and yourbelongings from this place."
"You--you discharge me!" cried the teacher in astonishment.
"I do. I have long been dissatisfied with your conduct toward mypupils, and I am now satisfied that you are not worthy of theposition with which I entrusted you."
At this Josiah Crabtree's face fell, for he had hoped to keep hisplace at Putnam Hall until his marriage to Mrs. Stanhope wasassured. Now there was no telling when that marriage would occur,and in the meantime it was not likely he could get anotherposition.
"I think I ought to have more notice than this."
/> "You deserve no notice--since you were about to marry on thesly, so to speak, and, most likely, leave me when your contractcame to an end without allowing me time to make otherarrangements."
"I would have given you at least two weeks time."
"And I am giving you three weeks pay, which you do not deserve. Ido not think we need to prolong the discussion," and CaptainPutnam turned away.
The departure of Josiah Crabtree was hailed with satisfaction byall of the pupils excepting Dan Baxter. Strange to say, a strongfriendship had sprung up between the bully and the hot-temperedschool teacher. Baxter was the only one who shook hands whenCrabtree left.
"I hope we meet again, Mr. Crabtree," he said. "I like you, evenif the others don't."
"And I like you, Baxter," answered Josiah Crabtree. "I shallremember you."
And Josiah Crabtree did remember the bully in a manner which wasstrange in the extreme.