The High School Freshmen; or, Dick & Co.'s First Year Pranks and Sports

at one in the afternoon. The brighter students, who could get most of their lessons in scho

of the afternoon could be used for study, if need be. Saturdays, of course, were free from study for

Gridley people were proud of their town. They wanted everything there to be of the best. Certainly, the Gridley High School was not surpassed by many in the country. The imposing building cost s

ing girls. Nearly all of the students were divided between the four regular classes. There were always a f

d the Gridley standard of scholarship was high. The Gridley di

t four years, forty-nine games with other high school teams, and had lost but two of these games. The Gridley baseball nine ha

owever, despite the fine work of their boys, the citizens of the town had been somewhat grudging about affording money for trainin

tomed to the routine of work and study. They were still freshmen, and would be until the close of the school year. As freshmen were rather des

ad tried to build up a practice. Eben Prescott was not lazy, but he was a student, much given to dreaming. He had finally been driven to opening a small bookstore. Here, when not waiting on customers, he could read. Dick's

Central Grammar School. It was while in the grammar school that a band of boys had been formed who were popularly known as "Dick & Co." Dick was naturally the head. The other members of the company we

k's chums were boys belonging to families of average means. This is but another way of saying that, as

oney with him. Lawyer Ripley usually allowed Fred much more mo

money. There were a few other sons or daughters of well-to-do people in Gridley High School, but the average attendanc

ol. Some of his pocket money he spent on his closest intimates. Then, too, Fred had r

as a boy he did not like. Dick's place in the moneyed scale of life was so lowly

ven had come out of training, had played almost its last match with the "scrub" team and was now close to the time for its first regular matc

s year I hope will be an exception. It has always been part of my policy to encourage school athletics, but I do not mind telling you that some members of the Board of Education notice that school percentages fall off in October and November. This, I trust, will not be

ords that the boys gathered on the male side of the big

hutting down on us right in the middle of the season

answer?" Dent

ha

for any such action. Kee

o that and

oing around on the b

, too, were whisperi

s were enthusiastic

chool

t "young gentlemen" and "young ladies," and allowed more freedom than in the lower schools. For a few moments Dr. Thornton tolerated pa

ations, now," annou

aisles, going quickly to their proper sections, which formed in the hall outside. The tramp of feet resounded t

of voices from the different rooms. Within five minutes every one of the instructors detected the fact that, though discipline was as good as ever, Dr. Thornton's words h

e all sitting

Morton, "define the principle of

looked bewilde

t's---"

e rapidly, if

that principle," Dick confessed. He sat down, red-faced, nor was his discom

u about that at the

nodded th

ou'll have luck," Dic

?" rapped ou

s on his feet aga

rdly. "That sounded like slang, or disrespect. I beg to as

er things this morning, I s

lege, was the hugely admired coach who had led the Gridley eleven to victory during the last three seasons. He was as disturbed as anyo

es before the period was up Mr. Morton dejectedly closed the tex

ea

It was required only that not enough noise be

row. Directly behind them were th

"Mr. Morton looks half glum and half sa

" muttered

ake of that?"

the little hint Dr. Thornton let fa

's a straight tip," adde

he Board does anything like that,"

ad ones, if they do,"

Board of Education is that, though they are dead ones

Dan Dalzell, hotly. "Say, I'm in

pered Dick,

ing a scheme in my mind. I'm getting up something tha

ieve the impossib

" whispered Dan, his eyes dancing. "I'll see you fe

glish rose, the boys waiting until the girls had passed from the room. A study-hour in the big assembly room followed for Dick & Co. Yet, had anyone watched Dan

rrin leading, they marched down through one of the side streets, it being per

all. He eyed Dan keenly, who had been

ave us to understand that your min

" Dan averre

ation is oscillating inside of

piciously. "No, I never! I

n English, then, w

I can come right down to bare facts. When does the Board

oom in the High School b

members

" Dick

y, then," continued

eated Dick Prescott

town by consulting the city directory. From that valuable tom

g at?" asked Dick Prescott, suspiciously, while the

f the undertakers for our job, and still l

e wall, tightly gripping Dan

lunatic, fellows,"

ve heard him! He's pl

anyone, do they?" queried Dan

lotting, then?"

ened into a very

ws, there seems to be

the Board of Educati

, and actually--stop

l, in

lzell was presently able to control

n these days without football. Hence, if the Grannies' Club--I mean the School Board--are planning to

ne, after all

red his voice to the faintest sort of whisper, while the other partners gathered close about him--"tonight we fellows can scatter over the town, and drop into different telephone booths wher

do?" demanded Dick, af

he hint that a Board of Education that thinks it can stop football is composed of dead ones? You see, there'll be an undert

egan to chuckle, thou

e've nothing against the undertakers that should make us willing to waste their time. Moreover, Dan we're in the High

ind lots of bad holes in the scheme. Yet, somehow, we've got to bring it to the attenti

e scheme over, so as to save seven estimable business men from starting out on fools'

chief the partners pricked up

Len Spencer, the 'Morning Blade' reporter. He's a regular 'fan' over the football and baseball teams, and follows them everywhere in the seasons. You also know that Len is

anything?" demanded Da

ck Prescott, with a

that Dick Prescott, the most fertile boy in ideas at the Central Grammar School, was going to be able

n in this respect. No reporter was present when Chairman Stone rapped for order. Seven excellent men were these who sat around the long table. Most of them had made their mark in local business, or in the professions. Yet, as it happene

an hour, and all routine business had been transacted,

be but one cause for this--the football craze. There are signs that this stupid athletic folly will take a greater hold than ever, this year, on our High School students. I

o give such a warning, Mr.

been in session this evening, I have been wondering why it would not be a

his present season?" asked

ce of this season,"

suddenly, and Reporter Len Spencer, a bright-faced young man of twenty-two, hu

gentlemen," murmured the reporter. "But

pencer?" demanded t

, gentlemen, 'The Blade' had infor

a most extraordinary thing to do in the presence of this Board

'The Blade' office,"

wh

ed. "I don't believe our editor, Mr. Pollock, does, either. The news came in

for the members of this Board to furnish. Indeed, the only fact i

led Chairman Stone drew the desk instrument

e. "Is that the Board

nfessed Cha

r, there? If so, I would

he extraordinary information he has brought us

e Board felt curiosity enough to leave their seats and gather at the h

t twisted. What he meant to tell us was that there are seven dead ones in the Board of Education who know so little a

asked Spencer, solemn

ere's no real tragedy up at the Board, unless the

hool Board looked at one an

age over the 'phone?" q

rs pricked up their e

ocal pride, even in our High School boys. But, Spencer, I'm in just a bit of a fix. I had already run out six lines on the bulletin board announcing that a sudden d

e reporter laid the instrume

, as a matter of news interest, I think I'd better ask you whether an

of our knowledge," st

n no action al

to take any such

-think

ffer you my apology and 'The Blade's' for

oard were alone Chairman Stone

not favor High School football, we shall